Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 72, 14 November 1864, Page 4

"Election iNotices; TO "W. H. CALDEE, ESQ.. INVERCARGILL. SIR,— "We, the undersigned, Electors of the ,-Town of Invercargill, hereby request you to allow yourself to be nominated a Candidate for the Representation of the Town in the Provincial Council, feeling that your long experience in the Province admirably qualifies you for that position... _ , , - JAMES HAHVEY WILLIAM EUSSELL ALEX. JERUSALEM SMYTH ■;,'.., .■-., fM/ PETTIGREW „.■■'.".•.;:.,■: A. &;■ CAMPBELL " • 'WILLIAM STUART PETER DALRYMPLE C. H. REYNOLDS SAMUEL BEAVEN ■.. ™V A ; ' ■ -■;".> -v^ ; ; : ■' ■■'•'■■' ISAAC BKOAD . : HENRY JAGGERS BALPH SHAW : ■'*■■;■" tf; HAMILTON : rj w. h; brayton 7 : T. V HEMINGWAY f : ': : BOBERT : CLEAVE ; ' iiii; £ ; JOSEPH HATCH 1 JNO. MUNRO J. HARNETT J : : J. P. JOYCE G. ]&:.;k. clarke : ;■■ ---/••■ WM. GABISWAIIE -WILLIAM EOBEETSOIif 1 ' JOSEPH STOCK JOHN KINGSLAND T. B. GRANGER THOMAS ROBSON E. H. "GEISOW GERHARD MUELLER JABEZ HAY G. GOOD WILLIE B. HARGIN WM. LOCEHART WM/ GRANGER r WM. BLACKWOOD " ' JOHN MOB-TON ' GEORGE SAUNDERS "■■•■■ WM. P. GRIGOR. -Invercargill, Sept. 29, 1864. To Messrs. HABVEY, RUSSELL, and SMYTH, and the other Gentlemen signing the Requisition. GEKTIiEMEN, -I '■ Before replying to the Requisition you have honored, me with, I briefly premise that until within the last few days I had concluded not to offer myself for re-election. Those friends and electors who know me, will understand that no disrespect was intended in not replying sooner ; and to those who have had any such idea conveyed.to them by misrepresentation or otherwise, I frankly apologise. Your member for several years, my views on the principal topics open for colonial and provincial discussion may probably be generally known ; however this may be, I hold it imperative at this critical period of our history that every candidate seeking the suffrages of the electors should be thoroughly understood. Glancing hastily at the past, I may state that I took a leading part in supporting the establishment of an escort at the breaking out of ths Wakatipu goldfields; and had the Government of the day acceded to the urgently expressed wishes of the people, I am persuaded that this Province would now have been in a vastly different position than it is. The present unsatisfactory relations between the General Government ana £he Provincial Governments of the Middle Island cannot long continue, and though beyond the hnmediate scope, of Provincial politics, the question of separation of the two islands, if it should arise, would meet with my unqualified support. Twice during the life of the late Council, the expediency of increasing the price of our waste lands was raised by the Executive (3-oveanmenfc. I strongly opposed it then on the same ground as I now condemn the recent rise — viz., that its price was the principal inducement we possessed to attract a permanent population. Unlike Otago or Canterbury, we had neither goldfields nor a wealthy population, and to imitate these provinces — except in energy — was, to say the least, extremely hazardous. I fear the result will be fatal, unless the evil is speedily removed. Most of the Ordinances now in operation require modification, and several, perhaps, entire repeal — more particularly the anuual-value-to-let clause in the Roads Ordinance. This principle, doubtless right hi the abstract, is yet totally inapplicable to our circumstances, and met my determined opposition at the time of its introduction. I am in favor of an annual sum being voted by the Provincial Council for Education — to be allocated to the various districts under certain conditions — and would therefore only give my support to an Education Ordinance that excluded taxation, and was simply directory in its provisions. There are a host of other questions which it is impossible to enter on in a newspaper address, my views upon which I may take an opportunity of explaining before the day of nomination. I cannot, however, omit the mention of our railways, and of our extraordinary financial position. To oppose the introduction of. railways when circumstances warrant, would' stamp the opposer with insanity ; but because our circumstances did not warrant it, I opposed the Bluff Harbor and Invercargill Railway, contending that the opening up of the interior was of infinitely greater importance than the "hobby". of a railway parallel with very fair water communication ; but on the other hand, I think it would be equally insane not to stretch every nerve to complete it, after the expenditure of nearly two hundred thousand pounds. The financial difficulty is of course the great impediment in the way of this ; and viewing the present troubled state of New Zealand affairs, it would puzzle the furthest-sighted to predict our powers or position in this respect twelve, or even aix, months hence. Everything depends on the action of the General Assembly ; but if our land revenue is not attached for colonial purposes, there is a hope of escape for us. Presuming we are left in possession of this, I would agitate the reduction of land to its former price, as a fu*ndamental requisite ha plan of relief, and'if obtained, support the following policy : — Entire proceeds to be devoted. to-rfirst,; the payment of unsecured outstanding liabilities,; second, interest and sinking faaci on debentures already issued ; and the balance, if any, mainly in pushing forward internal communication. The revenue derivable from the three-eighths of Customs, licenses, assessments, &c. j should be made to cover absolutely all departmental expenditure; and to say that; this ; latter is impossible, or even impracticable, seems ridiculous with only • a population to govern of some 8000 ; especially : when it is considered that we derive a large < Customs revenue firom. onr connection ,with districts' beyond the Province, "wM&TbLCQsts nothing in goxerning. I will only further >': refer ; to 'the question of the Superintendency-— I am opposed to the extreme powers claimed by His Honor the present and' if elected as your representative^ would oppose the election to -that office 'trf any one who did not give without reservation' the most pledge to act only in accordance with the will of, the majority of his Executive, in all matters not delegated by tho Governor. The Bill passed in February Session of Councd had this for its object, and did not interfere -with the delegated powers,of the Superintendent, nor am I aware of a single resolution of the Council attempting to do so. And- thanking you for your confidence in the past, and for the present requisition, lam,