THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1874

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1819, 4 June 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1874

The Executive Bill introduced by Mr Guinness has, after some amendments, been passed by the Provincial Council. His Honor the Superintendent for reasons of his own declined to be present — an excess of delicacy, we think, that could well have been dispensed with. If his Honor felt that he was placed in an invidious position by sitting in the Council on the second reading of the Bill, it is rather strange and inconsistent that he should have taken the active part he did during the debate on the resolutions which led to the introduction of the Bill. After the passing of the resolutions by a large majority, he might surely have accepted the position, and have assisted in framing the Bill into proper shape. However, his Honor failed to see this, and by absenting himself from the Council would appear to have indicated that for the future he will relinquish the leadership of that body. If such be his intention, we venture to express the opinion that the Superintendent is making a great mistake. The debate on the second, reading of the Bill, as reported in the Hokitika papers, was not remarkable for the exhibition of much ability — perhaps as the issue was a foregone conclusion it was not considered necessary to load the discussion with arguments that had been worn nearly threadbare before. Mr Lahman took exception to the wording of the operative clauses of the Bill which, in describing the members of the Executive, included a

Provincial Solicitor. He pointed out that as there was only one member of the legal pr jfession in the Council, they might be placed in an awkward position in case of a defeat o£ the Executive or the resignation of the only lawyer in the Council, Mr Guinness. Mr Guinness, iv combatting thi3 objection, revived his previously expressed opinion that it was not necessary that all the members of the Executive should also be members of the Council. This monstrous proposition — so utterly opposed to the whole principle of the Bill, and to Mr Guinness's arguments upon his resolutions, was very properly scouted, and on the motion of Mr White the Bill was amended in Committee to meet the case. Mr White's amendment amounts to this, that unless there be at least two members of the legal profession in the Council it shall not be incumbent upon the Superintendent to fill up the post of Provincial Solicitor as an Executive appointment, and that in the event of there being no Solicitor in the Council, the office of Provincial Solicitor shall remain unfilled. We are glad to observe that the Council has adopted the suggestion made in these columns a few days ago, by investing the Provincial Secretary with the duties also of a Secretary of Public. Works. As the Bill now stands the Executive to be appointed will consist of a Provincial Secretary, who is also to be Secretary of Public Works, and a Provincial Treasurer. The question of the Provincial Solicitorship i?, of course, shelved by the amendment of Mi* White, which, after an animated discussion, was carried. The Bill having been passed through all its stages in the Council, we presume that his Honor the Superintendent will not hesitate to assent to it, and that he will, without delay, give effect to it by summoning two members to fill the offices decided upon. Rumor is silent as to the probable direction of his Honor's choice, but no doubt he will by this time have been able to make a selection acceptable to the Council.