Untitled

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 2

Dr. Menzies may congratulate himself on the exceedingly easy temper of his audience last night. Almost. every : one seemed determined to be satisfied with everything advanced by the candidate, no matter how repugnant to reason. The people of Southland have for the last two years consistently set their faces against the Superintendent's assumption of arbitrary power. They have,- times out of number, exclaimed against the Executive Council being made a cypher, and yet last night no dissentient voice was raised when Dr. Menzies said he looked on the position of the Superintendent as somewhat analogous to that of an Upper House. The doctrine is of itself palpably absurd — so transparently absurd that no words need be wasted in proving it ; but Dr. Menzies admitted that the relative positions of Superintendent and Council were viewed differently in different provinces. Who then in a Province is to decide on the position aud powers to be held by the Superintendent? ■ Is it the people and their representatives ; or is it the Superintendent himself? According to Dr. Menzies it is the Superintendent 7— an officer elected by the Council ! He did not, previous to his election, tell the Council that he should look upon himself as a kind of " House of Lords." Had he done so he might have waited a long while for their votes. The gentleman who proposed Dr. Menzies last night said he regretted that so much of personal feeling had been allowed to show itself in this election, and we most cordially endorse his opinion ; but the personal feeling has been all displayed in favour of Dr. MENZIES. All the reason lies on the other side. His opponents back their opinions with sound arguments and incontrovertible statements.