THE Marlborough Express SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1869.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 202, 6 November 1869, Page 3

THE Marlborough Express

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1869.

•• Gitb me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all other liberties.’ —Milton.

The Elections are nearly over, and we may now collate the names of the gentlemen who have been returned. These are— Messrs. Robinson and H. Dodson, Blenheim.

~ Eyes and Sinclair, Lower Wairau. ~ G. Dodson and Baillie, Tua Marina. ~ P. Mcßae and Beaumont, Awatere. ~ Ward and Carter, Wairau Valley. ~ Conolly, Seymour, and Western, Picton. ~ Ingles and Gibson, Clarence. Mr. Duncan, Queen Charlotte Sound. —leaving only the Pelorus to be contested. With all respect to the Returning-Officer for that district, we do not see what reasonable purpose he sought to gain by the long delay ; rumor says to keep a seat warm for a disappointed candidate. The week closing has witnessed the hardest struggle of the series, at Picton, where Mr. Western was opposed by Mr. Godfrey, who met with a great defeat. The speeches were replete with abuse of Messrs. Ward and Goulter, and of His Honor Mr. Eyes, which latter we were quite prepared to expect. From reliable sources we learn that ratting occurred beyond anything ever heard of in England, where bribery and corruption are supposed to be worse than in any part of the world, not excepting New Zealand, or even Picton, That town has shewn the strongest necessity for the Ballot, and it is with the utmost sincerity we wish that before another election takes place it may become the law of the land, as it Avould have bem list session, but for the “old women" of the Legislative Council, two members of Avhich have just been returned by Picton. What has marked the strife as virulent in that locality, is the fact that Mr. Eyes is again standing for the Superintendency. Men, and not measures, have been voted on, and it is as evident as the sun at noonday that they will not agree to Taxation in any form, either for Roads or anything else, and we are quite prepared to see rather an increase of strife and bitter feelings, than their cessation. Men, who in other mattei’S possessed our full confidence in their integrity, have been returned solely with a view of preventing local taxation, nor do they care how much we are twitted with it, and some of them are said to be plotting the overthi'ow of the Province to try to prevent it. Is this dark scheme to succeed, or are we to have good roads, and the means of communication 1 Look at any road outside the towns of Blenheim and Picton, not one of which is mox-e than barely passable. The Opawa bridge is closed, how are the repairs to be compassed ? Are our small farmer's prepared to put up with these difficulties until completely ruined ? If not, why do they return men whose interests and professed intentions are opposed to the wishes of the electors 1 Even Picton while rating itself, has returned Representatives opposed to taxation for roads. The pretended mystery kept up at Picton respecting the identity of their candidate for the Superintendency, has caused a plentiful supply of supposed aspirants for the Council to choose from, representing men in every class and grade, from a knight to a gravedigger 1 ? The chances are however that Mr. Eyes, the only one with a progressive policy, will be re-elected after all, notwithstanding the many traps and pitfalls prepared for him by those who wish to hold the Province back, and escape alike local government, and local taxation.