MONDAY, December 9.

Otago Witness, Issue 524, 14 December 1861, Page 5

MONDAY, December 9.

The House met at 4 o clock. Present — all the members except Messrs. M'Master, Purdie, Martin, <md Tayler. Mr. Reynolds' presented a petition from certain merchants of Dimedin, praying that any improvements /in jetty accommodation "might for the present be confined to the old jetty, and thnt* instead of the proposed jetry in continuation of Stuart Street, there should be one in continuation of Rattray Street. The petition \vas received. Mr. V ALKKit then rose to make the following Ministerial explanation : He said that on the decision of the House with regard to the ■JU'ply to tho Address being communicated to X\h Honor, he hail requested Mr. M'Glashan, { tra th^inoverot' the amendment ou that occa-

jrion, to form a Government (haying previously Jreccived the resignations of himself and the Provincial Solicitor.) That gentleman had declined the task, as did also Mr. Kilgour, the seconder of the amendment, who. was afterr wards . communicated with. Mr. Dick wafe then Mguested io form a Government, whiclffl fee declined to do, and ' His Honor had therl Written to him (Mr. Walker), asking him to^ undertake the task. That letter he had only fefceivad'about two hours before the meeting of the , House, And be wa3 not therefore prepared to submit fo' ttae'm the names of the proposed Executive, but he hoped that he would be able to do so to-morrow. > Leave of, absence was granted to Mr. M'Master ; arid Messages Nos. 3, 4, and 5 were received, No. 3 enclosing correspondence relating to the £1000 paid to Messrs Patersou and Co. for the Clutha Coal Fie]d plant, and also with regard to the Rayner transaction ; No. 4 recommending a further vote for the. Waihola Jetty ; and No. 5 recommending a vote for works in Moray Place. The Hoase then adjourned, as they did not wish to' proceed with any business until they knew the names of'the proposed Executive.