PUBLIC MEETING.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 837, 10 August 1853, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A Public Meeting of the Electors of Wellington was held on Friday evening, at the Britannia Saloon, Lambton quay, at which the different candidates for the representation of the City of Wellington in the Provincial Council were invited to attend and explain their opinions. The meeting was very fully attended, the room being completely full. The proceedings commenced a little before seven o'clock, when on the motion of Mr. J. Smith, Mr. Fawcett took the chair. Mr. Bethune presented himself to the electors as an old colonist, and briefly explained his opinions which were those of the liberal party, and professed himself a warm advocate of all measures which would promote the good of the colony. (Hear). Mr. Keliiam in addressing the Electors reiterated the opinions contained in bis address. He had been solicited, be said, to come forward by gentlemen of different opinions, who were under the impression that the experience he had got in a field of considerable exertion at home might be usefully employed by him as their representative. He was not pledged to any party, and had not himself asked for a single vote ; but many kind friends who composed bis committee had canvassed so successfully that his election was considered by them as certain. It was under these circumstances that, etrly in the week, he was categorically called upon by a body of the electors to say whether he would receive their support. He supposed they offered him tbeir support because they thought he merited it. If^ having received the support of all parties, lie waa charged with now coming forward as a party man, he would answer that if be bad rejected the proffered support to which he had referred,, he should of necessity, have belonged to another party. (Cries of no and yes.) There was a third course open to him, a neutral course, but he always thought a neutral course a bad one, (laughter), and therefore declined to adopt it. If he had to choose between two parties, after working for a number of years with certain persons to promote certain principles, he could not consistently consent ' to rely for support on the opponents of those principles. He bad started unconnected with any party, but he did not wish to see the laurels fairly wonby the Constitutional

Association transferred to their opponent*, He tould not now honestly dissolve the ties by which he was connected with his former associates, but if he were selected their representative he would enter the Council prepared to give his unbiassed judgment on public In answer to a Question from Mr. John M'Beth with reference to the coaliuon. Mrs, Kel^Xm explained he was ill when Dr. j Dorset catted fcpon him, (hisses), and said he had been deputed to state that a committee had been formed to bring in the members of the Constitutional Association. He subsequently ! attended a meeting at which above CO electors *rere present. A dispute here occurred betwepn Mr. Gibson and the chairman, through an inadvertance of the latter for which he apologised. Mr. Munn asked what salary he would vote for the Superintendent. (Applause.) Mr. Kelham said be thought a labourer should always be paid in proportion to the work he did; if a man did double the work of another he should be paid twice as much. (Laughtei). With regard to the Superintendent's salary, that officer had not only to do their work, but to support their respectability, when bis duties were dtfined they would then be in a position to pay him accordingly. Mr. J. Smith asked Mr. Kelham's views with respect to the New Zealand Company's dtbt. Mr. Keliiam said he had always paid honorably his just debts, and he would apply the same rule to the Company. He had no doul»t that Sir W. Molesworth and other members would again open the question of the Company's debt in Par* liamert, and that the question would be settled on a fair basis. Mr. May, in introducing himself to the electors, begged in the first place to congratulate them on obtaining their glorious Constitution, and in the next place on their obtaining cheap land. He bad always himself been an advocate for cheap land combined with good government, and he had no doubt that two such attractions would induce many to resort to these shores. He bad always considere i the Wakefield theory false in its relations to land and labour; it was as though one should say, if the mouse eat the cheese, the clock would stand (laughter.) Wealth had been called the sinews of war, but he (Mr. M.) considered labour to be the sinews of wealth, and if the same inducements of cheap land were held out here that existed in America, we should soon be a go-ahead people. He was favourable to a land tax, and thought if a tax were levied on unoccupied land, it would in luce absentees to part with their lands at a fair price. With tegard to the Company's debt, he would state that he was in London at the time of the passing of the New Zealand Constitution Bill, and had entered into a correspondence with the Duke of Newcastle, in which he bad stated his belief that the Company's claims were founded on fraud and misrepresentation. (Cheers). His Grace had returned a very gracious reply, which with their leave he would real to them. Mr. May then iead the following note :—: — 17 Portman Square, 28th June, 1832. Sir, — You will no doubt have seen iv the Parliamentary reports of the newspapers, that the clauses iv the New Zealand Constitution Bill, to which you drew my attention in your letter ot the 24th instant, were resisted by me both on the second reading o' the Bill and in committee. I regret much that the bill has passed without alteration, and without, as I think, a fair and full consideration of the injustice of these pbrtieular clause?. I feel confident that the colony will derive advantage from many of the provisions of the measure, but this preliminary arrangement is a great blot upon its merits and will, 1 fear be looked upon as a grievance ; — it may also be found a very practical inconvenience. I am, Sir, Your very obedien servant, Newcastle. James May, Esq.' This letter was received with loud cheers. He (Mr. May) would not acknowledge the Company's debt till it was proved the colonists had had value received (applause.) He thought it would have been much better if the Councils had lasted for a period of two years instead of four years (loud cheers). With reference to the Superintendent's salary, he would observe that while the bill was under discussion, at Mr. Fox's suggestion the salary was left open, as he (Mr. F.) had stated that the office would be considered a place of honour, which persons would be found to fill without any salary whatever (loud cheering). He (Mr. May) thought there were none here sufficiently wealthy to fill the office without any salary, and considered £500 a-year to be a fair thing (cheers). He ( Mr. May) was no party man, and was prepared to support measures not men, and if returned, would endeavour to serve them to the best of his ability (cheers). On being asked whether he would take the 'pledge, Mr. May said he had no objection to it, but considered it an unmeaning piece of nonseme. (Cheers). Dr. Dorset came before the electors as one of the oldest colonists, whose career for thirteen years past was before them. ' He stood there as • candidate of the working classes, and hoped also to see one of the working classes elected. His working man, whom he proposed to bring forward as a candidate, had arrived at honors in the Oddfellows Lodge, and having had experience in legislating for the affairs of that society would be able to sympathise with the working men, and would know where the shoe pinches. He (Dr. D.) thought a working man ought to go into the Council. He (Dr. D.) would go in against the pledge, he bad made enemies, and be had made friends by this determination. Mr. Moore was a pledged man, and had received a requisition sigued by merchants, and J. P.'s and shopmen, but there was not the name of a single working man to it. He (Dr. D.) would call a public meeting, and would put it to the meeting whether a nominee was worthy to be one of the Council (uproar.) Dr. Dorset concluded by saying, " Working men, I'll go the whole hog ; my principles are well known to you ; my sole idea is, if returned, in one year I would make a clean sweep of abuses. My opinions are so decided, I need not enter into further explanation. In one year there will be a different state of , things if you return the right set of men." Dr. Dorset said he was a candidate for the Provincial Council only. ~

Mr. Moore said, l had not intended at this early stage of the proceedings to come forward, nor indeed, unless called upon, should I have deemed it necessary, after the explanations I had already given, to have come forward this evening at all, but as the last speaker has made use of my name and has, attacked my character as one unworthy the confidence of my fellow colonists, I come 'forward to answer him, and will now challenge comparison, nay I invite it, between my character and his, either socially, morally or politically. (Cheers.) I, like himself, have been amongst you for ]3 years; my acts, like his, are open to the opinions and judgment of you all. 1 I do not shrink from any enquiry into them : but I did hope and I do hope that we are not here to decide any such questions as that of party or personal feeling — far higher considerations and far higher ground ought to be taken now. The events of the last five years ought to have been preparing men's minds to unite when the time came for one common object, and to see the one bright object only before them, the common good. No two principles, no two objects are to be gained ; we all are, or ought to bg, striving 'o one, the best way to carry out our new con&ti v tion. And I indulged in the belief that this was to be so when, from the speech of his Honor the Superintendent to the gossip on the beach, from the assurances of several candidates and conversations with old political opponents, I gathered every day assurances that all was now to go on , in a spirit of conciliation and harmony, I reciprocated that spirit and was prepared to meet it, and whether in public or private to woik as 1 ever have done for the public good. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I should have never stood before you in the position 1 now do had that not been my object and guiding motive. My pretensions to that position are the estimation and confidence in which I stand with a large portion of my fellow colonists and which I find embodied in the requisition containing 105 names of my fello.v colonists, and iv deference to whose wishes 1 have come forward. It has been said that no working man has signed that lequisition, that is not so ; there are tbe names of working men upon it, but if the assertion were correct I would ask is a man any the worse if be is not a working man ; if by fortune or his own efforts he is something more ; —but why are these distinctions drawn ? Every man is entitled to stand or come forward upon bis own merits and upon those alone I stand, and I want to see eveiy man in the colony, elector or candidate, do the sams. (Cheers.) And now, how does this agree wiib the system of coalition which I am sorry to see has been entered into by men who ought to have been above any such course as that of attempting to infuse into our community the worst features of electioneering ; and as it seems to me only because I have received a little more sympathy and support than some people would desire. Is tbis a fair and honest course or is it not ? (Uproar.) I refer to the resolutions of this so-called general committee, where a party is pledged to bring in six men in opposition to the nominee interest. (Yes, yes. No, no.) Well we will not dispute the question here. 1 leave it to every man to take the thought borne with him and dcci c it there according to his own judgment. My requisition was unsought, unsolicited, unrxpected by myself. That requisition had fifty names of the highest respectability l-efore I knew of it; (dissent.) It is true ; — I could say no other were lon my death bed. This drew me out from my wis.lt to remain in private, and placed me in the position to which my o<vn wishes and my own estimate of my ability would not .have brought me. Out of this requisition arose simultaneously, spontaneously, and disinterestedly a committee, who for their ov\n wishes aud their own interests wished to place me in the Council, where if I go I can only do as I have ever done, vote honestly and conscientiously without fear or favour. I can refer to my votes in the former Council without fear of refutation, my first act was to assist in throwing out a bill, which as a matter of form and courtesy to the Government 1 brought forward — the Bread Act — and on every other occasion where I differed with the Government I voted against it. If you elect me I can do no more — my plain straightforward duty. If you do not elect me I shall have done my duty in coming forward, and will gladly retire into my usual quiet course of life. If this is to be the trial of au issue between two parties or between two sets of principles, I accept the challenge and beg of you to decide it — T have no fear for the result. But I say to you, take the advice given to you in the long and clever ad* dress of one of tbe candidates ; select the best men and act on no other consideration. If you think me one of them, and if you want my services you shall have them. (Cheers.) I am now prepared to answer any question the electors may •lesire to put to me. Mr. M'Kenzie — If elected will you take a contract under Government? Mr. Moore- -That depends upon the law of the land. In answer to a question from Mr. Brown referring to a protest published in a Blue Book, which had been drawn up immediately after the meeting at which the Faction had nominated Mr. Fox tbe Political Agent of Wellington, and had been most numerously signed,having also received Mr. Moore's signature. Mr. Moore replied — 1 did sign the protest — and I'll tell you why — One reason is that I did not believe until I saw it, that the Imperial Government would give the control of the waste lands to a population which, state it how you may, do not exceed in number that of a large parish in the Mother Country — I admit that I then formed an incorrect opinion of the liberality of the Imperial Government, but I was not alone in that opinion — many of those who asked it did not expect it. But as they have given it, I am not one to refuse so large a boon, but accept it and hope we shall make the best use of it. Another reason is that I claimed my right to represent tbe opinions of a minority, and that this was a very laige and influential minority. Mr. Wallace had through all his life been au advocate for the labouring classes in England, and was still the same for those of New Zealand, In England tbe cry at the passing of the Reform ( Bill, was the bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the bill, and now in New Zealand, the cry should be tbe people, the whole people, and nothing' but the people. He was an advocate for tbe education of the people, a .measure which now engaged tbe attention of Lord John Russell at home. He was for tbe lowest price of land, for the extension

of roads, and woulJ support any measure for improving the sanitary state of the town ; he w-as also opposed to the payment of the New Zealand Cornpany'sdebt. He duprecatpd party violence, and*believed now that free institutions were obtained, the eyes of the other colonies would be turned on New Zealand, and the impression whether favor- ] able or unfavorable as to their fitness to enjoy them would in a great measure depend on themselves ; he therefore hoped they would make it appear they were worthy to enjoy Repiesenta'ive Institutions.- (Applause.) Mr. Masters in addressing the electors for the first time said they might find him a rough customer, but he thought that every class should be represented, and he offered himself as a candidate to reprpsent the working classes. He was an advocate for cheap land and small farms. He was not mixed up with any party but stood on his own bottom litce an old tub. (Laughter). lie concluded by requesting bis friends to rush to the poll and place him in a favourable position. (Cheers). Captain Rhodes (who was received with mingled cheers and disapprobation) presented himself to the Electors as an old colonist, and an advocate of cheap land (cries of Chinese and uproar). He was ready to enter into that question, he had been one of certain parties who were desirous of importing tea and sugar direct to the Colony, which he conceived would prove a benefit, and they had published an advertisement offering those who wished it, to import coolie labour. In reply to a question from Mr. Kelham, why if the colonists were to bear a part in the venture by paying beforehand for the Coolies, the charier party was not published ; Captain Rhodes said such a course was not customary. He would mention that the price of importing the Cuinameu was £5 (uproar) and the women ivete at the saaie price (laughter). In reply to a question by an elector Capt. R. said not one order for Coolies had been received. He was a strong advocate for roads (laughter) and such other m asurt? as would render the colony attractive, an 1 for that reason had offered to increase the supply of labour by the importation of Coolies. (Uproar). He was in favour of a land tax, and for the extension of education of both races. With regard to the New Z aland Company's debt, he would say, let it be proved ; as a trading Company they wuuld not Lave offered to share their profits with the colonists and why should they (the colonists) be calied upou to share their debts? By an Elector — Why di 1 not the Coalition take you in ? Captain Rhodes said no communication had taken [dace between himself and the parties alludeJ to. He had formerly belonged to the Constitutional Association, but when Repre« tentative Institutions were gran ed that body was dissolved. Those candidates had not asked him tt join them because he supposed they did not wunt him, and he came before the electors on his own merits. (Chceis.) Mr. Clifford, who was greeted with mingled applause and disapprobation, said he was glad to have the opportunity of having it out il-at evening rather thin at the hustings. He believed fr^in the kindly feeling entertained towards him he was not wrong in offering himself as a candidate, and the numeicus piotuists he had received showed th.tt his Leln-f was well founded. A goo.i deal h?d be*>u said about party, he confessed he was a party n.an, and lie gloried in it (hisses.) He maintained that no man who had not decided (•pinions, even though they wpre not the opinions !of the majority, was fit to represent them (uproar.) lid had one or two thibgs to explain to them. On one occasion he had Leen a Nominee, and he would explain his reasons. He hdd not then been long in iLe colony, and was anxious to know thp nature of its Government ; he therefore at the recommendation of his friends accepted a seat in the Council ; he did not go there as the representative of the people, he went as his own representative. There was no party feeling at that time, and with the aid of Messrs. Biown and Martin, two independent staunch men he had been enabled to prevent the passing of measures not beneficial to the colony, and by their protects fixed the o-iiura of those measures on the Executive. When he returned from the Council nobody said he had done wrong iv going, and he had received a numerously signed address thanking him for preventing by his vote a State Cnurch from being saddled on the colony. Having got experience, having been the uselessness of trying to stem the torrent, from that time he had resolved never again to sit in a Nominee Council, and bad acted both in England and in the Colony with the party who had striven to obtain Representative Institutions (hear.) Up to this point there were two parties, one party had agitated for Free Institutions, the other party had declared they were unfit lor thera, and if they got them would regret it. (Name, name). Now they bad got Free Institutions, whom would they elect as their first representatives, those men who had strained every nerve to get these Institutions,^ those who had prophecied they would prove a failure, and might help to nnke them so? lie did not wish to be invidious, but iv referring to Mr. Moore as a nominee, while be admitted his estimable character in all the private relations of life, he believed as a public character he was a mistaken man (hisses) he impugued his judgment (hisses.) Mr. Moore had said he went in to the Council to prevent the Government from being brought to a dead lock,why that was the very thing he (Mr. C.) and his friends wanted. (Hear, hear). He (Mr. C.) had refused to sit in Captain Fitzroy's second Council. Sir George Grey had stated to him tbit he would introduce self-government at the earliest opportunity, and that if he could not get permission lo give Free Institutions he would ask the people to name to him (Sir George) the persons he should elect, but this bad not been done, A good deal had been said that evening about the six names that had been put forth. A committee bad been formed lor obtaining the election of liberal candidates against those who supported an irresponsible Government. Why those names were published hp, (Mr. C.) did not know, (Cries of oh). He was not pledged to support liberal Institutions against the opposite interest. He would exert his utmost talent, if he possessed any, (laughter) in procuring the return of liberal members. By an Elector. — Was your name placed among the sis with the consent of your committee ? Mr. Clifford. — Those of my committee who, liked might attend the central committee. I did not in the slightest way interfere ; one half did not act on the central committee. Did you think it right to oso your commiitee

in tb t way? (Laughter, and cries of that's your liberal member). Mr. Clifford resumed — There was another topic, that of pledges, to which he would advert. In his address to the electors he had stated his opinions on the topics of ihe day, and to tiiosa he would adhere. The effect of pledging a member would be to do away with deliberation, but if on the questions of the price of land, a land tax, and the New Zealand Company's debt, he changed bis opinions, and bis constituents did not change with him, he would resign, Again though he had given no specific pledge, if he forfeited the confidence of his constituents he would not hold his seat for one minute. He should consider his position as a representative as one of the greatest honor, if he possessed the confidence of his constituents, but if he did not possess their confidence he would resign. By an Elector. — Will you if elected a member of »he General Assembly go to Auckland ? Mr. C. — I will go wherever the General Assembly is held. Mr. Clifford in conclusion referred to some other points of his public conduct in connection with Captain Fitzroy's government, and expressed himself to be opposed to state support to any one religious denomination, he thought if any support v. as given, all denominations should be treated alike. Mr. Hart said : The time allowed to each candidate being very short, he was compelled to , condense into a very bri<f compass several im- j portant matters to which he wished to draw their attention, and trusted to their indulgence for a patient audience. To guard against eirors as to his views with respoct to cheap land, and the land tax, not on the pajt of those who weie present at the former meeting, but of those who might have gathered their information from the report of his speech in the Independent newspaper, he would tepeat that when Sir George Grey's Proclamation lowering the price of land in the colony first came out he was opposed to it, apprehending the possible effect tbat capitalists in the neighbouring colonies might be induced with the aid of their laige gains to purchase Urge blocks of laud in this colony, and so render it less accessible to those who desired to purchase small allotments. But now (hat a land tax was generally agreed upon which would operate as a check upon speculators, he was in favour of hoth. With regard to the views entertained by another candidate who bad addressed them at> to the debt alleged to be due to the New ZeaLnd Company, it was incurred during the minority of the colony, and now having come of a^e, they were entitled to inquhe if ii was for necessar.es supplied. They did not repudiate, they denied the existence of the debt (hear.) It was to be ascertained whether, in estimating the private estate of the Company, they should include the balance of 1,200,000 acres of land claimed ; upon which it would be necessary for him to state a few facts. Whan the Biitish Government took possession of New Zealand, it was discovered that large quantities of land had been purchased hum the .Natives for very trifling sums. Public policy forbad that such purchases should be legalized to the eMent of the claims made. But to secure to the purchasers a !air return for the.r investments, it was arranged that out of the laud so acquired each claimant should have a grant of as many acres as the consideration paid in money or in goods valued at certain rates would amount to at five shillings an acre. The New Zealdiid Company stood on a different footing from private purchasers. As a great colomzing body they had expended considerab'e sums of money in convening settlers to the colony, and the extent of their purchases was represtijtod as amounting to 20,000,000 of acres; it was arranged with tbera that out of the land so acquired they should have granted to them one acre for every ss. expended in the purchase of the land, and also for every ss. expended iv the conveyance to the colony of settlers and emigrants, and in the general management of the Company up to a certain period, on the assumpliou that they had extinguished the Native title. The quantity of land so to be granted was ascertained, by reference to Mr. Penningtoo, at 1,200,000 acres and upwards. But it became necessary, with regard to all such purchases, to ascertain whether they haJ really been made, and for this purpose a Commissioner was appointed to enquire and report. The result of bis enquiries , was the discovery that, instead of 20,000,000 acres, the Company had in fact parchased a very small quantity of land (cheers.) He (Mr. Hart) did not accuse the Directors of wilfully misrepresenting the facts ; h did not accuse their agents of doing so ; they had been compelled in the arrangement of their purchases to employ interpreters, who were unable themselves | to understand the meaning of the deeds to which they procured the signatures of the Natives (hear.) To resist the effect of the Commissioner's Reports which laid the axe to the very foundation of the Company's arrangement with the Government, the personal character and standing of the Commissioner had been attacked. But there was a simple test to which, if his judgment had been erroneous, the whole matter might have been submitted. The Company might have printed the evidence of their own witnesses before the Commissioner (cheers.) He (Mr. Hart) had had occasion to look into that evidence, and it WdS his conviction that the Commissioner could have fairly, arrived at no other conclusion upon it. The result had been that the local Government had been compelled from time to time to purchase the land required for the settlers' use by means of funds granted by the British Government for the benefit of the colony. The agreement with Lord John Russell, therefore, was based upon a misrepresentation of facts, and was not binding upon the Government; and as to the Acts of Parliament founded upon this agreement the settlers might safely appeal to the Home Goiernment for justice. (Cheers.) As to the question of Representative Institutions, they would probably recollect what had taken place at a public meeting on this subject held some years back, at which he had been very favorably listened to ou proposing a resolution in favor of such Institutions. A fortnight before that meeting took place he had been requested to move a resolution in favor of Represeutave Institutions. He replied willingly. The resolutions to be proposed were not submitted to biui previous to the meeting. Me bad been used as a tool in respect of them. Tb.9 strong interest he felt in the subject led him to overlook this. When he arrived at the room adjoining the place of meeting 1 c

enquired for the resolution*; they were not brought in till leo minutes to eight o'clock, after the settlers present at that mee'ing had expressed their impatience for ihe proceedings to begin, the meeting having been called for half-past seven o'clock. On the resolutions being put into his hands he was lequcsted to read then* aloud, and that was all the opportunity he had had of considering their purport. In the first resolution, moved by himself, there was a sentence offensive in its nature and false in its spirit. It described the Government of the colony as more despotic than that of Norfolk Island, in other words that the position of the Governor was worse than that of the Governor of a gaol, that of the settlers more deprailed than the position of convicts. (Hear, hear.) That resolution was as discreditable to the colony as it was disgraceful to the person who framed it (hear.) He (Mr. Hart)had during the evening perceived its effects, and the next day wro'e a note to one of the papers suggesting that the settlers present had not been aware of its offensive naiure. A requisition was published signed by twelve respectable settlers calling another meeiing 10 conj-ider the resolution and with what result ? They were met by such an attempt on the part of the popular leaders to domineer over all those whose opinions differed from their own that he, (Mr. H.,) became convinced ibat it would be far more consistent with freedom to live under a despotic form of Government than to put power into the hands of such men. (Cheers) Their opinions were opposed to his with respect to the New Zealand Company. He, from the time of landiug in the colony had considered the machinery of the Company as out of all proportion too expensive for any benefits that could result from the continuance of their colonizing operations. And if sufficient weight had then been attached to his opinions on this subject, there would have been no question now as to the New Zealand Company's debt. The British Government, in advancing £250,000 to the Company, would have made it a condition that the debt should be extinguished by that payment. (Cheers) He was opposed to grants of money to any religious bodies. But until a comprehensive scheme of education could be agreed upon uuder which the children of all denominations could be educated together, be would appiove of grants to well conducted schools belonging to different denominations. (Hear, hear). On the subject of allotments of land to working men he referred to the fact that it was by his rudely written articles in the Independent, confirmed by the representation of iheir Agent here, that the Halifax gentlemen were first induced to offer their lands upon reasonable terms, md this had made the Hutt district what tt was. The speculator would be preveuted from buying land to too great an extent, not by arbitrary laws restraining him, but by puttiDg such a tax upon it as would make it not worth bis while to buy land for which he had no immediate use. With regard to the pledge, he had volunteered it; questions might atise upon which he might differ with them, and on which they might require him to resign. If asked to come out, out he would come. And he thought they were entitled to that control over their own affairs which the exaction of the pledge would give them. And this reminded him of another ground of difference between him and the liberal party. In former times he had thought they were promising more than, when the time came, they would be willing to perform, and recent events had justified the opinion. He would read a paragraph from, an article in the Wellington Independent or 24th February, 1549, while under the reputed editorship of Dr. Featherston, and of which he should perhaps not be far wrong in attributing the authorship to Mr. Fox. In this article the arguments in favour of Nominees were quoted and answered. — 11 4. That being irremovable by the Governor they are independent," " Answer. They are as independent as Nominees are likely to be who accepted their seats to please the Governor and themselves against the wish of their follow colonists, and who are liable to be removed by the Queen on the Governor's suggestion, or not summoned to the Council. Besides it is uo'orious that they are expected not to be as independent as representatives, or there would be no reason for preferring them to the latter. And even if they should prove independent, they are not responsible to the colonists. We ivant legislators who are." He would also refer to the speech of Dr. Featheiston made at the Great Reform Banquet 3rd March, 1849, repoited in the Independent \ in which occurred the following passige :—: — " And in regard to the present Council they protested against it not because they anticipated any great or immediate danger from it ; its members were impotent and harmless enough ; uot because they imagined it would commit greater follies and absurdities than its prototype at Auckland. But they scouted and rejected it because of the principle on which it was based ; because of the principle of Nomiueeism, because of the principle of irresponsible Government ; because it violated the great maxim that the public were themselves the best judge of their own interests, and that those interests would only be uniformly consulted when they themselves had the management of their own affairs." Now be could not suppose that these words could have been understood in any other sense than that, under the constitution for 'which the parly was struggling, the people were to have same direct control over their resresentatives. " (Cheers.) Mr. Hart was then asked by Mr. Andrew Brown, referring to a protest which had been signed by Mr. Hart and appeared in the Bfue Book, whether he was still of opinion that it was improper to give t(f the settlers the control over, the waste lands ? and replied that the protest was prepared not long after the compensation business, and not thinking well of that business-he was uot prepared to put the disposal of the waste lands into the bands of the gentlemen who had managed it. '", In conclusion Mr. Hart observed, that having in his address stated his intention not to canvas, he had taken no steps to influence the electors in supporting him. With regard to the coalition of course, if they approved of it they would elect the six gentlemen, but if they did not they would use their own discretion as o whom they would vote for. (Cheers.) By Mr. Munn — Would he if elected support an enquiry into" the Compensation job ? He would do so if required, but was' bound to state bis belief that it would lead to "no practical" result. (To le concluded in our next number.)