Sketches.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1023, 25 November 1881, Page 3

Sketches.

RETIRING COUNTY COUNCILLORS. By Sadoc of the South.—Continued FEOii our Last Issue. Ivawarau Riding was represented by Mr Vincent Fyke, four times elected Chairman by the unanimous consent of trie Council. His first election for the riding was a walk over, but, being unable through illness to meet his constituents at the time of the second election, he was close run by an unskilled politician, but a highly respectable gentlemen in the riding. He being a man set under authority, having a few shepherds under him' who can say that this ratepayer’s coiv, his horse, and his ass may stay, and they stayeth, and that those ratepayers may go, and they goeth ; and to his servant, drive them to the pound, and ho driveth them. The contrast between the first and second elections sufficiently indicates that Vincent Pyke did not control the destinies of the calves and asses of the riding, and having now been elected unopposed for the Dunstan Riding proves that the well-being of these animals does not influence an election there. In the early period of the county’s history he came in conflict with the ambitions dominants of the Cromwell municipality, and during the four years which has since elapsed more dissentions, heart-burnings, jealousies, and ill-will have been incubated in that implacable corner allotment, and sown broadcast over the various districts by its vituperous organ than the next ten years will efface. Baulked in their ambition of becoming county town by the adverse vote of Mr Pyke, their motto has since been, “ Divide and conquer, set riding against riding, attribute every conceivable evil to Pyke, persecute, defame, demolish him so that the Cromwell rulers may vide upon the storm. Concurrently with the Chairmanship, and for years before, Mr Pyke had the honor to sit as M.H.R. for the Dunstan district. There his efforts were often successful in the county’s behalf. Manipulating the patronage of the one position to increase his power in the other is simply high sounding rot. The Alexandra and Clyde bridges, though public benefits, in themselves carry no votes in the election of M.H.R. When the Representation Bill was before the House, and the Dunstan district on the point of being wiped out, Mr Vincent Pyke sent forth an uigent appeal to the electors to agitate, and to maintain unity. That appeal was suppressed from the Northern electors by their Cromwell clique, who communed with themselves in this wise ; —“ Our enemy is in our hands ; ho wants unity; we will divide, and demolish the seat we are otherwise unable to keep him from filling, and thus cut from under his feet all claim to seek a representation in the Northern ridings for the county, the scats in which our emissaries will endeavor.to fill; and gaining thereby the balance of power, wo will rule Vincent County as we please.—“ These intriguers are a mass of contridiclions ; they throw away the peoples electoral power by placing them in aminority at the tail end of a largo electorate on the one side, and a fight for an undue share on the other. But Mr Pyke

was equal to the occasion. Notwithstanding all their tactics, he has succeeded in withdrawing this superabundant power c:ntred in the Nevis Hiding, which they had fully calculated on attaining. He is a snurt writer, and the columns of one of the Chief New Zealand papers (of which he is now editor) gives forth the rights of the people with no uncertain sound, and with a pathos hitherto unknown in Otago journalism. Ho is a thorough Democrat though he docs not object to live in the best style he can afford. Ho is not only about at election times, but continuously associating with the numerous Toms, Dicks and Harrys whom he reckons the bone and sinew of the country—Finally, ho is a patriot—in large letters—whoso name will go down to posterity, honored because of the struggle has himself long maintained and the credit he has given to others who hav > striven along with him to open up the wilderness, to develops the resources, and enhance the glories of this our country. This clever, ready-witted, modest, deepfeeling, genuiue-hearted patriot is the man who the Vincent County Council has delighted to honor ; the man who has stuck at nothing to procure its general well being ; the man who has been subjected to more vindictive feeling than all the public men in New Zealand, chiefly arising from that supercilious hot bed long smarting under) thwarted ambition, whose votaries even begrudge him his voted salary, which he has ten times earned even by a single act—that 'of getting for the county the percentage of the Land Fund from the Canterbury Province, amounting to thousands, when no other councillor dreamed of its existence. This was the representative of Kawaran—now of Dunstan. He will soon for the fourth time and with flying colours again be elected their M.H.Pt.

Hawea Riding was represented by a mu holder in the riding—Mr T. A. Fraser, son of the Hon. Captain Fraser, and cousin to the new aspirant for the Dunstan seat in the Assembly. The large area he represented was not separated as a distinct riding until before the second elections, and he first entering the Council as its representative had no share in the early acrimonious light between the North and South, and consequently had not the bitterness or prejudice of some of the other Northern members against the South. He wrought well for his riding, and was getting some good work done until the collapse of the Land Fund He at that time contributed, along with others of the Council, to pass a vote of stricture on the Chairman for summarily causing all works to which the county was not legally bound to be stopped wheu that collapse was known to him. The vote was afterwards rescinded, and the Action of the Chairman acknowledged to be light' He made a gallant but unsuccessful attempt to get the Government to take over the liabilities of the Alexandra Bridge, which he reckoned a colonial work, and free the county therefrom ; it being right, he said, that they should do so when they had taken their Land Fund. He was most assiduous in gaining a clear insight into the county’s financial position, and seemed to fret unde its straitened circumstances, appearing almost to possess a fear that the comity creditor might some day seize on his run. But for being a little despondent in this matter his honest, careful, and straightforward qualities will be missed. With the county’s head above water, if he should again return, he will be cordially welcomed.

Hindis is represented by MrC. Colclough an auctioneer, commission, mining and land agent, and a man of divers pursuits, resident in Cromwell borough, and Mayor of the same for the last three years, being placed in that position, it is said, through being reckoned the most fitting among the burgesses to settle up some dirty work relative to the celebrated Block IX. That he accomplished so well, that when some other of the dignitaries thought it would contribute to the honor of the town to displace him, the ratepapers said no, and there he remained. As a county councillor he has been indefatigable in his exertions to become a prominent member, but he has overreached the mark, and instead of prominent has become notoiious. His extiaordinnry volubility, which is of the most flippant nature, he exorcises to such an extent on the most t'ifling nature he exercises to such an extent on the most trifling matters, thus monopolising the time of the Council, has gained for him the name of an obstructionist, but that bo admits not, but rather prides himself m substituting therefor that of being called the “ County’s watch-dog,” a name quite inappropriate, however, as a good watch-dog will not bring his powers into requisition, unless the object be is watching is in danger ; but Mr Colclougb’s prying interference and his stricturising of everything good or had, whether connected with his own or ether ridings, or with the county genera ly, be with more justice may bo called the county “suarler.” That character bo has well sustained by the attention he has given to the Chairman. From the day that decided the county town, Mr C.’s whole energies have been concentrated in barking and biting, and sometimes coming in close conflict with that gentleman. From these encounters C. generally came off seoonl best, xcept when his adversary was up in Wellington, then he would score a win or two, but he invariably had to pay the penalty at the next encounter. Though prone to take advantage when his opponent’s back was turned- which some people would call cowardly and moan—be is withal of a very plucky nature, and is always game to renew the contest, hardly seeming to feel defeat. His tactics, however, of denying what Pyke would assert,and asserting what Pyko would deny, and making rash statements pointing to abuses which generally turned out to be myths, and turning the Council at times into a bear-garden, have not resulted in much good for the county. Taking ouo consideration with another, the

thing he has best achieved has been becoming a play-toy for Pyke, who is touched with a little vanity in the way of playing with an opponent one, time, and crushing him the other, and having carried on this’'"! game to considerable extent with 0., the Chairman’s official life must have passed along happily and pleasantly. Should Mr C. fail in the contest ho is now engaged in,_ for his doubt, no doubt V. P. willjmiss him™' sadly in this respect.

Manuherikia Hiding is represented by Mr John Pitches, a storekeeper in Blacks. He is one of the most industrious and conscientious workers in the Council, His chief aim appears to bo to do the host ho can for the county, and especially for his own riding. When money was plentiful, be gained for bis constituents an excellent bridge across the Manuherikia, and several other needful and now beneficial works. Since the Land Fund was collared by Major Atkinson, and the funds of the county at low water, ho has confined his requests to blatters whicli were most urgently required. Either through his indomitable perseverance from a belief prevalent in the Council that Cr Pitches would not under the circumstances desire to spend the county’s funds unless it were pure necessity, few of his requests have been declined. Mr Pitches is not, even on rare occassions, a fluent speaker. Eloquence is not his forte; in fact, his weak point in debate is failing to do jusiice to bis views and opinions, which are generally good and sound. He, however, can thoroughly appreciate others who are gifted with the power of giving expression to ideas and opinions in accordance with his own, which accounts in some measure for the general support he has all along given to the Chairman. There is another matter which has greatly contributed +o that support. When the first Council was called together, and in which he formed a unit, Mr Pitches frankly admitted that he was in a dilemma how matters should proceed. He found his brother councillors, though some of them pretended otherwise, to be as ignorant in this matter as himself, excepting Mr Pyke, J who from the first had a thorough knowledge of the work. The ability Mr Pyke displayed in conducting the affairs of the county during the first Council, and his keen bok-out to obtain every item of revenue that the county could lay claim to, first gained Mr Pitches’ esteem ; and, though on a few occasions their votes and opinions have disagreed, he has all along found the Chairman’s proceedings worthy of general support, which he has conscientiously (whether present of absent) conceeded Mr Pitches is always civil and courteous to his colleagues; attends regularly at the Council meetings ; ■and, taken all together, toe Manuherikia Hiding has been very fairly represented