RIVERTON ELECTION.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 225, 7 March 1866, Page 2

RIVERTON ELECTION.

(to the editor of the southland times.) Sib, — Although I am fully alive to the fact that everything Eivertonian is very j generally sneered at in the capital of Southland, I certainly was rather astonished at the" leading article of the Southland News, in its issue of the 28th February. Your contemporary commences his tirade by stating that " the settlers of Aparima Valley (whoever they are), have shown how they appreciate the value of the privileges of increased representation , by tranquilly declining to exercise the franchise," and so on, with a sally worthy of an oblivious scribe. Now, Sir, in answer to that, I have only to remark that as there was no necessity" for those electors to exercise their right of the franchise, from the simple fact that | the person of their choice was the only one, that attack is pretty harmless. He goes on to say " that the unsuccessful candidate had, but a few days previously, addressed the -Rivertonians in persuasive accents, and had succeeded in eliciting some very flattering promises of support." I believe that until the Eiverton Volunteers were dismissed from drill, late in the evening, Mr Marten had hardly a single listener, and after those heroes, like Bombas toes' soldiers, were dis- { missed with the caution, " don't kick up a row," it would have been almost impossible for any person not giited with the I "bump. .of Bei£estee.m/' 1 to Bare closed!, hii*

eyes to the fact that these promises of support were given in that humorous manner, that goes by the name of "chaff." "Why any gentlemen should be blamed for omitting to take his maternal relative to face the chosen few, is a question very difficult of solution, as it is scarcely to be . supposed the lady was also to be introduced to the House of Representatives. And why it should be odd that a number of people ha,ving signed a requisition should appear to support the gentleman they had asked to represent them in the G-eneral Assembly is an equally curious question, and " now for the most singular part of the affair. At the last moment Mr. Marten found that no gentleman was prepared to propose him." It certainly is a most singular state: of affairs that a number of men in Southland should give their name to a requisition to a gentleman to become their representative, and when the time came for their fulfilling- their pledges, actually to do it — " O Tempora, 0 Mores" twenty men have kept their words and are very properly snubbed for being out of the fashion.* Again, Mr. Hankinson's adherents were not at all surprised when he told them that "he should go to the Assembly without any formed opinion ;" being pretty well aware of his honesty of purpose," they omitted to ask the usual " clap-trap questions," or to dispense with theserviees of a really good man because he boldly stated that, "he did not know what might be the aspect of affairs six months hence." Perhaps his very innocence of the acquirements usually looked for in a representative did constitute some of his clamor for support at the hands of the people of Rivert on— very likely they did. At any rate, his constituents were spared the repetition of the Ministerial policy, with a strong dash of " down with the squatters," and told something that seems new ; and, to speak seriously, I believe that Mr. Hankinson was elected in personal grounds, and that to quote once more from your eontemporay, " that his high social standing among bis requisitionists did inspire them with a confidence in his honesty of purpose," and perhaps they did go on an old and timehonored maxim. I feel quite sure that if there were " two evils " I chose the least. I hope that the great metropolis will do half as well as her little sister — Eiverton. I am, Sir, &c, T. B. P.S. — May I be so bold as to ask who is to be your member? Eiverton, March 1, 1566. 9