New Zealand Parliament.

Marlborough Express, Volume VII, Issue 446, 9 November 1872, Page 8

New Zealand Parliament.

[From Hansard.] SUPERINTENDENT OF MARLBOROUGH ELECTION BILL. The Second Reading of this Bill was moved on October 17th in the House - of Representatives by Mr Seymour, who said “he was glad to have an opportunity of bringing this question before the House. It was a question upon which he was afraid he should have no opportunity of addressing the House, and he was thankful that the opportunity had now occurred. The principle involved in the measure was not a new one, but was one which the House had affirmed on a former occasion. Two years ago, his predecessor in his present seat introduced a similar Bill, but it was thrown out in the other branch of the Legislature. It was one which the inhabitants of the Province of Marlborough had long wished to see carried out, and for many reasons it would be very desirable. It would not alter the position of the Superintendent in relation to his Council, as he would still remain capable of taking a seat in the Council or not, as at present; but he was sure that the principle of the Superintendent being elected by the people was one which would commend itself to the House. He had already heard that, in other parts of the Colony, Jfchis principle was particularly desired. He alluded to the County of Westland, where the Chairman occupied a similar position, and, as he understood, it was desired by the people there that the Chairman should be elected by the people. He had heard of Municipal Corporations who desired that their fehairmen should be elected by the burgesses ; and he knew of one instance where, by a mutual arrangement, it was decided that an opportunity should bo given to the burgesses to express an opinion as to the fittest person to be Mayor, on the understanding that the Conncil would give effect to the wishes of the people. The principle was one so good that he was sure it would not be objected to by that House. The difficulties which had occurred in former years in the Province from which he came, on account of having the Superin tendency always a bone of contention among a small number of were so great that, in ten years, there were no less than eight Superintendent elected. There was a continual struggle of party to put some one or other gentleman in the position, and year after year the contests were carried on with great bitterness of feeling, very much to the detriment of business in the Province. For the last few years this had not been the case, but at any time it might occur again, and he felt satisfied that it would be conferring a great public benefit if the House would accept the Bill of (which ho now proposed the second reading.” Bill read a second time, considered in Committee, reported without amendments, and read a third time.

In the Legislative Council on Oct. 19th the same measure was brought under consideration. The Hon, Captain Baillie, in moving the second reading of this Bill, might state that the foundation for it was a petition, presented by a large number of the inhabitants of Marlborough, to the other House, praying that the principle of election of Superintendent in this Province should be assimilated to that in force in other Provinces, Marlborough was formed under the New Provinces Act, and the Provincial Council elected their own Superintendent, but under the provisions of this Bill, the Superintendent would be elected by the electors of the Province generally, which would be much more likely to give those electors satisfaction. The Hon. Mr J. P. Taylor had a little experience of the unpleasant occurrences that at-' tended the election of Superintendents by Provincial Councils, and if the Province of Southland were still in existence, he felt convinced it would be very glad to have a similar Bill passed with regard to itself. He would therefore support the second reading. Bill read a second time, considered in Committee, reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed.