ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Dunstan Times, Issue 443, 14 October 1870, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Wo do not identify ourselves with the opinions that tray be exj rested Ly our correspondents. THE SUPERINTENDENCY(To the Editor op the Dunstan Times.) Sir,—ln your last issue I noticed a letter, signed “ An Elector,” animadverting on the subject of the election of a Superintendent for the Province of Otago, and in

which the writor very strongly advocat ji the claims of Mr. James B. lira shavv to that important and honorable office. Several other up-country journals have inserted letters eliminating similar views, and I j very stronely suspect they came from the same source. But, be that as it may, the j question with us is. “Who is the est man among us to hold the highest office in the province ?” Mr. Bra'shaw’s friends claim for him that he has represent'd us in the General Assembly, that he is a practical miner, that be has advocated the cause of settlement, and that he is a man of education and ability. In regard to the latter no one who is at all acquainted with Mr Bradshaw will dispute the assertion, and that he has done good service in the House I re '(lily admit; but basing his claim to our suffrages on the strength of his being a prrctical miner is simply a surd. lam open to correction ; but, to the best of my knowledge, Mr. Bradshaw’s “practical mining (?)” since he has been in the colony of New Zealand has been solely confined to purchasing gold (on commission) for the Bank of New South Wales at Queenstown ; and when the miners protested, and that strongly, against the low price of gold, the banks were compelled to do away witli their gold-buying agents, giving the producer the “ commission.” Mr. Bradshaw, finding that easy and (at one time) lucrative employment gone from him, turned his attention to polities, and succeeded in obtaining a seat in the House by a very narrow majority, his opponent being a run-holder, and I believe bis election was mainly due to the prejudice then existing against the squatter. Having obtained his seat, AL. Bradshaw was not slow in taking advantage of the situation, and ere long we find him occupying a very snug and lucrative appointment under Government. In fact he traded in politics, was successful, and no one can blame him for taking his wares to the highest market. But, when it comes to the matter of the Supcrinten ency of the Province of Otago, the case is widely different. We want no political adventurer or man of straw. What we want is a man of cood sterling common sense, and moreover one who has a stake in the province ; a man of unblemished honor and amp e means, who is not liable to be swayed by mercenary motives, and who has the full confidence, not only of the mining, but of the commercial community as wellIs Mr. Biadshaw that man ? I say, no ! Mr. B-adshaw has been a successful placehunter, and I give him credit, not only for that, but, what is more still, for having filled the office to which he has succee led with more than ordinary ability. Still, for all that, I—an-l many others are of the same opinion—do not consider him' elgihle as Superintendent of this Province. The man we want must lie a man whose stake in the province will ensure to us his best endeavors to promote our interests. We neither want a great orator nor a man with ideas before’or after his leneratiou We want a man of soun 1 practical commonsense, capable of keeping pace with the times—not running a race with B them, and one who has shown, by the manner in which he lias conducted his own Imsi- ess matters, that lie is capable of administering ths afiairs of the Province of Otago. Gan such a man be found ? Surely, Yes ! And Ido hope the electors will make dilligent search, and, having found the man, confer upon him the highest honor it is in their power to bestow. I could say much more on this subject, but fear that I have already occupied too much of your space. 1 am, See., G. Clyde, Oct. 13. 1870.