MR. CURTIS AT MOTUEKA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 267, 6 November 1873, Page 2

MR. CURTIS AT MOTUEKA.

Mr Curtis addressed $he electors of the Motueka district in the Institute, on Tuesday evening; owing to the lateness of the steamer's arrival, the meeting did not commence until halfpast eight, when the chair was taken by Charles Parker, Esq ,M HR , who stated that in doing so, he did not pledge himself to support Mr Curtis, as he had not yet made up his mind to do so, though he hid quite made up hia mind whom he should not support (laughter). ' Mr Curtie commenced by saying that although his adminstration for the last four years had been very freely criticised, and the fact that the province had made no brilliant progress during that time, and that Otago and' Canterbury "were far ahead of us in population and in revenue had been frequently alluded to, he could not recall a single practicable suggestion as to anything which should have been done, or which should have been left undone, by which a more satisfactory state of things might have been brought about. He noticed several charges which had been brought against him from time to time, but it was easy to- make such charges,, but, certainly difficult to find any foundation for them, as none of them had been proved. With regard to his opponent, Mr O'Conor, Mr Curtis said the question for the consideration of the electors was whether what they knew of that gentleman in bis capacity as a public man or a settler, was such as t«

ustify them in placing him in. the highly responsible .office of Superintendent in preference to himself. He then proceeded to show that Mr O'Conor had on all occasions been in opposition to the interests of- the Province as a whole ; that he had always opposed the railway, both as a whole, and as regarded the first portion of it, and that he had always opposed the construction of a main road through the Buller Talley.connecting the Port of Nelson with the Lyell and Inangahua, but that now on the eve of the election he professed to be an ardent ad)pairgr of both projects. It was for the electors to consider how far so sudden a conversion was to be believed in. He also pointed out that Mr O'Conor had always done his beat to accomplish.: the separation of the Goldfields from the Province, and that he had also combined with c members for the Amuri and Canterbury to takeaway the Amuri district and annex it to Canterbury, and referred to Mr O'Conor's vote in favor of a subsidy from Colonial funds to enable Otago and Canterbury to compete unfairly ■ "with Nelson in her trade with the West Coast.. Mr Curtis then commented on 'Mr O'Conor's speech at Wakapuaka, observing that it' almost ' entirely consisted of abuse, of himself (Mr Curtis), and of the Press ;which had been . almost entirely silent about him, but in electioneering tactics it was no doubfc highly -"desirable for a candidate to represent himself as a martyr. Mr Curtis concluded by calling the attention of -the, meeting to the fact that the number of^lectorson the West Coast and in these about equal, and that although he did: not believe that Mr O'Conor possessed the confidence ,6i ~ae~. single district in the province, he knew that he would receive a large amount of support on the : goldfields, as being the only local candidate, and if the electors did not wish to see Mr O'Conor returned, they must actively bestir themselves, and every one record his vote at the polling booth. ' Mr Jordan asked if Mr Curtis was in favor of a bridge being erected over the Motueka River. Mr Cuitis eaid he was in favor of it, but it would rest with the Provincial Council. Mr ( rosg proposed, and-Mr Giblin seconded, a vote of thanks to and of confidence in Mr Curtis, which was carried unanimously with applause. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting, throughout which Mr Curtis was listened to with great . attention. There were about' sixty persons present.