Page 1 Advertisements Column 3

Southland Times, Issue 635, 22 February 1867, Page 1

Government Advertisement. NOTICE. npHE Undermentioned goods wiU be sold at -"- the Bonding Warehouse of Messrs John Ross and Co., on Friday, the first day of March, proximo, at 12 o'clock noon, in terms of the LXXXIX clause of " Customs Regulation Aot, 1858." ?„ Nos. 10 and 11, Two quarter casks Wine, ao warehoused by Dickson and Co., on 29th January, 1864. A. J. ELLES, Cottector. Custom House, Invercargill, 19th Feb, 1867. Election Notice. TO - THE ELECTOES OF % THE DISTEICT OF WAIANAWA. jp E NTLEMEN, — Having resigned my sea as your Representative in the Provincial CouncU, I do myself the honor of explaining my reasons for such a step. At present I cannot afford to devote sufficient time to the onerous duties which devolve on a Representative even in a Provincial Legislature. The first business of any one aspiring to such a position ought to be, to educate himself to fill it. If such were the rule, instead of vapid declamation, and rabid denunciation in very bad EngUsh, the deUbeiations of our Provincial CouncU would be marked with very different and more beneficial results to the community at large than they are likely to be at present. In my opinion, the best thing which every constituency in the Province could do, would be to petition His Excellency the Governor, on his arrival, to suspend the Constitution Act, as regards this Province ; send down a Commissioner to act as a local dictator — one who, untrameUed by party animosity, unbiased by private pique, unmindful of any local howl which might be raised against his proceedings, would be able to turn his attention calmly and determinedly to the extrication from its difficulties of a Province, which F even now, I maintain, if properly handled, is in as good a position in proportion to its size, as any in New Zealand. Such a commissioner, if (as doubtless he would be), an able business man, could, I firmly beUeve, place the affairs of the Province on a firm and satisfactory basis ih nine months, fund our debt for us at a lower rate of interest than we are Ukely to borrow at ourselves ; lease our present line of; raUway, in such wise as to ensure the construction of its two great feeders — the Eastern and Northern Unes ; and, by restoring confidence, accelerate the land sales, cause the intiroduction of population, and enhance the value of property generaUy. As I said in the CouncU, T say now, we cannot afford to govern ourselves. Whether the provincial form of Government is desirable or not for other Province, it is a dead letter, so far as we are concerned. It. is as potent for evtt, as powerless for good now, as it has been throughout our miserable poUtical career. There is an impression abroad that a dissolution of the CouncU wttl prove the panacea for our Uls. Do not believe it. like the man who had ctaan swept and garnished his house, it w" 1 be merely introducing seven devUs worse than the first. AU experience shows that legislative- bodies deteriorate in calibre, and it is natural they should. The tendency of the age" is a rabid democracy which develops itself by returning to the legislature men who substitute violent -vituperation and low insinuation for dispassionate consideration and argument. Thus those who are not am-; bitious of distinguishing themselves in such an arena, or decline to be subjected to such treatment, witt gradiiaUy' withdraw, and leave the CouncU a prey to miserable accusations and recriminations, whUe the real interests of the Province will be neglected. Our Council, therefore, witt be fiUed on the one hand with men who, though honest and well-meaning, are unfitted by education and habit to fill the position they aspire to j and on the other bj the Btill more objectionable class— those who have a smattering of education— the Jackdaws in Peacock's feathers. To, the: minds of such, to speak on all occasions, whether they have taken the trouble to inform, themselves on the subject or not, to meddle with and if possible to thwart, for the mere sake of opposition — and gain .popularity . as sucking Brights— any measure. which may be .submitted for their consideration by the Government, is the acme of poUtical wisdom, — " And every atom asserting its indisputable right to dance. . . Will form an _j_iver_7' dust." In resigning into your, hands the trust you were good enough to repose in me, I can honestly say I have endeavored to fulfil its duties, without the; sUghtest regard to personal consequences, ahd to the best of the abUity which has been vouchsafed to me ; not merely as regards the section which I represented, but the whole communityj. . B.QWever deficient I may have been : in judgment, few will accuse me of want of independence. - * ....-.'.-■ r ■- r I am, Gentlemen, „\ Your obedient servant, ; Waltee H, Peaeson.