The Dunstan Times. CLYDE FRIDAY, DEC. 16TH, 1881.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1036, 16 December 1881, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

CLYDE FRIDAY, DEC. 16TH, 1881.

Beneath the rule of men entirely just The pen is mightier than the sword.

Tjpox summarising the numbers of members relume] t,> the new Parliament for the vvtoits provincial (listlie s, an I on comparing the numbers with the respective pupoul.ii ions as taken at the last census, we find that Otago lias considerably she worst, of it. We bad underston! that under the new Representation Act. population was the basis If such was the case, Otago has been quietly put aside f r the more noisy and aspiring Canterbury and Auckland. The tallowing table will sufficiently explain it e f District, Population. No members. Otago ... 134.077 19 Canterbury ... 1P2.152 21 Auckland ... 99.451 J9 Wellington ... 61,371 11 Nelson ... 26,075 7 Hawke’s Bay ... 17 3t>7 4 Westland ... 13. IPO 3 Taranaki ... 14,853 3 Marlborough ... 9,300 2

Tire elections arc over, ami the Liberal candidate (Mr Pyke) has been declared duly elected a member of tin Mouse of Representatives for the electoral distiicb of Duust in by a maj n-ity of forty-nine vn tes. Though eveiy elfot was made, as is evident hv the fact of 1024 votes being recorded out of a total of 1;524, to bring as many as possible to the poll, the utmost good feeling was exhibited throughout, and the defeated took their defeat with ihe utmost goo 1 temper and feeling, while die victors, though naturally jubilant at their success, wee in no way overhearing. Let whatever the other side say to the contrary, fi oih the onset the ti 'e of public opinion was most directly in favor of Mr Pyke, and hence, perhaps, the fact of the majority being so small in his favor, his supporters looking upon it that without any undue exertion on their part they were sure of a win, and could afford to he, as it, were, indifferent ; hut for their temerity, in Clyde especially were they made to quake in their shoes, and it should leach them in future a lesson. As we have said, the election is over, and it now behoves one ami all in tbia

'widely-scattered district to join hand in Land, and with one voice, loud and trumpet tongued, lay down a course of action for our member to pursue on the subjects that the more intimately affect us, individually and collectively. Beside the two questions Land and 11 ah.ways, all others sink into insignificance, and on these questions mo uncertain sound should be made, and we cannot but recommend that meetings both public and private throughout the constituency should be held, and the results of the same laid before the newly-elected member. On the land question there can possibly be no two opinions ; the Act of 1877 in its spirit on I to the letter must at the very least be ■stuck to, and all attempts to rob the people of their .patrimony must be thwarted. .That there was a fear in the mind of Mr Pyke that-injustice would he done in the matter of dealing with the lands, was evidenced by the fact of him saying and repeating at several of his meetings that After the elections he would convene a monster indignation meeting in Dunedin to protest against the proposals contained ■in .Mr Rolleston’s advertisement re the sale •of the one million and a quarter acres of land.” 'Such a course—extreme measures ■require extreme treatment—it is more than •necessary should he taken, and, if all fail Mr Pyke will he able to wash his hands of all responsibility.