The Invercargill Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1863.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 64, 18 June 1863, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1863.

We have to remind the electi rs of the Waihopai District that to-day the poll takes place at Mr. Copelaud's, Puni Bush — the hours from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. We so recently criticised the various candidates, that we will not go at length into the subject in the present issue. Two of them — Messrs. Lind and Toshack — we are glad to see, have withdrawn from the contest ; would that Mr. Morton, or his supp'rters, could see the advisability of his adopting the same course. Were he to do so, the votes in favor of Mr. Beavan would probably be increased, and every nerve ought to be strained to secure his return. We give Mr. Macarthur every credit for the sensible quiet manner in which he enunciated his opinions and answered all interrogations. His views, as gathered atthe hustings,were pretty much the same as those of Mr. Beaven. This is all well enough, but we ask again, can M:\ Macarthur be supposed to be an entirely independent man i Already a Salaried Government official, holding a seat at the Waste Lands Board, he has that most important of all trusts in his keeping — a trust which should be held by no one likely to be biassed by the Government, to be amenable to its influences. That Mr. Macarthur will have a seat, in the Executive should he be returned, we have little doubt. Such a position is incompatible with t at of a Commissioner of the Waste Land Board. But, setting this aside, looking at him merely in the light of a Provincial Councillor, he is objectionable. We have good reason to believe that Mr Macarthur will strongly support the government. The government party is too strongly represented al-ready-—there is no opposition to speak of. This is not a healthy state of things ;— -not one likely to advance the prosperity of the province, to drive the Government into action in the right direction, which is much needed. The next meeting of the Provincial Council will be the turning point for good or evil of the province ; much of the past expenditure requires to be looked into, and more ene getic action for the future insisted on — energy properly directed, not misapplied. We cannot afford to go on wasting thousands on road-making experiments, while our harbors arc treated with the most penurious stint, our want of jetty accommodation pooh-poohed. To effect all this we must have thoroughly independent men — the electors have now the opportunity of securing one, and we most energetically call upon them to do so. By returning Mr Beaven they will get a man in every way equal to Mr Macarthur, entertaining similar views on the most important subjects, but possessing that all-important ingredient, entire independence to enable him to carry out those views in detiance of any pressure which may be brought lo bear on him by the Government. After all, this is the one thing requisite. It is of little use having liberal or enlightened views, if a man is not in a position, or does not possess the power, to carry them into execution.