GOLDFIELDS CELEBRITIES. No. VI.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 368, 25 March 1876, Page 3

GOLDFIELDS CELEBRITIES. No. VI.

EtIGENK JOSEPIt o'COJJOR. Mr. O'Conor (known also as the Bailer Xion) has boon probably the most popular Goldfields member outside Otago. He traces hi* ancestor] to a lino of ancient kings, who ruled over Connaught in the olden times. It is indeed whispered that liia name is to be found in Burke's Peerage. He arrived in Victoria in 1853, and was part proprietor of a lino of couches from Buck Creek to Ararat and Ballarat during 64 and "6. He was also mining with varied success until he left for Dunedin in 18G2. In Duaedin he started in business as a proprietor of cabs, and also opened a coal yard. In 1804 he went to the West Coast, and acquired some valuable properties at West port, and was afterwards returned as M.P.C. for the Nelson West Coast Goldfields. In 1874 he ■contested the Nelson Superintendency • with Mr. Curtis, the present Superintendent, but was defeated by a small majority. O'Conor first entered Parliament in 1871 for the Butler district, for which he held his scut until Parliament expired by effluxion of time. He stood for his old coustituen y, but, to the surprise of every one, was defeated by Dr. Henry, an old resident at Charleston, who got in with the small majotity of twenty-seven votes. In 1874, in t.lie Nelson Provincial Council, lie ousted the Executive, and foru.ed n Government, of which he is now Piovincial Secretary and Secretary for "Works and Goldficlrls. lie has proved himself an energetic administrator, and has caused many re orins in the various Provincial departments. Although Mr. o'C>>nor supported the ■Government on th Abolition ques.ion, it is to his credit he was not misled by the specious pretence of tlie return of G«ld fields revenue (or local expenditure. He stated it was better to return it than absorb it in the general purse, but it would be better by far to abolish the duty altogether. In 1872, arid again in 1873, he introduced a Miners' Franchise Extension Bill, the object of which was to extend the special Ira-tchise conferred upon the holders of miners rights to the election of Superintendent. The Go> eminent nave tinmeasure a strong support, provided, in 3873, it was not pushed beyond the second reading. Had it become law, Mr. O'Connor would have been Superintendent of Nelson. He has been a consistent and a strong supporter of the abolition of the gold duty, but. his influence has been destroyed in a great measure by his allowing himself to be drawn into unseemly Goldfield freetights with men of far less mental calibre— notably, Mr. Harrison, whose seat for Grey Valley knows him no more, and Mr. T. L. Shepherd, late member for Dunstan.

Mr. O'Conor is a forcible speaker, but has the reputation of adapting his language a good deal according to circums'ances. If re-elected to Parliament it is likely he would h ive opposed the Government. He is a Catholic, hut exceedingly liberal in his views. In consequence he is not well supported bv tne Catholic borly, who would prefer a less staunch -adherent, not of their creed, to one proved fickle, who has been reared in—and, therefore, is considered by them responsible to .'•ee carried out—ilieir own tenets on State policy and education. It is to be regretted at the present time that Mr. O'Conor lost his seat. As a Goldfields member he was a good man, and his experience would have been of value in readjusting the distribution of Goldfields revenue. JtILIUS.