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Wellington Independent, 6 January 1860, Page 1

Message No. 12.

The Superintendent, in reply to tho address of the Council requesting him " to recommend to the Council a suitable sum as the salary of the Chief Land Commissioner, because it believes that tho discharge of tho important duties of that officer ought to bo duly provided for without relation to" party politics," begs to observe, that while he regards with satisfaction the belief expressed by the Council that the discharge of the important duties of a public officer ought to bo duly provided for, without relation to party politics, he at the same time regrets that the Council, by singling out a particular officer for the application of the. principle should have so openly admitted.that in dealing with the salaries of other officers, they have been guided by other principles. Such an admission necessarily precludes the Superintendent from complying with the request of the Counoil to disturb - the present arrangement, under which the Provincial Secretary discharges the duties of Chief Land Commissioner without salary; for the Superintendent cannot consent to the principle laid down by the Council, (a principle in which he fully concurs) being carried out in oho particular case and violated in most 'others. I. E. Featherston, Superintendent, Superintendent's Office, 21st December, 1859. Message No. 13, The Superintendent begs to acknowledge the

A.I Uvms oi' tha Provincial Council, in whioh, alter informing liitn tliac " it proposes, aitur disponing ol the Indemnity Bill for 1858-LSS;), und the Appropriation oi' money for the Public Service for the first th.'cc months oc' 18G0, to adjourn, till tae _oth March, 1800," it suggest-; that tho Superintendent should prorogue the Council, on tho ground that the measures rejeofce I during the present Session might bo reintroduced in a new oiie.

In reply, the Superintendent desired to dbsdrve, that no Appropriation Act, for the year 18UJ having been passed, and no single measure proposed by him for relieving the existing difficulties of the Province having been adopted or oven seriously considered he cannot concur in the necessity for a prorogation at present. Until the Council shall have provided for tho Public Service of the ensuing year, and taken steps to enable the Superintendent to raise the necessary supplies for carrying on that service, and for resuming the Public Works, he is unwilling to bring their deliberations tb a Close, believing that it would be equally, a subject of regret to the Council, to the Constituencies, and to himself, if the Session, which had lasted so inauy months should terminate without a single useful result.

If the Superintendent were bound to prorogue the Council, and to call it together every two or three months, when nothing ntore important had bean done than the voting to its members payment for their services of a large sum of money, the whole revenue of the Province, or at loait a great portion ofit, might be periodically expended in payment by those members and other legislative officials. The Council will readily admit, when it considers that the expenses of ib two resultle^s Sessions will amount to. about two thousand eight hundred pounds (£2800.) that the Superintendent would not be justified in exercising his power to prorogue them, when by refraining to do sc he can prevent such a squandering of the publio revenue.

The Superintendent recognizes to the full the evils of the present deadlock ; but at the aame time he feels that the Government of which he U the head,_ had done all in its power to remove iti He has himself tested the opinion of the Constituencies by resignation and re-elections ; hia Executive have, in their places in Council, proposed a general resignation of the member- :— -a dissolution has been twice sought at the handd of the General Government, — once by the Superintendent, acting by the advice of his Executive, and once by a majority of the electors of the Province, and of every district; — and the duration of the present state of affairs (greatly to*be de_plored) is solely- attributable to the- pertinacity with which the opposing majority in the Council, notwithstanding the unmisfcakeable hint conveyed by the petition for a dissolution, adhere to their seats.

Under theae circumstances, the Superintendent can only throw the responsibility of prolonging the dead-look on the Council, and leave it to its wisdom to deviae other measures for the remedy of existing evils, — a result which a prorogation at present would, he conceives, tend only to impede, unless. hUeed the Council are prepared to retrace their steps, and pass the various measures proposed by the Superintendent for raising the necessary supplies, which they have rejected ; in which case it would bo competent for the Superintendent to prorogue tho Council one day, and convene it the following. I. E. Featherston, ! Superintendent. Superintendent's Office, December 21, 1859.