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upon the Superintendent the necessity of issuing his warrants, bearing interest at current rates, to those desiring such, whereon advances might be obtained from the various banking establishments or otherwise.

6. That a respectful address be presented to His Honor requesting him to send down to the House an Appropriation Act, and fresh estimates, amended to suit the present condition of the finances of the Province.

(MESSAGE NO. 5.)

To the Provincial Council of Southland.

The Superintendent acknowledges the receipt of a set of resolutions passed by the Provincial Council on the 28th instant; and he concurs in the propriety of making provision to meet outstanding liabilities. The Provincial Treasurer will detail the arrangements which the Provincial Government proposes to make to effect this object; any measure of this kind, however, can have the effect of giving only temporary relief from pressure. It is manifest that the Province must obtain a large sum by way of loan, in order to meet the contingent liabilities by permanent arrangement. Seeing that the General Government absolutely refuses to entertain the idea of sanctioning any further provincial loans at the present time, the only alternative that remains is to obtain a loan by Act of the General Assembly. The Provincial Treasurer proposed certain resolutions calculated to facilitate this object; these the Council has rejected. The Superintendent therefore earnestly requests the Council to point out any other way by which those liabilities may be permanently arranged, and to which it will agree.

Estimates for the current quarter are in preparation, and will be laid before the Council.

J. A. R. MENZIES,
Superintendent.

Superintendent’s Office,
Southland, 30th July, 1864.

Reply of Provincial Council to Message No. 5, from His Honor the Superintendent.

In answer to His Honor the Superintendent’s Message No. 5, this Council begs to point out that it is not a function belonging to the Council to take the initiative in the introduction of financial measures, and it cannot admit that by declining to pass resolutions relating to the possible action of the General Assembly, and affecting the interests of other Provinces, it has in any degree incurred responsibility for duties which do not properly belong to it. The Council conceives that the object at present before it, is to give to the Government all the aid in its power to enable it to tide over a pressing financial emergency. Convened specially for this object, with a dissolution certain at a very early period, it will appear improper that the Council should entertain any larger or more permanent measure than the immediate circumstances demand. Moreover, the Council having failed to establish any satisfactory connection with the Executive Government, and being therefore deprived of any effective control over the expenditure, it would be unwilling to entrust to a Government in which it has ceased to have confidence, any powers not absolutely necessary for the conduct of the business of the Province during the short interval for which it will control them. The Council is of opinion that the reduction of all the expenses of the Government within the limits of the revenue is the first step necessary to restore the credit of the Province; the final ascertainment of the amount of outstanding indebtedness, and the acknowledgment of the various sums by negotiable documents bearing interest will, it trusts, greatly alleviate the inconvenience which the creditors of the Province now suffer; and will further facilitate the formation of plans hereafter for the readjustment of the finances. The remedial effect of these measures, the partial opening of the Northern Railway, and the early prospect of relief from a divided Government, will tend to restore the confidence both of the public and General Government; and the Council fervently hopes that after the election of a new Provincial Council, an United Government and Legislature will be in a position to undertake the task with a prospect of success, which, under existing circumstances, the present Council feels it cannot entertain.

(MESSAGE NO. 6.)

To the Provincial Council of Southland—

The Superintendent acknowledges the receipt of a communication from the Council, in reply to his message No. 5. It states “that it is not a function belonging to the Council to take the initiative in the introduction of financial measures,” and denies that its refusal to pass certain Resolutions, involves responsibility for duties which do not properly belong to it. Further on, it states that “the Council conceives that the object at present before it, is to give to the Government all the aid in its power to enable it to tide over a pressing financial emergency.”