The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY. DECEMBER 9, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 295, 9 December 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY. DECEMBER 9, 1873.

■Mr O'Conor is to be cono rai ulat*d on baviog made a more temperate speech than usual last night. Ha has evidently changed his tactics since fhe nomination duy, and iast evening; was positively not abusive except in his allusioo to the press. That he should not entertain any friendly sentiment towards the press is not to be wondered at, because tbe whole time tbat he haa been engaged in blowing bis owe trumpet aod wielding the cleaver of abure against all wbo did no?, tbink with him, lhe newspapers have been thrusting at hira with a delicate little rapier, to resist which he was utterly powerless. Tbat weapon is truth. Mr O'Conor hos come before as with loud professions of what be would do if we would only elect him our Superintendent; the press bas shown that bis professions were utterly at variance

with his previous practice. It is not by their comments that the newspapers have produced so damaging an t fleet upon Mr O'Conor's chances of success, but by the plain unvarniahed facts that tbey have pointed out. He no doubt wished that bygones misfit be permitted to remain buried in the pages of Hansard and the Blue Books of the Counci), but the papers, in tbe interest of the pablic, have dieimerred theso unpleasant witnesses, and Mr i 'Conor cannot bear to be brought fare to face with them. Take, for instance, tho chief feature in his present policy, the railway. Is it possible for anyone to believe that Mr O'Conor is a really hearty supporter of that, undertaking? We have his own words beforo us; thpy need no comment; there we havo it as plainly ss possible that he looks opon the whole thing a*) an absurd scheme. Suppose him 'to ba elected, how could he with any earnestness urge upon the Government the completion of tde work, or if he did, what weight would attach to hia worJs? As Mr Curtis said tbe otber day, it is easy to imagine tbe merry twinkle in Mr Yogel s eye as be referred the petitioner to the pages of Hansard. It is for pointing out truths of this kind that Mr O'Conor is so enraged with the press. Stung by the evidence that has been produced against bim aud made public through tbe columns of ihe newspapers he has not hesitated to retaliate by bringing the gravest charges of dishonesty and corruption against them, knowing at the same time, not only that he was totally unable to substantiate such charges, hut that tliey were utterly false. Mr O'Conor plays the role of the martyr we'll. Ii is a character tliat he has studied deeply, and is always reaiy to assume when he thinks that by so doing he can produce an effect. He now wants to make people believe that the press not only of the province but o( the colony is banded tosether to persecute bim. To have a large number of newspapers, including many of tbe leading journals in New Zealand a<rainet one is scarcely a thing to be proud of, nor is it likely to occur unless some serious cause exists for it. Why do tbe Wellington Independent, the Auckland Herald, tbe Hawke's Barf Herald, the Otago Guardian, the Grey River Argus, and the West Coast Times solemnly wsrn the people of Nelson against accepting Mr O'Conor as their Superintendent? Is it likely that papers such as thesf aro bought by the powers that be, as Mr O'Conor had the insolence to ioeinuute last night, or that they sufier themselves lo lie actuated by personal enmity to hira who waota to be thought a martyr? Is it not far more probable that they have watched Mr O'Conor's career, and tbat judging by paat experience they know full well that he is not a desirable person to be placed in on office of such honor and responsibility? Perhaps Mr O'Conor's idea of what a really good and independent peper shouid be is illustrated by thatextraordinary production that bas recently eeen ibe liflht Bt. Westport and is known as the Buller News. If so we can only say, Heavoo i eip tbe people who are governed by men whose views are represented by journals of tbat class. -Heaven forbid that we shouid ever sink to the level of Mr O'Conor's paper. One of the coolest pieces of effrontery ihat ever came under our notice waa displayed by Mr O'Conor in accusing us of a petty electioneering trick in exposing the worthlessoess of a large number of the signatures attached to his requisition. Anyone reading that requisition and the list of subscribers would naturally infer that the whole of the latter were electors for the Superintendency, and that therefore Mr O'Conor could reckon, on tbeir votes, and if is utter nonsense to attempt to defend the dodge that was resorted to by saying tbey were electors onder another franchise for another purpose. As well might it be urged that they were on the roll for the Province of Wellington. We exposed the deception, aod for doing so are told that we were guilty of a discreditable electioneering trick. We have a different idea of the parties to whom trickery should be attributed. Not only did Mr O'Conor himself attack tbe press last night, but his sturdy henchman Mr Joseph Levien felt bound to follow suit and to express bis'sense of fhe «• vileness of the Nelson press." That he should be so msligminfc against the newspapers is oot to be wondered at since writers in their columns bave not hesitated to allude in plain terms to his mischief making propensities. Of course he does not love those who have so thoroughly exposed bim. To the result of last night's meeting we attach but little importance. When such a bisa is made about tbe ballot and secret voting, it is nothing short of a gross absurdity to ask the electors to declare in public to whom they intend to give their support. Probably thero were 600 in tho HhII, out of which uumber some 200 including several boys and non-electors held up their hnndß. As an expression of opinion, therefore, it waa absolutely worth noihiug. What the electors will do to-morrow will be far more 10 the point, and we sincerely hope that thosn who think with us that Mr O'Conor's election would be a great calamity will cast aside all apathy and go to the poll wiih the full intention of returning Mr Curtis by a triumphant majority.

with regard to tbe secrecy of the ballot. We can assure them that there ia no probability whatever of its ever becoming known in what direction their votes have been given. Thb Evening Mail will not be published to-morrow until six o'clock, by which time we hope to bave the returns in frora all the polling places in tho neighborhood of telegraph stations. Last Night's Meeting.— -In order to avoid laying ourselves open to uny charge of unfairness, such as Mr O'Conor brought against the press in so wholesale a manner bat nigbt, we have taken the report of his meeting from the Colonist, thu only Nelson paper that he did not honor with an accusation of dishonesty am! corruption. We have merely added "what Mr O'Conor said about the press, and have altered the numbers of the show of hands, which wero given to ua by the chairman as 125 to 87. Election Jokes,— Quite a crowd has been assembled round the window of Mr Harling's shop in Trafalgm-s treet this afternoon, the object of attraction being three cleverly executed caricatures in con" nection with the election. Tho centre one is the face of a bald old gentleman wbich is supposed io be spinning round on the point of a well trimmed grey beard. The face is easy of recognition, the more so that is in a state of somnolency. The picture is described as "The political top asleep." On the left is a 'little bantam cock ready for ihe fray, nod crowing on the top ot what we presume ia intended to represent the Government Buildings, while iv the foreground au elderly well-condi-tioned gentleman ia marching up with a 4< Sairey Gamp " under one «rm, and an enormous Cochin China- cock nnder the other. Thisis'vßeforethefigtit." A.third cartoon represents "The fight" The poor Cochin China is Weeding profusely, and his feathers flying out in all directions, evidently tbe result of serious wounds inflicted upon him by his game little opponent who is left muster of the situation.