NOMINATION FOR THE GREY DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 681, 31 May 1870, Page 2

NOMINATION FOR THE GREY DISTRICT.

The nomination of candidates for the representation of the Grey (Nelson) District in the Nelson Provincial Council, caused by the unseating of Mr Franklyn, took place yesterday," at noon, at the Court House, Cobden. The limited space afforded the public in the. Court House was fully occupied, and much interest was taken in the proceedings. Mr Whitefoord, KM., acted as Returning Officer, and went through the usual routine of reading the writ, &c. In answer to a question, he Baid the qualification of proposers and seconders was registration on the electoral roll, and all candidates must also be registered electors. In support of this opinion, he read a number of clauses of various Acts of the Assembly, and the Constitution Act: Mr John Overend proposed, and Mr James Dent seconded, the nomination of Mr William Norris Franklyn, as a fit and proper person to represent the district. Mr Wilkeb : Have you, Mr Returning Officer, seen a late Act of the Provincial Council, disqualifying any servant in the pay of the Government from taking any part whatever in elections. The Returning Officer : I have not. Mr Wilkie : It was brought forward last week. The Returning Officer : I have received no notification of it myself. A Voice : Perhaps Mr Franklyn has seen it. Mr J. W. Jones proposed Mr G. Muir, of Camptown. The Returning Officer. What is your qualification ? Mr Jones : A miner's right. The Returning Officer : Then you cannot propose him. Mr Wilkie : If he will stand, I'll propose him; lam on the roll. (After a pause) I hear he will not stand, and I withdraw the nomination. Mr R. Ray : A few months ago I proposed Mr Wilkie as a fit and proger person to represent this district. I haye seen no reason to alter my opinion, and I therefore nominate him again. Mr James Johnstons seconded the nomination. Mr Wilkie is an elector resident in the Grey Valley, and will support him against a gentleman who comes from another quarter, especially oae who has made such an exhibition of himself in the Provincial Council. (Applause.) It is time for the people in this district to take the bull —or rather, in this case, the pig, by the ears (laughter) and drag such men out of the Provincial Council (hear, hear), especially men who were there only to look after the "loaves and fishes," as their late member accused his colleagues of doing. (Loud applause.) We want a conscientious man, one who is respected by the people, and one in whom the people can have equal confidence when he come back amongst them as when he was elected. (Laughter, and hear, hear.) Some persons may Laugh, but some will give me the credit of saying that I apeak my mind. The Grey District is becoming of 30 much importance, and its position is so little recognised, that you must have a man who has your full confidence, one who will represent you properly in the Council Chamber, especially one who is politically honest. (Loud^cheers.y Mr Franklyn: Although I am not aware of auy disqualification for Government officers, yet to remove any doubt there is another gentleman in the room who will second me in place of Mr Dent. Mr F. P. Atkinson seconded the nomination of Mr Franklyn. He said : I am not ashamed to do so. (Uproar. J There are various kinds of argument down to the use of rotten eggs —that is the argument which comes within the calibre of the persons present. There is only opposed to Mr Franklyn those who wish another person to go iv, and his personal enemies who would do worse than he is supposed to have done, if they had the opportunity. (A Voice : " How do you know? He's a traitor.") We are all so sometime or other. The gentlemen who have opposed him are not honest men. (Name.) I will name Mr Reid and Mr O'Conor. O'Conor is there to serve his own purposes, and Reid became opposed to Franklyu whenever he had served his purpose. (A Voice: ' • That is only your opinion.") It is, and I will not alter it, for I have heard it from their own lips. I know these men. (A Voice: " Dry up.") Well, I will dry up. (Laughter.) Mr G. Simmons (who admitted that he was not an elector of the district) brought an accusation against Mr Franklyn as to an alleged detention of money at Westport, which it would be a close approach to a libel to publish. The candidates having been called upon to address the meeting, Mr Franklyn said: It would hardly be a sensible thing, for me to address the few persons here who appear to be so hostile to me, but I wUI tell them that the people of Cobden will not decide this election. 1 intend to ap^f to the district that returned me before. (A Voice: " They burned you the other day.") They did not. (A Voice : Well, they ought to have done it.") If they still have confidence in me I will be returned in spite of any paltry influence down here; a hostile feeling for which you can give no reason. (A Voice : " I have given mine.") It is a matter of indifference to me whether I get your votes, for Napoleon Hill will put me in again. (Hisses and uproar.) Mr Wilkie said it wa3 not ten minutes since he had resolved to stand. Bather than allow such a turn-coat to have a walk over, he had come forward; for if they sent him back again to the Council, the Grey would be again misrepresented. (Cheers.) Mr Franklyn sat ten days in the Council, and his actions showed that he had voted as Mr Curtis told him. (Hear, hear.) He was the only member from the Coast who supported the Superintendent, and yet he, during the last election, declared himself to be an opponent of the Curtis Government, and the only opportunity he had of voting he gave his vote in favor of that Government. (Groans.) He would address the electors at another time when he was better prepared. A show of hands was taken, when there voted for Mr Franklyn, two (his proposer and seconder); Mr Wilkie, 20. Mr Franklyn demanded a poll. He said that it was not his intention to have -offered himself for nomination, if the miners and storekeepers up the river had sent any other candidate to oppose him — (Oh, oh !)—but as they had not done so,

it was evident that his late constituents at Napoleon HUI had approved of his igonduct, and so long as he possessed their confidence, he did not care about any -opposition at Cobden. Napoleon Hill had returned him beforehand would do so again. (Oh, and a Voids : Take the advice of a friend, and don't go near them/ Laughter.) The Returning Officer duly declared that the poll would take place on Tuesday, the 7th June, at Cobden, Ahaura, and Napoleon. A vote of thanks, moved Mr Wilkie, and seconded by Mr J. Johnston, terminated the proceedings.