EVENING SITTING. REPRESENTATION ORDINANCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1118, 5 March 1869, Page 2

EVENING SITTING. REPRESENTATION ORDINANCE.

The Provincial Treasurer asked leave to bring in a Bill intituled the " Representation Ordinance, 1864, Amendment Ordinance, 1869." Seconded (pro forma) by Mr Armstrong. The Bill was read a first time, and the second reading made an order of the daj for Wednesday evening's sitting. INfERKST ON DEBT. Mr Johnston asked the Provincial Treasurer if the two monthly instalments of the interest and sinking fund on the debt of the Colony had been paid up. The Provincial Treasurer replied that the account had not been received from the G-eneral Government. There had been no demand made for the interest, but the G-eneral Government had in hand a sufficiency to cover the interest for January, and nearly sufficient for February. Since February fifth the Land Fund had not been paid into the provincial account, and there was in hand about £1000. ORETI RAILWAY. Mr Armstrong, as Mr Pratt was not in his place, would take the opportunity of mentioning that the opinion of the Provincial Solicitor was, that the Government was still bound by the contract with Messrs Abbott and Packham. The contract deed must be submitted for signature, and should signature be refused, then the contract must be offered to the next lowest tenderer. He (Mr Armstrong) was in hopes that after what had been said in the Conncil that afternoon steps would have been taken to test the question of confidence or nonconfidence in the present Executive. He expected either Mr Calder or Mr Pearson would have come to the Council prepared with a want of confidence motion. Nothing, however, had been done, nor did it seem likely that it would be done, at least, such was his (Mr A.'s) inference. Mr Calder said he would not bring forward a motion of want of confidence. He had not done so yet, as what he had said he had spoken as a private member of the Council. He would, however, say that if he had been in the position of the Government he should have accepted what had been saivL as tantamount to an expression of want of confidence. Mr Armstrong said his mind was fully made up not to carry on the public business until an expression of opinion had been taken on this question. The Provincial Treasurer fully concurred in all that had fallen from Mr Armstrong, although he considered that nothing had been done as yet to entitle them to throw the onus of Government on any particular person. The members of the Council owed a duty to themselves to declare whether they thought the Government had neglected its duty. How* ever, he was prepared to lay upon the table certain correspondence to prove that while his friend the member for Oteramika had been charging him (the Provincial Treasurer) with untruthfulness, it was in fact Mr Pearson himself who ought to be thus charged. Mr Pearson had stated — " that a ceitain resolution of the Council had been suffered by the Government to He over unforwarded for two months," (Mr Pearson here interposed that he had made this statement " subject to correction,") while the letter written by Mr Pearson to accompany the resolution showed that it was not so. The Council was prorogued on December 6th, and Mr Pearson's letter was dated December 16th f and by catching a mail direct for the north was just as early as if it had been forwarded days before. He (the i ' fto* vincial Treasurer) might say that Mr

Pearson in his haste about this letter hac forgotton to enclose the resolution which occasioned a little delay. He (th< Provincial Treasurer) wished to put this matter in its proper position before th« Council. It was this — Mr Pearson saic the letter was not sent until the end o January, while the fact was it was for warded betore the end of December Mr Pearson had also stated that th( account of the liabilities which had beer given to him, he had found to be untruth ful. The fact was, Mr Pearson had no! asked for a statement of liabilities tc date, or he could have had it from the accounts. If, however, he had obtained a statement of liabilities at the cud ol December, and contrasted it with an account to the end of January, it was no wonder they should not correspond. other liabilities having come in in the mean time. He moved that the correspondence be read. Mr Pearson rose to reply, and was ruled not to be in order. Mr Johnston would move that the correspondence be not read. Mr Pearson obtaining leave, said that what he had said was spoken " subject to correction." He believed that the Council was prorogued in October, and that two months elapsed before the letter was written, and it was then written by himself. The Provincial Treasurer had admitted that nine days had elapsed without writing, and had referred to the mail as an excuse, when the telegraph would have conveyed the information without loss of a day. On the first morning of his (Mr P's) joining the Executive he asked whether such letter had been written , and had been told " no." He then drafted a letter, in reference to which Mr Black lock said on the next morning, that the Superintendent had not given correct information, when he (Mr P) said, " then this letter is a living, breathing He." A second letter was then written, into which matters were wished to be introduced to which he objected, and he (Mr P) saw it copied, and personally posted it, for the reason that he had no confidence. As to the omis&ioa of the enclosure, the, messenger had said that " all enclosures were within." He thought that any delay which had occurred arose, not from the omission of the enclosure, but from influence brought to bear on the Colonial Secretary. It was very disagreeable to him (Mr P) to have to bring this matter forward. He had assisted to maintain the Provincial Treasurer in office so long In fact it was he (Mr P) who had brought him from hia native obscur' y, and made him Provincial Treasurer — and with commendable pertinacity he had retained his office. After all the explanations of the Provincial Treasurer, he (Mr P) would now say that he did not believe we were in psssession of all the vouchers, or that they would ever be obtained except as the result of a commission of enquiry. Mr Abmstbong would again state his own determination not to proceed with the Q-overnment under present circumstances. It was, besides, in about four days, his intention to resign his seat in the Council. Mr Pbatt did not know the position of the Executive under the newly passed Ordinance. The Speaker thought that, as Mr Pratt assisted to pass the Ordinance, he ought to have known, and for his information read the Ordinance in question. The Pbovxncial Tkeasttbeb also explained the operation of the Ordinance. Mr Johnston was of opinion tjiat the gentlemen who had complained of the conduct of the Executive should take upon themselves the formation of a Government, otherwise there must be a dissolution. An adjournment of the Council until Friday having been proposed, it was deemed advisable that the Council should advise the Government as to the course to be pursued in reference to Messrs Abbott and Pacham's tender, when it was decided to advise these gentlemen, both by letter and telegram, that the Provincial Government was ready to perform its part of the contract, and requested the presence of Messrs Abbott and Packham to sign the contract deed. The Council adjourned until 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday.