SUPPLEMENT

TO THE OTAGO PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT GAZETTE,

May 28, 1873.

TO THE PEOPLE OF OTAGO.

With a view of enabling my fellow-settlers, individually—each one for himself, at his own fireside—calmly to exercise his own judgment as to the present political situation, I take the liberty of forwarding the accompanying copies of official documents, and trust they will be read. They speak for themselves, and require but little comment from me.

It will, perhaps, be recollected that upwards of six years ago I was for the second time elected Superintendent of Otago. Since then the whole of my time has been devoted to administering the affairs of the Province, and to endeavouring to promote its interests. During the earlier portion of that period, I was fortunate in having the advice and assistance of an Executive which not only possessed the confidence of the Provincial Council, but also entertained liberal and enlarged ideas of public policy—ideas of which both the Province and the Colony are now reaping the benefit.

Unfortunately, the Provincial Council saw fit to withdraw its confidence from that Executive, and the result was that, until the advent of the present Government, the Province, in as far as its Executive has been concerned, may be said for the most part to have had a millstone around its neck, which proved so burdensome that whatever progress has been attained has, in a great measure, been effected very much in spite of ourselves.

As you are aware, the Provincial Legislature has been dissolved, and I now hold office only until my successor is elected. Should it be your wish that I should continue to occupy the position for another term, my best services are still at your disposal; at the same time, I have no desire for re-election, unless permitted to be of service to the Province; I have no desire to occupy the false position to which the majority of the late Provincial Council would degrade the office—viz., that of being in reality a nonentity, although nominally possessed of certain powers and responsibilities.

You will be told that the present difficulty has arisen solely from an undue grasping at power on the part of the Superintendent. This I simply deny. It is utterly untrue. Probably it would have been well for the Province had the constitutional powers of the Superintendent been always exercised with a firmer hand. I have arrogated to myself no power which the Constitution Act does not confer, and which would not have been for the good of the country.

I claim the courtesy, at the hands of the Provincial Council, of respectful consideration of such proposals as I deem conducive to the public interest—courtesy which the majority of the late Council has withheld.

I claim, moreover, that the Council has no right to force upon the Superintendent advisers whose avowed aim is to thwart and bridle his efforts to develop the resources of the Province—advisers, it may be, whose study is to belie the Superintendent in the eyes of the people, by preventing his giving effect to the principles and the pledges by virtue of which he may have been elected.

One of the chief points at issue at the forthcoming election will be:—

Is the elected head of the Province to be what the Constitution Act provides, viz., a constituent part of the Provincial Legislature, having powers co-ordinate with those of the Provincial Council? or is he to be a mere puppet, whose sole duty is to register the decrees of those who may happen for the time being to command a majority in the Provincial Council? If the latter, then let it be so understood; let the constitution be altered, and let the office be conferred upon someone who may be content to hold it on such terms.

It is said that there was no necessity for appealing to the people, and incurring the expense of a dissolution.

From this opinion I take leave to differ. If there had been no other reason for a dissolution, the fact that the Council was in Session thirteen days at a cost of upwards of £1100, without any practical result, amply justifies my action in the matter.