PUBLIC MEETING.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 198, 5 January 1866, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

In compliance with a public notice convening a " meeting of electors interested in the nomination of candidates for the House of .Representatives," a few gentlemenassembledatthePrince ©f WaiesHotei on Wednesday evening. Judging from the number present, the electors of Southland appeared to have concerned themselves but slightly about the important question before them. As suggested by one of the speakers the non-attendance of many colonists residing out of town might be accounted for by the short notice given, — some twenty-four hours only. This was probably the case, but it certainly formed no excuse for those who did attend — some three quarters of an hour after the advertised time. However, as an utter neglect of punctuality is the usual characteristic of public business in Southland it would not be fair to regard as apathy what after all may be only the force of habit. In accordance with the unanimous request of the meeting Mr. D. Mitchell took the chair, briefly introducing the business of the evening. Mr. Mtjjs'eo said he had been requested to convene the meeting in order that timely steps might be ta&en to secure the advantage of the boon accorded to the province by increased representation in the G-eneral Assembly. As they were aware the concession was the result of agitation on the subject, and showed that the expression of opinion by meetings properly conducted would meet with attention. Provincial Councils, unless with full treasury coffers, were merly a delusion, the real business of the province being done in the House of .Representatives. It became tnus most desirable that the four members returned should agree on the leading questions which would come before them. If for instance they were equally divided in opinion on a given subject— two in favour of the one course and two diametrically opposed, it would amount to a virtual disfranchisement of the electors returning them. Unity of action was most desirable as by it only could the province expect to reap the full benefit of the four votes possessed. It had been said that the diverse interests oi the squatting, agricultural and commercial classes would operate against the success of such an idea, but he (Mr. Munro) thought that the men returned for the House of Representatives should be above petty considerations : he belie red it was quite possible to find four representatives of enlarged views, disposed to work in unison. They should invite the co-operation of other districts in demanding that everyone who aspired to represent them, should come forward and state his views clearly, and not solicit their suffrages on the presumption of a political creed, thus making a mere stepping stone of the occasion. They were not met that evening to pledge themselves to support any particular person but to take measures to bring out so to speak and hear the views of eligible men. Although there was a great apparent disproportion between the number of members returned by this province and Otago— the latter returning 15 to our 4, yet so equally were parties divided in the Assembly, that any four members acting together might possibly turn the balance on a question affecting the interests of this province, He wag aetrtto tQ B&£Y&9§ tee Msaki^j Ql

returning squatting, commercial or agricultural representatives ; as he had before stated, petty considerations should be set aside and, with this view he had drawn up a resolution -—-"That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that combined action be taken by the Electors of Southland to return four (4) representatives, agreed on the most important colonial questions affecting the interest of the Province. "Mr. Mv into continued — It might be objected that a squatter could not consistently represent the Town of Invercargill, or a townsman forward the interests of the squatter, but he would say that the representative system tended to do away with such petty antagonisms in favor of some broad principles of general application, such as the questions of Separation, Finance or the three - eighths of Customs revenue. In fact, there were many questions which might affect this province and unless unanimity on the part of our representatives were secured, their influence would be in a manner lost; he would therefore place the resolution before the meeting. Mr. Haeb seconded. Mr. Kingslaxd drew the attention of Mr. Munro to the fact that his resolution went beyond the limit implied in the advertisement calling the meeting. Mr. Daleymple. — It says much for the last speaker but one that he takes what may be called a fatherly interest in the welfare of the province, but I would prefer getting to business at once and as a tried man would name Mr. Dillon Bell, as a fit and proper representative for Invercargill. The Chairman explained that the object of the meeting was a general, and not a special one. Mr. Kingslaisd, without wishing to unduly interfere, would suggest that as any political association would possess but slight influence in a limited community that it might be best to first agree among themselves with respect to the return of one representative. As to what Mr. Munro had said about any four members turning the scale on a political question, why the same might be said of any number of the Otago representatives with greater justice, as they were 15 to our 4. Mr. Woods said that he agreed with the opinion expressed by Mr. Munro that it was desirable to get four members to pull together, but there was a reservation in the matter which was that they should not unanimously pull together the wrong way as that would be even worse than division among them. Such had been the case hitherto or our affairs would not have drifted into the confusion in which they were at present. Had our representatives consulted the public good instead of their own private ends things might have been very different that day. "With regard to the most desirable team he did not find any definite creed laid down, or that there was anyone likely to represeut any but the squatting interest. However unpleasant it might be to set class against class he could only take the experience of past years in other parts of the world — in British Columbia and else-where-as proving that a monopoly of the soil was all the squatter cared about. He (Mr. Woods) scarcely thought it wise to repeat what occurred colloquially, but he saw one gentleman present who was with him during a conversation with a squatter — a member of the late G-overnment, who certainly did not appear to suffer from modesty. Four gentlemen were named by him as unexceptionable, viz : — Mr. Matthew Holmes, a squatter, a shrewd business man for the Otago and Southland district ; Mr. M'Neil, a highly educated and most estimable gentleman, also a squatter ; Mr. Dillon Bell, as leader of the team, a squatter too ; and for Invercargill, Mr. Cuthbertson, still a squatter. It seemed strange, and made it difficult to sink the feeling that if there was anything requiring united action they were compelled, to have recourse to the squatters of whom, in the whole province, there were only some forty or so to balance against a general population of ten thousand. If squatters alone were to be returned, one for every ten of their whole number, what was to become of the interests of the ten thousand other colonists. Personally, he respected many of the squatters, but politically he objected to forming a representative team from their ranks. Would the ten years have been added to the pastoral leases ifThe Chairman called to order. Mr. Dalbymple said he would move as an amendment " that this meeting considers Mr. Dillon Bell a fit and proper person to represent the district of Invercargill in the House of Eepresentatives, and hereby invites him to come forward ' as a candidate. He (Mr. D.) was not there to defend Mr. Bell for what he had . not done, or to eulogise him for what he had done, it was for the electors to form an opinion. Mr. Jackson proposed as a further amendment that the words in Mr. Munro's resolution commencing with ** agreed on the most " be deleted. Mr. KnrGSLAND, as a further amendment, moved "That it is not advisable that this meeting should take any concerted action in the election of members for the other districts of the Province ; but that they should at once proceed to nominate a member for the Invercargill District." 1 He considered that if they invited a 1 member to come forward and represent Invercargill it was sufficient, as discord must be at once introduced of they attempted to select four representatives. No three persons in the room, he felt ; persuaded, would agree to unreservedly 1 support any four gentlemen that might be named to represent them. It was all 1 very well to talk of dropping petty differences, but what one person might < think ' trivial, another might look upon as impox* tant. Mr, Woods seconded Mr, Kingsland's amendment. ; Mr. Mtobo explained that he did not i wish to biad the meeting to a. particular

whether combined action was desirable. For the rest, he could only reiterate the : arguments he had at first advanced, and take the general opinion as to whether it 1 was advisable to get the other districts to co-operate. Mr. Jackson, at this stage of the proceedings, withdrew his amendment by leave. On a show of hands, the original motion was declared carried. Mr. MmsTEO then moved that Mr. D. Bell be invited to place himself in nomination for the district of Invercargill. His antecedents proved him to be conscientious ; he was in a position to devote time to the duties of a representative ; he possessed influence and large experience, having if he (Mr. Munro) was rightly informed, been one of the council of six" who, in the early days of New Zealand, were called upon to advise with the Grovernor upon most important questions, if ter what he had done for this province it became almost a matter of duty, irrespective of courtesy, &c, to invite his services untrammelled by conditions. Mr. Woods asked whether it might be ' advisable to request Mr. Bell to represent the town, or some other district. The Chaieman rose to explain what he believed to be a misconception on the part of some of the gentlemen present. They were met not merely as electors of Invercargill, but — by virtue of the requisite qualifications— as electors of other outlying districts. Mr. Knf gsland did not think sufficient notice of the meeting had been given, and thought an adjournment would be advisable. After some conversation it was determined to adjourn the meeting till Tuesday, the 9th inst.