MEETING AT THE HUTT.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 820, 11 June 1853, Page 3

MEETING AT THE HUTT.

A Meeting of the Electors of the Hutt district was held on Monday Evenings the 6th instant, in the large room of the Aglionby Kooms, to receive the report of the Registra tion Committee, and to nominate candidates for the ensuing Provincial Council. The room was well filled with Hutt settlers. , In the absence of Mr. G. Scott, whq was prevented from attending, Mr. C. Keys was called to the Chair. Mr. Renaix brought up the report of the Committee, from which it appeared that the total number of registered voters for the district was 279. He then moved the following resolution : — That this Meeting deprecate* tnoit strongly tfce ' ayttem of canvassing the Electors in any shape whatever, •• il pteventa the' free and legitimate operation of public opinion. . , Mr. R said it "would be necessary for theii to exercise great discretion ~in"choosmg-ineirf-bers' for the Provincial Council under %he New Constitution. . The ! write .would shortly be issued and they would have to return four members to the Provincial Council;who would have to vote the Estimates. .He considered the system of canvassing for votes extremely objectionable, and strongly advised them to withhold their votes until the day of election. He animadverted with some severity on, a requisition which had been handed for signatures through the ' valley, and by which he said it was unfairly attempted' to pledge those who signed it to a certain course. If the" movers in this affair had acted in good faith they would have submitted the document to the Electors in this" place, where every man would have a fair hearing. (Hear.) He then spoke of the New Constitution, nnder which he said several new offices would of necessity be created. There would i»e a Superintendent, and he had' heard reports' of voting him dEBOQ a year, then there would be also his subordinate officers—- the heads of departments never, work themselves, clerks would be required to •do the work for them. In each of the Assemblies there would be a Speaker who would be paid, and if the General Assembly were held at Auckland, each member from I this Province would receive £60 for 'his I'expences. He thought they would find the New Constitution' * very expensive, and that they would' have to turn round and tax themselves". " (Hear, hear.) He thought a Municipal Constitution ' would have been better for the Hujt, .and he would advise them not 4o elect any one as their representative who was not strongly pledged tojeconomy and retrenchment. (Hear, hear.) ; Mr. Ludlabt seconded the resolution, and strongly deprecated the system r of canvassing for votes, which lie considered unconstitutional and "highly improper ;~he then alluded to the 1 requisition which had been handed about for signatures', which' he understood had been unfairly altered,' and in which a" clause had been introduced compelling ihe minority to submit to the dictation of the majority in the nomination of candidates. If the promoters of this document had intended fairly, they would have submitted it to a public meeting. (Heflr.) He (Mr. L.) thought they would find the G6vernment under the New Constitution very expensive. Several years ago an agitation had been got up to divide the Colony into two Provinces with a Governor to each Province. As soon as this plan was found to be expensive in working, those who had been loudest in asking for it were not honest enough to confess their mistake. (Hear.) He feared they would have the same complaints, to make under the New Constitution, and that they would find they would not be so cheaply governed in'future, as they had been hitherto. (Hear, hear.) He strongly advised them to support the resolution before them which would leave them free to act as they thought pjgqier on the day of election. (Hear.) • MrrMTEfowALL supported the resolution, and professed himself to be strongly in favour of retrenchment. He spoke vehemently in favor of the requisition, and denied that any alteration had been made in it, and said that all who signed it would shortly see it in print with- their names attached to it.

A good deal of vehement 'and angry discussion arose with respect "to the requisition, one party asserting thattii had been improperly altered with a view to bindithe minority of those who signed it to vote, for whatever candidates the majority, might .impose on them ; Mr. M'Douali and. his supporters asserting that no alteration had been made. Mr. M'Douali read to the, -meeting what'he stated was the original document, in which the objectionable clause was not to be found, and ultimately pledged himself jto try "and procure all the copies that had been made of it for signature, and produce them' 'at the next meet. ing. "' .' Capt. Daniell pledged' his word the document produced" by Mr. M'Douali was the original requisition or a counterpart of it, and thought the present questidn^had'been raised for electioneering purposes. ? 'He had no intention of offering -himself- as a candidate, but wished to clear the*' dust;from their eyes. He .believed the document - read -to be the original document.,^ He should not come forward as a candidate eitheiL>.:?or the General Assembly or Provincial* :CounciV-in fact he could not live- amorig thentf&S'their representative, he was much too thfiisMnned (Laughter;) 'V~*' " T )I *^B' | : »''';- '!■•*' ' ; ' After 'some further discussion with reference to the requisition? Ih'e resolution was' put to the meeting, and carriecl unanimously. - „ - Mr. Lansdell, seconded by Mr.' J. White, proposed Mr. E. G/Wakefield'as a candidate for the Provincial. Council.^ ' ' - ' Mr. M'Euen moVedas rip amendment that Mr. E. G. Wake'field was not a fit and proper person fo represent the Huttr Seconded by Mr. Percy.' . ' ~ff. Several hands were 'held' up for the amendment, but the chairman" decided the show of hands to be in favour of the "original resolution." The majority' of those' present, 'as far as we could judge, did not vote either way. Mr. M'DouaU proposed ' Mr. Scotland Mr. Mason as candidates for the" Provincial Council. ■ • . - Mr. Kenall seconded Mr. Scott's nomination; and Capt. Daniell that of "Mr. M»3on. Mr. Scott's nomination" was unanimously carried. Mr. M'Euen objected to the nomination of Mr. Mason who, he said refused to publish his opinions, or to attend their meetings and explain them. On Mr. Mason's name being proposed to the meeting, the show of hands was declared to be against him. -Mr. Ludlam and' Mr. Wilcocks>had been nominated at a previous meeting of the electors. Mr. Udy said the New Constitution might be a very fine thing, but it would be necessary for them to see it was worked properly. If they were not careful in the" selection of their members, instead of doing them , any good, they would, lay burdens 01C them and' their children which they (the .members) would not touch with their fingersXhep, hear.) He had left England on account .of 'the t%xes, and uness they looked perfectly \nt" this matter, he feared £hey ; 'would soon l^'fo. the same po ß itioivthat'they .would be as heavily taxed here ac inJEngUuuL H&ttfouldr^ish- tg_.6eejjtax on unctdtivitedland to Jkfcqrdown the monopoliststh'^rlur thought-it' wottldbe as bad ; to return a'fool as a rogue: to the Council as their representative ; and Tie believed unless they were careful in the choice of their members, they would curse the>day when the Constitution was brought into operation (hear, hear!) " - * x ■ i It was then agreed that the meeting should be adjourned until the 1 first Monday evening after the writs were issued ■; theihanks of the meeting were then cordially -voted to the chairman, which closed the business of the evening.