Colonial

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 738, 3 December 1859, Page 5

Colonial

WELLINGTON.

The following message from the Superintendent to the Council, in answer to a resolution of want of confidence in the Executive, is published.

COUNCIL PAPER. Session Vll.—Message No. 5. The Superintendent begs to acknowledge the receipt of the address of the Provincial Council, in which "they inform him that they have no confidence in the administration of public affairs by the present Executive, because they are not supported by a majority,of the Council." In reply the Superintendent is very reluctantly compelled to reiterate certain facts, which, though they have been repeatedly stated, would seem to be ignored by the Council in requesting for the second time the Superintendent to change his Executive. The Superintendent was elected to his present office for the second time in November, 1857, by a majority of two to one over his opponent, and met the Council in March, 1858,—when, finding that a large majority of the Council were adverse to his Government, he called upon, the leader of the Opposition to form an Executive, a task which he ■was unable to accomplish except upon conditions ■with which the Superintendent was unable to comply. The Superintendent, perceiving that the differences between the' Council and himself were irreconcilable, and being anxious to avert the disastrous consequences to the province necessarily arising from a collision between the < Executive and ( the Legislature, determined without asking for a dissolution, upon himself appealing to the electors against the Council, and resigned his office.

The Council proceeded to pass various measures, which the Superintendent, deeming to be vicious in principle, detrimental to the best interests of the province and opposed to the views and wishes of the people, vetoed. , The majority of the Council brought forward a candidate, whose consent to contest the Superintendeney had been obtained and published in one of the local papers many months previous to the vacancy occuring. The issue put to the electors was clear and unmistakable:—it was acknowledged on both sides to involve a vote of want of confidence in the majority of the Council, should the present Superintendent be re-elected. . . ,

During the contest, the Government was carried on by the Speaker, and an Executive composed of members of the majority of tho Council :—and the Council continued in session.

The electors of the province, however, with a full knowledge of all the points at issue, with a perfect acquaintance with the various bills he had refused to sanction, returned tho Superintendent by an overwhelming majority.

The city of Wellington at the same time gave an additional proof of their confidence in him and of their approval of his policy by returning him and a gentleman of the same political views to the General Assembly, in opposition to two leading members of the majority in the Council; and in every other election for scats in the General Assembly the candidates of the Opposition were defeated.

Since his re-election to tho office of Superintendent, every member of his present Executive has been elected to the Provincial Council, either without opposition or by large majorities. The Superintendent therefore feels himself justified in maintaining that he and his Executive enjoy the confidence of the vast majority of the inhabitants of the province, who have thus repeatedly endorsed their policy.

On the other; hand the position in which the opposing majority stands towards the various constituencies admits of no dispute. Though in possession of the Government at the time of the contest for the Superintendency, they were signally defeated ; and since that time they ha\e lost every election, whether for the General Assembly or Provincial Council, with the single exception of the return of two members for the City of Wellington, who were unopposed solely in the expectation that Mr. Secretary Stafford's pledge to grant a dissolution whenever it was asked for would be redeemed.

During the present session a proposal has been made by the supporters of the Government,. that the whole Council should resign, on the understanding that if the Superintendent met an adverse majority in the new Council he would resign his office finally and unconditionally; but however ready the opposing majority have shown themselves to appeal to the Supreme Court or to the General Government, they resolutely decline to appeal to the people.

Within the last'week or two, meetings of the working classes have been held in the Wairarapa, at Wanganui, and Wellington— at which resolutions have been passed condemning the course pursued by the majority of the Couucil, and requesting to be heard at the bar of the House by one of their own body. .

Further, by the last mail to Auckland the Superintendent forwarded to the Governor a petition, signed by 1593 inhabitants of the province, praying his Excellency to dissolve the Council as the only means of removing the " deadlock " which the Opposition have persisted in maintaining for the last two years —a prayer in which the Superintendent has expressed his cordial concurrence.

' With these facts, affording such indisputable evidence that the majority of the Council have lost the confidence of their constituents, the Superintendent submits that he would not be justified in entrusting the administration of the Government of the province to an Executive taken from their ranks.

But even if the Superintendent acceded to the Council's present request, it must be clear that he could only do so, either by himself abandoning all those principles upon which he has thrice been elected by the people to his present office, or by the majority of the Council sacrificing theirs. Until therefore an appeal has been made to the ultimate court of appeal—the people, either by the voluntary resignation of its members or by a dissolution of the Council, the Superintendent must respectfully decline to comply with the request to change his Executive. . . I. E. Featherston, Superintendent. Superintendent's Office, . . 4th November, 1859.