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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 81, 9 December 1864, Page 2

During the short time the Provincial Council has been in session, it has continued to draw upon itself a large share of not undeserved ridicule. The public are very much • disappointed, and men of all parties begin to think that it would have been almost as well had the various members remained on their runs or in their offices, and not have undertaken the business- of the country, only to hinder and obstruct its' despatch. It. seems to us that both aides of the' House are to blame for this apparent disregard for the interests of the community ; but, chief amongst the offenders, we must class the Speaker. " The Council, as it turns out, could Ijardly have been a more unfortunate in their election of a gentleman to control their deliberations. Mr. :W"ii'SON', in the capacity of - a private member, showed himself possessed of a very fair share of common sense. He discharged his duty to his constituents in a painstaking and conscientious manner, and we doubt whether the electors could have made a better choice ; but that Mr. "Wilschst, as a private member, and Mr. "Wilson, as Speaker

df the Provincial Council, are very <|ifferent persons, .the proceedings of the new Council can witness. A Speaker should possess, in the first place, a thorough knowledge of the forms of procedure in the House; he should be blessed with more than ordinary,. decision ; and he should not only understand what are the powers with which he is invested, but he should be prepared at all times to exercise them. He should thoroughly understand the suavit'er in modOy.fartiter in re ,- but more essential is it that he should.be armed with the latter. Now, from what we have seen of Mr.' Wilson during the short time he has occupied the Speaker's chair, we are inclined to think he is lamentably deficient in the above necessary attributes. He possesses .but a very limited knowledge of the forms of the' House, and has /'certainly no clear understanding as to the powers conferred on him by his position. If he has such knowledge, his actions do not Rhow it. The grand mistake which Mr. Wilson has made is on the question of the election of Mr.. Heale. .We are of opinion that that gentleman was legally and fairly elected (taking Mr. Howell's vote as a legitimate one) ; but we should have infinitely preferred seeing the Speaker's decision given the other way, than have witnessed such a lamentable exhibition of vacilation and stupidity as has been displayed. We must~ agree with Dr. Menzies that the Provincial Council does not look to the Speaker for an expression of opinion as a private member but only as Speaker. He has no right to take part in the discussions going on in the House, other; than in his official capacity. To us it seems that the Speaker' s opinion, as expressed, is -tantamount to a ruling ; at least it is hairsplitting to say it is not. Mr. WILSOJS's duty was, in the first place, clear ; he should have declared the motion either carried or not carried, without the . addition of any rider whatever. If the question as to the meaning of an ' absolute majority was ■ for the Supreme Court to decide, he; should have left it to either one side of the House or the other, as the case mightbe, to take action in the matter. Passing now to the proceedings of Wednesday night, we find that, on a discussion on the accuracy of the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council, Mr. Wilson took occasion to explain his views at some length to the members present ; but the objectionable feature in the explanation, was that no new light was thrown on the subject, and that he over and over .again repeated the same words till it became quite sickening to listen. ' Moreover, he confessed that it was possible he might have been wrong in giving - his opinion, and, again, that, perhaps he, like any other man might have made a lapsus Ivnpuos Why then not at the eleventh hour boldly have re-stated the ruling, without the ob 4 jectionable addition? Why not have exercised in an unmistakeable. manner his power, and have either declared the motion carried, or not carried, and left the subsequent action in other hands?. Better be wrong m a ruling than give no clear ruling at all But the climax of absurdity- was- reached Jwhen the' Speaker could sit quietly and listen .to a proposition from an honorable member that the reporter of a newspaper should be examined at the bar of the House touching the ruling of the Speaker, or more accurately speaking, the exact words of the • ruling, the Speaker having already declared, that he had a perfect recollection both of his meaning and the language in which it was couched. It may . be very well for honorable gentlemen to say that they had no wish: to insult or show disrespect to the Speaker, but there, can be -no question that such a procedure would ! tend inevitably to bring the office, if not 1 the man, into discredit, and Mr. Wilson 1 should have at once threatened to resign should the motion be persisted in. We will not pursue this disagreeable subject farther, but will conclude by recommending Mr. "Wilson to resign, in order that the business of' the country may be proceeded with without delays arising from want of energy and decision, and of appreciation of his position. Turning from the Speaker of the Provincial Council of Southland, to the Speaker of the House of Commons, we find the same cause of complaint existing. It is rumored that in order to get over the difficulty of a peerage will be- offered to the present Speaker, thereby removing him to the Upper House. Southland could offer no such tempting bait to Mr. Wilson. She could not make him the Earl Of Wailiopai, but ' she could be very thankful to him, and would be the more ready to give him credit for any good he might effect as a private member. At last night's sitting the . same faults were observable, though in a less degree.