THE CITY ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3475, 13 April 1874, Page 3

THE CITY ELECTION.

The nomination for a member to represent the City in the General Assembly took place to-day at noon, in the presence of about 150 persons. ' M* }6hk Baines proposed Mr G. ]B. Bartori; whorii hje 1 wis sure most of the old settlers knew as an honest, straightforward man, and one who took a great interest in many questions affecting the welfare of the City. This was not the first time he had , been before the electors, and if he waa elected, which he (Mr Barnes) hoped he would be, he would be found to be the right man in the right place, and the electors have no cause to regret their choice, Mr Moss seconded Mr Barton’s nomina- , Mr Grant came forward and said if be were proposed and seconded he would fight the election to the bitter end, but he met with no response. Mr Prosser proposed Mr N, Y. A, Wales. He had only been requested to do so a few moments before, and not being acquainted with Mr Wales’s politics, reserved to himself the right to vote against him if not pleased withhis views. It was hj ghly necessary that an important election like this should be contested. Mr Wales was worthy the electors’ support. Tfcsy woqld find him an fioneat, straightforward man, And capable - of advocating their interests in the Assembly. Mr A. Rennie seconded the nomination. Mr Grant, after waiting in vain for a nominator, said he had very great pleasure in nominating Mr J. G. S. Grant. Mr Thomas Fraser seconded pro forma. , Mr Barton confessed from what ho saw in the papers that he thought he was not going to have opposition. He thought at all events that any gentleman who deemed it worth while to seek the suffrages of the electors would not begrudge 3s fid to have let tne fact be known this morning. There was, however, to be a fight. One of the gentlemen proposed was nominated by Mr Prosser, who did not even know his politics. (Laughter.) He (Mr Barton) was not in that position. John Barnes and Moss knew his politics. (A YOl m 5 Tl ? ecauae the y ate bigger muffs than you. ) His vieus must also be pretty well known to the electors, as he had appeared

on the hustings and platform before now. It was known to many present that both here and in Victoria he had taken some part in political matters. He saw some time ago in an English newspaper tt itements respecting the introduction of the eight hours’ movement into England. The statement was made by the writer that the movement originated in Victoria. (A voice : “No.”) Some one said “No but that was the fact. It did originate in Victoria. It originated with ' harles Don, a stonemason in that Colony, and at last a member of Parliament there assisted, among others, by Peter Sherwin! now m this town, and their humble servant. He (Mr Barton) was at the initiation and inauguration of the movement, and was one of those who afterwards got for the trades a piece of ground for a Trades’ Hall. He was proud to see, eighteen years after the event, Mr ifellowes, now a Judge of the Supreme Court, and formerly a prominent number of the Upper House, and At-torney-o>eneral in several ministries, presiding at a meeting of trades in that hall, and delivering an inaugural address. He was now entitled to take some credit for this matter, and he thought it would give them an idea of the way his road ran, when running along it.—(A Voice: “Oh, you’re a lawyer.”)—Some one called out that he was a lawyer. He was, and, what was worse, an Irishman ; but if they forgave him the latter, he would not do that a^ain,—(Laughtor.) The fact of hia being, a lawyer, instead of being to his disadvantage, should be in his favor, and he would tell them why. It had always apparently been the policy of the chief political men here, for some reason or others to keep lawyers out of the Legislature, and so far their attempts had succeeded. In order to that they had made the AttorneyGeneralship non-political, and had done everything to discourage lawyers from going in, except such lawyers who were on the r own politics the dominant one. What was the result? The land laws of the Colony were about the most astounding set of legal productions ever seen. No »one, not even he (Mr Barton) could understand them. If there had been lawyers in the House the land laws would have been intelligible at least. The other legislation ™? ountry was 5111011 the same - So with the Water Company’s monopoly. If Mr Reynolds had been a lawyer he could not ru* 176 P leaded bis inability to comprehend the effects of the clauses of the Comnany’s Act. ‘ J

Mr Wales said he had come forward as a candidate at the last moment, partly on his own responsibility, and partly at the request of a few friends, to ask the suffrages of the electors to secure him a seal? in the Assembly, The present Parliament had not many years to rua, so he did nofc think <my very important measures would be brought forward durmg the poming session, He would promise, if elected, to make himself acquainted wiih all measures brought before the House, exercise the pomxpon sense of an ordinary individual in examining them, and act accordingly. He would always be found at hia post when a vote was taken, but he would not waste the country’s time by talking against tim,e. Mr Barton had spoken at some length, but he failed to see that he had explained the policy on which he was prea /r e a °k’ though he had twitted him (Mr Wales) with grudging 3s 6d rather than announce he was going to offer himself a candidate. Six or seven days would elapse before the election took placp, during which period, although the agitation was net he would during the evenings explain his opinions. Prominent above all others was the land question. In one sentence he would tell them his views regarding it. He was in favor of the deferred payment system, fie did not believe in Jand being locked up, and persons being debarred from selecting sections in any part of the country they chose, where they might settle and maintain themselves in ease and comfort. -■*>B to the Waterworks question, about which so many questions had bepu allied, b e W a 3 in favor of the Qity Council having ibhe supply of the City in their hands, in what-

ever way the transfer to them might be accomplished. But he held that those who held shares in the company were entit ed to consideration. 'J hey came forward when the City was destitute of water, and whole blocks of buillings were at times burnt down through want of it. He knew the difficulty of obtaining water, for he was a member of the Fiie Brigade at the time; and taking those things into consideration everyone would say the members of the Company who came forward to supply water um 6 to consideration. —( \ Voice : •* „ ere are ver y few original shareholders in it. ) No matter who were shareholders, they would try to get the best price they could for their shares. It was his opinion the Corporation should purchase the Waterworks, for if supplies had to be paid for to two companies it would double the taxes. (“No, no.”) Mr Barton spoke of the eight hours’ system established in Vic toria, and said ho was one of the prime movers in it. He (Mr Wales) was then working at the bench, and took part in the same movement. Having done something towards establishing it, they were on an equality. Unfortunately, he was not a lawyer, but he laid claim to the possession of some common sense. So far as his private undertakings were concerned, he had been tolerably successful—although it sounded like egotism on his part to say so—but he should, if elected, endeavor equally to succeed in anything he undertook on behalf t Re Would not detain the meeting longer, but would spend 3s 6d on advertising, so that the constituency might know where to meet him, when he would give a more detailed account of his opinions. One thing he, however, wished to say—he would not go to the Assembly pledged to any particular course. He claimed to have common sense, and should exercise it (in judging of all questions affecting the public. Mr Grant addressed the electors at great length. ■ £lhe candidates’ replies to questions are unavoidably held over.] The show of hands was—Grant 31 ; Wales and Barton 7 each. Mr Barton demanded a poll. ■ Mr Pro - ser reminded the electors that he seconded Mr Wales’s nomination subject to the reservation that he should vote against him if dissatisfied with his views. The views he had enunciated on the land question were very satisfactory; but unless he gave a more decided answer upon the Water Company’s Bill, he (Mr Prosser) would vote against him. It was highly necessary that the electors should have a positive statement on that subject.