MR PYKE'S CONDUCT.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 138, 2 March 1877, Page 6

MR PYKE'S CONDUCT.

The following- memorial is. now in circulation in the Duustan District for signature : — ■ To Vincent Pyke, Esq., R.M. Sir, — We, the undersigned electors of the Dunstan Electoral District, do hereby request that you willirnrnediately place your resignation as member of the House of Representatives for the Dunstan District in the hands of the Honorable the Speaker of that body ; and with regret we state our reason for making r-hat request is the fact of our having' -lost; all confidence in your political honesty and integrity. You cannot, of course, be ignorant of the fact that, looking- at your conduct purely as the member for the district, a considerable division of opinion prevails throughout the district as to its propriety or otherwise ; but other circumstances have transpired in connection with County Council matters which alone not only justifies us in the course we now reluctantly take, but make it our imperative duty to take that course. Division of political opinion will always exist in every district, but there is one thing which admits of no division of opinion, and that is the personal reputation which our member must bear as a man of common honesty and truthfulness. Some of us know from our personal knowledge, others of us have been informed and believe, that prior to and since your election, both by word of mouth and in writing, you pledged yourself in a most unmistakable manner to a certain course of procedure in connection with the County Council of the Vincent County, in which body you are a representative of the Kawarau Riding-, and, Sir, we find that you not only failed to ratify your pledges, but that you acted and voted in a direction absolutely contrary to such pledges. We cannot; disconnect you in your position of M. H. lt. from you in your position of County Councillor, and we are positively convinced that, having deliberately acted as we have said above, your career in the Assembly can no longer be one of usefulness to us, as confidence can no longer be placed in your promise for the future. Should you decline to accede to our request, we may inform you that it is our deliberate intention to ignore you in your position as member of the House, and to entrust our future requirements to the hands of some honorable member on whom we can rely for truthfulness and pvoper motives. Your continuing to bold the seat will therefore only tend to bring- further obloquy on your name, and to still further confirm the utter want of confidence we at present feel for you as our representative. The following memorial is, the Cromwell Argus mentions, being extensively subscribed by Mr, Pyke's county constituents in Kawarau Riding :— To Vincent Pyke, Esq., Member County Council, Vincent County. Sir, — We, the undersigned Electors of Kawarau Riding, County of Vincent, call on you to resign your seat for Kawarau Riding as Councillor, as we can no longer repose any confidence in your promises, for the following- reasons : — Ist. When Messrs O'Niell and Jones waited on you as a deputation from the electors of Kawarau, requesting you to use your influence and give your support to Cromwell being- made . County Town, you informed them that it was impossible to make either Clyde or Cromwell County Town till such time as the Corporations of said towns took steps to merge into the County. You I distinctly told the deputation that if the • orporation : ot Cromwell took such steps, " I will be with them." . Immediate steps were taken by Cromwell to merge into the County, and in Council i on the question you gave your castingvote in favour of Clyde. 2nd. In your letter to Mr Brown, editor Cromwell Argus, you distinctly stated that, in the event of your beingreturned as Councillor for either Nevis^ Kawarau, or Hawea, riding-, " I will and shall vote for Cromwelf as County. Town."^ This promise secured your return for. this riding- and it you have not fulfilled., 3rd. By your recording 1 one vole for

Cromwell and your casting vote for Clyde, you have practically disfranchised .this riding, much to our prejudice.; : , •We sincerely hope that you. will not violate every principle of fair representation by holding your seat against the express desire of your constituents, and , by assuming a responsibility which you are rioiv no longer morally charged with. ■.-.,.