MR MACANDREW AND HIS CONSTITNENTS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2101, 29 January 1870, Page 2

MR MACANDREW AND HIS CONSTITNENTS.

(From the, Bruce Standard.) “ Balclutha, Aug. 8, 1860. “ To J. M ac an dim: w, Esq., M.H.R. “ Sir, —Wc, the undersigned settlers and residents in the Clutha district, being dulyqualilied electors for the same, beg respectfully to submit that the change which has taken place in your political views since your election as our representative has so utterly destroyed the confidence which ought to exist between electors and their representative, that we feel bound in justice to ourselves to request that you will withdraw from the representation of the Clutha. We also beg to submit that at a large and influential meeting, held at Balclutha on Tuesday, August 24, 1869, the following resolution was put and carried : “ ‘ That Mr Macandrew by the course he has followed in supporting the Otago Hundreds Regulation Act, has forfeited the confidence of his constituents, and that he be requested to retire from the representation of this district.’ ” (Here follow the signatures.) REPLY, “Dunedin, Dec. 21, 1869, “Gentlemen,—! have the honor to acknowledge the receipt yesterday of your requisition under date Bth August last, stating that the change which has taken place in my political views since my election as representative of the Clutha district in the General Assembly, has utterly destroyed the confidence which should suMgt between electors and their reprcscntivtjjf.;, and requesting that I should withdraw from the representation of the district; also referring me to a resolution passed at a large and influential meeting held at Balclutha on Tuesday, 24th August (2nd July). In reply I have to say that your request would have been entitled to greater weight had you condescended to specify wherein my political views have changed since my election for Clutha, and that the representative of a

district is entitled to something more than the “Doctor Fell” argument on tho part of those whom he represents to warrant his resigning. I may observe moreover that many of the names attached to the requisition (which by the way has taken three months to obtain the signature of less than one-third of the electors) arc the names of those who have always been politically opposed to me, and who would prevent my election if they could, also that many more of the signatures have been obtained by means of misrepresentation, inasmuch as. several of those whose names are at the requisition have assured me that since becoming acquainted with the facts of the case they are perfectly satisfied with my conduct with reference to the Hundreds Regulation Act, under a mistaken view of which they have been induced to sign. I have no doubt but this will be found to he the case with all excepting those whose political opposition to me may bo termed “Chronic.” “ As regards the resolution of the public meeting, held upon 24th August (July), I would respectfully refer you to tho following resolution passed at a public meeting held subsequently at Balclutha on 26th September, viz., ‘That the thanks of the meeting are due to our representative for his elaborate and satisfactory explanation of his conduct in the House of Representatives. ’ “ 1 presume that the resolution of the last meeting may be fairly set off as against that of the first, with this important distinction, that whereas the first meeting had never seen the Hundreds Regulation Act, aud condemned in my absence without a hearing, the recent meeting had the Act read over and my reasons for supporting it fully explained. If anything could shew clearly the utter rottenness of the grounds upon which I am called upon to resign, it is the circumstance that Messrs Henderson and Thomson have themselves, as your representatives in tho Provincial Council, approved and confirmed the principles of the very Act, for supporting which, as your representative in the higher Legislature, I have forfeited their confidence. A more glaring display of inconsistency it would be difficult to conceive. In conclusion, I will simply state that as I am unconscious of any change in my political views, I am unable to see the foice of your request; at the'.same Time, however, I shall bo perfectly ready to retire tho moment it become apparent that in the judgment of the electors of the Clutha I have forfeited their confidence, always excepting, of course, the few whose opposition to me is, as I said before, ‘ chronic. ’ “ I have the honor to be, “ Gentlemen, “ Your most obedient servant, “ James Macandrew. “ To Rev. W. Bannerman, William Ferguson, Esq,, George Richardson, Esq., J. W. Thompson, Esq., M.P,C,, D. P. Steel, Esq., John Barr, Esq., and the other gentlemen signing the requisition.”