A constitutional' question was raised in the New South* Wales Legislative Council, previous to the departure of Sir Henry Parke* on his American and English tour, which had not pre viously been debated t in any colonial Legislature. Sir Henry as Premier and Colonial Secretary, having decided to leave the colony for a time, did not, as it appears, deem it neces sary to formally ask the House to con* aider his departure, and; in point of fact, the first intimatibn to the House and public of such intent was made through the Press. Whereupon an honorable member brought the Premier to book because he (Sir Henrt Parkes) having admitted that if he held any position in the Go vernment other than Premier he would have to resign when.he left the colony, therefore it was all the more necessary that.as Premier he should do so, see ing that he was the head of the Go vernment and the first adviser of the Crown, and could not exercise such functions while absent from the colony, nor delegate his authority to any one else. In attempting to leave without first obtaining the concur rence of the House, he was charged with a grave departure from sound constitutional practice. Sir Henry Parkes* reply was to this effect : That Ministers were not the servants of Parliament, and they would be degraded if they were to be reduced to that condition ; they were Ministers of the. Crown, and might re tain office as long as they enjoyed the support of Parliament. It was not his duty to move a resolution respecting his intended departure, and he de clined by any voluntary act to break up the Government, which he would do were he to retire from office. Ministers, he said, were servants of the Crown so long as Parliament approved of their being so ; it was not Parliament who made the Premier, but it merely sustained him so long as it had confidence in him? He ‘performed his duties, entered into every transaction, per formed every act of his Ministerial life by the continued confidence of Parliament, and his going away from the colony was in no way taken out of the category of his other .Ministerial acts. 