The Invercargill Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1863.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 63, 16 June 1863, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1863.

We have now before us the various addresses of the aspirants to the vacant seat in the Provincial Council for the Waihopai District. They are interesting, as being in some measure indicative of the character of the writers. In one we have the feailess confidence of the Celt, to do all and brave all; he speaks of the experience he can bring to bear on his unfortunate colleagues in the Council, and in the same breath modestly expresses his diffidence io coming forward against his inclination, &c. — a diffidence emanating, doubtless, from a philanthropic tenderness for his fellow-councillors. In another address we bave the plain straightforward speaking of the Saxon ; but we will take each in rotation. First, we have that of Mr. Duncan M 'Arthur. He begins by stating that, were he to consult his Own feelings, he would decline, and at the same time takes care to inform us that he has had thirty years' experience of the disagreeable position in which he is about to allow himself to be placed. Poor Duty, however, is brought to bear on him, and he cannot resist the imperative calls of that stern goddess. Perish private feeling — the quiet of a happy home ! Shall it be said that all Southland could not furnish a Marcus Curtius? Is the ancient spirit of self-sacrifice extinct — no one left to emulate the patriotism of the glorious Roman? There is ; and our ears are gladdened by the cry — "Macartbur to the rescue ! " Next to admiring the patriotism of this gentleman, we are struck with the modesty expressed in the third paragraph of his address, in which he states tbat the position of Southland requires " men of experience, energy, and ability " as legislators — remembering which, Mr Macarthur kindly consents to allow himself to be nominated. Further on he starts the n vel idea " that it is of importance that means of communication by sea and by land should occupy the early and careful consideration of the Provincial Council," and winds up by throwing his thirty years' experience in the teeth of the electors, not to mention the able support he gave " towards passing the second Magna Charta of British freedom." Setting aside the modesty and patriotism of Mr. Duncan Macarthur, we still think there are good and sufficient reasons why he should not be elected. He may have had thirty years' experience ; he may have distinguished himself in the Marcus Curtius line of business in the old country, more particularly in that little matter of voting for the abolition of the Corn Laws, " although

renting a farm of considerable extent at the time;'* yet still we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that he is a salaried Government official ; that he has a seat at the Waste Land Board, and, should he be elected, will probably have a seat in the Executive; for would not the Superintendent be glad to avail himself of thirty years' experience? Under these circumstances, we ask the electors of the Waihopai District, whether they think, they will secure an independent member should they return Mr. Macartliur ? Of all the departments under Government, that of the Waste Lands should be the most free from Government influence. We always considered it wrong that the late member for the Waihopai, Mr. Pearson, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, should have held a seat in the Executive Council, and we were much pleased on this account when he resigned. Go ernment influence, brought, to bear on the administration of the Waste Lands, would have a most prejudicial effect — one which the community at large would feel, and feel to their cost. The CommissioQers of the Waste Land Board ought to stand between the Government and the people. We would not insinuate that Mr. M'Arthur would willingly abuse his position as a Commissioner of the Waste Land Board, more particularly after reading his modest address, redolent as it is of the spirit of self-sacrifice on the altar of his adopted country ; all we can say is, we are very glad Mr. Pearson resigned, and we shall be very sorry to see any Commissioner of the Waste Land Board either a member of Government or amenable to its influence. Next, we have the frank, honest manifesto of Mr. Lind, in which he straightforwardly claims merit only for common sense and honesty of purpose. Pethaps a shrewder man will not be found in Southland, but still we doubt whether Mr. Lind will be able to fill the seat in the Council in a way satisfactory to himself and his constituents. To carry weight in the Counsil requires something more than honesty of purpose and common sense — it requires such an education and training to business matters as Mr. Lind's career has precluded him from obtaining. A successful man, settled on one of the finest properties in the Province, a property won by his industry, energy, and shrewdness, let him be content to remain chairman of local, education, and road boards, to assist his neighbors, by his energy and example, in the assertion of their rights and the cultivation of their lands ; but let him not pace himself in the painful position of one who is brow-beaten by superior education and tact — who, while having all the wish to advance the interests of his constituency, finds himself powerless to protect, impotent to attack. We feel sure Mr. Lind's good sense will appreciate this plain speaking, and preve t him putting himself in a false position.. Indeed, the tenor of his address indue- s the belief that were Mr. Lind to consult his own wishes he would not come forward as a candidate. Mr Toshack \s address is next on the list. Of him personally we know little or nothing, and this state of ignorance is pretty generally shared in, we fancy, by the majority of the Electors for the Waihopai District. Amongst those in his immediate (neighborhood he seems to have gained confidence and respect, and, judging from iiis address, he is possessed of education and common son c, which he evidences more particular y wh< n he says he would be unwilling to stand unless called on by others than those in his immediate neighborhood. We applaud his honesty ; the Waihopai District is most inconveniently divided. The local interests of that part of it, in which is included the Waikivi Plain, are not by any m"iins identical wi'htbe eastern and north-eastern portions, which form by far the largest part of the district, and in which the interests at stake are much greater, and hive been more neglected, than in any other part of the Province. If any roid will be pushed ci by the Government, the Main North Road, running through the northern part of the district, will be ; and we have sufficient evidence before us to show that the eastern road, taking in the largest, most populated, and earliest settled portion of the district, has not, and is not likely to have, that attention paid to it which a district so important demands. To ensure an equitable division of the money voted for roads, the electors should return one whose interests do not clash with theirs iv this respect. Although, probably, Mr Toshack would try and vote impartially, yet, when the fact is evident that there is only so much money to be spent, and out of it so much on the north to the detriment of the eastern, Mr Toshack would find himself awkwardly placed, and, under auy circumstances, he would lay himself open to the accusation of furthering the interests of his own part of the district to the detriment of the others. Under these circumstances, we hope, both for his own sake and that of the great body of the electors, that Mr Toshack will not be returned. We now come to Mr John Morton. This gentleman's address is short and simple ; contains merely the intimation that he unwillingly comes forward at the solicitation of friends, but that he will try and do his best. Mr Morton, in a social point of view, is well fitted for the position to which he aspires, and it is a matter of great importance that our representatives should be uieu not only of ability but social standing— it inspires respect for the Council, not only a;, ongst ourselves, but what is, if possible, of greater importance, in other provinces. The Province of Canterbury has always been remarked for its thoroughly respectable Council, and in consequence has more weight with the General Government than any other Province in New Zealand. In thu

; respect Mr Morton is unexceptionable, but we qnestjbn if he will hot find him - self out of place and uricomfortkblei in >' the Council. As a practicaV dgncultu\risfc we.know of no one his superior; in ;■•' the Province, but a man may be well posted in short-horns and the rotation of crops, and yet be ignorant of that most difficult of all sciences— politics ; indeed, Mr Morton understands too thoroughly his own particular business, to have been able, we fancy, to devote sufficient time to the study of the more abstruse sciences. Besides, he belongs to another district, and although ; his interests at first sight may seem to be identical with those of the electors ot the Waihopa'", yet we fancy at the next sitting ot Council, when that bone of contention — money for roads — will call into existence the natural instinct of selfinterest, Mr. Morton will find some ; difficulty in objecting to a considerable vote for the construction of the road through the 0 eramika Hundred, leading to his own property ; not that he would not try honestly to discharge the duties lie is prepared to take upon himself, but — flesh is weak. If Mr. Morton is ambitious for senatorial honors, let him wait till a vacancy occurs in his own district, and then, if he enters the arena, he will not have to fight against the flesh. "We now come to Mr. Beaven, who we believe to be the " coming man." In him we think the electors will have an able and impartial advocate of their interests — in him we consider are combined all the requisites to be desired — education, social position, business habits, and independence. He has been a successful man in private life, which we hold to be no little recommendation in his favor in a public capacity. The state meut which ouirht. to have told most strongly against Mr. M'Andrew's election to the seat for Port Chalmers, was the one he made himself, " that he was the poorest man in the colony." A man who mismanages his own affairs cannot be considered competent to manage those of the public. We have heard Mr. Beaven objected to on the ground that he is more intimately connected with mercantile than agricultural interests. In our opinion he is as much connected with one as the other ; his landed property is all in the eastern portion of the Waihopai district, and, as he has never shown the slightest tendency to land sharking, we presume that he has been acquiring property in the country with the view of settling down to agricultural pursuits ; thus realising the desire of most men whose vocation in early life has been trade. H : s interest, therefore, is most decidedly to push the district in which he will ultimately settle. He can also bring to bear in the Council those business habits and modes of thought which are so essentially necessary to the proper conduct of affairs. We have made our remarks biassed by no private friendship, iufluenced by no private pique, but feeling it our duty to try , nd secure the return of the best man. With this view we would strongly ad\i-e t' c electors of Waihopai not to split their votes by each portion of the district trying to leturn its favorite. In our opinion, the most objectionable candidate is Mr. M'Arthur, and shouLl the eastern part of the district split their vo es in favor of the numerous candidates in the field, we fear he will be returned. We trust that Messrs. Toshack, Lind, and Morton will retire from the contest. When so decidedly expres^iug our opinion against Mr. M'Arthiir, we do so from no private obje.c ion to that gentleman ;in a social point of view he is unexceptionable) but we do so on the grounds above stated. We are not aware that he has a single acre of land in the district, c rtiinly not in that part of it where the largt-st number of electors live. His return would assist in placing the Waste Land Board at the mercy of the Government. For Mr. M'Arthur as a private individual, we entertain the most sincere respect. Would that we could say the same for him in his public capacity. All we know of him in that capacity is that he was the member of the Town Boa.id who proposed and carried the alteration of the levels in Tay-street on the eve of winter. He brought to bear on Tay-street his thirty years' experience, find we do not think the Town Board or Tay-street has benefited much by that inestimable boon.