CANTERBURY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3351, 13 April 1868, Page 4

CANTERBURY.

The following is an official copy of the resolutions passed by the Provincial Council on March 17 and 18, in answer to Measage No. 2 from his Honor the Superintendent: — " That this Council thanks his Honor for his Message No. 2, suggesting constitutional changes in the government of the province, and, having taken this Message into consideration, resolves — 1. That in the opinion of this Council there should be a Provincial Council, chosen by the people of this province, in the same manner as the present Council is eh sen. 2. The Council to have the control of all public •matters itrictlyi-rovincial. 3. That the Council should elect the Superintendent, who should sit in the House as Chairman, and act as general comptroller of departments ; but should have no power whatever of engaging the revenues of the province for the payment of any contract or works without express sanction of the Council : provided always that members^ the Council shall be eligible for election as Superintendent. 4. There should be an Executive Council of not less than three members of the Provincial Council, as colleagues of the Superintendent. 5. That there should be a permanent staff of officers for conducting the business of the departments. 6. The Provincial Council to vote supplies, and, in matters provincial, to have power to raise taxes for provincial purposes. 7. The Provincial Council to have the management of the waste Unds of the province, and the revenues arising therefrom, and railways, roads, bridges, and public works, education, immigration, police, gaols, asylums, and harbours. 8. That, in the opinion of this Council, the question of Provincialism and Centralism would be satisfactorily settled by the establishment of a separate Legislature and Government for the Middle Island. 9. That this Council is of opinion that material alterations in the constitution of Provincial Governments are required in order to meet the changes that have taken place in the provinces, both as regards the state of their revenues, and the necessity for an extension of local control over local affairs. 10. That, in order to administer the local affairs of a province, a much more direct, simple, and inexpensive form of administration should be substituted for the present form of provincial institutions."