THE NELSON EXAMINER. Wednesday, November 28, 1855.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 70, 28 November 1855, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Wednesday, November 28, 1855.

Journals become more necensary m men become more tqua »nd indiridualiitn more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only to lecurr liberty: they maintain civilization. D« TocauKViLi.*. Of Democracy in America, vol. v.,p. 230.

By the arrival of the Zingari we have received files of newspapers from some of the other provinces. We have not been able to do more than skim the contents of some : they are almost entirely filled with election matters — elections past, present, and to come. Politics, as usual, run very high at Wellington, and most of the districts have been, or will be, sharply contested. For the city of Wellington there "were five candidates :—: — Messrs. Featherston, Fitzherbert, Clifford, Carkeek, and Hart. Each of these gentlemen were warmly supported, and the contest was a severe one, no less than 513 voters having polled. The " cry to the country " seems to have been, " Provincianlm ! Wellington the seat of Government, and no surrender!" Those of the candidates who do not speak out boldly in this manner, or who would argue the point as to whether Wellington be really the most fitted spot for the seat of Government, stand no chance. Mr. Fitzherbert says, " I believe the interest of the two great Provinces of Wellington and Auckland are identical, and that the only point of difference between them is the question of the seat of the General Assembly. There are many other highly important questions, such as the settlement of the Government on the principle of ministerial responsibility, the equitable interprovincial adjustment of the public debts of the colony, and the fair distribution of the public revenues amongst the provinces. I do not now enter upon these -questions, important as they are; not, however, because I have formed no settled opinions on these great questions, but because I desire to place before you, in undisguised prominence, the important objects to attain which I offer myself as your representative. They are these: — A definition of general and provincial powers, provincial independence within the limits assigned, Wellington the seat of the General Assembly." As regards Mr. Carkeek, the Independent says, " What side he will take in the politics of the coming session it is impossible to guess from anything he has said in his address, except on the solitary point of the seat of Government, to which it seems he thinks Wellington may have a claim. On all other matters his mind is a blank sheet. This is kjs own admission, for he tells us that, 'if elected, he will endeavour to make himself acquainted with the questions likely to be discussed in the Assembly.' Modest assurance! As if we wanted representatives to go lo Auckland, there to begin their political studies. Picture to yourself a scene in the house. Some question of vital importance to Wellington is under discussion. There is Sewell, of Canterbury, an avowed centralist, an able constitutional lawyer, a powerful orator, ready in debate, engaging the ear of the house. There is j Fitzgerald, of Christchurch, not a provin-i cialist ; and Stafford, with an eye to Nelson as the seat of Government : both born in a land, all whose sons are eloquent, and all whose stones are 'blarney stones.' There are others besides, too many, I fear, averse to the claims of Wellington. The argument is nicely balanced. The mind of the house wavers to and fro ; it trembles towards a decision. The undecided members are waiting for the reply which is to fix their vote. The cause of Wellington is in Carkeek's hands, dependent on the speech he makes. Why, the men we have alluded to would crumple him up quicker than he crumpled up the unfortunate tide-waiter, and the cause of Wellington would, as far as his advocacy was concerned, go drifting to

leeward, like a dismantled lugger." The result of the poll has been the return of the "ultra-provincial" party, though there has been no great majority of votes obtained, and the numbers are pretty close, being, for Mr. Clifford, 290; Dr. Featherstone, 289; Mr. Fitzgerald, 258; Mr. Carkeek, 244; Mr. Hart, 238. Mr. Ludlam and Mr. Dillon Bell have been returned for the Hutt District, without opposition, Mr. R. Park having withdrawn from the contest. For the Wellington Country District there were two candidates, Mr. C. D. R. Ward, a provincialist, and Mr. W. Allen, who is, we believe, a supporter of the Wakefield party. The result has been, for Ward, 1 13 votes ; for Allen, 103. Mr. Ward is therefore returned. Mr. Fox, we believe, has been returned for Wanganui. An address has been presented to Mr. Domett, to stand for the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay Districts,' to which that gentleman has given a reply, stating that he will stand, but expressing a doubt as regards the feelings of the Wairarapa constituency towards him. Now, there seeing rather an antagonistic feelins J^etw.ejgj^frg Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay, and as Mr? Pharazyn comes forward in the former interest, and has also the Wellington Government interest to back him, and as before the day of election Mr. Domett will have received the news of the Nelson election, it is more than probable he will withdraw, and not chance a j strongly-contested election. We think we may be excused for quoting a portion of Mr. Domett's reply to the requisition, as bearing on a point upon which much stress was laid here, whether he was willing, and if willing, whether he was in a position to attend to his duties in the House of Representatives, he writes : — " The duties of the office I hold might have proved an impediment to my attending the Council meeting at Auckland ; but the very need of some legislative interference with respect to the purchase of native, lands here, and other matters connected with the land department, which would justify my presence in the Council, leaves me at liberty to go there." All doubt, therefore, is removed as to Mr. Domett's sitting in the Council, and we congratulate the province upon having elected a man so talented and so able to advocate their cause in the great struggle which must take place in the next session of the General Assembly.

Election Intelligence. — The election of a member to represent the Amuri district in the Nelson Provincial Council has fallen upon Mr. G. L. Lee, a gentleman resident in the district.