POLITICS IN NELSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 137, 10 June 1874, Page 2

POLITICS IN NELSON.

It is always well to hear what others have to say about us, and wo therefore republish the following article from the Netv Zealand Times, but must not be looked upon as endorsing all the sentiments contained thorein. There is, however, a delicate vein of irony running through it, which, holdiug the opinion we do with reference to Responsible Government iv our political sphere, we cannot but appreciate :— There has been a political crisis in Lillipuf. Civil war has broken out, between the Big-endians and the Little-endians. The struggle ia likely to be protracted, and probably not free from a bitterness sufficient to give it a 1 tonic character. So far, the Bigj endians appear to have had the best of I the battle. The first fruits of victory are in their hands. But tbe Littlei endians are astute and practised in stratagem; they aro ably commanded; and we shall be curious to wutch how the war proceeds. Our Lilliput ia the Province of Nelson, where time has brought about a very peculiar whirligig. Ouly half a year ago that Province was in the throes of an election for the Superinlendency, as well as of members of the Council. The coutests for the comparatively humble position of Councillor were for the most part very keen, and they were won as a rule by thoae of the candidates who most warmly protested that au end sbouH bo put to the state of things that had existed in the Government of the Province, and an Executive elected which would be more zealous in good works than its predecessor, and should adopt openly, and support to the fulleet extent the more advanced policy of the General Government. Old political traditions had prevailed in the Province. It was not considered a good thing that wages should bo high; and it was not thought desirable that public works, even of a reproductive character, should be too much encouraged; while immigration was regarded as a most dangerous policy— -although it would have had the effect of lowering wages, if public works had not been undertaken, with money borrowed on the ample securities the colony affords. The effect of this long-coutinued adherence «.o those obsolote views was an utter stagnation of trade, and a depression of business which mado the Capita! of the Province remarkable among tho cities and towns of New Zealand. The people saw a river of prosperity running past their doorp, but the Executive had done nothing, aud appeared unwilling fo do any thing, to divert any portion of it io irrigate and fertilise the province. Nosirangers wero coming in to help to give life to trade and commerce, but old citizens and settlers were departing to make new homes for themselves where a better slate of things existed. The elections were takeu as the opportunity i when the feeling then becoming general I should be expressed. Tbe effect on | those for the Council we have already allud(?d to. In that for the Superinj tendency it was shown with even greater I determination. Tho Little-endians— I who wero more content with things as j they were than the Big-eudians — rallied round their previous head, the present Superintendent; while those who desired to see a thorough change pinned their faith to Mr O'Conor. It was notorious during the contest that had a more eligible candidate entered tbe field, and the contest been left between two, the result would have been the selection of a new head of the Government. It was equally well known that if a third candidate entered the field he would, in reality, have been the opponent only of Mr Curtis, and the triumph of Mr O'Conor would have been certain. But the entrance of one eligible person into the field was prevented with great cleverness ; and another, who was willing enough to be wooed and won, was also restrained with rare dexterity. How the contest was fought will not soon be forgotten by those who took part in it. It ended in the return of the old Superintendent and tho rejection of him who thought the first requisites for au efficient Superintendent were pigskin and buckskin; but not before Mr Curtis had been pledged to select a new Executive" to take up with greater earnestness tbe policy ofthe General Government, and to endeavor to secure some share of that prosperity which ail the rest of New Zealand was enjoying, Mr Curtis did select a new Executive, which was so like the old one, in its personnel and its policy, as to make the reseu blaace very strong between Caesar [ and Pompey. But the engineer appears to have barely escaped for a time from being hoist with his own petard. He gave a seat in the new Executive to a new Goldfields' member, apparently in compliment to Mr O'Conor, whose friend Mr Shapter was. But Mr O'Conor himself has since been elected as a member of the local Council. " When a man's married his troubles begin." The political alliance of Mr Curtis and Mr Shapter has not resulted happily. The Council insisted that the Executive should be made directly responsible to tbe Chamber. The Superintendent and his friends resisted the motion, but the Big-endians were successful, and carried their point by so large a majority that the Superintendent's friends were thoroughly beaten. A resignation of the Little-endian Ministry was the consequence. The late Provincial Secretary was first

applied to, to form a cabinet under the new and uurelisbed conditions, but whether he undertook tbe task with heart and hope does not appear. At nil events he did uot succeed. There was nothing for it but to apply to his old opponent, who, following the proper etiquette on so momentous an occasion, " took time to cousider." The telegraph now informs us that he assumed the task, after due reflection and that he has associated with him two members of the former '« Cabinet," — his Mend j Mr Shapter and the Provincial Solicitor, with another gentleman who during the elections spoke warmly as to the inertness of the Superintendent, and yet headed the poll in the city of Nelson. Mr Curlis has thus as his Secretary a gentleman who spoke of him during the elections in the most contemptuous terms; who publicly declared in the Provincial Hall, before a crowd of respectable electors, that he had so little confidence in his opponent tbat if he (Mr O'Conor) were elected, he would not take over his predecessor's hooks and papers until they had been thoroughly examined! The new Executive will not only be responsible to Provincial Council (and not to the Superintendent), but stand pledged to support the views of tbe General Government as to the public policy of the country, which are the views also of the Council to whose action they owe their position. Whether Mr OC'onor will be acceptable to the Council remains to be seen. All four members of the new Executive were stronely supported during the late elections, and Mr O'Conor himself was returned to represent Westport without a contest. He has practically won all but the name and salary for which he was so lately a defeuted aspirant, and his then opponent will probably fiud himself in the uupleasant position of being comparatively helpless, under the positive control of his Secretary, aud surrounded by anything, to him, but " a happy family."