THE WAIKOUAITI ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 2882, 15 May 1872, Page 3

THE WAIKOUAITI ELECTION.

To the Editor. Sib,—The editor of your contemporary, the Daily Times, as being a champion for Sir David Monro, is very anxious to convince the electors of Waikouaiti and the readers of the miserable production? which appear in that journal that Sir David is an able politician, a model of disinterestedness, and such a representative as the constituency of Waikouaiti might well be proud of. Now I would like the Editor to point out a single instance in which Sir David has manifested any political ability, or has promoted any measure which has either benefitted the Colony in general or bis constituents in particular. No doubt he occupied the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives for two Parliaments, for which ho drew the salary of 1.600 per annum, but beyond this I can find no record of anything he has done. If in securing to himself about 20,000 acres of land in the Province of Marlborough at an average of about 7s per acre, has been a benefit to the Colony, then no doubt Sir David deserves credit for bis disinterestedness, and might well be rewarded by the electors of Waikouaiti returning him to the House of Representatives. Of such a representative who would not be proud ? Sir David up to the last general election represented in the Assembly the electoral district of Cheviot, possessing an area of 2,461,760 acres, situated partly in Canterbury, Marlborough, and Nelson Provinces, which district contained in 1870 a population of 1410 souls, and on the electoral roll there were 150 names, comparatively few of whom, however, resided in the district. Now, if Sir David’s services have proved so very valuable in the past, does it not appear somewhat strange that notwithstanding the difficulty which existed in the northern districts of this Island to secure suitable representatives, Sir David did not succeed in obtaining a seat at the late general election. If his services had been appreciated by those who knew him well, and among whom he has resided for so many years, it is natural to suppose that they would have found him a seat to represent one of the constituencies of the provinces of Nelson or Marlboro’. I think it would be well if my fellow electors of the Waikouaiti district would throw Sir David overboard, and select either a local or at any rate, a Provincial resident. —Yours, &c. Elector. May 14, 1872.