THE SUPERINTENDENCY

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 74, 18 November 1864, Page 3

THE SUPERINTENDENCY

(From the Southland" Times, Nov. 2.) The question is repeatedly; asked by electors, and it is right and natural that it should be asked — Who will be the best man to fill the Superintendent's- chair ux the room of Dr. Menzies ? Besides a large section of voters, who are prepared; -at hazards -to use their influence to prevent the return of Dr.- Menzies,. by voting for .candidates decidedly opposed to ' him, without, reference io who the substitute may be, there are many who, •whiUt i acknowledging that a change is urgently-required, are not willing to with-: draw, their .support from the present occu-' pant of office until the name of his proposed successor is before them. They krgue that, however objectionable Dr., Menzies may be, it is possible that the Council might elect some one worse qualified to look after the interests o£ the Province ; and in very many instances they say plainly to the candidates for seats in the Council, we object to Dr. Menzies, and so far we agx*ee with you, but you must: tell us who you propose to put in his place before you can have our votes ; and unless you do so, we shall support those who are favorably inclined towards him. When it was thought that Mr. Holmes would undertake the duties of the office the difficulty was supposed to be overcome, and the manner in which his name was received' leaves little room for doubt that he would have carried sufficient weight in the Council to secure his election, not only as against Dr. Menzies, but as against anyone else who might have been put forward. The announcement of Mr. Holmes, that for private reasons he would be unable to accept the honor should it be offered to him, leaves the matter where it originally stood. For ourselves, we may as well say at once that we believe no one of the candidates for the Council who are before the public would vote for any one as Superintendent, who was not thoroughly respectable, and who had not, moreover, the reputation of moderate ability and aptitude for the position. But we will go a little further and venture to say that, whatever may be the result of the forthcoming elections, there will be half-a--dozen members, any one of whom would be preferable to Dr. Menztes, even supposing he had not succeeded so effectually in damaging the reputation of the Province with the General G-overnment. We take it as nothing less than cowardice to suppose that amongst the electors Dr. Menzies is the only man capable of exercising, in an intelligent and profitable manner, the limited powers of Superintendent — and that to in the face of a career marked by a succession of blunders, and by a disregard of public opinion, which has never been exceeded, and rarely equalled, in the Colony. We are rather digressing from the subject we proposed to discuss, but it ia impossible not to beg of the electors to consider what Dr. Menzies has done to merit their confidence. Where are the monuments of his legislative or executive skill ? They must be searched for in the new Land Act and the Education Ordinance ; in the rotten remains of the North Hoad baulk-way, and the beautifully engraved plates procured with so much trouble by Mr. Samtjel Beaten. If breaking faith with the Council -which elected him, expending the public funds in childish experiments in the art of road-making, and contemplating the issue of worthless and illegal paper to bolster up the credit of the Province, give indications of a fitness for office, then Dr. Menzies has shown himself pre-eminently qualified, and it would be difficult to pick from the electors any one who would come up to his standard. If, on the contrary, these pleasing tokens are to be judged by the rules of overy-day life, the Council will be composed of remarkable specimens of humanity, if, from amongst its members, some cannot be found who would do less damage to the interests of Southland, and cause her to be less frequently jeered at by the other Provinces. Nor is it improbable that the ranks of the outside electors might supply the want. Whilst, however, we are of opinion that under no circumstances would the Council elect a worse Superintendent than the present one, there is no reason against a name being at once put forwai'd by those desirous of a change. There would be, indeed, a danger in not doing so. For an Opposition to be successful against Dr. Menzies it must be a combined opposition ; that is to say, all those who are averse to the re-election of Dr. Mexzies should agree on one man to receive their support, and each candidate for the Council must pledge himself to vote for the nominee as Superintendent. There is no room for divisions or cliques. Should two or three names be brought forward the chances of Dr. Menzies' defeat would be greatly diminished. The Opposition split up into small sections would be powerless to prevent his re-election, whilst his party, keeping well together, would carry the day— and an eA'il day it would be for the community. Anything that ' may be done in this matter must be immediate. The elections take place this month, and some time before the nomination day for the first of them the Shibboleth should be determined on. We have said there would be danger in not at once determining who .shall succeed" Dr. ; Menzies ;■ but the truth we believe;; is" that the' danger, is actually present.. ]STo : names may have been mentioned, at; least not since this announcement of Mr. Holmes ;■ but that very silence is, we think; caused, not by an absolute dearth, of public men capable of undertaking the Superintendency, but -because there; are several wlio would willingly accept the honor,: and: are, moreoyer, inot without followers.vlt is for', this reason ,we . haye written, The-pa/rty •: who ■■:. would! vote , in ftvyor of §ajidia.ate.B, opposed jo Up,- Mjjnzj;e| witb^

not „ sufficiently _, strong —is certainly in the minority— -but by putting" forward 'agood naniefor the Supermtende'ncy , such as we believe there can.be no difficulty in finding, a large number of votes, npw_ doubtful, or almost certain to be given; to Dr r ; .Menzies, jnay be" added to, :the list of his. opponents. ' It is imperative that there shall be no more thanoneiiv opposition to r Dr. . Menzies, j or he will be re-elected in spite of every exertion. "■".' '/:; '''__.. ■:'■:■-'. ■'."-/' '.■.■'■: '•' ' '" :[/: [ : There has been so much talking about; these elections, and the excitement has spread over so much longer a period than, was originally anticipated, that. the interest in^thein is apparently dying out just at the 'moment^ when it should, in the common course of things^ be groAying more intense. But though so many; meetings, "both public, and private,;, have been held in connection; with: the ; elections^ there, should stuTbe sufficient 1 life in the body politic to; set oii foot a movement to select and secure the return of ia successor to ; Dr. Menzies. ' Placing on one side all personal jealousies, and . combining with a will for -the goodf.of the Province, the electors -should be able to deliver themselves from; the bondage of a. clique, and the tenacious^ - grasp of ; 1 our ■■ " Old man of the mountain.'!