A SPECIAL SESSION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 253, 5 December 1872, Page 5

A SPECIAL SESSION.

On Nov. 26th Messrs R. Stout, G. Puncan, and D. Hutcheson, M.P.C.'s, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent, and presented to him a requisition from members of the Provincial Council, asking him to call the Provincial Council together without delay. (A copy of the requisition appeared in our last Wednesday's issue.) It was stated by Mr Duncan that twenty-seven members had signed the memorial, while of those to whom letters had been sent only two had declined to sign. They were Mr M'6la« sban, who positively refused ; and Dr. Webster, who, while wishing the Council to be called together, thought the session should be held after and not before the holidays, as asked by the requisitionists. Mr Hutcheson referred to the necessity for bringing into operation the Highway Boards Act, and the opening up of land for settlement, as strong reasons for calling the Council together. His Honor said the correspondence that had passed between himself and Messrs Cutten and Bradshaw would indicate his Tiews on the subject. (Memo, for his Honor the Superintendent.) Provincial Secretary's Office, 15th Nov.. 1872. We, the undersigned members of your Executive, present our compliments to your Honor, and, in consequence of the present unsatisfactory state of affairs, advise your Honor to call a meeting of the Provincial Council at the earliest possible date. Tv". H. Gotten, Acting Provincial Secretary and Treasurer. J. B. Bradshaw, Secretary for Public Works and Goldfields. 16th November, 1872. Gentlemen, — In reply to yoxur memo, of yesterday's date, in which you advise me to call a ineeting of the Provincial Council at the earliest possible date, in consequence of " the present unsatisfactory state of affairs," I have to observe that, in as far as the public interests are concerned, affairs are not at present more unsatisfactory than usual but, on the contrary, the departmental business of the Province is being promptly attended to. The Executive Government, as you are aware, is using eveiy exertion to give effect io the Totes and resolutions of the Provincial Council at its last session ; and notwithstanding the increasing demand for labor, will, I trust, be able to congratulate the Council in due course upon most, if not the whole, of the works authorised by it being either completed or in progress. — I am, &c, I need not Bay that practically the chief function which is now left to the Provincial Council is the appropriation of the moneys at -the disposal of the Province, and as the revenue up to the 31st March has been already fully appropriated, 1 am unable to see what public benefit could result from calling the Council together at present, the more especially seeing that the expenditure usually involved in holding a session of Council (L 2000) may be more beneficially expended otherwise. If there were any great question of public policy requiring an immediate expression of the opinion of the Council, I should not for a moment hesitate in at once convening it, either on pecuniary or any other grounds. As it is, however, I can see no possible object to be gained by an immediate session, excepting personal inconvenience to many of the members, and perhaps an acrimonious discussion as to the Executive changes at present in progress— a discussion which, however gratifying either in itself or in its results it might be to individuals, can be productive of no practical advantage whatever, in so far as the public interest is concerned. — I have, &c, J, Macakdbew. With regard to declaring blocks of land open for settlement he thought there should be no delay. Of course it was necessary before the Provincial Council could deal with the Bubject that the Act should be brought into operation ; and there must be certain data upon which the Council's action should be founded. „ That would take a little time, he supposed. There should be no unnecessary delay in calling the Council together. With regard to the Highway Boards question, be confessed he had not looked into it as carefully as he should have done ; he had been waiting for a copy oi the Act, which had not yet come down.

Mr Stout remarked, in reference to an observation that had fallen from his Honor to the effect that to call a special session just now would be attended by very much personal inconvenience to members, that twenty-seven members had signed the requisition, while sufficient time had not elapsed to allow of replies from the member for Queenstown, or. the outlying districts of Southland. That showed that their convenience was not likely to be affected. His Honor would observe that the requisitionists did not base their request that the Council should be called together on any difference of opinion that might exist, but solely upoa public grounds. With regard to his Honor's observation that the calling together of the Council would only give lise to acrimonious debate, he (Mr Stout), on that question, might observe that delaying to call the Council together would not get rid of that debate, but oh the contrary, the difference would gather strength 'on its course ; •ad the deb»te, if it did take plave,

would be attended with still greater acrimony if the meeting of Council were delayed. He referred to the necessity of the Council b'ling summoned to set aside blocks of land for settlement under the new Act, and to the fact that the requisitiouists were unacquainted with the views of his Honor's advisers on the land question. It was possible if their views agreed with those of the requisitionists, that they might retain office for some time. The Council Was certainly in utter darkness as to whether the I business of the country would be ca ricd on in the way the majority wished. Bethought that was a strong ground, if they were to have anything like a responsible Government, be thought the introducing of the Land Act alone would have been sufficient. j There were other important matters, such as the Highway Boards Act, and the setting aside of blocks, that required attention. Although the Provincial Council could not elect the members of the Waste Land Board, which was done by his Honor, his Executive, and the Governor, at the same time the Council could know from the Executive whether proper men would be appointed. He point' d out that it was possible that, while his Honor would desire to see appointed proper men, he might be overruled by his Executive. The proper administration of the Act greatly depended upon the selection of the members of the Board. Besides, these appointments were really for life, and it was not likely that the Governor would remove a member except on some very grave or specific charge. Seeing that such large discretionary powers were left in the hands of the Waste Laud Board, the Council should know whether those powers would be exercised in accordance with the views of the majority. '• hfse grounds were urged independent of those contained in his Honor's correspondence with Messrs Cutten and Bradshaw.

His Honor said he should be sorry to see party spirit having anything to do with the appointment of members of the Waste I and Board. The Land Act should be administered irrespective of opinion; its meaning was so clear that he who ran might read ; and it was not to give effect to every set of opinions. The great object of the Act was to make the Board non-political— such was the ostensible object of the Legislature. Indeed, aonie members of the Upper House "Went SO far ai tO propose that no member oi the Provincial Council, as well as General Assembly, should be upon it. Mr Stout observed that as the Board was to be semi-political, that half of it should represent the views of the majority of the Council.

His Honor said that whatever was the result, he should do all he could to make the Board non-politicaL He would give a very careful and deliberate consideration to the question raised ; and with that assurance the deputation withdrew.