VICTORIA.

Southland Times, Issue 982, 8 July 1868, Page 2

VICTORIA.

(moat oub ownr coßßsararßS^r.) Melbourne, lst July. The short time that has elapsed since m^* last, places me in the position, of— bating but little to aay that will not be like 9J\ " oft told tale." The dead-lock has not terminated, nor haa.areyoiu.tion. been detes» mined upon, but things have gone in both. Houses of Parliament very muoh the. same, no actual business ia being d«fc> patched, only the Darling Groat again debated. The Assembly met on Tuesday, when a. number of notioes oT motion were tabled, but nothing waa dont until the debate on a reply to the message of His Excellency came on. A» might be expected this was long ano\ angry, but it fell short of the expression, of passion previously displayed. "With, very few interruptions the Minister* were allowed to defend their position^* and with a few exceptions a desire to end the party strife without adopting more, ultra-measures was shown, and the Colonial Treasurer was permitted under tlie pretence of speaking to the question, to make a financial statement, from which it would appear that "on the transactions of the current year there will be a deficiency of no less than -£703,493," besides about £50,000 tor 4*ay inte*egt_pn jyablic payments overdue, and supplementary estimates to the extent of another L 50.000; in all about LBOO.OOO. He censured the M'Culloch administration for concealment during • the past year of the fiscal condition of the colony. Mr M'Culloch in a long and pointed speech moved the following resoi lutions in reply to the Governor* message:— "That the Legislative Assembly has received; the Governor's message with feelings of profound- . concern and alarm. That it regards tht> oom* munication which His' Excellency has unhappily been admitted to make to the legislative Assembly in reply to its address as tending directly to create a misunderstanding between the representative of the Crown and the Legislative Assembly, and calculated to effect unconstitutionally • the right of the Legislative Assembly to determine the form. of its grants to the Grown.' S. - That the Legislative Assembly assures ffis Excellency that there is no foundation in fact for the statement conveyed in his message, that difficulties have arisen from a controversy Jbetweett ' 'the newly-elected Legislative Assembly and* the. Legislative Council. That no such controversy: exists, and that the cause of delay in proceeding with the business ofthe country is the obstructive action of the Executive. 3. That the Legislative Assembly has not informed, and does not 'propose to inform, Hi* Excellency that the Appropriation Bill of last year will be re-submitted to the Legislative Council; and it deplores the cir--cumstance that in the present grave and increasingly critical public difficulties His Excellency's judgment should be influenced by the views either of previous Ministers who have ceased to be His Excellency's advisers, or of Ministers who do not possess the confidence' of Parliament. 4. This House has not submitted to His Excellency any request which would contribute to and result in the prolongation of that condition of affairs which presses so seriously upon the credit of Government and tbe interests of the community, and the Governor is perfectly justified in assuming ' that the Legislative Assembly would regret no less deeply than himself so lamentable • result.' 5. This House is pleased to learn that the Governor will be ready to eive - effect to tha 'wisheß of the Legislative- Assembly whenever he shall be advised that the concurrence of Parliament may be expected; and would urge npon Hia Excellency that Legislative co-operation cannot be obtained until the message asked for by this House, according to the usage of Parliament* has been sent down, to enable tiie deliberative branches of the Legislature to discharge their respective functions in regard thereto ; and there is good ground for assuming that the evils ofthe crisis under which the country is suffering will not long continue after the wishes of this Honse shall have been complied with." Mr Higinbotham seconded the iresolution, while the Colonial Secretary (Mr Fellows), and Mr Langtonledin opposition. Mr G. • V. Smith moving a series of resolutions as an amendment, as follows:—-

"1. That a respectful representation be mads* to His Excellency the Governor, to testify tha '. surprise and concern of this House on receiving the answer which His Excellency's Ministers have advised to the dutiful and seasonable address of tbis House, concerning one of the most * important acts of His Excellency's government. 2. To express our regret, that His Excellency ' should be induced to prefer the opinions of a few individuals to the repeated advice of the representatives of the people, in Parliament assembled; and that His Excellency's Ministers do cot . practically recognise the truism that the confidence of Parliament iB an indispensable element of responsible government ; and that . as the present Administration do not enjoy that confidence, we are surprised that their official existence hae not, in accordance with His Excellency's opinion and that of this House, been terminated without delay. \! 3. That the continuance of the present condition of affairs is not merely a new and abnormal feature of responsible government here and elsewhere, but that it is in malignant antagonism to that system, destructive of all its normal feature*, unconstitutional in theory and revolutionary in practice; and that Bis Excellency's Ministers) have, by their persistent retention of place without power, prevented us from affording in a constitutional manner that assurance of legislative co-operation which His Excellency cannot otherwise expect to obtain. 4. To represent to His Excellency that a Ministry which is impotent to initiate supplies in this Chamber is. powerless in both ; and as operation in the Assembly must precede co-operation in the Council, those who cannot accomplish the first cannot attain. the second. That if Ministers, -irho~imve-not-our confidence, may continue in office until they evince a prophetic preference for and acquaintance with the policy, and powers of their successors, all hope of a settlement of existing difficulties may De indefinitely postponed, while distrust, discord, and debility, contempt of all existing authority, and despair of all constitutional remedy, must inevitably prevail. 5. To represent to His Excellency that an Administration which does not enjoy the confidence of this House cannot serve His Excellency aud the pubhc with effect, and that in His Excellency's present Administration we cannot confide. That the circumstances under which it was) constituted, and the grounds upon which it continued, have created strong convictions that principles are adopted and views entertained unfriendly to the privileges of this House and to the freedom of our Constitution, inasmuch v Ministers have advised His Excellency, in direct contradiction to our assurances, to neglect the advice of tbe representatives of the people, and to retain in his service an Administration whose continuance in office we have so repeatedly and so distinctly condemned. 6. That their retention of office is as injurious to the true interests of the Crown as it is wholly repugnant to the spirit of our Constitution, which. has prescribed to the First Estate a constant and uniform attention to the advice of the. Third, however adverse such advice may have been to ***c ■Crown--' Ttat **\ j* essential to" tbe public \ToKSfs"thttt the decisions of this House should be respected by those public servants 9 it is fit that thpy should yield to Parliament, and not

tiiat Parliament should be new-modelled until it U fitted to them. That if our authority is only to be upheld when we coinoide in opinion with Hib Excellency's advisers, and disregarded when we differ from them, the Assembly will sink into a mere appendage of the Administration, and will . lose that independence which inseparably connecting its character with its acts enables it to give effective support to a trustworthy Government, as it is the deference shown to our opinion when we dissent from the servants of the Crown which alone can give authority to the proceedings of this House when concurring with their measures. 7. To declare that we have done our duty to His Excellency and our constituents in thus pointing ont these evils and requesting their redress. That the responsibUity must now rest npon those who have disregarded the opinions and neglected tiie admonitions of the representatives of the people, and who have thereby at- ' tempted to set up a new system of executive administration, which, wanting the confidence of this House, and acting in defiance to its resolutions, must prove at once inadequate by its inefficiency to the necessary objects of Govern-ment,-subversive by its action ofthe power ofthe people, and dangerous by its example to the liberty of the subject." . The debate not appearing at a late hour of the night to be approaching a close the House adjourned till the following day. Upon re-assembling the debate was resumed, and several speakers, especially Mr Higinbotham, strongly condemned the interference of the Secretary of State for the colonies, or even the Imperial Parliament, in colonial legislation. MrDufiy was loud in his censure of the course adopted by the Governor in. keeping in office a Ministry in which the House had emphatically declaredthey had no confidence. The motion was at length adopted without a division Prom the tone of the speakers it is to be hoped that a compromise may be come toby the adoption of the suggestion of Mr Francis. The Council also appears desirous of coming to some understanding with the Assembly. The hon. Mr Jenner has given notice tbat on Thursday next, he will move "that the public interest, and with a view of bringing existing difficulties to a satisfactory and honorable termination, and thus ending the embarrassment and suffering to which a large portion of the community iB now subjected, this House would express itß willingness to concur in the proposed grant to Lady Darling if presented in a form that will admit of its separate consideration." Should this be carried, and it is generally beleived it will be, there is every probability that a supply bill will be sent down, and the'crisis tided over for a time, but the question of Imperial interference will not so soon be ended. If I can judge correctly of the feelings of both the Assembly and the public, a long and important dispute will afterwards have to be settled. In the meantime both the Loyal Liberals and the Constitutionalists, are carrying out their organisations with energy; meetings are being held in almost every district by both parties, and if it should come to another general election, the contest between the two will be more demonstrative than any we have seen. I observe that your Provincial Treasurer, Mr John Blacklock, is actively engaged on behalf of your Province. He has distributed a number of phamplets on the advantages offered by Southland ss a field for immigration, and I understand is busily engaged posting himself up in the system of working the railways in this colony.

AM. *-iX; y Wedaesd&y 8 ......... 333 .„.„... 4.9 Thursday- 9 .„„'.,„ 425 ,„.„... 4.42 Friday 10 ........ 4.48 .„...,„ 5-16 Saturday 11 ...\t,.., 5.35 „ 5.53 " Sunday IS „ 6.14 „...,.., 6,35 Monday 18 6.56 7.20 Tuesday 14 ..,.„.„ 7.45 8.14 Wednesday 15 8.47 9.22 Thursday 16 9.95 .10.26 Friday * 17 10.58 ..,.„„, 11.32 Saturday 18 — . 0.4 Sunday 19 0.33 1,0 Monday 20 ......... 1.27 .„„,.,, 1.54 Tuesday 21 2.18 ,„.„.,. 2.44 Wednesday 22 8.10 „,...,„ 8,85 Thursday 23 .„...,„ 8.58 ...,„'.., 4.20 Friday * 24 ..,.,„„ 4.48 „......, 6.7 Saturday 25 „. 6,32 ..,..,.., 658 Sunday S6 „ 6.20 ,„ 6.44 Monday 27 ..,..„,. 7.10 7.86 Tuesday 28 .„.,..„ 8.4 „ 8.36 Wednesday 29 9.12 9.46 Thursday 80 10.20 ..... ... 10.56 Friday 81 11.82 ......... — . ■»■■"- -