AHURIRI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 534, 16 December 1857, Page 3

AHURIRI.

(From the Hawlce's Bay Herald, Nov. 28.)

On Thursday evening, the Superintendent, in pursuance of an arrangement to that effect, met the settlers, or as many of them as could be collected at so short a notice, in the Eoyal Hotel. The chair was occupied by Henry Russell, Esq., who handed his honor a list of subjects upon which it was thought desirable that he should express an opinion. Those subjects were numerous, and his Honor's speech a very lengthy one. To give a condensed report of it within our present limits, were even such a course desirable, would indeed be a very difficult task; and we therefore content ourselves with promising, to appear in a future number, a full and, so far as in our power, an accurate report of his Honor's address.

Should Dr. Peatherston be enabled to continue at the head of the Provincial Government —which, however, we much doubt—and should this district continue to be an integral part of the Province of Wellington—which we hope not—our own course, as journalists, will be simply this : —lnstead of re-echoing against the Provincial Government charges, which, when an opportunity presented itself, were not made in the presence of the Superintendent, we propose, as the more useful as well' as more dignified course, to let by-gones, as far as possible, be by-gones, and with "his Honor's speech as a text-book, vigilantly to watch the future instead of idly recriminating upon the past.

The Elections.—The polling for two numbers to serve in the Provincial Council of Wellington for the District of Ahuriri, took place on Tuesday last. It will be seen, from the numbers we subjoin, that, although the state of the poll has not yet been officially declared, Messrs. Gollan and Fitzgerald are elected by a large majority. In Saturday's issue, we stated that the contest was one of principle, and we are happy to say that it was evidently so regarded by the electors. An analysis of the voting, which we may hereafter give, will shew that the successful candidates cannot be identified with any one class of settlers, or any one interest — that runholder, agriculturist, storekeeper, and mechanic, voted together for the same men. We regard the result as strikingly indicative of the feeling of the people— as testifying fir better than words to the .desire of a majority of the settlers for local self-go-vernment. We might add, perhaps, without being far from the truth, that the voting of Tuesday was Tantamount to a vote of, at least, very little confidence in the Wellington Provincial Government.— lbid, Nov. 21.