The Invercargill Times. Invercargill, Friday, March 4, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 51, 4 March 1864, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. Invercargill, Friday, March 4, 1864.

From time to time we have endeavoured to arouse cur fellow-colonists in Southland from tliat state of apathy with regard to political matters into which thoy have allowed themselves to fall. More especially have they shown themselves utterly apathetic on the subject of onr political representation in the General Assembly ; although in the same manner, but in a less degree, have they betrayed indifference on the subject of representation in the local Provincial Oouncil. Perhaps tlieir excuse may be found in the fact that in all young communities men feel they have enough to do in lighting the battle of social life without embroiling themselves in the political struggle, and rest content with looking after the pounds, leaving the politics to look after themselves. They think they are acquitted of tlie charge of neglecting their interests by voting at an election, and taking for granted all that the man whom they have voted for and returned as their representative tells them on the hustings (in the matter of carefully guarding their interests), and they return to their daily occupations and forget all about the subject. In the meantime, their representative takes his scat— say in the General Assembly— some hundreds of miles from his constituency, and equally oblivious of his constituents as they nvo by this time of him, he " forgets all the promises lie made." Our remarks refer principally to the election of our representatives in the General Assembly. Since the inauguration of Provincial Councils, a. little interest has certainly been evinced in the election of representatives in the Provincial Council here. In selecting our representatives for tho General Assembly, however, there seem. 1 ? to prevail tbe same indifference which characterised us in our earliest days, and whicli, if excusable in some measure then, is in our present circumstances unwarrantable, more particularly when we consider that Southland has now taken up a position amongst J the provinces of New Zealand in being called upon to bear the large and rapidly accumulating burdens of the whole colouy. Her share of these bm-den.i is no light one, and it behoves us to be up and stirring ; to be certain that such representation as we possess at present is a real representation ; that our interests are being actively cared for, and to demand, in fact, an account of their stewardship from our representatives. Before the Separation of the Province, the member for the County of Wallace, Mr Dillon Bell, was elected by the residents of Invercargill; he was the apostle of separation, and certainly fought our battle well. On the dissolution of the Assembly we re-elected him and his colleague, Mr Mantell ; two members having been allotted to £ the district of Wallace under the Representation Act, 1860. Neither of these gentlemen were residents amongst us, neither had any large interest at slake in the province wliich was to be separated. On the contrary, the interests of the one were purely iv Otago, and those of the other. Northern. Yet we trusted them, they were both unanimously elected ; in fact there was no opposition of any kind. There were two reasons for this — first, at that time there would have been great difficulty |in obtaining any ono from amongst oxirselves who could afford the time and undertake the trouble of going such a distance, to be detained for an indefinite period. Had it appeared absolutely necessary for the safety of our interests that we should be represented by persons residing amongst us, and consequently more likely to fight our battles energetically and honestly, we might doubtless have obtained such, but this seemed unnecessary. Mr Bell had fought out the battle of Separation in carrying the New Provinces' Act; had shown every disposition to work hard and honestly for us ; about him we had no hesitation ; we felt confident what he had begun so well he would carry through with advantage to us. We had besides, an established reputation |in the Assembly for ability and great energy, and on the whole we considered ourselves fortunate in securing so able a representative. Mr Mantell, though'more a stranger, was still pretty well known here, arid' also throughout the colony. His official career in the early days of Otago had proved his ability. He was esteemed a scientific, well-educated, honest man — one who, if he undertook the duties devolving on a representative of the people in the General , Assembly, would fulfil those -duties faithfully. Everything considered, we thought it was fortunate we possessed j

fcwd i^presentatives qualified to take a lending position in the Assembly. Now, however, comes ."the all-important question to be asked, what have they done to merit the confidence reposed in them? The last session of the General Assembly was one of more than ordinary importance to Southland ; matters gravely affecting our interests 'and future.. welfare being brought under the, consideration of the Assembly,, Three bf these were of vital importance, viz., extended representation; extension of our boundary, so that what nature had assigned to us should be included '; and the land ojues--tion. In our issue of 28th December last, we reviewed at some length the coquet of our representatives during last session, and while urging the advisability of these gentlemen being requested to re* sign, we, in justice to them, recommended delay, in order that, if tliey thoughjb fit* they might explain or defend the line, of conduct whicli had been followed by them. But we liave waited a considerable period without any response. Both gentlemen have returned from the North — Mr Bell nr, far as Otago, and Mr Mantell into our very midst — yet neither have made anything in the "form of an explanation or defence. We are forced, therefore, to accept the conclusion that they do not, under the circumstances, consider any explanation necessary. But in order that the electors of Southland may judge of the oondiict of their so-called representatives wo will recapitulate what we believe to be the gravest charges brought against tliem. In the article referred to, we state that, in Mr Bell's case, error of judgment was probably the cause of measures beneficial to ourselves being lost, We at the same time pointed out liow the force of circumstances induced Mr Bell yo to err — how his Otago interests had in our opinion warped his judgment, and would in till likelihood continue to do for the future. The coalition with the Otago members in the case of the Representation Bill, and extended boundary matter, proved fatal to both. In the former, it raised up opposition from the Northern members which would not liave been excited had Mr Bell coalesced with them throughout the session instead of the Ota»-o members; in the latter, by trusting to the faith of the Otago confeda ration, whicli was broken at the last moment. With large interests in Otago, Mr Bell will always be biassed in its favour. In raising the price of land without consulting the Provincial Council and people of Southland, Mr Bell had also acted improperly. As regards Mr Mantell- nothing can be said further than |that he did not think liis constituents were worth tho trouble of attending to their business, as he left Auckland just at the time when our little affairs came under discussion. Had lie been good enough to intimate to his ronstituents his intentions, and resigned at the same time, we might pospossibly have obtained a representative Who would have taken n different nncl — a* far as we are concerned — more beneficial view of the duties and responsibilities ofthe oflice.