MEMORANDA BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND MINISTERS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1016, 25 October 1872, Page 3

MEMORANDA BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND MINISTERS.

The following are two of the memoranda that passed between His Excellency the Governor and Mr. Stafford referring to a dissolution of Parliament:— No. 4. His Excellency Sir G. F. Bowen, G. 0. M. G., to the Hon. Mr Stafford. The Governor has received Mr Staffords's second Memorandum of the sth instant. He has now given his full and earnest attention to all the aspects of the question submitted to him in so clear and able a manner. Among the considerations which have led the Governor to the decision at which he has arrived, may be mentioned the following :

1. It has always been held by English statesmen anil political writers of authority that frequent dissolutions are injurious to Parliamentary government, for, in addition to other disadvantages, they have an obvious tendency to cause members to be regarded as mere delegates of the constituencies, and not as representatives of the country at large. Now, the existing Parliament of New Zealand was elected for five years in 1871. It is as yet only in its second session, and is barely eighteen months old. To put the colony to the great expense and inconvenience of a general election twice within so short a period could be justified only by the gravest necessity. 2. It appears probable that the country is as much divided as the Legislature which represents it. At all events, there has been no strong or universal expression of public opinion in favor of either of the parties which have lately held office. Indeed, it seems evident that the country generally is disposed to regard the difference between most of its leading men as personal rather than political, and as concerned with matters of detail ralher than of principle. 3. There is absolutely no question of magnitude to refer to the constituencies. Both sides in the present Parliament support the policy of Public Works and Immigration which was adopted by the last Parliament. Both sides approve a policy of peace and conciliation towards the Maoris. No measure of urgent importance, respecting which any material differ, ence of opinion exists, appears to be pending. 4. If the nearly equally balanced state of parties in the Legislature (as shown by recent occurrences) be taken into account, it appears that Mr Stafford may probably be somewhat too sanguine in deeming it beyond doubt that either of those parties, as at present constituted, would find no difficulty in getting supplies, or in securing the passiug of an Appropriation Act with a view to an immediate dissolution.

5. It seems to be morally certain that the majority of tbe Parliament and of tlie people of ]S T ew Zealand agree in desiring that there may be formed, on a wider basis, a new Administration strong enough to carry on the Government without further interruption of the public business. It is confidently expected that practical effect can be given to that desire. On the whole, the Governor believes that a fresh appeal to the country ■would be premature until all proper endeavors in the direction indicated in the last paragraph shall have failed. Consequently, he has decided that his duty compels him to decline to accede to Mr Stafford's recommendation of an immediate dissolution.

G. P. Bowen. Government House, 7th October, 1872. P.S.—With reference more partieulorly to the paragraph marked 4, the Governor wishes to add, that he does not intend any part of this memorandum to be understood to imply that he would make any objection, if Ministers still differ from the views expressed in that paragraph, and desire to test the opinion of Parliament upon the point at issue. In that case the Governor expects —

(a) That the correspondence shall be laid before both Houses, with the object of preventing any possible misapprehension ; and, (b) That the passing of the necessary Appropriation Act shall be regarded as evidence that the Legislature agrees with Ministers in deeming expedient an early appeal to the constituencies. G. P. Bowex. No. 5. The Hon. Mr Stafford to His Excellency the Goverxor. Mr Stafford respectfully acknowledges the Governor's Memorandum of to-day. The resignation of Ministers would have been immediately place in his Excellency's hands had it not been for the postscript. Ministers have always, as expressed in Mr Stafford's second Memorandum, recognised the necessity of obtaining the sanction of Parliament for the requisite public expenditure before Parliament is actually dissolved. They have no reason to doubt that Parliament will perform its constitutional duty, to enable the public service to be carried on until the reassembling of the Legislature. Before, however, submitting to Parliament proposals founded on a contemplated dissolution, Mr Stafford Biibmits that he should be enabled to announce that, on supplies being granted, Parliament will be dissolved. By adopting any other course, the. fluty of deciding whether Parliament should be dissolved or not would in fact be relegated to the House of

Representatives, instead of resting, as it constitutionally does, with his Excellency. Mr Stafford respectfully reminds his Excellency that a dissolution is never advised, except when a Government is unable to command a reliablo majority. E. W. Stafford. . Wellington, 7th October, 1572.