Numb. 33.
329

THE
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
EXTRAORDINARY.
Published by Authority.

WELLINGTON, FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1873.

Otago Provincial Council.

THE following Cabinet Minute upon an applica-
tion made by the Superintendent of Otago for
the dissolution of the Provincial Council, is published
for general information.

THE question the Government are called upon to
decide is, Whether they will recommend His Excel-
lency to comply with the request of the Superin-
tendent of Otago, that the Provincial Council of that
Province may be dissolved, in order that there may
immediately result a general election for Super-
intendent and members of the Council?

The circumstances out of which the request of the
Superintendent has arisen appear to be as follow:-
The Superintendent, in opening the 31st Session of
the Council, on the 6th May, delivered a speech, as
is usual on such an occasion; and Mr. Fish moved
an address in reply thereto, that address being, on
the whole, expressive of a desire to consider the
"many important proposals suggested by the
Superintendent." Upon the address, Mr. Reid
moved an amendment, in the following terms:-"That
this Council is of opinion that the appointment of
the gentlemen at present occupying the Government
Benches, and their retention of office, is in direct
opposition to the system of responsible Government
sanctioned by the Council; and this Council hereby
records its protest against any Government being
appointed or holding office under such circumstances."
A debate ensued, in the course of which Dr. Web-
ster moved the following amendment: "That this
Council do not approve of the action of His Honor
the Superintendent in dismissing the late Executive
and appointing another, without immediately calling
the Council together; and while having confidence
in the present Executive, thinks, from the mode of
the appointment, that in the interests of the Province,
and to settle the question, they should resign." Mr.
Tolmie, the head of the then Executive, stated during
the debate, that, in consequence of the tone it had
taken, the Government had determined to tender
their resignation. There appeared to be a desire
on the part of the members present to continue
the debate, despite the statement of Mr. Tolmie;
and a motion for adjournment, proposed by the
Secretary for the Gold Fields, was negatived by
25 to 13. Thereupon, a number of members,
including those of the Government, retired from the
Chamber, and Mr. Reid's amendment was subse-
quently carried without a division. On the following
day (9th May), Mr. Tolmie announced that he had
placed the resignations of himself and his colleagues
in the hands of the Superintendent, and that he had
recommended His Honor to send for Mr. Reid.
This recommendation was acted upon; but on 12th
May, before Mr. Reid had completed his task, the
Superintendent sent a message to the Council, in
which he stated-That he regretted the course
adopted by the Council; that the action he had taken,
which was censured by the Council, he would take again
under similar circumstances, and that he thought "it
would be better to afford the people an opportunity of
electing a Superintendent and Provincial Council
which may work together harmoniously, and with
which view he respectfully solicits the concurrence of
the Provincial Council in an application to His
Excellency the Governor for an immediate dissolu-
tion." On 15th May, Mr. Reid submitted to the
Superintendent the names of the members whom he
proposed to associate with himself in the Executive.
After some consideration, His Honor intimated to
Mr. Reid that he did not think the gentlemen whose
names had been submitted would be satisfactory to
the Council. His Honor, in fact, refused to accept the
Executive formed by Mr. Reid, and that gentleman at
once withdrew from the attempt to form a Govern-
ment. Then the Superintendent sent to the Council
another message recommending concurrence in a dis-
solution, and he intrusted to Dr. Webster the duty
of forming an Executive. When the Council met
on the 16th May, it was intimated that Dr. Webster