THE ASHBURTON ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1274, 7 June 1884, Page 2

THE ASHBURTON ELECTION.

Sir Julius Vogel’s Views. The following letter is published in this morning’s Lyttelton Times ; Sib, —Accidentally I have seen your issue of June 5, containing a brief report , of a meeting of Mr Waaon, and a long letter from Mr Dorney. I deem them sufficiently important to telegraph a reply, trusting to your fairness for insertion. I have nothing to do with Mr Dorney’s dispute with Mr Howland, but I ask Mr Dorney and your readers to suspend their judgment as to my opinions until 1 have addressed the electors. On many points Mr Dorney is entirely mistaken as to my opinions, and he fails to do me justice pa the subject of borrowing. As to the borrowing under my responsibility, I submit the objects served have justified it. That it costs the Colony so much is because 1 was over-ruled in the precautions which I wished to take to make the land responsible for the cost. It is no fault of mine that private individuals made large sums which should have passed to the State. n

As to future borrowing, I utterly repudiate the profligate policy of borrowing for the sake of expenditure. I doubt if there are many public men who would be more strict in exacting rigorous conditions as v.o the objects- for which the colony should borrow further, and the precautions it should take to protect itself. As to my standing in the interest of any particular class, I wish any of those who may be supporting me under such impression to withdraw their support, for they ■ will find themselves woefully mistaken. I will favor no class. All classes have equally my consideration. There are many thousands of persons of all classes through the colony who can bear witness to the fact that my sympathies have never been of an isolate character.

I have the highest respect for Mr Wason and should profoundly regret being the means of permanently keeping so able a man from public life. I was reluctantly compelled to oppose him because, having signified my willingness to enter Parliament, i could not consistently refuse the opportunity offered by an existing vacancy and be the means of creating another vacancy by accepting Mr Pilliot’s generous offer. Mr Waaou, however, must have been amusing himself at the expanse of his hearers when ho sai(Jj>oy’' t ®tarn more likely thanhifljM«v-«trcontinue the present power. Surely he ought toknow the exact contrary is the case. I am, etc., Julius Yogbl.