the Council should proceed with routine business, and then adjourn until the Government, after consultation with His Honor the Superintendent, had had time to prepare its policy measures. A committee was set up to consider the affairs of the Canterbury Association. Then a very curious thing happened. Mr. Packer gave notice ta move on the following day the suspension of the Standing Orders, to enable the House to consider a short Bill, having for its object the enlargement of the Council. Next day, the motion was carried, and the Bill read a first and second time. A day later it went through its further stage and was passed. Briefly expressed, the position was as follows:—The Government had announced its intention of bringing down a policy measure of paramount importance to the Council, involving no less than the reform of its own Constitution. Nevertheless, the Council agreed to suspend its Standing Orders to enable a private member to forestall the Government by passing his own Bill. No wonder one of the members entered a mild protest that, in his opinion, the Bill was being passed with very unseemly haste, and no wonder too, that Mr. Tancred and his Executive declined to accept the assurance offered by those who lad supported the Bill that they had meant no harm to the Government. The matter was treated as a vote of censure, and the Government resigned.
Mr. John Hall was invited by the Superintendent to form the new Executive Council, and was able on October 31, to announce that he had succeeded. Associated with him were Mr. Bealey, Mr. Gouland (Provincial Secretary), and Mr. Gresson (afterwards His Honor Mr. Justice Gresson), a recent arrival from Ireland. Membership of the Provincial Council was not then a necessary qualification for office, and neither of the last two gentlemen mentioned was a member. The new Executive shortly afterwards introduced and passed a fresh
