WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1354, 2 February 1865, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

By the i.a. Queen we have our files to the 28th ult. Beyond the proceeding* of the Council the local news 1b very barren. Wo make th® subjoined extracts:— Thk PuoviNcur, Council.—The present session of the Provincial Council is held for a special purpose, and will probably last but a day longer. Up to the present' moment the work to be done has been carricd through with laudable rapidity and promptitude. The Superintendent's address has been discussed ai)d approved, the most of its recommendations have been adopted, and in the course of to-night, or at furthest, on Tuesday, the various bills introduced by the Government will have passed their third reading and become law. Usually the opening speech of the Superintendent to his Council has been an able and valuable production, containing a review of the past, and a foreshadowing of the policy to be

jadppted in ; the future. The present oc- ! caslon is, however, exceptional, and so is the speech. Special circumstances have rendered it I necessary that the Council should be called together, and Dr. Featherston has therefore confined himself in his speech to stating what these circumstances were, and pointing out what measures should be tuken to meet them. There is but little debateable matter in what ho has said, and though of course there was a discussion on the address on Thursday night, yet the opposition had but little to cavil at. No doubt it was contended by Mr. Borlasj I hat the Superintendent had already made an offer of the Provincial Government Buildings to thoGcncr.l Government at a specific price, and that therefor., the Council had no opportunity of acting independently, but this, like some other assertions made by the hon. member, was very loose and incorrect. It is true that Dr. Featherston agreed to accept certain terms, but he only did so u subject to the confirmation of the Council," and it wad" quite competent for the members to have refused their concurrence.' The fact that they did not do so, but on the contrary, united in supporting the address, with a little criticism of its details, shows that on the whole the proceedings of the Government are approved. We agree with those who, like Mr. IJorlaac, stands up for " Constitutional principles," in the administration of provincial affairs; but it is not easy to see that anything unconstitutional has been attempted by the Government. In consequence of the decision of the Assembly, the seat of Government is already located at Wellington, and the necessary measures to render this change complete have to be taken without an instant's loss of time. The Provincial iixecutive, therefore, thinks that whatever has to be done "it were well it were done quickly," and pushes on the work by every possible means. Tlie force of circumstances compelled them to adopt this course, and it speaks well for the good sense of the Council that they were supported in doing so.—lndependent, Jan. 21.

Petition to the Queen. —The following petition was carried in tlie Council: —"To the Queen's most excellent Majesty—The petition of your Majesty's faithful and dutiful subjects, the Provincial Council of the Province of Wellington, New Zealand, humbly sheweth—That by resolutions agreed to j by both Houses of the General Assembly of New ; Zealand, it has been decided that the seat of Govern- ! ment for the colony shall be removed to the city of Wellington, in this province, as most convenient to the several provinces, as most easy of communication with the different parts of the colony, and most likely to conduce to the peace, order, and good government of New Zealand. That as a consequence of this decision, an attempt is now being made to obtain a suspension of the Constitution, and a separation of part of the Northern Island from the rest of the colony, in order to constitute it a separate colony, on the plea that such a measure would be conducive to the welfare of the aboriginal race of this colony, and to their better government. That your petitioners believe that such a measure would be fraught with serious evils to both races, that it would be destructive to the best interests of the colony, and opposed to the wishes of the great raajorityof the colonists of New Zealand. That the present disturbances in theWaikato and in the province of Auckland are owing to causes entirely unconnected with representative institutions and responsible Government as established by the Constitution of New Zealand, and would in no way be prevented or beneficially affected by the suspension of the Constitution; that these disturbances have been repressed by the military operations undertaken by the Imperial Government, and there is good reason to hope may in a few months be put an end to by the prudence and energy of the Government. That your petitioners can confidently refer to the present peaceful state of their province, and to the good-will and friendly relations existing towards the Government and the colonists on the part of the great body of its aboriginal inhabitants, of which the strongest proof was given by the defence of one of the settlements of this province, by the loyal natives, against a threatened attack by the fanatical rebels, as conclusively shewing that such a change is not required as far as the natives are concerned. Your petitioners most earnestly deprecate any attempt to suspend the Constitution and to divide the colony into separate parts having different governments, as a serious calamity to New Zealand, as destructive to its credit, and most detrimental to the future prosperity of the European colonists, while it would in no way contribute to promote the good government or welfare of the aboriginal race, and would entail a very heavy permanent charge upon the mother country. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray your Majesty not to sanction any measure which may have for its object the separation of New Zealand into different colonies, or any alteration of the present Constitution of New Zealand."

Prorogation Speech.—Brief as this your last session has been,it will,l venture^to^say^ everbe history of the colony, and especially of this province. Called together for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the seat of government to the geographical centre of these islands, you have in the terms on which you have handed over the Provincial Government Buildings to the General Government, and in making a free gift of 190 acres for the Governor's residence, evinced a spirit of wise liberality, which 1 doubt not will be fully recognised and appreciated by the Government of the colony. The concessions you have so gracefully made to Wanganui will, I trust, not only eradicate all desire for the further dismemberment of the province, but will also remove any bitterness of feeling which the separation movement may possibly have engendered. Should such happily be the result of your conciliatory overtures, there is not the slightest reason why a tender for the erection of the Wanganui Bridge should not be at once accepted. While, owing to my ignorance of the precise state of the negotiations at present pending between his Excellency's Government and the agent of the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Koyal Mail Steam Packet Company, for the establishment of the Panama Mail Service, I have been precluded from bringing the matter under your consideration during the present session, I shall not hesitate, acting in concert with the Government of Canterbury, to avail myself, if necessary, of the powers conferred upon me by your resolution of last session, being perfectly confident that any action taken by Canterbury and Wellington to secure such an inestimable boon, will be readily ratified and confirmed by the General Assembly. After having intimated to you the possibility of -my shortly proceeding to England, it is a very great relief to me to be able now to announce that, after due deliberation, I have abandoned any such intention for the present. And now it only remains for me to assure you of my warm appreciation of the flattering testimony you have just borne to my administration of the Government of the province during a period of nearly twelve years—to tender you my sincere thanks for the cordial co-operation you have ever afforded me, and to congratulate you upon being in the proud position—should our fellow-settlers not deem us worthy of a renewal of the confidence they have hitherto reposed in us—of being able to hand over the province to our successors with all the great objects for which many of us have so long striven, either already achieved, or in process of accomplishment—with its finances in a sound and prosperous condition, and with a bright and, I trust, glorious future before it. I now declare that this Council do stand prorogued. —Ibid.