MR PYKE AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 755, 6 October 1876, Page 3

MR PYKE AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

The following letters have been kindly placed at our disposal for publication. “Wellington, September 20.

“My Dear Sir,— Your letter (dated I2th inst.), enclosing copy of a resolution pissed at a meeting held in the Library Hall, Alexandra, has this day reached me. “ 1 regret extremely that any portion of my constituency should have deemed it necessary or desirable to sit in judgment on my actions as their representative, without having first sought an explanation. Pardon me for reminding- you that such a course of procedure is scarcely in accordance with the spirit of fair play, which our people justly claim to exercise upon any and every occasion. In the pre? ent instance I have been subjected to that, peculiarly unpleasant form of trial which is known as Jedburgh justice. However, I can make all for proceedings which evidently originated in misapprehension at a period of great political excitement. and for which those most concerned will probably bo sorry hereafter. “ Permit ino to point out to you that the Separation which I advocated was “Insular,” and embraced the County system ; whilst the Separation proposed by Mr Macandrew was “ Financial,” and excluded the County system. There is as much difference between these two proposals astberois between night and day. The one would be a reality; the other is a transparent sham. But in no shape whatever—Financial or Insular—could I have supported proposals, the positive effect of which would have beeh to have robbed the Southern Provinces of their land fund. The limits of a letter will not sudor me to enter more largely up on the merits of this question at present, but I purpose visiting the d&trict' at the close of the

session, 'When I hope to eatisfy qvoty unprejudiced pisrann that I have acted in the best interests pf the people. “ The resolution calls Upon mo to resign my seat. Hut the trust confided in me by 370 electors 1 ’iniis'l decline to yield up at the bidding nf a few persons, many of whom exerted themselves to prevent my Voturn, and others of whom are not on the electoral roll of the distinct.—l am, dear sir, yours very sincerely, ,1 ‘‘Yinchnt Pykb. “ Mr W. F. ForrKst, Alexandra.”

“ Wellington, September 20. “ Sib,—l have to acknowledge the receipt on the 10th instant of your-letter date 1 3’Jst ult., enclosing copy of certain resolutions passed at a meeting held at Bald Hill Flat. In those resolutions (which, permit me to observe, are couched in singularly discourteous language), I amicharged with having violated my pledges, and atri told that I have ‘ forfeited the confidence of the electors’

“ That in the course which I have pursued in the Assembly T have acted with the single view of Conserving tho best interests of the people is a matter of which I hope to convince my constituents when I meet them as I intend to do after the end of the session. “ As touching the assertion'that I have forfeited the confidence, of the electors, it may surprise you to be informed that I venture to entertain it somewhat different ophron. 1 am, however, quite willing to admit that, so far as the electors of Bald Hill Flat are concerned, I do not possess their confidence—a fact which was abundantly illustrated at my e'ection, wh n n only three votes wfere recorded in my favor there, anil of these only one was given by a local resident, whilst strenuous exertions were made by several of the electors in that locality, and notably by yourself, to .prevent my return. Under these circumstances, I am constrained to say that I regard it as a piece of great presumption for tho twelve-ot-thirteen persons—all political opponents of mine—who, lam informed, constituted the meeting, to speak in the name and on behalf of tho 370 electors who did me the honor to vote for me ; arid I therefore decline to accede to the extremely modest demand that I should resign my seat at their behest. —I am, sir, faithfully the servant of the electors, • ‘‘ Vincent Pyke. “MrßoilT. J. "Webb, Bald Hill Flat."