New Zealand Tablet Fiat Justitia. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1873. THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF OTAGO.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 10, 5 July 1873, Page 5

New Zealand Tablet Fiat Justitia. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1873. THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF OTAGO.

The Provincial Council was opened on Tuesday last at noon. After some preliminary business, th« House proceeded to elect a Speaker. The Hon. Mr Reynolds was proposed, but he declined. The Hon. Major Richardson was next proposed ; he als"tje' declined the hortor and responsibility. Ultimately, Mr Gillie's was elected. It is with this gentleman as had been anticipated. He has earned the post, and he has got it. It is to be hoped he will try and forget the closing scene of the late Council. After the House had been regularly constituted, and the Superintendent's speech read, the Provincial Secretary made an explanation which must have grieved his friends and made his political enemies rejoice. And it appears he has a good many of the latter, amongst whom the members for the Taieri are not the least energetic. Mr Tolinie will retire from office and the Waste Land Board in about ten days or so, if not previously ejected by an adverse vote of the Cnuucii. If permitted, he will carry through the Estimates ; and, this done, he will hand over to his successors the duty of seeing them put into execution. Mr Reid was not slow to notice the weak side of such a policy, and asked, very pertinently, how the Council could accept Estimates recommended by a Government which felt

it failed in the qualities necessary for carrying them into execution. There s»ems to be a disposition on the part of many members to act in a conciliatory spirit, and to lose no time in transacting the business of the country. It remains, however, to be seen whether this good disposition will be able to stand the test of party exigencies and political rivalries. No one can fail to perceive that the embers of strife may be fanned into a flame at any time. Perhaps before the publication of this the Province may find itself in the midst of another political struggle and party crisis. Would it not be well to allow Mr Tolmie to develop his policy 1 otherwise it will be said, and with justice, that the objection to him is unreasonable. Men in his position should be judged by their pslicy ; and, as yet, he has had no opportunity of explaining to the Council his policy— at least, in a satisfactory manner. He may be a very undesirable Provincial Secretary, but the public good demands that the people generally, as well as the majority of the Council— should there be a majority of the Council against him— should be convinced of this. Nothing can be more injurious to the character of the Council than to delay or obstruct public business by indulging m rivalries and contests, with which the population, as a whole, has no sympathy. It is to loe hoped, therefore, that whatever is done by the Executive will be done at once, and the business of the country transacted without delay, and energetically.