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Council for the District of the Suburbs of
Auckland.
I have &c.,

His Honor DAVID GRAHAM.
the Superintendent
of the Province of Auckland.

D.
EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE
PROCEEDINGS OF THE PROVINCIAL
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

MONDAY, 20TH JULY, 1857.
Present: the Superintendent
William Buckland, Esq., Daniel Pollen, Esq.,
Joseph Brennan, Esq., F. W. Merriman, Esq.,

Superintendent brought under consideration
of the Council a letter from the Honbl. the
Colonial Secretary, of date 18th July instant,
in reply to the request for a dissolution of the
Auckland Provincial Council. Letter read.
Council passed the following resolutions
unanimously :—

"That upon reviewing the circumstances
which induced the Superintendent to prorogue
the Provincial Council on the 20th day of
February last, this Council is of opinion that it
would be useless to expect that they would act
with harmony in the event of a new session
being summoned.

"That from the numerous difficulties with
which the question of the vacancy in the Re-
presentation of the Suburbs is involved, and the
very strong party feeling evinced upon the
subject, this Council is of opinion that the
slightest opposition to the wishes of either
party would give rise to fresh difficulties, and
that every impediment would be thrown in the
way of useful legislation.

"That two persons, each claiming a seat in
the Provincial Council, having addressed the
Superintendent, each resigning a seat in that
body; one elected under a Writ issued by the
Superintendent, and the other declared by the
Provincial Council to be a member; this Council
cannot advise the Superintendent to
ignore his own writ, nor can they advise him
to treat as a nullity the unrescinded resolution
of the Provincial Council.

"That this Council is of opinion that the
calling together the present Provincial Council
by the Superintendent, would only lead to a
repetition of the proceedings which threw such
discredit upon the Council in their last session,
and that the doing so would induce so many
members to resign as to cause nearly as much
"expense and inconvenience" as a general elec-
tion.

This Council advises the Superintendent
to press the Governor to dissolve the Provin-
cial Council.

True Extract.
C. H. J. HILL,
Clerk Provincial Executive Council.
July 20, 1857.

E.

Auckland, 20th July, 1857.
SIR,—We the undersigned members of your
Executive Council beg to inform you that, in
the event of His Excellency the Governor re-
fusing to dissolve the present Provincial Council,
we shall reluctantly be compelled to tender to
you the resignations of our seats in the Execu-
tive Council. We shall be induced to take
this step from a belief that no policy which
your Honor may wish us to enunciate could be
satisfactorily carried out by the present Pro-
vincial Council, however acceptable to the
people of the Province that policy might be.
We have, &c.,

W. BUCKLAND,
JOSEPH BRENNAN,
FRED. W. MERRIMAN.

His Honor the Superintendent,
Auckland.

F.
Superintendent's Office,
Auckland, January 23, 1857.

SIR,—I do myself the honor to offer for
your acceptance a seat in the Executive Coun-
cil of this Province. It is considered desirable
that a Member representing the City should
have a voice in the Executive; and the opinion
of the gentlemen at present composing it
coincides with my ow that the aid of your
advice and experience will be valuable in con-
ducting the public business of the Province.

I have, &c.,

J. WILLIAMSON,
Superintendent.

Thos. Henderson, Esq.,
M.P.C.

Auckland, January 27, 1857.

SIR,—I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of 23rd instant, wherein
you do me the honor of offering for my ac-
ceptance a seat in the Executive Council of this
Province.

After mature consideration I have to ex-
press my regret that I cannot avail myself of
the offer in consequence of not having the
necessary time at my disposal, and thereby
being unable to fill the office either with ad-
vantage to the Province or credit to myself.

I have, &c.,

THOS. HENDERSON.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, July 24th, 1857.

SIR,— In reply to your letter of the 21st instant, I
have the honour to inform you that, in com-
pliance with your request, the question of a dis-
solution of the Auckland Provincial Council has
again been submitted to the Governor in Council,
and that His Excellency, with the advice of the
Executive Council, declines, under the present
circumstances, to dissolve the Provincial Coun-
cil.

The grounds upon which your Honor re-
quests a dissolution are, first, the circumstances
connected with the resignations of Mr. Daldy
and Mr. Graham, and, secondly, difficulties
which you anticipate will arise if a dissolution
be not at once granted.

In reference to the former of these grounds,
I have to express the opinion of the Govern-
ment that, under the provisions of the Consti-
tution Act, the duty of the Superintendent in
the present case is unmistakable, and that no
doubt, or difficulty, can arise if a single
writ be issued for the election of one member