THE GOVERNOR THE PREMIER, AND SECRETARY OF STATE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5108, 22 June 1878, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR THE PREMIER, AND SECRETARY OF STATE.

SmajSrtie^AinJ^^ eYidenw ( ;tnafi(|liM^er^ne^^^^rai^g /^throlatwe sws.yi^ltiw^^ /iri- v &Xclrtcb^^^ . haso^itte^^ ■sß%queritjtasßXplli^ ••/the^Gp^^ : : ;mt&w'hicl£^^ , tary- of State ¥SuS*George|Srey/a^a(ifaoi:i^P .;mupH ? j)§|fe@fta|^th^^^ ;anaiK^i»aeßpg^^^^^» the ?coiisideration. « "d©if^^ifi%lS^Mftion^p -h^ta^M^alii^^W#g« -The' Govfiroor s nextMeroatcn^jSTaatoa^)^ ■ m it =^:fjp^ii^Gp#^l^|d|9(s« that: -^e.^jQ^ip^ig^i^M^A^^^ th^^iOT?^^oW«e|^yiW^^^ :of : ; -they meii^b^ 'asrarance ;i;.^at;|-yaiffi6jaj^&^m(^^|&tßi^^p and' r :i)repirhig vansu|^gtß4^j^K^| all th ?^^^^,%|s^n|^OTe^| ..No d^ubt; i spjwf;^me^ :^had ; _b^n;came|l^a^t^^^ '^reaapn^orithe.^yeE^erLtSt^ jOt :,dropping ;ttobill^itVpM^e;t|^u|K^^ it ihad pa^^Jb«bt^p^||^y "simply I)e(»use^^e;^oy«i^^^^d2® .failed tosee the pdml^of^ciriSmf^ml^d^f^ .ments, or .seemed ( to^m^/so"^iSi^|djuM^.^i^po^S^-|^j , ing ;.* that I ■atv t on'ce ; /*e^%4*w'fyjej^w^, J !K bill." Up^ttSnd^^S^ea^G^pp; >refused. to; 'ss&§£ BSifnam^l f6|thel^f^u'^^ ?fpto;a'|yising^^tp^Betitr^^he^ appeared;to Mirnbiia|' he^houlii ■Ml|ndM^#§i -himself^asol^hing^i^e^h^ upon' Parliameiit by. jt^i^^p Jj^agaa^plp aU^thetcircumltances 'ol *the cale^l>tli|jr| r S# arose^the Gpyernor,say^ . V ".^M^^M; iocpurreijce-was of- sp; unus^ra»ch^wreß|^ ihat iMb^djiaptibe 'dqi£gmj^o^]^f^Si ■ : -r not to' reppr^ ; it;t6^^^,l|^sblpj^^^|^ ;- ; The Secretary of Staie^^ting|joii:|Me|%W"l 45tiii FebtMryg;inH^piy^^ol^^^^| aqMoh; taketf ! sy ;the"f Gbf6M6r^ifi ! MK,©^^ .i^tef^-^^and-Bill;^^W;!ft^lP^|§i| )pecemb^;hafa^Mi^|J^^^^^ iamb were.n6tin f a pbsiSp^lyfii^c'qnsu-li^^ ,pf 'jState saysy; ''jlhaye'reji^tnwjpp^^|ippn^^§| dencjßijvitfi^ £h.Q dar^jana^atte^i^nl^liiol^^^^ ;deifta^4sjCaiid; jjf^lj^|ii|^^^^|^ exprfesVmy.d^ae^tj^oi^yt^^ iwpu|d } seem :^ tind,iily ; ■ > to>H'^t!thesWr|rgiSß^ 'thp ■ p^wnjpgtg§§^^^^^^ Mio atth^tt&pM6^&^»KnlilW :j aasiliE^Piii;hiißh^^^ bounf4:^a^Ui#p^M^^^K foUowmalmitotor/rocojlpl^

can, I apprehend, be no doubt thai law and practice empower him to the Premier's memo, addressed to Governor^ he argues that His Exhas jspne much further than he j^^Kht to have clone in causing the des- ( of the Secretary of State to his j^^Hponsible advisers- to be laid before ■^Kiament ; and further, that the Secreof State has no authority to interfere the proceedings of either branches General Assembly, or to communito them any decision or opinion for guidance in relation to their rights ■■privileges. In clause 9, Sir George Grey ■Btes that the Constitution has strictly |^Kned the powers of the Crown, HI the Secretary of State, and of V General Assembly, of which the is a constituent part. The Act Ho entrusts to the people of this colony power of working out their own within the limits fixed by the ■■•itisli Parliament. He also believes the of New Zealand are quite preand competent to build up instituunder which their descendants may asasured to them liberty and equal HBws and rights, and he believes the peoBe of this colony are not inclined to any interference of any exterior ■pthority, either with their Parliament or In clause 12, the Premier ■Sop on to state that he is justified in that there are additional strong |Hsasons for checking the Secretary of Htate interfering with this Parliament, or ■ffering unasked for opinions. In clause ■08, Sir George Grey says that for instance, his own views were strongly in favor of ■>reaking the Empire up in a few years, Hneasures could be taken which would ■•ender such an event ultimately highly M}robable. Did he desire to set up an Mnxistocracy in the colonies in some novel ■form, landed or titular, or both, he ■could get many firm steps made towards the ■achievement of such a project. The man ■who Earnestly believes in either of these ■prin<w>les, armed with the vast and ftenerftlly long-continued power possessed ■by thi permanent Under-Secretary of the ■Colonial Department, could hardly ■avoid, perhaps almost unconsciously, ■ adopting measures which would tend to ■ the fulfilment of his cherished convictions. IHe then goes on to say it must also be ■ remembered that the Colonial Department I only . communicates to the colonies such I information as suits them to impart, and ■ these communications are sent to the I Governor, and he only imparts what he I I wishes. He shows that the colonial office lis often pressed to adopt some line of I policy by returned colonists, or disapI pointed colonial statesmen, who could not I get the New Zealand Assembly to adopt ■ their views. It was on account of the I colonial office haying so much power that I the leading British statesmen strove to I secure to the colonies the power of conJ trolling their own affairs. The people of New Zealand, mindful of this, will probably struggle against all efforts unlaw- [ fully made to meddle with their constitution, and they would be wise in doing so. The Secretary of State is an officer of high position, and whose authority is highly respected, and it is an unpopular thing in any colony for a Ministry to differ with the Secretary of State. Sir George Grey then says that he declines to have his conduct in reference to the relation between himself and the General Assembly, and between himself and the Governor, submitted for the opinion of the Secretary of State, and he also declines to discuss these questions; and he says it is s for these reasons (not through disrespect) that he has not noticed or replied to the arguments used in the despatches of the Governor or the Secretary of State, which his Excellency had been pleased to send to Ministers. The Governor, in return, says in his memo, to the Premier that he must decline to enter into any argument or discussion with Sir George Grey as to the position or authority which belongs to the Secretary of State under the Constitution Act, and points out that whatever opinion is entertained by Sir George Grey, there can be no doubt the Governor is responsible to the Secretary of State as the constitutional adviser of Her Majesty. Sir George Grey replies in a long de-. spatch, in which he says he believes "that the moment the Governor assumes office in this colony, and begins to act under the Constitution Act, his responsibility is to the law and not to any other authority, and that he would not be justified in obeying the commands of the Secretary of State or in noticing any instructions from him, except in so far as these were in strict conformity with the law. That is the authority which should be recognised and which should be obeyed." He also adds, " The Governor should not carry out the instructions of the Secretary of State, if they were considered detrimental to the interests of the people of the colony." The correspondence closes by the Governor intimating that no public advantage can be derived by its prolongation.