THE GENERAL ELECTION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2714, 30 November 1881, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR TIMARU. The nomination of candidates for the representation of Timaru in the General Assembly took place at the Court House to-day. Mr Beetham, Returning Office, mounted the steps of the building at noon, and read the writ authorising him to conduct the election. About 150 persons were present. Mr H. Me C. Cowley stepped forward and proposed Mr James Timothy Partridge as the only fit and proper person to represent the constituency. Mr Cowley spoke for some minutes, charging Mr Turnbull the late member with political deficiencies, and with claiming that he had got the £IOO,OOO for the Breakwater, a claim he had no right to make. Mr Turnbull was also absent when the vote was taken in the House on the property tax, though he went to Wellington pledged to rote against it. Mr Partridge was_ at a great disadvantage in not having a newspaper to back him up, as each of the other candidates had, but they could not doubt his ability. It had been urged against him that he had not time nor means to justify his coming forward, but Mr Partridge would find the time, and the honorarium would be the means. All that he wanted was a fair field and no favor, but that he had not got, owing to the papers backing up other candidates. Mr John Pearson seconded the nomination of Mr Partridge. Mr W. C. Beswick briefly proposed Mr Richard Turnbull, the electors to be as loyal to tbeir old member as he had been to them. Mr Moss Jonas seconded the nomination in a speech of some length, in which he strongly deprecated such references as had been made by previous speakers to ebarges made against Mr Turnbull—-charges of voting contrary to the expressed wish of the electors,and of obstruction in the House. He pointed out that the district yet required a great deal at the hands of the House, and he warned them against sending an untrained politician to do tbeir work. Mr Turnbull was not ono who made a living of politics, but on the contrary suffered inconvenience to serve the electors, and in their own interests he asked them to return their old member.

Mr John Crawford proposed Mr John Shelton Gibson, as an honest, straightforward man, who had time and means at his disposal, and who had done good work in the place, and would do equally good work in the House. [Cries of “ What has he done ?”] He was a thoroughly independent man, and came forward as the representative of no party, as a supporter of measures, not men. [Cries of “ Ob, oh ” ; “ Timaru Herald,” “ Timaru Herald ” ; a nominee.] Mr John Macintosh seconded Mr Gibson’s nomination, and denied altogether that Mr Gibson was brought forward by the “ Herald.” No other nominations being presented the Returning Officer invited the candidates to address the meeting before he called for a show of hands. Mr Partridge, as the first nominated, spoke first. He said he had been charged by the “ Timaru Herald ” of this morning with being the nominee of the working classes. He admitted it, and was proud of it. There had been class legislation for years past, but not legislation for the working classes, and it was time they had their day. It was said he walked about the town and wasted his time. He did walk about the town, but his work was going on all the same. His boys and apprentices were busy learning their trade on the work he had. He did not send his boys and apprentices adrift when times were slack, as some did, but kept them at their lessons, by which he made them fit to go anywhere in the world to get their own living when they grew up. He had been asked to retire, but he decidedly refused to do any such thing. He had a living stake in the country, and it was to protect that interest and the similar interests of others that ho came forward, and whether be got one vote or a majority he would go to the poll. As to other points that had been mentioned, he must make the time, the country found the means, and ho must try to live within them. Mr Turnbull then came forward. The present proceedings seemed, 1m said, somewhat at variance with the spirit of the ballot, but he was pleased that they were taken as they gave a candidate an opportunity of addressing electors of all shades of opinion, and if the candidate’s views were disapproved of a “ show of hands ” gave his enemies an opportunity of expressing their disapprobation. Such an expression gave them a certain amount of pleasure, and it did not injure the candidate. (Laughter) He did not plead his past services : a man had no right to look for praise for the proper performance of a public duty, though he deserved censure if he neglected such a duty. He had never claimed that he got the £IOO,OOO for the Breakwater. That was the work ot all the South Canterbury members of the old Provincial Council. Those who had been speaking disparagingly of him, in connection with that matter, did not know what they were talking about. He was sure, however, that the discussion that had taken place would have no influence on this election. He had been charged with neglecting his duty respecting the property tax, in not being in his place to vote when the measure was passed. The fact was that he had paired with one of the Ministers, and that being the case he was bound to keep out of the House when the vote was taken, or else he would have been obliged to vote, not on his own side, but on the side of his pair. This charge was a most absurd one." Another ridiculous charge—that he had been an obstructionist last session—was easily refuted. They had only to read his speeches in “ Hansard” to see that he had never said a single word that did not bea« strictly upon

the matter before the House. (Hear hear.) That charge had been made a “ special correspondent.” There was a bird in India, called the adjutant, which picked up all sorts of filth from the ground, and flying through the air dropped it again upon the people. Our special correspondent was like that bird. (Immehs.e laughter.) The special correspondent who telegraphed such stuff about him telegraphed lies. There was nothing to be found under his name in “ Hansard” that he need blush for, and he was not to be daunted by charges of that kind. It was stated in the “ Herald” the other day that Mr Turnbull addressing his constituents and Mr Tnrnbull in the House were two very different beings. It was true. In Timaru, among bis constituents, he was a unit among units ; in the House ho was the representative of one of the most fearless constituencies in New Zealand, and he asserted himself in that capacity as the peer of any man there. He did not go to Wellington to eat humble pie, or to walk into a lobby because a few ruling families happened to have certain interests at stake. He went as a guardian of the power of the people, and so long as he was, entrusted with that guardianship he should never be put down. He then referred to the proposal to borrow £400,000 to purchase railways made by private companies, which ho opposed to the utmost. Theproposal ended in £60,000 worth of debentures being passed, and he might

mention that one of their fellow townsmen had not got his money for them yet. lie had opposed the Government’s Hoads Construction Bill, as one of the most prejudicial measures ever proposed ; even the Government’s strongest supporters opposed. A more weak and imbecile Government never sat upon the Ministerial Benches. They stuck to their seats like barnacles to a ship’s bottom. Humble pie and dirt they had eaten by the barrowful; but they stuck to their seats in spite of all. Even when they saw their supporters would no longer support them they refused to appeal to the country ; they preferred to keep their seats and eat what I nimble pic was offered them. Was he going to support such a Government? Decidedly not. It was said “Look what a Government we had before.” It did not follow that if the previous Government was a bad one, a better than the present one could not be got. Men would be returned at this election who would far exceed them in ability, and on the Address in Reply at the meeting of Parliament, a motion would be made that would relegate the present Ministry tq the oblivion they deserved. They boasted that they were the true Liberals. One instance would show what such pretensions wore worth, £75,000 had been voted for the relief of the unemployed, and voted in the most, liberal spirit, no restrictions whatever being placed upon its expenditure ; and what did they do with it ? They locked it up, that they might be able to meet the House and say, “ Sec what we have saved.” The result of that action had been banishment from , the colony of hundred's of our best men, who had been driven out of it to seek homes where their value would be hotter appreciated. He would not support such a Government as that if ion thousand “Timaru Herald’s ” supported it. They might ask why ho did not say this the other night, at his meeting. The reason was that when ho had anything to say against anyone he liked to say it to his face, and if ho hit anyone he liked to sec the effects of it. He was glad the other candidates bad been brought forward, as opposition gave an opportunity for the ventilation of all kinds of views. Ho challenged them to show in what way " ho bad neglected the interests of the working man. He had always taken the working man’s part, and indeed it had been made his greatest sin by the “Timaru Herald,” that he set the working classes against the employers. Had he ever done g 0 p—[]Sf 0 , no.] Ho had stood aloof from the Working Men’s League, who would have received him with acclamations, because he would not be the representative of any party or clique. Such a representative would be powerless in the House. He ventured to say there was no one in the town better able to represent them than himself. He was impelled to say so because the “ Herald” was endeavoring to force a candidate upon them. They had trumpeted forth in an article what the “ swells” were going to do. They were going to “ throw their weight ” in favor of Mr Gibson. That weight would be sufficient to press him a long way down the list on the polling day. God defend anyone from the “ ’Timaru Herald” under its present management. There were a number of old fossils—but fossils was not a good term as fossils were inert—a number of people who fancied themselves politicians but whose movements reminded him of those mimic men with long tails that they sometimes saw in the streets on an “ organ.” [Cries of “ Bravo !” and laughter.] These little fellows put on cup atid bell and began playing on their organ, the “ Timaru Herald,” and fancied the people were going to dance to it. The organ proprietor stood in the same melancholy position as poor Tom Codlin. He was a very mild meek man, who allowed the little fellows to turn’ the organ as they pleased, while he looked around to see where the coppers were coming from. [lmmense laughter.] He did not intend to pitch into the. proprietor, but ho was too amiable, and let bis organ bo ground by the little fellows he had . been speaking of. The principal organ-grinder [lau ghter] was a cruel one ami whipped the little mimics tremendously, had given one of some very severe raps, knocked bun completely off the Bench in fact, and still they loved him. [lmmense laughter]. Swift described a most foul and despicable animal whose habit it was to mount a tree and squirt filth on oil below. Sonic of these little organists wore almost as bad as that If anyone tried to retaliate lie was’shut off with “Tins correspondence ■ must now cease.” [Laughterj. A more evil organ never existed, it got its bread by evil speaking and its drink by lying and slandering , and yet they were told to look upon those who conducted it as men, and more than that, as gentlemen! Ho had long wanted to refute their calumnies. He wanted to meet them m the open, and speak his mind to them face to face, an this was his opportunity. I hey could not beat him. [Applause.] Mr iinnbull concluded by intimating that be would probably address them again before the election and that he did not intend to have a committee to risk lus his election by infringing the Corrupt Practices Act. Mr Gibson then spoke, asserting tbat he came forward as an independant candidate. He denied that he looked

to the “ Herald” for support. He could say with Mr Turnbull on that head “ save me from my friends.” He was not a representative of the class which that journal represented, and that paper had never had harder knocks than he had himself given. He came forward because he was asked to do so by those who signed his requisition, [and if. he got no more than three votes he would be justified in coming forward. His candidature would in sporting phrase give “a flutter for their money.” He briefly explained his change of opinion respecting the property and land tax. The property tax had been so amended as to catch all kinds of property—which was not at first proposed, and the 1 £SOO exemption prevented any, hardship. He paid more under the property tax than he would have done under the land tax, and therefore he was sticking to his principles at the expense of his pocket. The Returning Officer then called for a show of hands, which resulted as follows:

Partridge ••• 15 Turnbull 61 Gibson ..i ... .... 15 The show of hands being declared in favor of Mr Turnbull, Mr Partridge, “ on behalf of himself and the interests be represented,” demanded a poll. Mr Beotbam announced that the poll would be taken on December 9, at that place, and warned the electors not to interfere with the gummed-down covers of their voting;.papers, assuring them that not a soul would ever know how anyone voted; except it were found that someone voted twice. Mr Turnbull proposed, Mr Partridge seconded, and Mr Gibson supported, a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, and the proceedings terminated.