The Dunstan Times Beneath the rule of men ENTIRELY JUST the PEN is MIGHTIER than the SWORD. FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1877.

Dunstan Times, Issue 785, 4 May 1877, Page 2

The Dunstan Times Beneath the rule of men ENTIRELY JUST the PEN is MIGHTIER than the SWORD. FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1877.

The proceedings of the meeting hekj at Bannockburn, as recorded in our columns last week, challenge something more than a possing notice. "We know not whether most to admire the singularly cool audacity of the Cromwell delegates—Messrs Colclougb, MacKellar, and their attendant satellites—Grant and Marsh—or the tame acquiescence of the Bannockburn men in the impudent proposal that they should a secondtime swamp the electors of the Nevis Biding. Anything more disgraceful—certainly anything more illegal or unconstitutional—never surely was attempted, and it is well that the attempt hasheen made openly, so as to put the Nevis electors on their guard. On the last occasion they were unprepared for the raid of the Kawarauites, and consequently they were out-voted, and by political trickery were defrauded of their just rights. Hitherto, in consequence, the Nevis Biding has been unrepresented in the County Council, but we mistake the temper of the people there very much if they again suffer the nominee of a Cromwell faction to take his seat as their representative. They are numerically strong enough to prevent it, and there is little fear of their doing so. It is something new for a constituency to be told that if they try to put in a man opposed to the interests of another constituency they must be taught better, and Mr Colclough displayed more than his usual lack of prudence in using such a threat. The accepted theory of representation is that the person elected represents the district by the electors of which he is returned, but Mr Colclough would have the member for Nevis Biding to represent the township of Cromwell, which is not a part of the County, and the electors of Kawarau Riding are to be hounded over the Garrick Range for this purpose at the dictation of agitators who have no voice in either Riding. Whether the latter will submit to be so shamefully used, and so commit a great wrong against the Nevis people remains to be seen. Judging from the remarks of Mr Ray, Mr M'Kersie and others, we are disposed to believe that better counsels will yet prevail, and that the majority will be more inclined to adopt the suggestion of Mr Frank Lyons, and not only refrain from further interference 'but also apologise to the Nevis electors for the shabby way they treated them last time. All the casuistry of Mr MacKellar cannot blind sensible or right-thinking men to the fact that to take advantage of a defect in the law to overwhelm a neighboring constituency is as unjust in action as it is unprincipled in conception. And it is no excuse to quote the instance of the Earnscleugh election where the same thing occurred on both sides. Two blacks do not make a white it is true; but anyattempt at unfairness naturally begets reprisals, and if the original offender is worsted in the struggle nobody pities him. The law upon the subject is better understood now than it was at the first elections, and there are strong grounds for believing the contemplated course robe altogether illegal, and that the persons signing the nomination of Mr Taylor have rendered themselves liable to the penalty imposed by the 42nd section of the “ Regulation of Local Elections Act.” It is to be hoped, for their own sakes at least, that they have obtained a guarantee from their Cromwell friends, to cover their possible pecuniary losses and expenses in the matter. If not they will do well to recall their nomination before it is too late. The hevis has put forward a good loial man, in every way qualified to represent them, and his return will ensure attention to their wants. But what weight would the nominee of another District, he he whomsoever he may, have in the Council 1 True, he would represent Cromwell, but then Cromwell is not entitled to be represented in the County Council, it has its own local governing body in the form of a Cor poration, but it is not content therewith. It seeks to dominate over the County at large. Its emissaries dictate to Kawarau, threaten to disfranchise the Nevis, and invade Cardrona. Everywhere they are at work not for the public good—not for the benefit ol

Kawarau, No vis, Ilawea or Oardrona, but for the glorification ot Cromwell. To this end all things are to be perverted. All the Ridings may be ruintd—the County may be plunged into confusion—the Colony itself may be desolated—but what care they provided that the selfishness of their little township is.grutified. That they will be thoroughly discomfited, and that to morrow night their obsequious followers, who contemplate the political invasion of the Nevis will be sent “Bootless home, and weather-beaten back ” may be regarded as morally certain Their tactics have been exposed, and every well-wisher o ropres ntilive institutions must rejoice in their defeat.