TO THE ELECTORS OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 481, 13 June 1857, Page 3

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY.

. /^;ENa.IL)EM!E'Ni;-----M;r'. -FITzGfEBAM) ■ „ \jif/./.havvi4^-.ti\-<m-<>uhc«i<i'-l)i'S'lint>"tion of i re^mn^n^ office of Superintendent of this : '. pv^ince,]'!'1 M^e'^fe'WoiiQur tojstijte^tiiat "T ' r shell1' im;^efit'' i my^liP!tb"'?jrotf-as a-Caiidid>».te;'toi-; "t wheatlie befii'd (if Election :sliall arrtve: ■■ -It' Yriav iJH-ha^ 'be thought presumptions' to; ihe it:%''tolife'lJfcfii^''step with'ortt likvuig had the; waV';?-'pl-fepW by^^He-'cviatoinarf.'reqtiisition. » Buf'liliy iapf'ihat" I 'Should. be;;ii' candidate,-m f (.a^!:]ilv.'*it?iGerald did riot desire again to be ;eleeted;' t!hafe''been so-long and so generally' I- imbVn^'that:% have be^i arteptatioii iU' waited for one; I have though^ it fthe^^s-iietieWsiirr too;'bwansethe metms by wliidi'sio-natures tb'sncli documents are now too I otWn'oiitiftiiea have; tended t<|-itoyest them with ithlioH i:as^WiU'of disrepute as cvedvt: At all have rdeprived ■•thtfm ot much oithatja'luti'm pAiblic'eatimHtioiijwliich such tes- :- tjnVdrvials' onccpoßssessed;- 11- *l!- '■ ' " ! J I-i'eol it; to be my duty, Gentlemen, to state

at. th? oV,tßet; of tliis,.;^dd^,ssi;some : of tl»0. : cdn?is d;evivtipnft,\friijch.. ; jiHVe ; ted, me.-to .offer mj',fteUi'.to yQUi; ; liptioa attdv.t^.AUlt.at VrJdi1 liaiiflS f.liri litgh/4 e»t;iciwiL appointmenti.- it as iin [ry'ouvi -ipoweevtq bestow.,.'. 1. S iiave • b«en f a-, resident; amxJrig^ 'yo\i almost] from ■ ,tlae foundation!off tkc;settleinerife aii^l ,haye ever'Aakehla moreio'i-iessiactiveoipaiili in th» T)ubli6,!afiaia;s. of rtbe: "pvdwined;. Ijt i* note two .years' since I; s-liadi the hdnouiv off obtaining a seatoin (tliewPraviiicial .OounisJli' <;Srncfe .then my timeiihas been'wbolly; engaged dn[:bhif..f>ublic sefviicetp'andctiiere/'isjfscarcely aa-iqfficef•miner the Provincial'jQo^Mwnenti, ii' I,.excepl;ithat<6f the.SblicitQr'andithat'bf tile Brovineial-JtlngiiieeF; tlierdnties of -whick!:! hdyeinot; fou some penbd difetenargediji I inentionithis riot; itoiibund^ianipL'eseht°claims ori your\canfidehce,;:fbr I' feel too conscious liowitgreatithe''distance .is between ithe most.important oif the-offices5 1 haye1 'held' and that to which'ilmow* aspire, but-td show that; I b.aye;had coiisiderable;e!spenence-in'the administration, ©f' tbeaffaifsioivthe province,'and thus^ I-iliope^''establi6h,[theo?W'esump'tion,!;;that 1 possess: some. of:,the qualiiicatiohs j atequired-,- tor the discharge of the administrative^dutiejj which, attach to the offiee,-of Superiritendijnt. .■■ You .will. Gentlemen,- probably.eipect di-ons thosawho: may.present themselves telyour. no.i. tice onithis occasidn some general >. exposition,tot the views- they take of-;the nature -. of.r the.'office for which; they^are candidates/land "tike leading pvihciples fby, whichJ« should, iheyisucceed,. tbeic conduct-ofmtfkir»>iwo«ld be; guided.-: ■■ To that task, tiiereforevl:now-iiadi'ess..myselt..'-.:- ■> '■ .a j. -Had;this: been. theMsheUctmvM a.-Supenn* ienderit r this, task .would; i hav.ejbeenj.orie of «eiy considerable.-.difficdlty. ■ In no part is-.the Coi>. stitution Act more defectiveitb^n where itdeimo* the iduties:.;ot the i Supej.-intqndeht,.;!lt .wou^ almost..-appear-as if the:,iVamersitof'that f Ac:, unable &>■ determine with anything like precision1 the .status the* Superintendent, should occupy m theftaveimment.Ot'tlieco-ant.vyandsthesfimctions' he.sliould dischargeyhadiconnaed.th.emselv,e™s to) ■ aimply^definiiig.hi» ; legislative ,<lui|es; leavnu^it, to. tuie ''.arid•;:circuinstancefci.to •• ; :the. amount ot'-rexecutive power rheishbu'ld exercise.:- ■; .'. Gentlemen, that which ; thd.fiou*tHiutaoiw&ct left so vague andiuusettled, timerandexpe^iencer have t>o a great extent detex-mined.:. TlieiS'uper-. inteiident; is noW:Te.cognis,edi-riot,mevMy,as ;: tne! ]e>islativebut also as?the.executive-heacl;ol- tireprovince, endowed .with very ample; powers.;, Within his -jurisdiction the ■' Emppwenng;oifl3>. ; nance has, in some cases definitely, • miothe/aj provisionally, invested him with a: large propor- ■ ■ tion-of ihe-executive authority .of. the/Governor himself; ;-and the recent'legislation .of theAre-i nerkl Assembly, while' it appears to lean towards -, a restriction of his legislative^ shows'.no^dispo-,-sitipn to interfere.wiih his exebutiveiunctipns, :.: ■ i-ihe necessities which have led to thcinvesti, ture of: the. Superintendent withithesfe important, powers have also suggested the means by which Jm.-should' be guided in their exercise,: Thus, m tKis Brovincaas -in others, an Executive Govemmen*.Ordinance has been passed by-Avhich the Superintendent is bound to have;an Executive Council, by-whose advice he isfto.be guidea mi .carrying on the Government of tKeprovnic?. . r .I4omot-consider it necessary ;iii tins: place to-dis^uss at length the advantages or.otherwise of this order. : pf things;!: simply lay • .beiove ■- you'the liatare.bf the offic P .as I, find it, and the circumstances-that, have M'to it*, present iorm of; deyelopmeri^ ■>:■-,_ v- ;-.::■ ;1 ■Feyertlieless,'! Will-not shrink^ from avowing inyoriiuicnvthat not brily;; theoretically •ir'the existuig/aiTangement- to ■ 'be approved and _de- ■■ fend«irbnt thK; in practice also, it? supplies, titidfet- the present physical peculiaritiesof Nevr Zealand-the scantiness-. of its population, and the1 difficulties of" inter-commtinication, the-best arid most efficient ineaiW by which the a n>irs ot theyaiibv.s provinces can be at present admuir istered; - In it too the' great pnnciple o, sell is fully i-ecognisvd. Tlie power you possess, and which you have periodically to exercise, of electing.your Suporintendent, ought to secure you the services of an active and. intelligent officer. That officer -luts the assistance of'-aiT Executive Council whose actt^nmst "be. supported by the approval of the Provincial Couiicil. Throughput the Whole amngernent the principle of responsibility'ife broughUo. bear. The' Superintendent is responsible to tin;_ pro- T vince, the Executive Council to the; Vrbvmcial Council and the -Provincial Council m its turn to the ipeople. Whilst tI.CT the Constitution Act remains unaltc^d, lam nibble to imagine, a system of provincial Govenu^nt uncter \%

combining iflore of simplicity 'effiMehoy,-;'arid economy; -*tay while tlie'Constttution, Act is unaltbr*! for y6n-::vs not- unaware" that many persons^aieof'opinion that.itacan.^euamended; It^wowldv however.be an unprofitable occupation oi'-yonr: time andialtogether > beside tmji present purpose:toi;oonsidei-!onf this;! occasion^ possiOt-e changes.! Myduty >. to ideal .I with 'facts. ■It changes ark. introduced! vt .cau only be ■by an authority: to whichiSaperintendeYits in .common With all others affected by them musH>ow;; >. •;: ■ I tak©it;>then, that the Superintendent nvhis Executive >capacity iss simply < the1 <■■ headhot tn<* Governmentandnot tike Govdnlmentutselt, art officer, charged! with the' 'execution ot^ertam duties, committed' to < him i byxlaw and .for: the most part denned % law, and that in all original arid discretionary;actsofimportancehe inbound to proceed iivcohformity with'the advice he may receive from his Executive Councib !> : -Gentlemen, I accept-this1 view of • the 'Otnce as much from choice as necessity. No consider tiomcould induce me to undertake it-it. to*responsibility of Government were '■ not shared- in Y(sill then; I have ho doubt, concur [with me in -thinking that; it.would be inconsistent for arcandidate holding these views to express himself: dogmatically ontpartwular subjects, or labour to'produce what is termed ' a policy by which he should be considered bound during his tenureof.office. >J have shown that the law compels the Superintendent to act under advice; I have also shown that he can only retain, such' advisers as the: Provincial Council will support. It is obvious, nay certain, that-those advisers may/ at one time, be persons.holding one set of opinions; and: at another time persons holding opinions:directly opposite. Itisequullyrobvious that the Superintendent could not agree* with/ both; .Should he unfortunately differ with those; who .have the: confidence of-the Provincial Council, ;he must either, attempt to carry /on; the? Government with -an adverse' Council or modify his views : in deference :to. theirs. -■: I thinki ;the cases can' be veiy few indeed in Avhich- doubt can; exist as to which course should be pursued. But while, for these reasons, I abstain from placing before yon > a policy which shall imply ■ a rigid-adherance to particular views on partfcu-< lar subjects, as.-being: both indiscreeti and at variance with the spirit of our present law,-I; have no hesitation in expressing .my opinions; frankly .on some subjects of general interest: and' importance, which I ibeiieve are being at present discussed by you.- ; ■'.■' '■'': '-''■'■ .': It is said, but with what amount of accuracyI- am -unable toi state, that there are some: per- ■■ sons who do not approve of the price that :has .been fixed on our Wasto Lands and who will make it the suliject of appeal to you. _ < i':: It must be unnecessary, Gentlemen, to insist on the fact that nothing can be more objectionable amongst our own selves, or more calculated to discourage persons in other countries from settling here than uncertainty on this point. I ■couM almost say that it would be wiser to ad•hwe- to an arrangement havingsome imperfections in it than by frequent changes, to^create the impression; that no settled Isuv oh this subject will ever prevail amongst us. But ■■ I venture to assert that the question has already received as ample deliberation as under any circumstances it could receive. When the price of land was under deliberation in the legislature of this province, every reasonable sum, and almost every imaginable mode of payment was proposed to the.Council and discussed. I should probably be within the mark were I to say that movu-fchan a dozen divisions took place on. this point. Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, and sixty shillings were all ■separately ■advocated and proposed, The mode of payment, too, whether hv money down or by instalments, was equally. the subject of difference of opinion and division in the Council, .--. i length, however, by almost universal concurrence, the present price of £2 ])i-.r £!.cre (prompt payment) was determined on. Thkt price has not yet been -tried more than a twelvemonth, and even if there were no experience in its favour, I should still, for the reasons T have given, he indisposed to change. But I think the '■'experience of the lu*ief time during wiii(;h,£2.l;as.been tiro established price may be pi;'ely appealed to in, its support. The sales of l;i»id,without -being in any way forced, have been free ami continuous ever since. Nor is there at p> ■.■■wiit- any -indication of-.falling off. And F;:<-.nld there he no falling off, the estimated re-. vi" SVn'ii this source during tjie coming year is, £10,000. But what appears to me to be the

most satisfactory-factconnected^ hose sates is this-fchat'itteiilaite n». ; ionty b -themhave beenxipaiki to itluwkin* -classes ! arid, to bon& fidy"settle.^noL-cultivators^of jhe ; J soil. It may b^tttirly asked, how much,of tins j land.would.lwje, found its ; way, into their hands j had fihe price been materially lower i> -It.-w matter, of notoriety .thftt, with.mi tw.onbr.three days :o£ the pi-esent^lregulations^cftalang into operatipn,7^inelavg>a,papifcal.ist S ,ariu l vfecl heve tor the purpose of making extensive, purcliaaesreVenoutsidetjieoiMg-uniJCant^rbuiy block, and at a distance, l; fromMne .cultivated districts, i H.OYr^uQhilwd'.WO^V^ving would have been 'leftMinsjde, and .especially ur; the neighbourhood.^.your .&mn*,-i "«««> th? c? iea P laud policy prevailed, I leave,you &> conjecture. «But. ;there; tare, .a^o.^ten^ive lijtevests to _be | considered in this, question.of price.. On,,tjie firm, belief that, it was definitely settled a; very large.' amount,' of capital, Jhas ; btfen einbtirked «i pastoral pursuits ;i and ,I.think -the faith of the legislature' a(id. the Gove.rnm.ent to: its protection—that is, protection to this extent-^ that the order- of things under,, which that.capital was. invested, and. the,.stockowners induced to enter, on they-, separate :enterprise.s should not be liable tq f frequent,change. But J-, am disposed to .maintain ■.$&% .regard; for .our own interests,^©. les.s than good.faith towards, others* should- .prpmpfc ,us?to resist any alteration- ln \ hei price of land,, , The produce of our,, pastoral districts: now, constitutes a most important item .an our .commerce:..' Whilst agritulture. is at present lano-uishing, and,its prospects -are, much .clouded, the pastoral interest is happily, flourishing as muck as could reasonably.'be desired. wool is ouivmaine,xpp,i;t, the c;lipi ( pff 1856 being valued at ; £t0,000;; ;andina.;fe,w .years rt will acquire a magnitude that will abundantly, justify ajl whiqh legislation.,has done towards encouraging its grpwtlvr, Kor is this a 11..: While the pastoral interestiis contributing to L the progress: of the country, -as ; .every does which; materially increases,, its ; export trade, it is also, yielding, ■, largelVi.. jta.,. pur,, territorial,; s rßv enue. Within, a, yeaivor^two; ithe rents derivable from thjit s'liiree will be alpue sufficient, not only to: pay the lar^e contribution annually required from this p'rpvince r towards : the. extinguishment of the JSTew Zealand Company^ debt, but will, leave a considerable, balance ay ail able for the use of the province. ; The present .price of land, Gentlemen,, constitutes ..the main, almost the only pvptectioaof the pastoral;,interest; and I ask .you s.eripusly, ,j;o reflect whether it is expedient to withdraw' ifct-whether it is. wise.tp.kill-. the goose for the, golden egg, and interrupt this steady and satisfactory.progress' fpr the sake of a ; sudden iiinuxi/of : mpney.intp. the^Treasury,, Which bur resources in labour may not permit; us'-profitably to expend,- ,and the possession of, which might tempt us „tp extravagance,, My ; own conviction is that;it would not. •.,,.. .; ;; ,

'Another subject'; on. which I desire to Say a. few m ore. .words .is our form of- Government. There are some persons who regard the present modei of administering the affairs of the jprp-, vince -as too cumbersome and too pretentious, and who talk of conducting the. Government, after the 'model'of a,'corporate town 'in England, of which a Majfor, Aldermen, and Coxmcil are the presiding geniuses;'.' 'Never haying, been a member of one of those select societies, I am perhaps unable' to appreciate properly the advantages of such n mock of Government. It is, however, not: long since that thfe1, jobbery, < peculation, and corruption,, which, had grown out of the old corporate system in England, led to a sweeping measure of reform,'l>y -which . the whole of those model Governments, except-, ing that of London, were swept away. And , now it appears that, the days, ;of the corporation of London itself are , nunibered, ; .- Experience,: therefore, does not appear, to justify the preference shown for corporation rule., and, personally, I can feel but little attachment, to,,a system which lias, produced suc.h/results.,, But in truth, there is no fair' analogy between the circumstances of a municipal-corporation, in; England and a province in Now .Zealand..,, T,o ;v no corporation has there ever..been ccmimifrfced.anything- like the power conferred on-[the Superintendents and Provincial .Councils-of,this country, namely, the, power., to legislate: f'oi1: the entire; people of a province—or, m ;the ; . ; woi;ds of the' Constitution.* Act—-" to jnake;,and :: ordain_a^. such laws and ordinances as may be required for.,the peace, order, .and good -government of the province" This aloiie, destroys all j»arallel in the cases. . ;,.■ ,-,- r->i> .

It is Said) hoWever, 'that; reveii %s tlie^'aVialogy fails, itnvill b,e f nja.W efityWMWi-U)r-dafhMaif w|bh the.^xis,tinir,.deT)iiivtuient;s,ai)d U.a>'e;thft..bushiest of! the Government condiicted bythe Prpvi'i^ial Council divided . int^ cpvnniittees. ' T' niust' »ay that I diabelieye'iri tuis'altogetlier. It assumes that^liese'co'imnitiees will do their work without remuneration. I k ; uow*no ( t,pn what grounds o-entlemen can be expectea to devote tlieir, tinie to the public Jfoi' da\l think'the \mblic desire thai1 Wiey-^lMild dops<Jy : But tliei'es is no i- warrafti i'&r 'belifrvifig^hat anyl persons coukl b.e fou!i,d^yho,,wpvild } sb act. Certainly the practice■ >of Jtth6 PrAvfiicial Council^ at the present time doeif.notijustify'.tlie! wxpeMiifoii^ Every memberiVesi;)ing? jiUeyond a-fxerfain dikr tance from Cliristchurch- is paid a certain siata! per diem for. eyei\y day he attends the Council. If, then, the members of committees are allto be paid their expenses .iYicM^'itliei System will npt'ioniy; be cumbipus ,'fjnd 'elun\s{y., buti]niop ; exi?e!ifive,;ljh,au. tbe. presen^p^e. .;$' tliey afe not V be' paid, is- t)iat |; the aj^jpdanee will 'be so' irregular ' as' to. jKnike,'th^e i; S^s^m obstructive of the business' of Government. ;:i yield, gentlemen,; to no niaivinf!}1 desire to see introduced intp all the departments;^ Gfy^epiment a rigid 'economy.' Itmust,^ however, ha oile consistent \vith efnciencyy'lt is not economy else. My;fcohviytiow"is,>th}tt;<;hefplanpiit forward is as fatal.both td-efficiency»andv;e©onoiny as ingenuitj1: coulddevifs'e.-.'i .■>■■■.rrumj -..;.r: ,- There is one further subject to twhichrl will allude, for though it does hot fcome^within'our' control1 and .is not ,a 1; question! of idoniesti© policy, it is one, nevertheless,;oirwhich the effi;-: cient Government of the province is so..depend dent'as in nay opinion to deiDand notice:in this place. .1 refer to the seat1 of the; General Government. > Every day?s .experience; showsi'how; seriously the administration oof //our: affairs is; embarrassed by. the great distance of this General Government from iusvi: lam > anxious therefore to state my desire, in whatever posi^-i ■ tionil may be;plaeed,, to co-operate with)those who will strive to bring ittp a nioi:e;J. central spot. . ':'< ;•■..'■;:".■■■: ■' ••■.: -'■ -."^ ->'':: '--^1 :.''■■ :'';' ;; '■■[ : ■ Thereare many other subjects, gentlemen, 4 # o; which I i might direct your -attentiony bufc this ; address has already, lifenir, -exceeded; convenient length. Opportunities, however, will doubtless' be presented, in which suclv subjects! may be dis,cussedibetween;us. ; It 'mill .bemy business, s&. far. as imay :be;practicable, tPAvrfit upon-you. t. ' i 1 Witlvregard",, however, t6'! a' cavivass, I "must1, express my great regret that oriev should be' necessary, not on thescbre of' trPubleV^nbi-^e-canseit iviay expose a candidate > to hiconvenie! nt questioning,' but because' 3; eiltertain '■&<' strong' conviction" that.the highestoffice of the province .should be: conferred bythe peoplerathei- than from them by the ordinary means' pf an election1-'' leering canvass. 'Motives "more Pi' 'less impure 'will be' attributed to the candidate, whiclv; cari-j not fail to disturb tKose1 feelings of deference and: ' regard whidh should attach'to'-the person filling, ■' so high an office. By some he will; be! looked y upon as an' adventurer prai'tising on th^; confidence'of his fellow-citizens for some funwoi'thy'" ooject-^by some as ■ stixnulated bj^^inordfeate" vanity'and ambition—-and by others 'as ihipelled L by a'love-of official^power•; 'whilst it cah' hardly be possible in. an active'canva fss to avPid routing;; feelings of animosity and hostility which1 it ( i^:' most desirable should'flot exist;' ■ I can 'orily say^! • for myself that it will be: my auxipus; desire t6 ' keep 'the. canvass as'Clear'of these evils'as pos-1, sible; '■•;■-. ■;:■■}'■'' >: ;; : '-■'■' ' : ; !;V';! °;! '';;' -And now, gentlemen, it only remainsfor me. ■' toiissure you that, whatever the .resultof this:; appeal, I shall'be perfectly satisfied 'witih yoiii4l" decision.>'■■ Wliile I-admit most fr6ely that the office of Superintenden-t-'of-: this 'province may' • well be regarded as an object ■■of laudable atiibi- « tion.yet I feel so conscious of'thelabyur, anxiety,'; and responsibility of the office, as •to-re^ard': 4fr''• Avitlrmnch more of apprehension tbatl-desire. I ' have, however, endeavoured to show that the'1' Government will not rest'sPJely oii the Superintendent, but on him in conjunction withl advisers'.'' With this view of- the nature of the office^and ' with; the hope; that, should you 'confel-'it tipbii' ' me, I'shall -not fail to secure the ;assistance:1- of ■ good and able.adviserH> I 1 respectfully offer ;ttty-j self to you as a candidate for it. •''■''''.:' ;i l>; •, •• '■■■■ I li.av6 the honour to be, ''■■'"."-?;' \ .■•'■■■■ , ! Gentlemen, . r (j . r (v) . Your very obedient and/humble serv^/at, '''^' )( ■ '■'; josisiPtt;i!iiiTTA:^;',. '*!;:';,, Limvpod, April %. 1857. . . .■, .;: ; o ,^';;"'