HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ELECTION OF MEMBERS FOR THE CITY OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 840, 20 August 1853, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ELECTION OF MEMBERS FOR THE CITY OF WELLINGTON.

On Monday the 15th, the nomination of candidates to represent the City of Wellington in the House of Representatives took place at the Hustings, Lambton quay. After the election of members for the Provincial Council a very strong desire was shewn on the part of the electors that Mr. Hart and Mr_ Kelham would allow themselves to. be put in nomination, and an invitation to the former was signed by 112

electors, pledging themselves to use the most strenuous exertions to secure his return. Shortly before the nomination, however, it was understood that Mr. Fiizherbert had withdrawn, and that there would be no contest; { Mr. St. Hill, the Returning Officer, opened the business by reminding the electors that they had met together to discharge the responsible duty of nominating members to represent them in the House of Representatives. Their duties on the present occasion would be light, as he believed no opposition was intended. Mr. Gibson proposed' Mr. Clifford to the electors for the honourable office of representing them in the House of Representatives, and had no doubt his conduct would reflect great credit on himself and his supporters. As there would be no opposition the electors would have to take the candidates who : now offered themselves " for better, for worse/ (Laughter.) Mt. Allen in seconding-Mr. Clifford's nomination, fully coincided in the sentiments expressed by Mr. Gibson, and considered Mr. Clifford's responsibility to the electors, in taking the pledge constituted his principal claim to their support. Mr. Hunter said that .as chairman of Mr. Hart's committee, the pleasing duty devolved on him of proposing. Mr* R ; . Hart as a fit and proper person to represent tße City of Wellington in the House of Representatives. Qn such occasions it w»s usual to enlarge upon the merits of the candidate, and his fitness for the office, but jn this case the gentleman nominated was so well known and deservedly esteemed by every member of this community, that it would be superfluous on his part to detain them by pointing out how well qualified he was for the honour of being their representative (cheers.) Mr. Duncan seconded Mr. Hart's nomination, and observed that the different interests in the Province would be ably represented by the gentlemen now proposed. The pastoral and country interests would find a fitting advocate in Mr. Clifford, the commercial and trading interests in Mr. Kelham, and Mr. Hart would ably represent the general interests of the community. {Hear,) Mr. Crawford proposed Mr. J, Kelham as an old colonist, and one who was well qualified to represent them in the House of Representatives. Seconded by Mr. Waitt. Mr. Bowler asked Mr. Kelham whether, if elected, he would go to Auckland, to which Mr. Kelham replied in the affirmative. <. [ There being no other candidate, the Return-/ j ing officer declared Mr. Clifford, Mr. Haiti Mr. Kelham to be duly elected, (cheers.) j Mr. Clifford begged to offer the electors his sincere thanks for the high compliment they had paid him in returning him a member of the House of Representatives. He had intended to say a good deal- on the responsible duties which had devolved on him, but perhaps they might think that " the least said was soonest mended." He hoped they would not expect too much of him, and should be perfectly satisfied if when he had again to solicit their votes, they should be of opinion that he had acted honestly, and in ,a,straightforward manner, anJ had justified the confidence they had reposed in him (cheers.) M.\ Clifford then read a letter from Mr. FitzherbertT explaining the reasons of his withdrawal'; in which he stated that at the close of the election for the Provincial Council, all party spirit had vanished from his mind, and that understanding Mr. Hart had come forward he had no desire to v enter into party contests, and on Mr. Kelham's being nominated as a candidate, not wishing to prejudice his election, or to oppose Mr. Hart, he had retired. Mr. Hart in returning thanks ta # the j electors said, if three weeks ago any one interested in these elections had informed him that he should this day have been placed by the electors in the honourable position of their representative, he (Mr. H.) would have deemed him not a true prophet. He had been induced to come forward at the request of others, and did not intend to have interfered so prominently as he had done. But at the late public meetings, in the defence of his past political career, it had become necessary for him to examine the position of his opponents. In doing so it was not with any intention to give offence, although it was done regardless of offence. Any doubts which he j might have entertained of his own fitness for this reponsible position had been in a great measure outweighed by the almost universal feeling of confidence which had been displayed by the electors of Wellington, not so much the result of personal esteem towards himself as of their desire to uphold a great public principle. They have proved that although prejudices might exist for years against any particular set of men for their political con- j duct, there is a soundness of heart in this constituency which properly appealed to will yield io the influences of truth and give a verdict accordingly. ,- (Cheers.) <• $Tay more, if the past seems to have diminished in ought the respect due ' to their fellow-citizen they restore it with hundreds per cent, increase. He wished he could aay he was fit for the office, he would endeavour to become so, and failure should be the result not of want of will but of ability. He begged to thank them for the great confidence they bad reposed in him, and especially to thank the gentlemen who had so greatly exerted themselves upon his committee, and who had generously undertaken to defray the expences of this election. (Cheers.) Mr. Kelham came forward and said that he had intended being present upon that occasion merely as an elector, that he felt overwhelmed and confused at finding that he had been elevated to the distinguished 1 honor of a representative of their interests in the General Assembly. If candidates under ordinary circumstances, appealing -for and receiving the reward of public honors from the constituency, felt it their duty to return them their thanks, how much more was he bound to them in thanks for the unsought manifestation of public favour that day awarded to him. Nominated and seconded without his knowledge, and contrary to his intentions, as he had stated to. several parties that he should not offer himself ior a seat in the House of Representatives, selected from many as deserving, and some more able than himself, finally elected by the public voice with acclamation, he asked of them, what ought to be the duty of any man .under such circum-

stances, especially what was his duty ? he whd had stated in his address that it was a paramount duty imposed upon every t*ood citizen to aid in the public service when required to do so. No alternative remained to him but to say that he would serve, serve them to the best of his ability and faithfully. (Cheers.) He could not reckon his sheep by thousands, nor his lands by hundreds of acres, it would, therefore, be at the loss of hia own business partly, if he went to Auckland : but this sacrifice* as well as personal comfort, and other considerations, he would readily make in return for the honorable confidence thus reposed in him. He felt that his heart was overcharged with feelings of gratitude too ppwerful for utterance, it was well known that when the heart was full, the lips but imperfectly performed their office, he spoke then from the bottom of his heart in the shortest phrase, and most emphatically, that he thanked them all, all and every one of them. He now hoped that they would dismiss him to his duties, carrying with him the assurance of their confidence, in return for which they should have his willing labours. (Cheers.) Three cheers were given to the Returning Officer, which concluded the proceedings,