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Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 171, 15 April 1854, Page 5

been provided for by a clause in the " Empowering Ordinance" of your Provincial Council, which, if I remember right, authorised the President of the Executive Council to act as the Superintendent's Deputy. That Ordinance has been disallowed by Colonel Wynyard ; and, as I understand, specially on account of that very clause. But the Provincial Council of Wellington passed, unanimously, a special act, naming the Judge as a substitute for the Superintendent during the latter's absence, with all his powers under laws made by the Provincial Council,except that of dismissing tlie Executive Council. I enclose a copy of die Act 'or your information. I imagine the Provincial Council of Canterbury will have enacted a similar Ordinance, naming some generally respected person or persons, not members of that Council, in the Superintendent's room ; so that the member for Lyttelton may attend the General Assembly without depriving the Province of Canterbury of Executive Government. Should the Governor then think proper to disallow the Wellington Act and the new Canterbury Ordinance, the responsibility must rest with him of either virtually disfranchising two important electoral districts, or depriving two Provinces of Executive Government. The alternative is one, of which you may remember that I foretold the inconvenience when I first addressed you on the subject more than a year ago: but the critical circumstances of the colony are now such, that the Province must be content to suffer some inconvenience, in order to contribute one of its ablest and staunchest men as a member of the House of Representatives. The second circumstance to which I allude, is the departure of Mr. Moorhouse, the member for Akaroa, to England, without in any way signifying to his constituents whether it was his intention or not to resign his seat at the earliest date possible, by leaving with some one in the colony a written resignation, to be given to the Speaker on the first day of the Session. According to the provisions of the Constitution Act, Mr. Moorhouse's seat will not be vacant until he shall have absented himself horn the House during a whole Session without leave. In consequence of this gentleman's strange conduct, Akaroa will be totally unrepresented till the beginning of the second Session, and the Province will send only four, instead of five, members to the Representative House of the General Assembly. I can hardly doubt that the Electors of Akaroa, and those of Canterbury generally, will condemn this dereliction of public duty as strongly as 1 do. Should they think it advisable to petition the General Assembly to provide by law for the creatinga vacancy at an earlier date,if possible, I need hardly say that I shall earnestly support the prayer of the petition. I venture also to hope the inhabitants of Canterbury generally have included among those whom they urgently request to be punctual in their attendance a t Auckland on the 24th May, Mr. Watts Russell, who has been appointed a member of the Legislative Council. The pubilc spirit of that gentleman on all occasions, and especially the handsome manner in which he withdrew from his candidature as a Representative for the town of Christchurch when he was advised that his unavoidable absence from the spot while still a candidate might prejudice the interests of the constituency, are a sufficient guarantee that, as a member of the Legislative Council, he would cordially co-operate with the members from the same Province in the Representative House ; and should such a feeling be general among the members of the Legislative Council, there will be a better chance of obtaining the Governor's assent to legislation in which both Houses shall have heartily concurred. I need hardly say that I intend punctually to attend 'he meeting of the Assembly on the 24th of May next. This i<, indeed, probably the last opportunity that i shall have of addressing you from hence ; as I desire to reach Auckland hefore the day of meeting, so as to enter into communication with the members for that Province, and to learn as much as possible on the spot of the avowed proceedings and intentions of the Government.. Should any of you wish to entrust petitions to my charge, I shall be obliged by your forwarding them to me at the Post-office, Auckland : accompanied, it" in any case I am desired to support the prayer, and if the subject be one on which I have not publicly expressed my opinions, by any statements which may enable me to decide whether or not I can comply with the request, and do more than present the petition.