The New Zealand Herald. AUCKLAND, THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1867.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1129, 27 June 1867, Page 3

The New Zealand Herald.

AUCKLAND, THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1867.

BPECTEMUU AGENDO. ° Give every man tliino ear, hut few thy voico : Take each mail's censure, bnt roscrvo thy judgment. This above all,—To thine own self be true And it must follow, as tho the day. Thou canst not then be fabw to any man."

PROEOG-ATION OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

The Provincial Council was prorogued yesterday by Ins Honor tlic Superintendent in person. A discussion, however, took place during the procccdiugs of tho last day's? sitting, which at this moment possesses considerable interest. The subjcct, though far from being elucidated by the debate which took place on it, is yet at the very root of the constitution as applicable either to tho General or Provincial Legislature. Mr. Emerson, the great New World sage, it was who originated the phrase " representative men," and it is no straining of the apothegm to assume that it covers the possession of the best qualities that aro possessed in common by large numbers or sections of population. Mr. May moved that the appointments of public officers who absented themselves from their duties to talcc a seat in cither House of the General Assembly should be cancelled. The Council seemed to sec at a glance that the time, not to say the terms of tho motion, was unfortunate. There was another ingredient in the consideration of the question which considerably affected tho discussion, for two gentlemen holding officc, and of high personal character, were really the " dummies " upon which the battle of words rolled its fury. Had tho same question been discussed at any other time, and under different circumstances, it could not fail to have been- most instructive. "Wo will indicate the turn which the argument took. Suppose a gentleman, one of high attainments, and a most useful provincial officer, to be clectcd to a seat in the General Assembly, two alternatives remain to him. To occupy the seat and lose hig appointment, or to keep his situation ancl lose 'his seat. Now, here is a dilemma which just showed itself above the contention : if lie relinquish his appointment, the province loses his services ; if he relinquish his scat in the Assembly, his means of usefulness both to the colony and the province are neutralized. This was observed by one lion, member, who amended the motion by the substitution of words that he should lose his pay and not his appointment, and the resolution was amended by the insertion of the word " subordinate" before those of " Provincial officer," by which the sweeping character of the original motion would in some respect bo modified. The principle is clear enough, that if a man is paid for the discharge of one set of duties, lie has no right to claim wages for the performance of another sot. But principles of all kinds, however absolute, must in their practical application be governed by circumstances ; and the employer, whether he be Government, or an individual, may reserve to i himself the right of balancing advantages ; and circumstances may exist which will recommend the common proverb ol making the host of a bad bargain as tho soundest discretion, mi the present ease the bargain will perhaps be admitted to be good, and a comparison of alternatives may suggest that the satest course is to make the most of it rather than throw it away. At all events the decision of yesterday will not set this matter at rest, and we expect to mark its recurrence on many a future occasion. Most of the other motions fell through yesterday, and the only one that claims any attention is that in which the Council expressed its opinion that tho duties and fees imposed by the Native Lands Acts upon the disposal of Native lands, and the issue of Crown grants to natives, are oppressive, and (as a member added by way of amendment) act as a hindrance to the fundamental principles of tho Act ot ISG2. This, of course, is declaratory, and can only have such eil'ecfc as the General Assembly will bo pleased to give to it. Set it is highly important, its tho expression of a legislative body, and the natives may have in it an additional proot that the obstruction to their improvement and their personal liberty does not proceed from any indisposition of the settlers of the proviuce of Auckland to recognise their right to the exercise of every privilege which an Englishman can possess, always reserving tho same conditions as essential. This concluded the business of the session, and his Honor prorogued the Provincial Council in person, and .with a speech in which he thanked them for their diligence, and expressed a hope that their deliberations would redound to the best interests of tho province.