THE RESIGNATION DODGE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1490, 22 January 1861, Page 2

THE RESIGNATION DODGE.

Messrs. Walrefield, Bowler, Toom%th, Barry, Warburton, Philfps, and Carpenter,— the eiglit members who have resigned — have issued an address, in which they announce their intention of not again offering themselves forelec-,; tion during the operation of the present Electoral lioll. Their professed reason j for resigning, is the desire to give an op- j portunity for enlarging the Roll before electing a Council which will remain in existence for so long a period as four years. . , The real reason is easily 'arrived at. Having no hope that a majority of Mr. Wakefield's supporters would.be re r turned now, they are desirous of postponing the dissolution until the end of the year, when they hope somsthiqg may turn up in their favor— worse off they know they cannot be; better off they think they possibly may be» i To keep them in countenance, .thejf have set on foot a petition praying the Governor not to grant a dissolution until" next November, urging that the deadlock can be put an end to by the volun* tary resignation of members. '.... Two months ago the followers of "Mr.s Wakefield were eager for a dissolution—* as eager for a dissolution as the Oonsti-' tutional Party have been during the last two years. Two months ago the, Couri* oil unanimously memoralised the Governor to dissolve the Superintendent and Provincial Council, with the least possible delay ; a request the Superintendent had ineffectually made in 1858^ and sixteen hundred of the people had as insffectually seconded in 1859. , When the Council at length petitioned His Excellency last Nov., it was believed that their prayer would be complied wifch^-4hait that which Superintendent, Council, and People so" urgently desired as the only means whereby harmony between tUe Executive and Legislative could.be restored, would not continue to bo ..with leld. That b:lief was correct, 1 and the •equest of the Council is now about to" be jpeedily realised. So soon as the Superin;endents concurrence re-tche3 Auckland*icbncurrence that wouldhaveapcoMpanied ihe Council'smemorialhadtheybeen courieous enpiigh to have seat it through tiie, >roper channel — we have the Governors >romise that the Dissolution shall -ho granted. Instead- of toeing elated %t~ tliis >romise the Wa^efielcUtegi are,i\q^ pijo.fc to prevent its folfilment. What is t has iaducQ^ -the* .^a^efield^ : pof- 1 «'. - •

tion of the Council thus to? oppose;; that which they so eagerly sought for. dc* they play the part of fretful childrop^ -one moment asking as a boon that which they are angry with so sooa as it is obtaised ? Simply bedattse t t&e^hayj9 vb^ershot the mark.,, Aey'Ha^e aWo%to tfte fact which otty; previous . eSbr^have failed.to din- in to their; ears. ,!They^are ; n6^ > sensible that they ; have 103t J th^; '; confidence of the electors, an(l l'ithajb mjany forthcoming contest th.ey tiatist ine^&bly be defeated. WM^n' the dissolution 'vas asked for by them, it was not. with any desire to settle the controversy with tho Superintendent; it was merely done to raise a " cry " at the late Assembly election, which if successfnl^fould have given them heart to qontigstth^pr^r. ..,. vincid elections. Tnat cry.faileil| the Assembly election was lost; v 'and ttey see an an approaching ; J diss6ltMbtr ther ; v certainty of losing "nearly the whole of their provincial seats. 'Under these circumstances, they have resigned, and. prd^^, * fes their intention to ;rejfcire into priyite i life for afewmonths. 'TWyalu^ol'siicis^^ a resignation and reaolyef^wUl 7 blf T taken at-.-i^'.ltra^ j^e^they'-Jreiiga^ . ; only wnen it becomes- e>idenfetfciifkf;th^'- : council will be dissolved iria; fe#w%ks; ; ;;*/ they resolve 'to 'retire. .)t>^T^-^w t : *flS;i { t i election is, as they themseWe^a4mitfp,errvfectly hopeless. • ,■• ' ■ •*- . ■y;..; x^. Such childs pflay as tHe yJ3si^asipn v ofl.-.; .so'me^of their Jnember3 iri*th<hopf :th»% new writs will be issued, will rio|]a'tftftc, them. In a: fortnight or; thr^.'^ee^vV %c may expept the (sroverhor*B Proclama- '\*? tion of dissolution ; wpuld it not;^^ '■'£ fore be unjustifiable in the WpenM^!; dent, to itsue writs for^he filling lipy^Sl'i eight vacancies just-created t ! ;i Ha4t i%s % : ; dissolution been refused, then it wouldhave bsen desirable' to bring about ta re^'signation of the members ; but now that adissoliition U tobegrant^^ I it would He'stj^V^e^U^il^^ius^^m:^^ Town into, all t^tujja^ for members to^a O6uhcn>,^h^h ":'■ ce<ase to exist in a. fe^v" day^ ! . afj^warjs. Elections are not suchi desirat>|e jeVetttfl.^: that we should needlessly multiply /t)^ei)s:;; ■ and we are quite sure thafcJnowjß^ruit may suit the purposes' of :Mn Wakefieldlt and his colleagues in Gdah(iWUii:eep^t)i^i; r Province in hot water, . thei^^ ;gr t eatrbs3^. '% of the inhabitants," electors ahditon..ej[efl(», i #.;J alike, are sick of it theyh^rti/' ■ co^e, and desire nothing^so' kuch- .aE ;|fj return to that . quiet and:j prosj^ir^' ,, vfh ich they >frj6yea before* tfio bperi^fi -' : - ; of the Wakefield-deadlpck.'. r,* V The holiowness ; ; of^ths3 reOT^iatio^ dodge, becoines^mbre appareni when ifc ~ is remembered, that, no changes .hay© been made in the Electoral R6U since Mr. Wakefield moved' the Memorial "to" thia " Governor^ .pi'ayipg for a dissolufcipo, ,^e- v present l^oll came into force ■ only. four _ months ago, "and while it ■ is.; quife ;' truo . that there • "ate many wliO 'if tliey register next JMarch, wUV^hate- the right to vote ' in, " November ; ye||ii?|£(;.; ; : also more than; probable-n^ayl|c^fl^ tain— that the new e.lectow^^ypit^l|i^;i to the Constityajiidiial party ;^US3^§^u|^^ number those who are favourable^VMr;' f - : Wakefield's. If^it were i.;';a\m^j^ff.<St f^ strength, that Mr. Wakefi^ should Have no fear for the rei^tj^but^ the province hasso^etM&|^^^fj^v : d^'..'-vc-tiian simply struggles. ; Jll&tio^lllp^ ; prosperity of : .;. • ployment .^^^^^^^i^^k^ so soon as harj^on^.J^^ Superiixteii&t isj'r^stor^l, apa^ > $*• bility given to ;^me^i;r,es.tfeafc^^ , approved ancl^ decideii jo^;^b^^bhe^stt- ' ranee of a four ye^rs v |i^ soon will the blighting effects} of tM'lp^ • three years deadlock-begui^ber^^i^ll^^ and the^ germi of ; prbspen^ag?^b|^ come visible, " . • . ;, ■>. ■-. i fi.;^^*/?^:* 1