Mr JOHN CARGILL opposed the amendment.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 544, 15 September 1863, Page 5

Mr JOHN CARGILL opposed the amendment.

Major lIICHARDSON" said that tlie question might be looked at in two aspects-the one as t-< its merits, the other as to the way in which it came More the House. He would take +he latter first. A" Message was ssnt down intimating that his Honor gave the House the opportunity of reconsidering a decision come to nt the Just sitting. He believed that tin's was the message of tbe Superintendent alone; for he would not pay the Executive the doubtful compliment of ussuming that they had recommended to his Honor to ream thc-m iti their places. What was the real position ot the affair'? By a resolution ot the Council it was unequivocally affirmed that the.intimates should be re-condclered and re-adjusted This was sent to the Superintendent, who, instead of at once acquiescing, retained tlie Executive as having bis confidence, and tells the House that they should have theirs This was most unconstitutional. It was bis Honor's duty to have sent for tbe ho orable nvjmbpr who moved the motion which led to the Executive gmig out. His Hanoi- mi^ht, have declined the Executive proposed to' him by that honorable gentleman ; and some one else might have been consult d. Rut. it was' due to the House that some one should have been consulted, other than th-.se who had re igneJ, before the questiou was sept back to the ILius^. Allow this principle to bj established, and the axe would he laid at the root of constitutional lioeriy. As to the merits of the question of wi-.ut of coadenee, Iv was mo.it ancere in saving that since the Provincial Secretary took office, ne had carried ori business in the House iv a way which he (Major Richardson) did.not expect, coriside.iu«- the very short notice lie hah That the. Provincial Secretary had not. been invulnerable to the assaults of a very subtle enpray,- from whom he'(Major Richardson) had suffered grievously,— a laugh) -was a fact No doubt, if he. had been 'in the pace" cf".-the Provincial Secretary, he woul.t ha-e wincedihare than that honorable gentleman ha t dow. As to tbe Treasurer, he had no hesitation in saving that, tliat. honorable gentleman's conduct on a late occasion'had hen such as entirely to.forfeit Irs (Major Richardson's) confidence in him as Provincial 'lreas.irer, anl therefore, to fjrfeib liis confidence in. th* Executive of wnich the honorable gentleman formed, part. The other evening, .the Treasurer gave a very cuit refu.-al to reconstruct the Est! mutes; bis colleagues bickedhira; and it was understood to be the intention of. the Government to resi<?n._ He thought the Treasurer would have apologised for tlu-t cxpres-ions he had used ; but after all, th-?. honorable gentleman still "held the ofiice, and he had not apologised. The circumstances altogether were, such ns to necessitate a want of confidence in any administration in which the honorable g ntlemau formed part. But what wa-s to be done, if the present Executive lefo oflice ? Well, he eared not about chat at present. The simple question was, had the Executive conducted themselves in such a manner as to justify his confidence.' He replied that they ha 1 noc; and tueref'ore bis vote would go with the honorable member for Tokomairiro. (Applause.)

The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY contended that it was not fair to say that the resolution as to the Estimates went to the- Nuperintrndent as a vote of want uf confidence. .Therefore, a vote of want of confidence ha I not been sent back to the Couiu-il, nor had anything been co sent, for the motion had been acte 1 upon. He aril the Provincial Treasurer hai been engage lin making some a'taralion in the form of the Kstima;ee. It "hai been put to the House with a good deal of cleverness, that the privileges of the Housj were bping tampered with • but it was not sn. lit ehalie-'g,>d contradiction of the assertim that tlie Superintendent exercised an . undoubted privilege, in a-ddnr those mem bers who formed the Executive to re consider the decision they had arrived at. The Superintendent had a c inference with tbe Executive, when the course win h had been 'adopted was suggested and agreed to, and the result w«s embodied in a mes>;ige, which was submitted to th» Executive before it wj.3 sent to the Council.

The PmVI-NOI-Mi ;^TREASURES could not admit that ho owed an apology to the House. He told;the honorable member, for Waikouaiti that he would not reaonstruct the Estimates, but he did-not refuse to. the' House. .

Major RICHARDSON must,appeal to the recollection of the honorable members—whether life statement was not distinct arid emphatic, tliat he would not reconstruct tbe Estimates. • "•.-. * :■■'■• ■; ■ ■■

y said he made the statement while.ithe subject, was under consideration. He had not siid anything of the kind after a Vote was taken.

: The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY said tint he had not, and never hi', the intention of holding offt-.e only until the business of tile Council was finished and then throwing it over. -■■axA..A,:i.a. , .'

Mr MOSS wished to say tbat'there were, re-vons other than arose tVom a desire to shirk duty, wbicli might prevent a unu j.iitiuie au lixeeutive-reasons of a private character, and affecting 'the question of the cihe*ion of the Government.

After a few words from the PROVINCIAL TRK ASDItER, the questiui was pi^, and, on a divisionthe amendment was carried by 10 to 15, thus leavhv, the Government in a minority of four,* a ' The House resumed. The resolution as passed was reported. i Mr GILLIES moved its adoption by the House. Mr VOGEL seemded the motion, which was put and carried. The PROVINCIAL SECRETARY laid upon the table of the House copy of correspondence relating to the Benevolent lusiitutbn. ordere r on the motion of the honorable member for Waikouaiti. The PROVINCIAL SEECK.ET UtY also laid ou the table correspondence as to the West Coast Expedition and Dr Hector, and the opinion ot the Provincial Solicitor respecting a bonus to steamers rurinine; via Panama. These documents were read as follows : —