Election Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 365, 7 April 1866, Page 4

Election Intelligence.

THE ELECTION FOB THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES fob tee NAPIER DISTRICT. The nomination of candidates for the representation of the District of Napier in the General Assembly of New Zealand, took place on Friday, the 16th March, at noon, in front of the Resident Magistrate’s Courthouse. There was a very fair attendance on the part of the electors. We are sorry to have to add that considerable interruption was offered to some of the speakers on this occasion—chiefly (we feel a melancholy satisfaction in saying) offered by supporters of the M‘Lean faction. The Returning Officer (John Curling, Esq..) having read the writ, called upon the electors present to nominate a candidate for the district, when—• Mr Tiffen said that he had come forward to perform the pleasant duty of proposing our worthy Superintendent. His career as a public man was well known to all the electors. He had carried the Province safely through a career of great danger. [Mr Hashing : Are we out of danger yet ?] In answer to that question he would read an opinion expressed out. of the Province—the opinion of Mr J. E. Fitz Gerald. [Mr Edwaeds: The Maori philosopher ? ] Ho then read an opinion Mr Fitz Gerald’s to the effect that Mr M‘Lean had preserved the Province of Hawke’s Bay from becoming “a second Taranaki.” [Mr Habding : "What is Mr Fitz Gerald’s opinion worth ?] It is worth as much as yours or mine. If they were not content with Mr Fitz Gerald’s opinion he would read from the address presented by Die settlers of Hawke’s Bay to his Excellency the Governor on las recent visit. [Mr FdwaEds": who signed that address ? Was it not begged round from door to door by the Government messenger and did not most of the electors refuse to sign it ?] Again, Mr Al'Lcan hud a great stake in the Colony, [Mr Edwaeds : His great Maori run ] If they sent him to the House he would advocate his own interests. [No doubt of that] And they were identical with those of the Province, Hawke’s Bay had hitherto returned two members to the Assembly and was, in point of fact, unrepresented, simply because they always voted on opposite sides. It was now for the election to rectify this. He had much pleasure ia nominating Donald Al'Loan. Mr H. Gboom seconded the nomination. Mr MriXAKY said that (uo representative the people of Napier wanted was a man who would look after the interests of tie working man, and this Mr AFLean had not done. While there were men in Napier out of work, ho had imported a a parcel of paupers from Auckland and reduced the rate of wages for a laboring man to 4s 6d per day. Mr T. Edwaeds said that he had sincere pleasure in proposing to the electors their old and well-tried friend Mr Yv. Colenso. Ho had for live years faithfully served his constituency, and had all that time been the friend of the working man. Mr M'Lean as they they all knew, was an illegal squatter, and had always spoken in the most’ favorable terras of the system. But he would read an extract from a letter of Mr Al'Lc-an’s to (he Colonial Secretary, dated Glh July, 1851, and which appeared in the Hawke’s Bay Hcndd of the 16th September, 18G3, which showed what his ideas of the system were then It is quite certain that, -While such squatting exists, the natives, even as far north as Auckland, will oppose the sale of such laud, in the expectation that, although valueless to them at present, they may realise nigh rents for it. If it could be shown that the natives themselves were much improved hy such a system, it would bo a strong argument in its favor, but, from all 1 can learn, these rents, obtained without much care or labor, are injudiciously expended, raid the greatest recipients are frequent y if not always, the incst dissolute and idle characters of the tribe, whose reckless conduct and increasing cupidity, render the position of settlors holding land under them not only disa gv-ee-able and precarious, but in every tcay repv.gnani to U ie independeKtj'teU.ips <y'a» Englishman* —These were, in 1851, the sentiments of the man who now was ut the head of (he illegal squaring. Would the electors of Napier put in a man whose practice so belied his principles,—and after all the public meetings they had held on this one subject ? He thought not. [Dillon Smith : Can you guarantee that we can place any dependence on Mr Colenso ?] I can. I speak to the independent electors before me, and not, to the loafers who fatten on Government contracts. Mr T. B. Hakding, in seconding the nomination, said there was uo necessity for him to make a speech. All present knew the evils of the squatting system, of which Mr M‘Lean was the head and chief: —they knew the antecedents of Mr Colento, how he had represented them disinterestedly and'independently for five years in the General Assembly, and could judge for themselves which was most worthy of their support. There was no need for him to say more. Mr D. M'Lean said that it was scarcely necessary for him to make a speech to the electors, as he and his atceedcnts were already so well known to them. Nevertheless, it was generally expected that a candidate for election in the General Assembly should give some exposition cf his views on gome of the principle questions which would arise for discussion in that Assembly. Of these, the first place was occupied by the question of Separation. He was determined, to the utmost extent of his power, to oppose Separation. He believed that Separation would be the greatest evil that could befal this country. He would instance America, where an attempt at Separation had brought unnumbered evils in its train, 'i hey all knew the blood that had been shed, and the treasure that had been spent, to put down that attempt. Separation would change New Zealand, from a prosperous country into two weak colonies. What would Mr Cardwell and English Government say to the attempt to divide N. Zealand P What would become of the credit of the Colony ? The Colony would be -prevented from negotiating .any more

loans, with its security thus broken. He should act in accordance with his own vies and no doubt with their wishes, in opposing with all his might any Separation or disintegration of the Colony of New Zealand. Upon being asked by an elector his opinion upon an income tax, he said that he should oppose such a tax, as it would be a great temptation to people to mis-state their income to evade the tax, and he did not like any tax so inquisitorial, and one where evasion was necessary. He might also state that he had saved the province at a rime when it was in imminent danger. [Mr Colenso : No.] Mr Colenso said no, but he had said differently in the General Assembly. [Mr Colenso : The province was never in danger until you put it in danger by your blunder in supplying the natives with arms.] He (Mr ADLean) was proud of having supplied the friendly natives with arms, and a finer body of men were not to be found in New Zealand. They had done more for New Zealand than all the British army put together. [Cries of “O,” “Indeed,” &c.] Of course he did not mean to detract from the valuable services General Chute and the British soldiers on the West Coast were performing. They had done their work as only British soldiers would do it; but that was no reason why the brave fellows on the East Coast who were shedding their blood in our defence should be forgotten. They cost a great deal of money, but they could not be dispensed with, and that was why he thought that highly increased taxation next session would be necessary. Air Habding. —Are you a squatter ? Air M'Lean. —Yea: and I glory in it. [Cries of “ Shame! ” Air Habding. —What has caused you to change your opinions since 1851 ? Mr Al'Lean. —There were only three squatters here then. Mr Colenso said that he had been told that it was of no use to contest the seat with the Superintendent, backed as he was by the Government; and that lie would be sure to bo beaten. He had no objection to bo beaten, provided it was done fairly ; hut he had not been treated fairly. He would divide his address into five points, namely, I.—The Province; 2.—The Colony ; 3.—Himself; 4.—His opponent, Air M'Lean j s.—The Electors. 1. The Province. The first duty of the electors of the Province was to send their best man, and what they had to judge was whether Air M'Lean or he was the best. There was one thing which England had been striving for ever since the union of the three kingdoms, and that was equality of representation. It was the principle that every class, every opinion, should send its representative, “ otherwise,” as Air J. E. Fitz Gerald, (for whose opinion Mr Tiffen had so profound a veneration,) had often said about the Alaories, “ they are not represented.” Now Air Tiffen had made use of a very singular argument—he had had the hardihood to argue that because the squatters had sent a representative to the Assembly, the electors of the district of Napier should send another squatters’ representative, to agree with him ! The only manner in which ho could account for Air Tiffen’s having made use of such an argument, was that it was the effects of a glass of sherry which he had previous to the commencement of the proceedings. He would read tnen an extract from an English paper which would show what was generally the case in those matters in England. (Mr Colenso here read an extract from an English paper, showing that nearly allthehoroughs returning two members returned one Tory and one Liberal.) This fully showed (he futility of Air Tilfen’s argument, and he hoped that next time that gentleman would come without taking sherry. 2. The Colony. The class of men the Colony required were those who looked to the interests of tiic entire Colony, not to those of their particular province or district, and such bo was. He had never sought his own interest, never shown selfishnes. He had had chances of buying land, but had not done so, considering that ha already possessed enough. He had never shown anxiety for place, nor attempted to push himself forward, but always sought to do the greatest amount of good possible to his constituents. 3. Himself. He had been sent by the electors to the Assembly in 1861, had remained in that position ever since, and had thereby acquired an experience, a knowledge of the house, and of his duties, that was not possessed by untried men. He had in fact served a five years’ apprenticeship to it. When he went there he devoted his whole lime and energies to his task —partly because lie had nothing else to occupy his attention. When an apprentice Las faithfully served his time, or a servant has fulfilled a long engagement honorably and faithfully, what did they expect ? There was an honest old English feeling on that subject. Such a person would nutu' atly expect to continue in service. So did he. When he was in Wellington working for the Province he never dreamt but that he would again bo elected as hitherto. He might again state that he had been treated most unfairly.- If that requisition which was got up in his absence had been a fair and open one like that to Air Ormond, and only signed by thirty or forty electors he would not have opposed Air MLean ; hut the case was different. The signatures to that requisition were procured in the most underhand manner. He had been told by a gentleman that Air Al'Lean, in his own house, had asked him to sign that rcqnsition. [Air M'Lean : It’s a downright lalsehood.] He, of course, could not vouch for it, so he bad been told by the gentleman in question' Again, he had not been many days in Napier, before he was called upon by nineteen different persons each of whom said that ho had been induced to sign that requisition under false pretences. [Air M'Lean : “ It’s an infernal lie.” Great confusion, and cries of “ name, name.”] He would tell them the names—next Friday, at the busting. As to his opinion on Separation — [Dillon Smith : “Ah, you didn’t like that letter I wrote to the Herald, did ye ?”] —[A Voice ; “You didn’t write that.”] —be had already fully stated his opinion and his reasons for his vote in a letter which appeared in both papers—he must again thank the editor of. the Herald for inserting itr—and he thought that no one could ask more of him. He repeated the pledge he made therein—that if twothirds of the electors requested him to vote against Separation* he. would dp .sO; and he could then oppose it for as good a reason, and as coascieaUously,

as before he supported!!. 4. Mr M'Lean. He did not believe that Mr M'Lean was at all a. fit man for their representative in the General Assembly. In the first place his hands were far too full already. If the election had been for a Chief Native La id Purchase Commissioner, a Judge of the Land Court at present sitting, Civil Commissioner, or General Government agent, he would not think of contesting it with Hr M‘Lean. Mr Tiffen had argued that because ho had performed these duties well he would make a good representative. He might as well have said a good geologist, and recommended that he should be sent into Dr. Hector’s place. Last session of the Assembly some of the squatters of Canterbury sent a draft of the tariff which they considered most equitable to the General Assembly, and what was this tariff? They proposed to import woolpacks, fencing wire, tobacco, for sheep-wash, buggies and harness, in fact, everything required by a sheep-farmer, duty free, while some of the necessaries of life were heavily taxed. The squatters of Hawke’s Bay already sent a member who would support such a scheme; would the electors of Napier district also send another? His (Mr C.’s) idea of taxation was a remodelling of the of the tariff by impartial men—neither merchants nor sheep-farmers ; there were many things imported free which might very fairly be taxed. 5. The electors. The electors of Napier had once made a mistake ; let them beware lest they made another. When they, put Stark in and he deceived them they made a fatal mistake. Had he (Mr C.) been then elected the Stafford Ministry would not have been defeated, the temporizing Fox Mmistry would never have coma into office, and most likely the war now devastating the Colony would have been prevented. They would remember that it was a majority of one that had done all this. It was now universally admitted that Governor Browne and the Stafford Ministry were in the right. In conclusion, lie would direct their attention to the late dreadful news from Jamaica. Such scenes wou'd, be believed, ere long take place in New Zealand. The natives were well armed. And the poor working man would not be ground down by men having 100,000 acres and wanting ] 00,000 more. The greed of the squatters was unmistakeable. It was only the other day that Mr M'Leau bought 8,000 acres of land in the province of Wellington at os an acre. He might tell them that he did not occupy the lowest seat in the house, the eyes of New Zealand were upon them at this present moment, and if they did not send him to the General Assembly, they need not expect him to retain his seat in the Provincial Council. He hoped that they wmuld give the matter before them their earnest consideration. A show of hands was then taken and decided to he in favor of Mr M'Lean, the numbers being about —Mr M'Lean, 35 ; Colenso, 30. A poll was then demanded for Mr Colenso by his proposer and seconder, and granted, to take place at the Government Buildings between the hours of nine a.m. and four p.m., on Tuesday, the 20th March.

THE POLLING. Tuesday, the 20th of March, was a busy day for the partizans of the Superintendent. 'They could be observed from the commencement of the polling until its close at four p.m. “ whipping m ” the electors in order to make Donald’s majority as respectable as possible, although from a very early period it was sufficiently evident that those exertions were unnecessary, Cobb’s coach and the several “traps” were called into requisition, and great interest was manifested by the various groups of electors round about the Court-house. About one p.m. the state of the poll became by some means knotvn to Donald’s supporters, and communicated to the public generally, but scarcely credited; and when, at four p.m., it was publicly announced by the Returning Officer, elicited some expressions of astonishment. The returns are not as yet all to hand; but as far as known we believe that Mr M‘Lean will bo found to have a majority of About 100-—about one-half of the constituency having declined to record their rotes for either candidate. DECLARATION OF THE POLL. The following is the state of the poll, as declared by the Returning Officer at noon on Friday, the 23rd March:— M'Lean Colenso Town of Napier • 113 29 Napier Country - • 13 9 Petane - - - - 8 X Mobaka • • 7 0 Totals - • 143 S 3 Majority for Mr M'Lcan • 114 Mr M'Lean then briefly expressed his thanks to the electors. Mr Colenso said this was the last occasion in which he would address the people of Napier as a public man. He bad come there to own himself beaten and to thank the electors who bad voted for him. He was cheered by the knowledge that those who had voted for him had voted in support of the principle that the whole community should be represented, and not merely one section, as the case stood at present. He was cheered by the knowledge that none who voted for bi n had been in any way bribed to do so, and that out of the number who voted for M'Lean, there was not an equal number who had done so. There were four good results from the contest. In the first place a great deal of money was in the pockets of the electors which would not have been expended otherwise. Secondly, to the consent they owed the pledge which had been dragged from Mr M‘Lean by Mr Miller, and of which pledge they were now the holders. It was a powerful engine, and one which they would no doubt have to use. Third —Had Mr M’Lcan gone in without a contest, he would have thought he had gone in with tire unanimous contest of the electors. In this he would have been mistaken, for in addition to what had been termed the “ miserable” minority 0f32, there was the respectable minority of nearly onehalf of the electors who had not voted at alb These were men who would have voted against M'Lcan had they dared, but who would have suffered too severely had they done so. Fourth, —-It enabled him and his constituents to know each other. Had he resigned in favor of M'Lcan its gone adviced him to do, he should have placed

himself in a false position. He should have still gone oh fighting' their battles in the 7 Provincial Council, imagining that ha possessed their -confidence. Now Ho knew who were for and who against hirh. ,Ho was no longer their representative in the Provincial Council. He had promised last Pridaythat he would tell them the names of those 19 persons who had told him that 1 their names' were falsely placed bn that requisition.. He had since received a 1 letter, making the list of twenty. A person had since reminded Him i what a vindictive person MrM'Leaq was, andthepower hepossessed for mischief, and that it wpnld be highly injurious to those persons to mention their rikmes. Therefore he would not do so. He then thanked the electors for all past services and retired.^