SIR JAMES FERGUSSON IN REPLY TO SIR GEORGE GREY.

Western Star, Issue 54, 21 November 1874, Page 6

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON IN REPLY TO SIR GEORGE GREY.

“Sir,—l am directed by the Governor ;to „ acknowledge his receipt, through the Hon. the * Colonial Secretary, of a, petition, to His EX’*, cellency signed by you, and forwarded by the . Superintendent of the Province of Auckland) together with a copy of a letter addressed by you to his Honor. His Excellency does net; deem-, it necessary to reply through that channel, The . prayer of your petition is that His, Excellency ■ at once summon the General Assembly of Ncir, Zealand to meet with the least possible delay ;., and further, that a copy of your petition be at once transmitted to Her Majesty’s Government with a respectful request that it be laid before Parliament, and that His Excellency will, immediately send a telegraphic message to Her_ Majesty’s Government, pointing out that .at the present time there is no person oonstitutionally or in point of law qualified to negotiate,, or communicate with Her Majesty’s Government on the subject of the aholitiou of the Provincial. Institutions of the country. It appears to Hia Excellency that in praying him to summon the;. General. Assembly immediately, and transmit your petition to Her Majesty’s Government, you u propose he should act independently of, if not ia . opposition to, his responsible advisors, a coarse „ which would be justified only by great and ox- . ceptional emergencies. The object to be .gained.; by pursuing such a course is in your opinion that the Imperial Parliament might not be led with-*, out duo warning to pass an Act which would; destroy the complete representative in this colony. As His Excellence is aware that. there is not on the part of the Government •£. Now Zealand any intention to make application to the Imperial Government to propose any such measure to Parliament, or that there is any necessity for so doing, to enable the General Assembly in exercise of its legitimate functions to „ carry out at its next session by specific legisla- , tion the Constitutional changes, which by resolution in its recent session it declared to be advisable, Hia Excellency hopes that with further , information on this point you will be satisfied - that the prayer of your petition ought not to be complied with, and that it is also needless to make „ telegraphic communication to Her Majesty’s Government of a fact which must be known t 0... them.asitmightbesupposedto have been known' to every parson in this colony, that there ia ad person. “ qualified,’* if by that expression in your petition is meant accredited to negotiate or ootamunioabs, with Her Majesty’s Government * on the aboliV, tion of Provincial Institutions. His Excellency it . very sensible that your experience is far greater - than his own in duties of Colonial Governors,, but it is nevertheless incumbent upon him to act. according to his own view of his duty; and considering, as he does, that to transmit ybnr. petition in its present form to Her Majesty!# . Government, with a request that it be laid before 1 Parliament, would be in soma measure to ; accept as matters of fact the premises upon which jt ia t based, he is constrained to decline to aqoept your prayer in this particular. His Excellency desires to assure you that regarding as. he does, with the greatest respect and consideration, an . expression of opinion on the public affairs d New Zealand by one so highly qualified as.yonxself, be will most willingly and. promptly transmit any representation you may deairetb mahe directly through him, as the appointed chanr.pl, to Her Majesty or Her Majesty’s Government in regard to those affairs.. - •'•lt :ic ' (Signed) “ Eeanois A- “ Private Secret*** y. “ Sir George Grey, K.G.8. , ‘