WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 561, 20 March 1858, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

By the Emerald we have papers from this province to the 10th. The contest between Mr. Bowler and Mr. Schultze for the representation of the Country District had supplied the inhabitants with excitement, while the performances of the Wizard Jacobs and of the theatrical company of Mr. Cox had afforded .infinite amusement. The polling for the Country District election took place on Thursday the 4th inst., and resulted in the success of Mr. _Schultze, the Government candidate, by a majority of 36, exclusive of Manawatu. The exultation of one side and the desire to 'make the best of it,' on the other, are shown by the following quotations from the two papers. (From the Spectator March 6.) The Reform party have experienced a signal ; defeat from the Government in the Country Districts; Mr. Schultze being elected by a large imajority over Mr. Joseph Bowler. "We.have m ot yet heard what were.the numbers polled at tMatfaw'atu; but the majority at all the other : polling.places amounts to 36, the numbers being ; respectively,. 148 and Tl 2..' "*".", . * .•' r-v This result is easily accourite'd for: It was in vain that we warned the Keform party not to be too confident of success, but to take at least the usual precautions against defeat. Instead of ' taking this advice, the ejection appears to have 1 been left almost to chance as far as the Reform • party were concerned. The government party, ou the other bund, entered iuto the.ma.tter with !an activity, a perseverance, and a perfect organ-

ization of the workers, which was sure to su - cesd against the negligence of their opponents. We cannot approve of all the means used by the government party to procure votes, or to in uce those who had given promises to the Reform candidate or his supporters to break them: but we must do our opponents the justice to say that, on this occasion especially, they shone in the performance of the work which they had agreed upon as necassary to be done.

There are two ways in which the result deserves consideration: first, as it affects the estimation ia which the respective parties are held by the public, and the general effect "out of doors-," secondly, as it affects the constitution of the Provincial Council itself.

How has the result affect ci the state of parties in the Provincial Council? The Reform party still numbers nineteen, without counting Mr. Borlase, from the Wairarapa, whom there is, however, every reason to reckon upon as likely to join them in their efforts. The Government party number eight, namely, the four Wanganui members, and Messrs. Brandon, Johnston, Schultze, and Carter. The two "Separation" members Messrs. Fitzgerald and Gollan, may be considered as neutral until it shall be seen whether they intend to act in the spirit of the Ahuriri Settlers' letter, or in the very different one of their own speeches at the public meeting at Napier. The Reform party have lost Mr. M-Manaway. The Government party have gained Mr. Schultze. The numbers are 20 to 8, instead of 21 to 7. The election of Mr. Joseph Bowler would, of course, have been a most desirable result, as keeping up the numerical strength of the party, and adding the weight of Mr. Bowler's acknowledged honesty and determination of character to the weight of their influence. But the Reform party will gain credit for consistency by not havingconsented to support the re-election of Mr. M'Manaway to the position of member and contractor combined. We doubt whether the Government party have gained much in the Council, beyond the mere vote, by the accession of Mr. Schultze to its ranks therein. We are at a loss to conceive that he can be of any marked use to them in making a display on their side of ability, statesmanship, prudence of demeanor,, or courtesy of language. For any such qualities they appear to be left at as great a loss as ever.

It is by action in the Council that the Reform party will retrieve any temporary disgrace they may have suffered by this defeat. Should it operate as a warning to the over-confident, and a spur to the careless, among the party, it will be a. lesson not thrown away. They will be more zealous and united in preparation for that action in the Council, by which they will enable the public to judge whether they are both ahle and willing to fulfil their professions, and to justify the confidence which the people have hitherto reposed in them on the ground of mere talk. The two parties can only be fairly compared when the talk of each has an equal chance of claiming legal authority for its results.

For such action, the Eeform party possesses ample materials, in an overwhelming majority over the upholders of the law-breaking Government of Dr. Featherston.

After describing the sea fight between the Shannon and Chesapeake frigates in the American war, the ' Independent' goes on to say,—

The above incident in naval history was forcibly brought to our recollection on Thursday in connection with the contest for the Country Districts.

Since the declaration of the political war by the Radicals they have met with many successos. During the elections of last November the Government party sustained several defeats. What the fogs and mists were to the Americans, promises and expectations of the most plausible kind were to the Radicals; and tl c heavy metal* the Yankees encountered the Britishers with, finds its apt representative in the profuse expenditure for which the Radical leaders were everywhere conspicuous (vide Kennedy v. Eades, for grog supnlied to friends ad libitum, as an example). Only one chance remained to the Government party this season of redeeming any of the ground they had lost. The skirmishers had been ordered to concentrate their forces in the Provincial Council on the loth instant, for a three months steady fight. The only single handed engagement that could come off in the meanwhile ■was in the Country Districts. The ponderous three decker, McManaway, that had before protected their interests, was known to be fast moored in Wairarapa; but a more dangerous, because a more.active vessel, was; soon manned by a crew of the enemy'slicked .. reterans. Boldly did the smart looking frigate, stand out from Porirua; confident were the ex-, pectations of the Radicals that the. Joseph Bowler would soon make the Schultze haul down her. flaunting flag; so confident indeed, that, like the , Bostonians of 1813, they ordered the preparation of a dinner in Bannister's first style, that the M.P.C.'s and a few choice friends might welcome among them the successful competitor. How the dinner came off last night, and how their-joy must have been turned to sadness and their cheering shouts into cries of lamentation, the official result of the poll to-day will enable our readers to surmise. Mr. Joseph Bowler, although he. ,was sure, to win, has been defeated; and .Mr. !Schultze, for whom there was no chance, has been duly elected. This election for the country districts is unquestionably as great a triumph for the one party as it is a signal defeat for the other. It is the first electioa since the excitement of laatjNovember .has cooled down; one of the most, popular residents in the neighbourhood has b.een defeated, although backed by all the weight of the Wakerfield interest; arid it has taken place in the district where the Maori- voters "at Archdeacon . Hadfield's and Mr. Ashton St. Hill's establishment were asserted to be unanimously opposed ,to the policy of the present Government.—^ March 6: '

Iron and Brass Foundry.—Ou Monday, tho Ist instant, the foundry recently erected, by Mr.. "VV. Mason, on Wellington Terrace, commenced operation?. Several castings were made with perfect success. The present cupola is capable of smelting from 10 to 12 cwt. of metal. T!:3 brass furnaces will be in operation in about a week. The buih ing is cow red with corrugated

iron, and is seen conspicuously from the larger portion of the town. A foundry has long been wanted here, as the castings so frequently required have been obliged to be ordered from Sydney. We wish its spirited proprietor every -success.