TO HIS HONOR DONALD M'LEAN, ESQ.,

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 353, 26 February 1866, Page 3

TO HIS HONOR DONALD M'LEAN, ESQ.,

SUPERINTENDENT of HAWKE’S BAY. [Per favor of Editor of the Hawke’s Bay Times.J Sib, —iS early 20 years ago, I asked a principal Maori chief of these parts, (a man well known to you though now dead,) —“ What he considered to be the duty of a chief towards his tribe ?” Of course, our views differed greatly; he believed, that a chief was bound to got all he could for himself; while I thought, lie should seek the greatest amount of good for his people. Pardon me. Sir, when I say, that, of late, this old question has again popped up;—not, however, now with reference to a New Zealand Maori chief, but with especial reference to yourself, as our chief Magistrate and present Superintendent of this Province; —and I am again obliged to fall back upon my old supposition, vis., that a chief {whether hereditary or elected) should ever SEEK THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF GOOD FOB HIS people : I trust you will fully agree with me in this. We are now in the midst of a general election for the House of Representatives. You know, Sir, that I have served the Town and Electoral District of Napier as its member during the past five years. 1 recollect well certain conversations you and I have had at various times within that period, concerning some of the business done in the (xeneral Assembly and my close attendance t.icrc, in which $ oU (as a Hawke’s Pay landholder)

highly approved of my conduct. This fact, coupled with my belief of your Honor’s duty to the Province (as intimated above), —not to mention our long acquaintance,—would have quite led me to expect your coming forward on the approaching nomination day (as an elector) to nominate me for re-election,— had it not been for a “ Requisition” which has appeared in the ‘ Herald.’ And here I may remark, Sir, (while I honestly avow my conviction, that the.least now said about that unhappy “Requisition" the better for all parties who were therein actively concerned,)— that if, on the prorogation of the General Assembly or on its subsequent dissolution, a Requisition, fairly and openly got up and plainly speaking its true meaning, bad been presented to you signed by only half of the number whose nani ss appear to the present one, I should hesitate long ere I could bring myself to consent to contest the present election with you, notwithstanding my prior and reasonable claim. But as we well know that such has not been the case, and as I wish you, Sir, to do the utmost amount of good for the people of this Province, of which you are officially tb,e present head, I therefore ask you to consider this letter, and (under all the circumstancesj to withdraw from the contest, and to come forward on the day of nomination—like a good chief and just and honest Superintendent—and propose me, the old and tr^d.servant of the people and of the Province, for re-election; and so both avoid an unseemly and unnecessary contest, and strengthen the hands of the one member for Napier in the General Assembly. Do not, however, misunderstand me, as if I herein asserted or insinuated my better ability ; such is not the case. I ground my claim (as against you, Sir,) upon three things,—l. My long and faithful service,—2, My acquired knowledge of the work, and—3. My having plenty of spare time (to which 1 might also fairly add, my having assisted in putting-in the present Stafford Ministry. I confess, too, to a feeling which I have, that (though I wish myself to be returned, believing I should again, as heretofore, faithfully and usefully serve our Province,) I should not like to see you (as our Superintendent) beaten :—some, however, may call this a weakness on my part. I well know that you cannot depend on the names to theprinted “Requisition” as against myself ; obtained too, as very many of them were, through misrepresentations, and at a time too when a far different Ministry was in place ; and 1 know by experience the great difference that there is in the weight of any member in the House when he is merely a member dejure and not de facto —a member by law, but not a Representative willingly elected by the united votes of a free people. No doubt had I carried in the General Assembly what I strove hard to do, —to have another member granted to us for Hawke’s Bay, (making our number of Members equal to that of Taranaki, a smaller Province,) then. Sir, we might have stood together before the electors at the approaching election. Commending this to your earnest consideration, I am, Sir, Yours very faithfully, WILLIAM COLENSO." Napier, 2lst February, 1866.