NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. DR. FEATHERSTON BREAKING THE LAW AGAIN.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 1370, 18 September 1858, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. DR. FEATHERSTON BREAKING THE LAW AGAIN.

Wk understand that the necessary mcasure have been this day initiated by Mr. Wake field, as the leader of the Reform party, fo J appealing to Judge Giiesson to restrain Dr Feathehston from spending any more public money without the authority of law. Mr Fox and Dr. Featherston will Write furiously in the Independent, accusing the Reformers of stopping the public works, taking bread out of men’s mouths X-c., *c. But the reply i s “ call together the Council, which you have so insolently prorogued without naming a time for it to meet again.” The Council, although it will doubtless express its want of confidence in the Government as now formed by Dr. Featherston’s “puppets and obedient servants,” will, if called together, vote all sup. plies necessary for carrying on useful public works. But it will at the same time complete its enquiries into the various grievances which require Reform, and lay the result before the public.

Dr. Featherston has never communicated to the Council his intention to prorogue it and then to ask the Governor fora dissolution But he very openly avows, in private conversation, that he has forwarded such a request to his Excellency by the White Swan. Sup. pose lie has! What then? In the first place the Governor is in no way called upon to comply with the request. The Constitution Act empowers the Governor to rewove the Superin. tendent, on receiving an address signed by the majority of the members of the Provincial Council. Those members need not be in Session when they sign such an address. The Governor has, too, the power to dissolve the Provincial Council: a course which would cause a vacancy in the office of Superintendent also. But not a word appears about doing it at the request of a Superintendent. One reason for refusal is very likely to be, that asit is in contemplation to separate Ahuriri from this Plovice, it is not.worth while to trouble the people with a fresh election until the boundaries between the old and new Provinces have been fixed, ■

In the meanwhile, why should Dr. Featherston have the uncontrolled and irresponsible control of the public money? If he were to keep it, he would use it, not for the greatest good of the Province and all the people in it, but in whatever way would serve to gain most votes for himself and a despicable set of toadies as members of Council. The public money would be wasted in favoring contractors, gangers, and roadmen who promised to vote for the “ Feather-iny-nest” candidates. This the Reform party are resolved -to put a stop to, if it can be stopped by the decree of law and justice. While Dr. Fea_ th ehstox waits to know whether his pettish mulish, uppish whims are to be indulged whenever he is not satisfied with the choice of the people, let him spend the money, for which we all have to pay taxes,—not just as he, and he alone likes, —but as he and the Council (appointed to that especial duty by the Constitution Act) may agree. The Reform members have made up their minds not to be “ bounced” any longer by the lawless Superintendent. Mr. Brandon, prompted by Mr. Fox, will probably soon have a distinguished opportunity of displaying their joint incapacity and ill-temper, while defending in the Supreme Court Dr. Featherston’s lawlessness against law and justice. We venture to predict that in this case, too, law and justice will prevail.