THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 14, 29 April 1871, Page 12

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

ON Thursday, at noon, the Returning Officer made the official declaration of the polling for different candidates for the office of Superintendent of the province : Fitzberbert .. f ... ••• 980 Finnimore 468 Anderson ... ... ••• 21 Mr Fitzherbert was therefore declared duly elected by a majority of 512. Some time elapsed without the successful candidate, or either of the unsuccessful ones making their appearance upon the hustings. At last Mr Andebson came forward, as he said, for the purpose of exemplifying the truth of the old adage, that “ good manners are never too late.” Although the successful candidate had had not thought proper to come down and return thanks to the electors who had placed him in such a pvoud position, and although the other candidate who ranked next on the list was also absent, yet, for his own part, he thought he was only acting with courtesy to the few electors who had stuck to him through evil report and good report, and voted for him on polling day. If they would bear with him for a brief space, he would liko to make just a slight explanation. He appeared before them in the roll of the beaten candidate, though the roll was something of a novelty to him, as he had hitherto been successful in anything he had undertaken. If he was beaten, he however had the satisfaction of knowing that he fought out the contest fairly and honorably, and without having soiled his fingers by any dirty or underhand act. Mr Anderson then went on to explain that he occupied a very good position until a few days before nomination day, when he was .seized with a serious illness. Advantage was taken of this to grossly misrepresent and injure him by circulating false and unfounded slanders against him regarding his position in the, contest. He was for eight days unable to leave his room, and as he could not write letters nor make any arrangements whatever, he had, in a manner, to let the election slide. Being unable to canvas the country districts about the Rangitikei, and eeo his old friends who knew him so long and so well, he of course could not expect to \poll many country votes.. As Mr Finnimore had ' numerous and active paid agents in those districts he had secured the promise of 200 yotes, He (Mr A.) was then

urged to -withdraw in favor of Mr Finnimore, who, with his'large country support, -and the considerable number of town votes promised to Mr Anderson, which he would thereby secure, would have a good chance of being returned, and tbe people of electing a popular candidate. He admitted tbe justness of the argument, and that if he did hot retire the popular votes would be split in favor of Mr Fitzherbert; but he declined to retire at that stage—he would rather poll only ten or twelve votes, and go out of the contest clean-handed. He was perfectly well aware that he had not the ghost of a chance, and was clearly out of the running, still he went to the poll, and experienced the fate he expected. What he complained of, however, was the mean advantage taken of his illness by Mr Finnimore, in canvassing the West Coaßt districts. When people said, i‘ Oh !we will vote for our old friend, Anderson,” Mr Finnimore assured .them that Mr Anderson had definitely retired from the contest. Mr Finnimore not only told a lie, but he actually clinched it by something almost worse —he not only forged the bill, but he also forged the endorse to it —and did it with the utmost circumstantiality. His paid agents, his hired tools, were engaged in going round the publichouses making these statements, to the effect that Mr Anderson had retired from the contest ; and continued doing so even up to four o’clock on polling day. Had it not been for this, he should, even as it was, have polled a very large number of votes. But although beaten, he could say he had begun the contest in honor and ended it in honor. He would ask could Mr Finnimore say the same, who had had many paid agents, who had spent money freely in the use of the telegraph, and for purposes of corruption ? No, Mr Finnimore had the mortification of knowing that he had played a losing game —which would injure his pocket to the amount of £2oo and he would learn that he had also acquired a reputation in connection with the election that would make his name a reproach and a byeword throughout the length and breadth of the province for all time to come. Mr Anderson then concluded by saying that he accepted his defeat with the most philosophic equanimity, and with an unshaken confidence that his views would be triumphant before many months; that in fact it was quite possible that in six months hence he might have occasion to address them from the same platform. He trusted to the stern logic of events to bring his prophecy true, and concluded by telling the electors to remember that the voice of the people was the voice of God. . t Mr Fitzhebbet said that be accepted witu great diffidence the honorable but difficult task imposed on him by the province. He accepted it in obedience to the voice of the electors, who must have put themselves to some trouble to record an unsolicited vote by so very large a majority. Whilst he was justly proud that his political reputation, now of so many years standing, had been of sufficient strength to have endured fresh'in tho minds of the inhabitants of the province; he was still more proud that the electors of the province of Wellington had vindicated their ancient character and shaken off that lethargy which seemed at one time likely to paralyze then political life. On the present occasion they would not expect him to enter into any statement of his political views; but at the same time he would take occasion to observe that if he was able to do any good for the province, it would be rather by altering the system upon which their financial, affairs had been based than in any other way, and he would say that any system more rotten and vicious in principle on which the relative finances of the General Government and the different Provincial Governments of New Zealand were based, it was difficult to conceive. It was, in fact, such that embarrassment sooner or later must ensue in evt>ry province of the colony, so soon as their windfalls in the shape of land sales were exhausted, if no alteration in the financial relationship with the. General Government were introduced. Mr Fitzherbert thanked the electors of the province sincerely, and expressed a hope that when he returned into their hands towards the end of the present year the high trust now reposed in him, they would be able to acknowledge that he had at least endeavoured, if he had not succeeded, faithfully to discharge the duties of the office, although at the same time he was sensible that he should in many respects fall short of the standard which his able predecessor had raised, whose departure from among them would be long felt with regret.