THE WAIHOPAI ELECTIONS.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 3

THE WAIHOPAI ELEC TIONS.

The nomination of 'candidates; for the electoral , district of Waihopai took .place yesterday; at noon, -at the.. Cour.t-House,, Liverc&rgUl. A temporary uhustings was "erected outside the ' building, "thus enabling all who came to bb qiiite within hearing; and the day proving most favorable, a large attendance of. electors and. others watched, the proceedings. " r 4 ,'.'.',<'. '"". ' '' ...„ The Eeturnirig\OfEcerV Mr. John Hare, briefly opened the business, and called upon the electors to nominate candidates for the two vacant , seats. J • . Mr. John Hare then, in a few words, px^oposed •Mr. C. S. Button, brewer, as a fit and proper gerson to represent the district in the Provincial ouncil. ' '-■ Mr. Peeeins seconded the nomination. Mr. D. Mitchell proposed Mr. P. Dalrymple. His nomination "was seconded by Mr. W. Smith. Mr. J. W. Mi fccne^ was then proposed by Mr. H. B. MoKKja;A.K> seconded by Mr. Q3-. Eiliot.' i" l Mr. D. Miteh e:DI1 thereafter proposed Mr. H. B. Mbnkman, -whose nomination was seconded by Mr. F. Scott: &ome informality having occurred in Mr. D. Mitchell's proposing candidates, the mistake was rectified, and 'Mr! S. Beaten stepped forward and proposed Mr. James Wilson for re-election, as a member for the district. Mr. Cotjtts seconded his nomination. ] Mr. James Habvey thereafter proposed Mr. Jabez Hay in a neat speech, and liis nomination was seconded bj Mr. Pbatt. I Mr. G. S. Button then addressed the electors at length, giving an exposition of his political views, for which we can only find space for a short resume. The first topic he referred to was that of the Superiritendency. He said it was the question uppermost in the public mind, and parfcy-spirit was running very high. There, were, in fact., two or three parties in the province at the present time — One said : " put him (Dr. Menzies) in — " The other said : " put him out." While the medium party said : " get a better man in his place if you can." He had been asked most positively to pledge himself to vote against Dr. Menzies, but he was .sure the electors of Waihopai would never oast their members into the Council as mere voting machines. He believed some gentleman more capable of filling the -post of Superintendent in the present position of the Province, could bo found than Dr. Menzies. He was elected to that office at a time when the Province was in a very different position than it now is. The pastoral interest was then the strongest, but circumstances have materially changed in that respect. He yrould remind them that it was that interest which put in the annual value-to-let clause in the Eoads Ordinance; and it. was not fair that any interest should be over-ridden by another in anything. The clause in question was a most iniquitous one, and he was sure the agricultural interest would never prosper till a change was effected. He would support a system of assessment at so much per acre. The* candidate then adverted to the Pig ■Nuisance Act, which he characterised as a dis- ] grace to all who had had anything to do with it. >He then said he would not further trespass on ! the time of the meeting, but declared himself willing to reply to any questions which might be asked of him. ! In reply to questions put, Mr. Button said he did not remember the provisions of the Executive Councils Ordinance, but ho understood its general principles, and believed ■that if it worked well in OtagO,- it should do SO here. He did not know what the delegated powers conferred by the Governor on the Superintendent referred to. He was in favor of the Superintendent being controlled by the decisions of a majority of his Executive. He thought a better man for the post of Superintendent could be got than Dr. Menzies, and he thought the Province required a better one. He was not in a position to name a successor to Dr. Menzies. He had not made up iiis mind on the question. In replj to the question, " If no one else comes forward, will you support Dr. Meiuies ?" Mr. Button replied — He will not require any support. Ho should in this event, however, advise the adjournment of .the House till the question was finally settled. He had heard several names mentioned. (Cries of " name.") Being pressed to it, Mr. Button replied that Mr. J. P. Taylor of Kiverton, and Dr. Hodgkinson, had been mentioned, but before supporting either, he would make liiinself acquainted with their views on public matters and their qualifications for the post. In the event of new candidates coming forward he would not call a public meating of his constituents, but lie would personally consult with certain of the more " thoughtful " of them. He was in favor of the repeal of the Education Ordinance, as he did not understand why people should teach other people's children any more than feed them Mr. Peter Dalryhple now stepped forward and said — Gentlemen, I am afraid of you by the very looks of you. (Great laughter and cheers). I have only to state that I now appear before you to say that I have resigned in favor of Mr. Monkman. (Great hooting and uproar, and cries of "That's a dodge!"). I thank you, gentlemen, for the support hitherto promised me. (Renewed uproar). Mr. J. W. Mitchell next addressed the electors, and asked them to forgive him for not making a long speech, as only half-an-hour ago he had been asked to stand, He had consented, as he considered that a man whose all is in Southland should do his best for it in its present straits. His all was in the Provinte — he had a heavy stake. (Sellout!) He would if he could find a purchaser, and not being able to find any better man to go into Council, he had determined to come forward himself. There are two parties in the Province just now, he said, and • they, are fighting to the knife, a,nd as a I man iiusfc choose between the two, lie would state fo the electors ;the reasons- for ,• the faith that was in him. Ho then said he was a supporter of Dr. Menzies, as he considered him the fittest man for the post of Superintendent. He (Mr. Mitchell) had, a few notes at stake, and, he -would rather confide them to Dr.. Menzies' 'keeping than to any one else now before themV ; (A voice — He can't take care of his own).,- , Mr., Mitchell then expressed himself in favor of immigration of persons with small capital, aadalso in" favor of agent 3in the home country to preachy/Up, the province as an eligible, pUtpe for Bettlemeiit. He would see that the "East BoW got its shave ; of the p ; übiip fMdsVsttd wuld. abolish, tho Pig JJfuisance Ordinance, i In reply to fui'thei* questions, he. was in favor of a; reduction /in the price, of -land, .and would support the completion of tho Bluff' Railway. Ho would Kave,tiicSuperintcndeut' abide by. the decision of a majority of tho Executive. He would vote for Mr. Holmes' or Mr. Thompson in preference to Dr. Mehzieu if they, cam? forward. Mr. MOKKMAW now addressed tho electors, and said that as ho had-only-the previous evening been asked to stand he had not prepared any set speech, for the occasion, but vrowia be happy to be eatcehiscd on any BulyecU tho electors might fchink fit, In reply to question^ Mr, M'qnkhas expressed hirnjelf in favor oi proportionate dlntributjon. pf % pvtWfc mn<%h %* was in fftifgs «f the {trpj,

gratiqh "of a proper^ class. He considered the Education Ordinance a Jmost iniquitous one, but wasinfavor of State aid for educational purposes., to a certain ; extent. He would vote for Dr. Menzies as Superintendent, as the best man for the, post; but he would have given Mr. Holmes the - preference, if he had stood. He was not pledged to Di\ Menzies. He would certainly not vote .for ' Mr. ; Heale, : and thought the Superintendent should not make important appointments unless with the consent of his Executive. 1 He. did;not believe in class immigration. He would not support Mr. Thompson in preference to Dr. Menzies ; < and thought Government i contractors were better out of the Council. He was of opinion that the East Road had been sadly neglected. The present price of land he regarded as absurd, and calculated, to retard progress. It should not be inoro than 20s. an acre. - After-several: other' minor questions "were put and answered, ■_ ■; •.,;•• :;- -■ -■-■■■- i Mr. WnsoK addressed the electors. He referee to his being- elected -a member for the; Waihopa district, at the first general election* and to his retaining his seat for it ever since. He then made reference to certain Acts passed by the Council which he considered detrimental to the prosperity of tho Province. He was one -who took active steps for the withholding of Her Majesty's assent to the New ' Waste Lands Act. The Council had prepared a memorial on. the subject, andin their anxiety one night to have it completed in order to ibe transmitted by the Northern mail : which left next day, they had to let it go without receiving some signatures. The memorial ; was given to the clerk of Council (who is aIBO clerk, to the Superintendent) that night, and if it was not forwarded per the next day's mail, who was to blame ? He thought it was a monstrous thing to commenco their Railway system with a Land Act which prevented immigration — nay, which drove people out of the Province. He then animadverted on the insufficiency of the representation of the Province in the North Island. He was in favor of State aid for education ; and regretted the action of tho Government with regard to the Escort question, citing South Australia as an instance where it had been successfully worked with the goldfields of Victoria. He was in favor of separation from the North Island. Would not support a further extension of the Wooden Railway, but thought the Bluff line Bhould be completed at all hazards. A variety of questions having been put and satisfactorily replied to by the candidate, Mr. Hay stepped forward and said that having already pretty fully explained his views on the various questions before them, he would now not detain the electors by making a long speech, but i would be glad to answer any questions which might be put to him. In reply to questions, Mr. Hay said he was not in favor of Mr. Stuart as Superintendent. Ho was not pledged to vote for or against Dr. Menzies. He would prefer Dr. Hodgkiuson or Mr. Thompson to him. He did not know Dr. Hodgkinson's views accurately, but he looked on the Superintendent more in the light of a chairman than anything else. He was in favor of the completion of the Bluff Railway, and an enquiry into tho construction of the Great Northern Railway. He did not find fault with the present immigration system carried on a moderate scale. The Retttkning- Officer now called for a show of hands, winch resulted as follows : — ■ For Mr. Button 3 — Mr. Mitchell 9 — Mr. Monlnnan 12 — Mr. Wilson 15 — Mr. Hay 19 The show was decided in favor of Messrs. Wilson and Hay, and a poll was demanded on belmlf of the other candidates. „ The polling takes place to-day, at the CourtHouse, Invercargill, between the hours of nine a.m., and four p.m.