THE OTAGO SUPERINTENDENCY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 35, 12 February 1867, Page 2

THE OTAGO SUPERINTENDENCY.

A few days ago Mr. James Macandrew, M.H.R., addressed a monster public meetiug in a speech of three hours' duration, from which we make the followiug extracts : — He said —Probably there is not a man in the province whose name has been more in every mau's mouth, for praise or for censure, than my owu —(A Voice: For censure); and there is no man in New Zealand who has met with more undeserved misrepresentation aud abuse on the part of the public press of the colony, aye, and this province, than I have. In the year 1861 I had the liouor of filling the office of Superintendent of this province. Unfortunately, however, at that time, the dark cloud of adversity came across my path, and I became politically defunct; my sun may be said on that occasion, to have gone down. —(A Voice : It'll rise again, Mac ! Applause.) Pai'don me, but tbe fact is that tliese matters bring reminiscences to my mind somewhat calculated to overcome one (hear, hear). My sun weut down, just at the time when I was engaged in maturing plans for an enlarged and extended system of immigration —for the construction of railways, or rather of tramways, into the interior of the country —for the

construction of a dry dock — (applause) — for the introduction of salmon into the countiy — i'or the establishment of the Panama route, with the terminus aud head quarters in Ihe Port of Otago. Just at the time when all these schemes were in progress of 'nidation — thanks to the untiring efforts of those whose self-seeking I bad always thwarted, and some of whom are now moving* the spheres in the endeavor to keep my head under water — (applause, aud a cry of •' Shame !") thanks to the perserving efforts of those men, I became politically defunct, and the schemes I have enumerated are still in the womb of futurity (hear. hear). It is because I think I see some prospect of bein"* paced in the position of hesd of the Government — (applause, and a cry of "No donbt of it") — and of cany ing out those ideas, or at all events of accelerating their realisation, that I come iorward on the present occasion. I am perfectly confident that, had I remained in the Government for four years, all the schemes I have enumerated, aud probably many more besides tbem, would have been accomplished ; even without the gold discoveries, the population of the province would, probably, now liave been double what it. is, and Otago. would now have been second to no colony iv the Australian group. We liave, alas! allowed the flood tide of the gold discoveries to puss away, and public spirit has been all but extinguished. (After recapitulating the various acts oi' bis career as Supeiintendent _vlr. Macandrtw continued) : — I was in 1861 the victim of a political conspiracy — I might call it a diabolical political conspiracy (loud applause). That conspiracy wus one by which it was tried to iix upon me this stigma in a way which, I confess, it is very difficult to confute. I will tell you why. From the fact that, un fortunately no doubt for me, wben I assumed the reins of Government I was mixed up as a private individual with the Government in very large pecuniary transactions in connection with steam sudsidies, immigration contracts, and such like — from that fact, it is very difficult I'or me to controvert the stigma which it has been attempted to throw upon me. But, notwithstanding this, I most emphatically and indignantly deny that ever I took, i'or personal purposes, a single farthing of the public money. In the AuditorGeneral's report, published in the Times of this morning, my enemies assert that I have tampered witb the public money. I defy any one to read that report calmly and dispassionately and say that I did so. The Times alleges thatl was in difficulties, and could not resist temptation (groans for the Times). I was in difficulties* ancl I should like to know if that was a crime (no, no). That I could not resist temptation, 1 emphatically aud indignantly repudiate and deny (loud applause). I can tell the writer in the Times, that if I could not have resisted temptation, there is no man who had the same opportunity of feathering his nest as I had (bear, heai*). If I could not have resisted temptation, it is not likely that I should have earned my bread, for tbe last six years, by the sweat of my brow (loud applause.) I tell the widter in the Times, that had I consented to sacrifice the public estate, I mi»ht at this moment bave been wallowing in wealth: aud I thank God that I resisted the temptation ! (loud applause) resisted the temptation under circumstances which many men, perhaps, would have found it difficult to resist; and I do not know whether the writer in the Times is an exception to the rule. I can swear that while I was in the midst of my troubles — difficulties brought about, mark you, by my haviug been more regardful of the pui lie interest than of my own (hear, hear), difficulties which I attribute entirely to a breach of faith ou the part of the Uuion Bank of Australia — difficulties which would have brought down any other man besides me; at this time, I say, I was offered a cheque for three thousand guineas ! — to do what ? Simply to sign my name : simply to put a certain piece of land in the market ; and if I hud chosen to have made my terms, I could have got £20,000 for the transaction (loud applause, and a ciy of "Name"). No man would have been the wiser ; and I should have been thought a great deal more of at this moment, I have no doubt (cries of name, and order). That I have been guilty of errors, I am uot here to deny. All that I can say is, if it was a fault.