WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1161, 28 February 1874, Page 9

WELLINGTON.

(from our own correspondent.) February 14th.

There is now open war between the General and the Provincial Governments ( with something of a dead-lock in respect of the latter. It will be remembered that last month a special Session of the Council was held, when a Bill, almost identical with the one rejected by a narrow majority in the special Session of November, was unanimously agreed to. The object of this measure was to appropriate £50,000 to public works, and it was confined strictly to appropriation, although it was well known — having been openly stated during the November Session — that the money was to obtained by an overdraft from the Bank of New Zealand. This, however, did not appear on the face of the Bill. It was passed, andin due course assented to by the Superintendent. Tenders had jjreviously been invited for most ©f the large works, and contracts were at once signed. A warrant for the money was also obtained from the Provincial Auditor, he having satisfied himself that, in terms of the Provincial Audit Act, the money was legally available under appropriation of the Council for the services Btated. When a copy of the Ordinance was in due course forwarded to the General Government, the Colonial Secretary wrote back asking that, before it was laid before the Government, the Superintendent should give an assurance that the money appropriated would be available out of the ordinary revenue, and that the Bank overdraft would not be increased beyond the limit recognised by law. The Superintendent replied, refusing to recognise the right of the General Government to require any such assurance, and pointing out that, the Ordinance was not a Loan Act, but an Appropriation Act. The Colonial Secretary rejoined in a long letter, in which he tried to make out that the action of the Provincial Government in the matter was an evasion of the law, and contrary to its spirit, if not to its letter. .Failing to receive the assurances asked for, His Excellency would be advised to exercise his power of disallowance in regard to the Ordinance. It was also intimated that the Government, having learned that the Auditor had signed warrants for the whole amount, that officer would be suspended until an enquiry could be held. This was accordingly done, and the DeputyAuditor was instructed to act ; but the Provincial authorities contend that the Government have no power to suspend the Auditor, and accordingly refuse to recognise the Deputy, so that no payments can now be made from the Treasury. The Audit Act empowers the Governor in Council to remove an Auditor, but does not give the Ministry any power over him. This is how the matter now stands, awaiting the return of His Excellency. It will be rather hard on the Auditor if he is made to suffer ; but the Provincial Government will certainly back him up to the utmost, and public feeling here is altogether with them and him. Mr Dorset, the Auditor, is a very old settler, and generally liked and respected. The dispute between the two Governments had barely come to a point when a new sensation was afforded in the meeting of Parliament. On Monday evening the Post, to the surprise of nearly every one, called attention to the fact thatjthe prorogation of Parliament expired on the following day, when the members of the two Houses stood enjoined to attend. The matter was at first regarded as a joke, and the Government had hoped that it would pass over unnoticed. The Wellington members, however, all put in an appearance at two o'clock. There were no Speakers present, and Mr Stowe, Clerk of the Council, and Major CampTjell, Clerk of the House, were both absent. Acting under the order of members, however, the Clerks-assistant in each House read the proclamation calling Parliament together, and in the Council the Hon, John Johnson was called to the chair. Mr Waterhouse then made a long and able speech on the situation, and the consequences involved. Mr Hart followed, and at the request of the Government explained that the proclamation which had been prepared proroguing Parliament to April, had gone astray in being sent to the Governor for signature. Ultimately the Council adjourned for a fortnight. In the other chamber the Hon. W. Fitzherbert took the chair, and then there being ho quorum, the House was declared to stand adjourned to five o'clock next day. When that time arrived the Clerk of the House appeared in his robes, and having informed the members present that neither the Speaker nor Chairman of Committees could attend, he declared the house to stand adjourned till next day. The Premier, who had that day returned from Nelson, then addressed the members, contending that there was really no session, and reading the Attorney-General's opinion to that effect This opinion has been pretty

severely criticised, and is not deemed by any means conclusive on the subject. The Clerk now continues to take the chair daily, but Mr Wakefield is the only member who seems to think* it worth while to attend. He, I understand, declares his intention of claiming the honorarium. The other members having in any event saved their seats, are satisfied, but good authorities hold that the seats of all who do not attend before a fresh proclamation takes place, will be anything but secure, and there is, I think, every probability of the question being tried. One of the most amusing features of the crisis was a burlesque Governor's speech, which appeared in the Post and excited no small sensation. AD the current political topics of the day are causticly dealt with, and there was such an unprecedented demand for copies that a second edition of several hundreds failed to satisfy the requests, and the Post had to reprint it in the following evening's issue. A Victorian defaulter, named George Maurice Drummond, was captured by the Police on board the Mikado shortly after her arrival here. He was formerly ma- j nager of the Provincial and Suburban Bank at Richmond, and levanted with £1000 or so of the Company's money, taking also a Miss Austin as a travelling companion, and leaving his own wife and child. They came to New Zealand in the Claud Hamilton, and went on to Otago, where, under the name of Mr and Mrs Douglas, they took passage for San Francisco in the Mikado. Information having j been received from Melbourne, the Lyttelton Police searched the Mikado when j there, bat did not spot their maD. Our Chief Sergeant was more fortunate, and not only secured his prisoner but also i £470 in half-sovereigns. Mrs Douglas proceeded on her voyage, but Douglas, j alias Drummond, will of course be remanded to Victoria. He admits his identity.

Our boating men are going to send at least two crews to the Canterbury Interprovincial Regatta next month. There has been some unpleasantness between the various clubs over the matter, but nothing at all likely to interfere with the chance of one of the Wellington boats showing to the front in the big event. It is also intended to, if possible, send down an eleven to play an Interprovincial cricket match with Canterbury at the same time.

H.M.S. Blanche has arrived here from Fiji, via Samoa, and is about to visit the Auckland Islands, Antipodes Islands, &c. , in search of castaways. She will then return to Auckland, to meet a provision ship from home, and afterwards return to Fiji to rejoin the Commodore. Mr Vogel and Mr Richardson left by the Mikado for Auckland, so the Ministry is only represented here by Messrs Reynolds, M'Lean, and O'Rorke.