THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2468, 13 January 1871, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

MR DRIVER AT MORNINGTON,

Mr H. Driver, for Koslyn, addressed his constituents at Moruingtou, in the schoolhouse last evening. Mr J. E. Attwood was voted to the chair, and there were about 200 persons present. Mr Driver, who was received with applause, said the electors would agree with him that a person occupying the position that he did, must of necessity feel a certain amount of diffidence and nervousness in coming before them to address them. Whatever might be the result, he commenced with a conviction that he had done his duty as their representative. . He had not the slightest doubt that he had the sympathy of the majority of the electors, yet it was impossible for a public man, however humble . his position, to be without enemies of a political character ; but he was glad to say that he had only political enemies to a limited extent. He was glad to see such a large attendance, although there were other meet ngs that night in other parts of the (1 strict; he was also glad to see an increased interest being taken in the important affairs that were likely to come before the different constituencies, and an indication that he was to receive a fair and impartial hearing. (Hear.) In addressing them it would be impossible to refer to those matters which were of the greatest interest to the electors of the district and the Province without mixing up General and Provincial politics. Before he proceeded to enter upon the main questions,, he had to sincerely thank the electors for the honor they had done him some two years ago by returning him by as large a majority as 3 or 4 to 1 as their representative, and he might state that he had not met with a single gentleman since but who had expressed the same feelings of confidence in him. He had to state at the outset that it was his intention to ask 'them again for their support as their member.—(Applause.) He then proceeded to state that in his opinion there was no public opinion. The time they were about to enter upon could scarcely be more important, and might not again occur during a lifetime in the Province —viz , the Gener 1 Assembly and Provincial Council elections taking place at the same time. But, unfortunately for the candidates, the people did pot base the : r opinions upon political matters from facts or a policy itself, which was a great want. There was really no true public opinion. He was not speaking of any particular district, but of the electors generally in the Province. There was a great want of party feeling or political division. He thought it was a sign of a healthy state of affairs to see parties divided vjpon some principle. While men might differ a great deal upon minor matters, he would like to see something that would lead public opinion in the Province, so that parties might be divided upon some real basis instead oi by persona,! feelings. (Ajjphuise). He thought they would all agree wjth him that there was a great deal of truth in his assertion. He could pot leave the subject without saying that one <?f the greatest reasons for this want in Otago and espegi ally jp Dunedin

was that we had no reliable leading journal in the place that took upon itself the responsibility of guiding public opinion in any one direction —(Hear, hear,) In his remarks upon “ the leading journal,” he referred to the Daily Times. He did not say anything in regard to it from a feeling of animosity or from an unkind feeling towards its proprietary. He happened to be a shareholder, and therefore he thought any remarks he might make would be taken as being candid on his part. There was meaninglessness m all the articles in that paper which wore reported to be written upon the public affairs of the Colony and Province.—(Hear). The articles which appeared from day to day must have been obtained an editor or proprietary having no definite principles them 1 elves j they tied to drift along with the current of the times, and took the side which might happen to suit their views from time to time. He thought this in a small community was a lamentable state of things. He did not care wdiether the paper agreed with his political views or not. He believed it did agree with him in many things, but he would prefer that it differed with him. The people of this and other Provinces should be directed what course at such a time as the present. He begged, leftvc to think, tbftt with people tied down to business, it was impossible for them to enquire and to make sure for themselves by investigation, by reading and otherwise, so as to form an opinion which would enable them to give a vote upon the many questions before them. He was sure if a paper acted impartially, gave both sides of the question, and then summed the matter up according to the facts, and even from its own stand-point, it would be entitled to lead public opinion. The duty of the Press - if such a thing as an impartial paper could be got here—was to endeavor to lead the public mind in .the direction of what should be for the interests of the Province. The candidate then proceeded to state how, according to his promises, he assisted to turn out the Stafford Government, because of their mismanagement of Native affairs, and their centralising policy. He proceeded :—He had been a fair and reasonable supporter of the present Government, but he would never sink so low as to be a follower of any Government. He should support the present Government so long as their policy in the main met with bis view's. His principal reason for supporting the present Government was its different way of governing the Natives. It was perfectly well known throughout the Colony that under the Stafford Administration w'e were gradually having a sort of Colonial-Imperial army, with its major generals, colonels, and military grades of every possible description —and with their pol.cy the Native difficulty was daily increasing. '1 here was an entire diffeience between the policy of the two Governments. The first step of the present Government was to abolish all military display, which consequently reduced the cost, and the treatment of the Natives had been more conciliatory, and more of a civil than military character. He asked them to recollect what had taken place. During the last two vears there has not been the slightest difficulty—except a murder or two, which had probably been caused by jealousies or rows, and were certainly to be much lamented—save from newspaper reports, wdiich he was bound to say, and he had good authority for so stating, were entirely without foundation. The Natives in the North Island were in as peaceable and quiet a state as could be desired. He hoped that state of things would continue to last longer, because during the time of peace the white population was gradually distributing itself over the island, and as that continued each year, so were we adding to the improbability of further outbreak.—(Hear.) [We are compelled to break off pur report at this point. The remainder of Mr Driver’s speech, together with that delivered by Mr Reynolds, will appear to-morrow.]