C. B. Adderley, Esq.

— After reflection it seems to me that your "entire plan" is in accordance with the resolutions, and generally acceptable. But there are two or three points I should like to discuss with you. The most important is the appointment of the Governor for life by the Crown. If the Governor were selected by the Colony, then it might be for life, or for ever in the family: but if the Crown (which means the Colonial Office) is to appoint, surely the colonists ought to have some means of getting rid of a very bad or thoroughly incompetent head of their government. If they chose him themselves, it would be their affair; but if he were chosen for them by anybody—it matters not by whom —they would cry out the first time he made a mistake or did wrong; and the Colony would be in hot water. The question of the appointment of the head of the government has not been sufficiently considered. And this is the case with respect to several other questions. Nor is there time now for page 93giving them the consideration they require. On this ground, and also because a detailed plan, when brought forward for the first time, is a truth for objectors to shoot at—and further, because shooting at such a butt would be a capital diversion from the subject in question, viz., the Australian Government Bill, No. 2.—I am in hopes that you will be disposed to avoid particulars as much as possible—to confine yourself, as far as possible, to those principles about which you have no doubt. I am persuaded that the time has not come for expounding a plan. There is a plan before the House. The means of assailing it consist of showing in what it is at variance with sound principles. Therefore you must expound what you deem to be sound principles. The application of them in the form of a plan is not called for, and would only furnish "the other side" with the means of converting the attack upon them into an attack upon you.

Supposing you to disclaim in the House the intention of proposing a substitute for the Government plan (which I feel sure that it would be well for you to do) then I trust you may add that you do intend to be ready with a complete plan at the opening of Parliament next year. With time at your disposal, you would be able to frame a Bill giving effect to all sound principles (including Roebuck's) and calculated, if not to be adopted by Parliament instead of the measure which the Government will produce next year, to have the effect of compelling them to frame their own measure on sound principles. The grave and earnest announcement in the House, that you intend to propose a Bill relating to colonial government for the beginning of next Session, would alone have much influence on the Government labours during the recess.