Page 3 Advertisements Column 2

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 72, 18 December 1875, Page 3

EGMONi' ELECTORAL DISTRICT. TO FELIX McGUIRE, Esq. WE consider that from your past experience as our member in the Provincial Council of Taranaki, you are well qualified to represent this district in the General Assembly, and if yon will allow yourself to be nominated for that office, we pledge ourselves to do all In our power to secure your return, dohn Peterson dames Christie Gurdeon Inkster Richard Lynch Richard Hicks dames Southby Thomas Malone John Bnrkw F. 11. Brett Hugh McCarty And 4d others. To Messrs Peterson, Christie, Inkster, Lynch, and the other gentlemen signing the requisition— Gkntlkmen, — 11 lave the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your battering invitation to me Income forward and offer myself as a candidate for the representation of Hgmont in the House of Representatives, and I assure yon I feel deeply the high compliment that yon have paid me. When I was first spoken to on the subject hy many valued friends, I fully made up my mind to do as requested, hi case of the feeling of the district being favorable to my candidature. Your request, coupled with other evidences that 1 have privately received, show conclusively that I should meet with a better reception at the hands of the constituency than I even hoped, and it is therefore with considerable pain that I feel compelled to refuse the honor that Is proffered to me. Since I first entertained the idea, business matters have arisen that absolutely prevent me from entering into what must bo of necessity be a very hotly contested election —one that, to have any hope of success, a candidate must devote his whole time and energies to till the polling day. This, unfortunately, lam unable to do, and therefore most unwillingly am compelled to decline any chance of the position that your good wishes would place me in. At the same time, I am more thoroughly convinced than over as to the imperative necessity there is for a change in the representation of the district and of the good that would follow were a local man or even an independent member chosen as your representative. It was on this ground alone that I ever thought ot offeiing myself as a candidate. It is true (hat vf.tv , that he is ilnent and ready of speed), that lie has the power of doing the district good, and that he is profuse in promises. But I would ask the electors, what good lias he ever done for them, how lias he exercised the power that lie wields ? Which of his many promis-s lias he yet fulfilled, where are tin. 1 roads that, were to he constructed, where is the railway that was to be run, why is the port not declared a port of entry, and one of the many idle Government officials appointed Collector of Customs, an appointment that would not entail any additional expense ? Shipments of bonded goods could then be made direct, without double freight, wharfage, and other charges, and out of the deserted Government buildings a bonded store could easily be selected. Why have Major Atkinson and his colleagues used their first powers to crush and impoverish Rond Boards and in short what has ho done in any respect that will justify the Egmont constituency in again returning him as their representative ? Ho has systematically neglected their interests and justifies himself on the ground that Ids position as a Minister compelled him to do so. Is it well then that you should return him for five years more, to play the same indifferent game ? Promises of all kinds arc said to be like piecrust, made to be broken ; surely the originator of that saying must have bad the prototype of Major Atkinson in Ids mind, when lie framed the phrase. When lie addresses you shortly he will doubtlessly glibly explain Ids conduct and a number will be carried away by Ids smooth speech, but I would ask the more reflecting portion of the electors to think of the past, to bear in mind that deeds and not words are to bo considered, and to vote accordingly. I feel compelled in declining the contest to bring these things before you to show you the danger you run in returning one who has boon weighed in the the balance and found so sadly wanting—one who, however plausible and promissory he may be on the eve of what I trust will be a contested election, will forget you and Patea as soon as he has gained his ends, and once more finds himself firmly seated in the Parliamentary saddle. There is not a district in the colony, save this, where railways either have not penetrated, or arc Uot about to be undertaken, and there is not one whore such communication is more graatly needed. Every telegram tells of works finished or about to be undertaken elsewhere; no such welcome news comes here, though the constituency can boast of a Cabinet Minister as its representative. Can any of yon point to one single effort that Major Atkinson has made on behalf of this i loetorate, is there a single' acf of his on record that he has achieved for its welfare? , I snf no' most emphatically. Is it hot then better to