Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 4

Eiectloii Notices. TO '■■ "WVl H. tJALBiBB, ESQ.: - \,, INYERCARGiLL. STR,—We, the undersigned, Electors of the Town' of Eivercafgilli hereby request- you to allow- -yourself to be .nominated a .Candidate for the Representation of the Town in the Provmcid Council,' feeling that your long experience in the Province admirably qualifies you for that positions'; ■■ ■- -,•:->?.••. :-<..:. !•';;-■-,' 4. ■;.='.. ■•:?■:;■ ,;.,-... .■,..;. • .•;-.,■. JAMES HAEVEX' WILLIAM RtJSSELTi ' ■*'■'''■■ Al^^ JERtJSALEM SMYTH / -■>.': WM. PETTIGREW , y .... A. -S... CAMPBELL w .■"■'■■' WTLLIiJvr STUART "■■'■'• "PETER DALRYMPLE ■,-.-■-: G. H. REYNOLDS ■" -SAMUEL BEATEN ' '- ; ; wrA?^£ARCHANT ' ; ; L. TOWJjBY .:•■" ISAAC. BROAI) HENRY JAGGERS RALPH' SHAW p. HAMILTON W. H. BRAYTON T. HEMINGWAY ROBERT CLEAVE JOSEPH HATCH JNO^MUNRO J. HARNETT J. P. JOYCE a. M. K. CLAJtKE WM. GARTHWAITE WILLIAM ROBERTSON JOSEPH STOCE JOHN KINGSLAND T. B. GRANGER THOMAS ROBSON P. H. GEISOW GERHARD MUELLER JABEZ HAY G. GOODWILLIE E. HARGIN WM. LOCEHART WM. GRANGER WM. BLACKWOOD JOHN MORTON GKEOKG-E SAITNDERS wm. p. (miaou. Invercargfll, Sept. 29, 1864. To Messrs. HARVEY, RUSSELL, and SMYTH, and the other Gentlemen signing the Requisition. Gektxekex, 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 niyself for re-election. Those friends and electors who know me, will understand that no disrespect was intended ha 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 evei? candidate 1 seeking the suffrages of the electors should be thoroughly understood. Glancing hastily at the past, fmay state that I took a leading part in supporting the establishment of an escort at the breaking out of the Wakatipu goldfields ; and had the Government of the day acceded to the urgently expressed wishes of the people, I am persuaded that thia Province would now have been in a .vastly different position than it is. The present unsatisfactory relations between the General Government and the Provincial Governments of the Middle Island cannot long continue, and though beyond the immediate scope of Provincial politics, the question of separation of the two islands, if it should arise, woidd 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 Goveanment. I strongly opposed it then on the same ground as I now condemn the recent rise—rviz., 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 annual-value-to-let clause in the Roads Ordinance. This principle, doubtless right in the abstract, is yet totally inapplicable to our circumstances, and met my determined opposition at the time of its introduction. I am hi 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 stanrp the opposer with insanity ; but Deoause 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 vray of this ; and vievring the present troubled state of New Zealand affaire, it would puzzle the furthest-sighted to predict our powers or position hi this respect twelve, or even six, 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 fundamental requisite in plan of relief, and if obtained, support the following policy : — Entire proceeds to be devoted to— first, the payment of unsecured outstanding liabilities 3 second, interest and sinking fond on debentures already issued ; and the balance, if any, mainly in pushing forward internal communication. The revenue derivable from the three-eightha of Customs, licenses, assessments, &c., should be made to cover absolutely all departmental expenditure 5 and to say that this latter ia impossible, or even impracticable, seems ridiculous, with only a population to govern of some 8000 \ especially ■when it is considered that vre derive a large CofltotOß revenue from our connection: with districts beyond the Province, which costa nothing in governing. I ivill only further refer to the question of the Superiatendency— l am . opposed to the extreme powers claimed by His Honor the present' 'Superintendent, and if elected ,a», your tepTesentatfve/Kirottld oppose the election to :that office of any one -who did not give without reservation the sno*fc solemn pledge to act only in accordance with the will of the majority of his Executive, in all matters, -not delegated by the Governor, The Bill passed in February Session ; of Council had this fov, it» object, and did not intey&ro with the delegated powers of the Superintendent, nor am I aware of ft single resolution bf the Council attempting to do no, And thanking you for your confidence in the past, and for the present w^uWtioni I am, t m m% $<$^ B?mnt, ?e<?i Wi s> mm