THE REVISION COURT AT CLYDE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 268, 14 June 1867, Page 3

THE REVISION COURT AT CLYDE.

(to the editor or THE PEN.STAN times.)

(to the editor of the dusstas times.) Sir, — I attended the.Revising Officers Court on Monday last, my object being to get several persons whose signatures I had attested, retained on the Roll, I was naturally anxious to know what objection could bo urged against them, they liaving the same qualification as myself, and as legally entitled to vote. I was not present when tin' Court opened, hut the persons I have alluded to, were, and on mentioning their names, Mr Robinson at once withdrew Ids objections against them, but it unfortunately Was'not the case with p'cuty of others/, as nearly all those, whose names had been attested by Mr Jack, Mr Barlow, and several other gentlemen in the district, were all struck off, the reason eiven. was. the ntlf c.tr,vo

im.' reason gi»en, was, uie attestors were not qualified electors of the 'district, I think this is treating the 'district with groat Injustice, -why was tin's hot known before, why did Mr Robinson allow these papors.to be constantly coining into his office, he knowing full well that they were so much wasfc paper, if there parties who preferred claims to vote, had attempted

! any evasion of ihe law, there would have teen lu| ijt. wgs iffy? .otherwise, everyone was willing to comply with thh Act- in 4 - every ‘- particular. Mr Jack stated openly in (hjurt tli,at inson furnished him with a copy of how feaclCform ShoiilU be filled'up,’‘They were done so according, yet Mr Robinson afterwards objects to the very thing he had wld'eyi-Ously been ibo autiionof. Rut .the --strangest part of tho almir is, that when Mr Jiiek jnade this statement-, Mr Robinson?rep!ied that iio ho could not tax his memory with having done so, or not. It is no ifdubt convenient at times Jo have a not very retentive fn’enlnry, -Jut if M-r Robinson quite forgets'the form he gave Mr Jack, therp, were some things which lie .sceincd to rpmember, for instance, in the casCof-Mr-Watson,- ho' remeiiibercd perfectly ay §ll hehad.not been living 3 six months in hispresotrt place of abode, and consequently was "not Cntiticd tir voie, the conclusion from-tllis’is/that it suited Mr Robinson to remember one thing, but not another. Through the course pursued by Mr Robinson of insisting on his objections being valid “ there are many objected to whose were duly, attested”— fully one half br the emcrors of the district are di-fraue-iiiseel by,his pertinacity I must say Mr Robb.sou has shewn an utter disregard uf his duties as Warden of the district, and has, instead of fostering the mining interests tended to raise an obstruction to its prosperity. There was one other thing which, I observed iu ('uurt as something very peculiar, this was—the anomalous position of the Revising.<blicer—what his duties were, it was impossible even to hazard a guess ; in my humble- way, I thought the duties of a Kovisiug-Olficcr was to- see' that i o ; partiality had been displayed, and that j where names had been objected to, it was I done on public grounds, and :.ot from political motives or private spleen, but on Monday last, Mr Robinson was i ot only Returning Officer, but Eevising-Officer as web ; I say this out of no disrespect to Mr Smith, the Eevising-Officer, he being | a total stranger to me, and I think was ! anxious to do his duty ; but he confessed i | bo had no power or discretion in the mat- j | ter. which is tantamout'to saying, that the | 1 people are at the mercy of the Rcturni- g- | Officer. 1 think a law like this requires | i amendment—of what use is it to have a ! revising"'officer, where lie is perfectly ; powerless, and can be dictated t», as to j who shall, aiußwho shall not be put on the roll. If a total stranger had came into ! the Court, and unacquainted with the ' proceedings, be could scarcely avoid the j ■ conclusion, that Mr Robinson was apolitical agent, instead of being Warden of the district. I am aware the substance of this letter ! will be considered high treason in'certain ! quarters, and that I sha i be put down as ; a person who has presumed a little too far, | in criticising the proceceings of a Police- i Court; but I care not what any one; thicks. I consider what I have written | to lc a fair comment upon it. and I lure ! record my conscious determination, that ■ for the future, I will expose any abuses of j the like description, through the press of | the country. Yours, Arc., 11. W. ML X FORD. Mutton Town Point, June 11, ISG7.

Dunedin. sth June, ISG7 Sir, —In the col am s of your paper of the 31st ultimo, there is a letter signed W. H. Muuford,,iu which I am made to say at Alexandra that “ I was thankful I had a country to sell/’ I never made use of the above expression, nor ever meant, to do so. If Mr Munford will look back into the coluhis of your journal for my published address when I contested tlie election against Messrs Main and Jack, be will find that I have been consistent in endeavoring to carry out what I then advocat ■(!, and p’cdgcd myself to do. Alexandra gave me every vote for advocating the principles of an united instead of a disunited Colony of Mew Zealand ; and a positive responsibility instead of a sham one under the form of a dc’egation, to an irresponsible Superintendent ai.d a clouh’c system of Government. Yours truly, J. B. BRADSHAW.