Provincial Council.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 265, 16 May 1855, Page 5

Provincial Council.

Friday, May \th. Present—The Speaker, Messrs. Barker, Fouks, Hall, J. and S. Bealey, Packer, Blakiston, Dampier, Bray, Hamilton, Ollivier, Sewell, Thomson, Ward, Biittan, Aylmei, and Wesieura. Mr. Brittan rose to inform the Council of the progress he had made in the formation of an Executive government. The difficulty he had anticipated he had found insuperable. There was a distinct feeling: of unwillingness manifested on the part of those he had consulted to interpose delay in the progress of the business of the house, while the state of the law rendered it impossible to form a new Council without an appeal to the country. -On-this account he felt it was his duty to decline any fuither progress in the matter, and 10 acquaint his Honor of the position in which he stood. This he had done, when his Honor invited him to deliberate with "him upon the course lie should pursue. He had suggested the suspension for a time of the formation of an Executive Government, and that the business of the province should for a short time be carried on with a non-official Executive. He had at the same time mentioned the names of certain gentlemen who would be willing- to act as his advisers. His Honor had asked if he would be willing to take office, and he had consented to do so, provided the house was made acquainted with the course he had proposed to adopt, and interposed no objection. This was the simple statement he had to make, and if the Council agreed to that course the business of the session might be proceeded with; if not, he should immediately retire and leave the matter in the hands of others. The honourable gentleman suggested that the discussion might be raised upon a motion then on the notice paper, in the name of Mr. Hamilton. If a vote was taken upon the subject he should support it, but it would not be his intention to take any part iv the discussion. Mr. Hall said he did not quite understand the principle which the honourable gentleman had proposed. He was at a loss to understand why there should be so much inconvenience and delay. The only official person on the Executive Bench was the Provincial Secretary, and he, therefore, was the only one who would be required to go before his constituents. The suggestion of the honourable gentleman it seemed was, that for the present at nil events, they were to have a non-official Provincial Secretary ; if so, they would only be returning to the slate of things which existed before he (Mr. Hall) took office. The Limitation of Patronage Bill did not require that persons holding offices to which no salary was attached, should be subjected to the inconvenience of an election. Mr. Sewell said with the permission of the house he would, in Mr. Hamilton's name, move pro forma, that it was the opinion of this council that the Land Regulations should be proceeded with without delay, If the house agreed to this proposition it would imply the assent of the Council to the course proposed by the honourable gentleman at the head of the government. Mr. Packer followed on the same side. Mr. Hall would not object to tbe resolution, if in doing so it was understood n<>t to involve any expression of opinion upon the subject of ministerial responsibility. The resolution was then agreed to. Mr. SuTfEM then mo\ed a resolution to the following effect : —" That the members holding seats in the Executive would be held justified by this Council in not accepting any paid office until after the Laud Regulations had been passed, by which course the delay in public business that would arise from their going to a new election would not be incurred." Mr. S. Bkat.ey reminded the honourable gentleman that it was not compulsory upon any honourable member of that bouse to accept office involving emolument, and therefore the necessity would not arise. Mr. Hamilton- said at all events the leader of the Executive would be required to fill the office of Provincial Secretary, aud if the resolution did no more it would meet his ease. Me wished to place on record a distinct affirmation of the fact, that honourable gentlemen would be practically in office,, although, not nominally. Mr. Bray thought it objectionable that the office of Provincial Secretary was necessariSv connected witli the leader of the Kxeentive. Many gentlemen might have a desire to accept the oJ> fice of a leader of the Executive, who uiiglit on

possess the time nor the ability required for the discharge of the duties of the Provincial Secretary, The resolution was then put and carried. Mr. Hamilton then proposed that as soon as the Waste Land Regulations were agreed to, the necessity for the delay suggested in the preceeding resolutions would cease to exist. Objection having been taken to the resolution by several honourable members, Mr. Hamilton proposed to withdraw it. Mr. Bealet said the resolution had not heen seconded. He would do so, therefore, because it was one of a series which seemed so immediately dependent upon each other. But he should object to its withdrawal. It involved the principle of ministerial responsibility which he desired to see fully tested and carried out. Mr. Packer said if no honourable member took the question up, he should, and he wonld pledge himself to do his best to bring the whole subject of responsibility fairly before the house. He thought that it required a fair trial, and they had not yet had it tested. It was like the flax machine or some other intricate piece of machinery, which might ultimately be of great service to the province. It was a little cranky and stiff in the joints at first, because people hardly knew how to handle it. There was. perhaps, a screw to be moved, or a little sweet oil to be applied, or an arm to be righted, or a leg too short, and all of these little defects were easily removed, if they conjointly deliberated upon the work. (Cheers and laughter.) The motion was then agreed to. The house then went into committee on the Waste Lands Bill. Mr. Sewell was about to rise to move the adoption of a resolution, —when Mr. Hall said he thought the course very irregular. The house was entitled to hear from the honourable gentleman opposite what propo sitions he had to submit to the house, and what was the policy he intended to adopt. Mr. Brittan said it would have been inconsistent with his position to have made any statement to the house pending its acceptance of the principle he had submitted to it. In the clause the honourable gentleman had proposed, there was no vital principle involved which affected individual interests, either by its adoption or its rejection A considerable discussion arose upon the continuance of the debate ; it was contended by several honourable gentlemen that the debate was agreed to be.postponed for a longer period, and. therefore, several honourable members who were interested in the Land Regulations were absent. A division was ultimately taken, upon the question whether the house'go into committee upon the Waste Land Regulations or not. —The numbers were 9 for and 8 against. Mr. Sewell then rose to propose his resolution, but the feeling was so strongly manifested against the continuance of the discussion, that iin adjournment until Tuesday was ultimately agreed to.