The Government, as will be found, is and always has been prepared to grant every reasonable concession, but is not prepared to further postpone the consideration of the Bill in the Legislative Council, where it need not be proceeded with, with undue haste.
The Government recognise no such promise as is implied on the part of His Excellency the late Acting-Governor, who would be very much surprised to hear that, on the eve of his retirement from the Service and departure from the Colony he had pledged the Government in the manner suggested in the memorial.
Neither apparently did such a thought occur to any Honourable Member of the Legislature on the two occasions when the Government announced its intention of proceeding with the Bill, or some explanation would have been asked for.
I have ….
(signed) Frederick Stewart,
Acting Colonial Secretary.