THE MAYORALTY ELECTION.

Kumara Times, Issue 267, 13 August 1877, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY ELECTION.

[to the editor.] Sir—Now that the contest for the election for mayor is fairly commenced, would you kindly allow me a small space for a few remarks befitting the occasion. I perceive by. your report in Saturday’s issue that two gentlemen have been nominated for the honor of being the first mayor of Knmara. Both candidates are qualified for the position, but, before voting, I would like to ask my fellow ratepayers to consider who is beat entltled to their support—Mr Seddon or Mr Dnngan, The value of the former gentleman’s services in the County Cob noil. Educational, and Road Boards, is well known, and should secure him the hearty support of every person interested in the future welfare of • Knmara and district genera’ly. His indefatigable energy at the Education Board, in p-otecting the Interests of all property holders on the Education reserve, is too well known to make it necessary for mo to allude to the matter here. I may refer to the prominent part Mr Seddou took in defending the interests of property-holders a'MBB the unwarrantable conduct of the hnra Road Board in certain parties to lodge objections to the first assessment roll—such services to the town and to the ratepayers’ pockets in particular, I trust will not be forgotten by the ratepayers in recording the’r votes on Monday next. In espousing Mr Seddon’s cause, I do so on public grounds only, being of opinion that he will be the right man in the right place, and to place his name at the head of the poll will be but a suitable acknowledgment for services Tendered. Of Mr Dungan’s candidature, I have a few words to say. Is it at all feasible for a person to aspire to a position, the creation of which he offered opposition to ? I trow not, Mr Dnngan absolutely declined to attach his signature to the petition for Knmara to be proclaimed a borough; but I question very much whether he observed the same neutrality in regard to a so-called counterpetition got up under the auspices of that

great political light, Edmund Baiff. Men «hould be judged by their actions. 1 have no wish to curb Mr Dungan’s political ambition, but at the same time, his aspiring to the office of mayor is anything but consistent wi,th his conduct during the incubation of the municipality movement, and it would be a very graceful act on his part toretir6 from the field in favor of the other candidate. Apologising for trespassing on your Bpace.-r-I am, &c., Ratepayer. [to THE EDITOR,] Sir, —A matter that requires finally settling is, the making of a dray road by the Shamrock Lead and through Dunedin Flat. Such road will be highly injurious to the miners, as it will in some cases . wholly suspend the working of many claims. As to the line at present laid off, the Road Board or County Council could not inflict a greater injury to this part of the Lead than by adopting it. They are simply driving the miners off their claims. We want all the surface of our claims for stacking our tailings on, as we all wind our dirt into raised paddocks, a matter that the members of the Board and of the Council know full well. Yet they will persist with their hobby. We miners, however, are determined to resist by all means, as our claims will all be sluiced when the present workings are done, at which time most gold will be got out of the ground. I would ask How is this to be done if there is a dray-road running up the flat? If the Board would keep the roads they have in passable repair, and not in • quagmires as they now are, no dray-road is wanted to stop work, by the miners of Shamrock lead and Dunedin flat.- -I am, &c., A Miner.