The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1871.

Dunstan Times, Issue 459, 3 February 1871, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1871.

Beneath the Rule of Mon bntirely just the pen is mightier than the sword

The representation. of the Dunstan District both in the General Assembly and Pi’ovincial Council promises to be smartly contested. We were almost fain to believe at one time, that the honor of occupying these seats would go a begging, and much difficulty experienced in inducing suitable persons to become our representatives, We will abstain from commenting at length on the claims and qualifications of the aspirants, as before the polling day they will have told their own tale of their ability and fitness for office, in all parts of the constituency. We may venture to say that all the candidates are pretty well known to the electors, Mj.

Fraser Las been our representative in the Provincial Council, and has honorably acquitted himself. Being a squatter, his prediliotions may have turned in the direction of the pastoral interests, still .wo may say that upon the whole, the district lias been fairly and impartially represented. Mr. Fraser now seeks higher honors at the hands of his old constituents, who, if they really believe that he has served them well, are morally bonnd to support him for the General Assembly. Mr. T. L. Shepherd, the defeated member for Hampden, has declared himself a candidate for the Dunstan, and is making great efforts to secure his return. This gentleman hasjrepresented the goldfields in the Provincial Council for the last four years, and we think that the mining community has no cause to complain of being badly served. MrShepherd's efforts so far as local matters are concerned have been bestowed upon the Wakatip ; whether this was from the fact of his being a I‘esident and owning property at Queenstown, or to woo the sweet voices of the electors in ousting Mr. Haughton for Hampden is a matter we are unablsW decide. Mr. Shepherd although supported' at the Lakes lost his election by some twenty n ne votes,''owing to the great made by Mr. Haughton’s friends at Arrowtown, Everywhere else he obtained a majority. Mr. Mervyn, the third candidate in the field, has represented Manuherikia in the last Session of the General Assembly, and we believe acted according to his lights for the benefit of his constituents, although he does not seem to hive acquired an extensive popularity. Mr. John Hughes is well known as the member for Tuapeka. and until lately a standing member of the Provincial Executive, but without a portfolio. Mr. Hughes drawing the nice little sum of two hj undred pounds per annum for his^ supposed large knowledge of goldfields’ affairs and the presumed confidence the miners had in him. This theory unfortunately for Mi. Hughes exploded, and he lost his comfortable little billet. Mr. Hughes’ claims upon the people of the Dunstan are decidedly not large, and we should have liked to have found him not forgetting his old love at Tuapeka. For the Provincial Council we have Mr. Worth, and Dr Niven. Mr. John Hughes, and Mr. Mervyn may also become candidates. A feeling is very general in that the gentlemen returned for the General Assembly should be elected for the Provincial Council. It is extremely pro. bable therefore, that the poll next Tuesday will decide both elections.

By an inadvertency an error appeared in a paragraph, published in our lust issue, relative to the qualification of electors. For the information of our readers, we publish the 6th clause of the “Act to declare and amend the law relating to the qulification of Electors and members of the House of Representatives,” passed last session.

“And whereas doubts have arisen as to the power of holders of miners' rights and business licenses to vote under the qualification of their miners’ rights and business licenses. It is hereby declared and enacted that the holder of a miners'rights or business license which shall lutVe had a currency of not less than six months immediately before the day of election or of two or moreminers’rights or business licenses which shall consecutively have had a currency of not less than six months immediately before the day of election may vote on the election of Members of the House of Representatives or of the Provincial Council within such one Electoral District for the election of Members of the House ofEepresentatives and such one Electoral District for the election of Members of the Provincial Council as he may think fit provided it be situate wholly or partly within a Goldfield proclaimed within the Province in which the said miners rights or business license or licenses as the case may be was or were issued Provided also that within such district the holder of such miner’s right or rights or business license or licenses is not otherwise a qualified and registered voter.”

Q. K. Turton, Esq., lias been appointed revising barrister for the district of Otago. Anthony Noble was, on the 17th inst., at Hokitika, found guilty and sentenced to death for the murder of a little girl named Malumby. Oobb and Co. have reduced their fare between Oamarn and Dunedin to £l.

Mr. Macandrew announces his attention cf addressing the electors of Clyde at noon on Saturday, and those of Alexandra at 8 p.m j the same day.

Mr. Donald Reid will hold meetings at Hyde on Saturday the 4thinstant atß p.m., at Naseby, on Monday the (ith instant, r at 8 p.m. 5 St. Bathan’s, on Tuesday the 7th instant at Bp. m. ; at Clyde, on Thursday the 9th instant at 8 p.m. ; at Arrowtown, on Friday the 10th instant at noon ;at Queenstown. Friday the 10th instant at 8 p.m,; Kawarau Gorge, Monday the 13th instant at noon ; at Alexandra on Monday the 13th instant at noon. The annual meeting of the contributors to the funds of the Dunstan District Hospital was held in the Public Library, Clyde, on the afternoon of Friday the 27th ult. Mr. Pyke was elected chairman. The Secretary read his Annual Report; also, those of the Treasurer and Resident Surgeon, which were adopted. The election of Officebearers and Committee was then proceeded with. Mr. Pyke was reflected President; Mr. William Fraser, Vice President; Mr. A. Christophers, Treasurer ; Mr. R. Barlow, Secretary; and Messrs. Preshaw, Samson, Purton, M'Eniow, Grcenbank, Grindley, Haslett, Beck, Marshall, Fache, Cambridge, and Paterson were elected members of the Committee. Messrs. C. F. Johnson and E. lugs were elected Auditors ; and Drs. Thomson and Corse Honorary Medical Officers. Rule 2 was ordered to he altered, increasing the number of members of Committee from twelve to sixteen. A vote of thanks to the out-going Committee was accorded. We regret that pressor# on our space prevent our,publishing the Reports in onr present issue, hut ike will endeavor to Jo so in our next.

Mr. 11. H. Wallace, elsewhere, announces that circumstances which he could not foresee, necessitated his withdrawing from the Contest'for 'the honor of representing the Dunstan district in the Provincial Council. The remains of the late I)r. Burns were interred in the Dunedin Cemetery on the 2(ith ult, The funeral cortege was the largest ever assembled in the colony. We are requested to notify that Mr. Barry’s sa’ehy auction of horses, bakery, &c, at Bendigo, advertised to take place on the 28th ult. is postponed till Monday next Gth instant.

Provincial polities are in a state of quiescence, and candidates for seats in the Provincial Council have dropped completely out of notice. XJntil the elections for the Superiutemlency and General , Assembly are over, we do not expect much activity in this direction.

The General Assembly election for the Dunstan constituency will be keenly contested. The four , candidates, Messrs Fraser, Shepherd, Hughes, and Mervyn have addressee the the electors in various parts of the district, and will have visited every centre of population by polling day. Opinions are pretty .evenly divided as to which of the aspirants is likely to bo sue ccftsful. At first it was thought that the contest would be between Messrs Frazer and Hughes, but the favorable impression created by Mr. Mervyn and the appearance of Mr. Shepherd on the scene have complotcly'altered the aspect of affairs. Calculating the probabilites of the return of any of the candidates has become such a difficult matter that the majority of the electors have given up trying to do so. All four aspirants for the representation of the Dunstan district in tho General Assembly have addressed the electors at various times and places. We regret exceedingly that the limited resources at our disposal prevent us giving more than a very brief resume of each speech. The poll for the election of Superintendent will be taken on th» 20th instant. No notification has boon raUc on the goldfields where the- polling prccs are to be. We presume the “powers that he’’ give tho country residents credit for more intelligence than their follows in town, as they take tho trouble to Inform the latter where to record their votes, while they leave the former to find out for themselves where the ballot boxes are.

Mr. John Hughes will address the electors of Alexandra at S o’clock to night, those of Bannockburn to morrow at 4, and Eawarau 'Gorge at S p. ra. ot the same day, and at Cromwell at 8 p.m on Monday. ORIGINA L CORRESPONDENCE We do not identify ourselves with the opinions that may bo expressed by our correspondents. THE DUN STAN ELECTION. (To the Eniroß or the Dcnstax Timrs.) Sib, — I am aware, that when an election is likely to be closely contested, it is customary for each candidate to adopt all legitimate means to raise himself in the estimation of the electors, at the expense of his opponents. Surely, however, there is some limit to this sort of thing, and. when a candidate deliberately states an untruth, in order to injure his opponent., that limit may fairly be said to have been transgressed. On January 2Sth, 1 addressed a meeting of the electors at the Kawaran Gorge, and stated, in the course of my speech, that I was not then for the first time advocating the system of deferred payments ; hut that I had previously done so iu tho Provincial Council, and had moreover given my vote m favor of it. To this statement Mr Shepherd gave almost emphatic denial, and assured those present at the meeting that 1 was stating an untruth for the purpose of throwing dust in their eyes. Now, Sir, I ask the electors and the public to judge between Mr Shepherd and myself in this matter. I refer them to the columns of the “Daily Times’’ of the 30th November, 1870, wherein will be found a report of the proceedings of tho Provincial Council. During a discussion on certain land resolutions, Mr. M'Dermil moved an amendment to the effect that 1 ‘ Free selection with deerred payments and improvement clauses

is absolutely necessary for tlie prosperous settlement of the Province ” Tho following members voted in favor of it, viz., Messrs. Ashcroft, Basstian, Calder, Driver Fraser, (Teller). Hughes, Johnston, M‘Demid, MTndoo, Seaton, Shand, Shepherd, (Teller). So much for Mr. Shepherd’s veracity. 1 would not have alluded thus publicly to the matter, did 1 not feel assured that Mr. Shepherd will be repeating, behind my back, this statement, and doubtless many others of a similar character, to my detriment. Moreover, I felt it due, not only to my-elf, but to the electors, that the line of tactics he has adopted should be exposed. It may fairly be presumed that having overstepped the bounds of truth in one instance Mr. Shepherd is not very likely to be very particular in other instances.—l am, &c.,

William Fuaseu, Clyde, Jau. 30, 1871.