THE GOVERNOR AND THE MINISTRY.

Saturday Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 123, 17 November 1877, Page 8

THE GOVERNOR AND THE MINISTRY.

;’ ’ ' (Lyttelton Times.) ~ , The Message of the Governor to the House of Representatives and the published correspondence between his Excellency and his Ministers on the subject of the Address of the House of Representatives, expressing its concurrence in the report of the Privilege Committee, have advanced the question another stage. The Governor informs the House that he cannot “take upon himself to accept the resolution passed by the House of Representatives ” until “ a .question of constitutional law ” which has. arisen in the correspondence referred to has been submitted for the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. It would appear from expressions used by the Goveriior in his memorandum of bTov. 8 to Sir George Grey, that his Excellency virtually acknowledges that lie lias inadvertently committed a breach of privilege by referring to a pending debate as the reason for not acting upon the advice of Ministers in the matter of the appointment of Mr J 7 hT. Wilson to the .Legislative Council. '

The passage to which we refer is as follows:—“The Governor has for too many years held a seat in one branch or other of the British Parliament to wish for one moment to infringe upon the privileges of the House of Representatives ;and, could he admit that he is the person responsible to Parliament, he would not, for a moment hesitate to express his regret that most unintentionally he had infringed their privileges .” It will be seen from the words which we have italicised that the question raised by the Governor is simply whether he is the person responsible to Parliament, that is to say, whether he or the Ministry is to be held accountable for the breach of privilege, and not whether any breach at all has been committed. That fact, he appears* in these words, as w'e have said, virtually to admit, and the context of his whole memoranda and message bears out that inference. So much for the arguments of those who have taken up the position that no breach of, privilege has been,committed, and for-their prophecies that the reply of the Governor would conclusively prove that point. Habemus ream confiteniem. The accused admits the accusation. All he pleads is that constitutionally, according to the usage of responsible government, his Ministers are his whipping-boys,: the proper objects of vicarious punishment. . . 0. . Mr Travers has giyeri; notice of an address to the Governor, condemning Ministers for unconstitutional conduct. We have expressed our views on the unconstitutional point, but we are not prepared to censure Ministers for .not sending in their resignation. The Governor has expressed his opinion that they were right in not: doing rio; His contention is that, .inasmuch as they did

not resign, they were constitutionally bound to* accept > his decision; -' The l whole circumstances- are so exceptional, and so complicated by the- periding no-confidence debate; that we do not think that Ministers are censurable.. And; it is obvious that the House, when it became aware of the breach of’ privilege; had a perfect right to address the Governor in its own self-defence. • v /,; u