The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 702, 26 July 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1867.

THE^election of a new Council embraces also the election pf a Superintendent. This fact should be kept in view by the electors during the present political excitement. , A mistake made in the selection of a representative simply* to fill ujy^vacalit seat on ordinary occasions iB comparatively harmless to.what it might prove on the occasion of a. general election. The appointment of the Chief Magistrate: is looked upon in every country aa the- most important of all political responsibilities. In. the New Zealand Provinces the election of a Superintendent is generally viewed as being of the very highest moment, and as a rule the ablest and best tried politician has been selected for one ofthe most honorable offices that can be awarded. When the election devolves upon the general body of the electors it is seldom thatYa mistake is made — the merits of the candidates are freely and searchingly discussed, and as a rule the best man wins the race. Unfortunately in those Provinces established under the new Provinces Act, the election ofthe Chief Magistrate does not rest with the electors themselves, but with the : members of the Provincial Council, and thus ah opportunity "is afforded a few men, if so disposed, by party influence or log-rolling, to elevate to the highest legislative and administrative position in the community a man whose only claims may be class proclivities, or an inclination to act in accordance with the wishes of the "squatters, to the detriment lof the interests of the majority of the inhabitants of the Province.. ;- Such being the case, -the -forthcoming elections are invested with an importance of the very gravest character. ! . The present state jof the JPrbyince,_the. vital questions involving .the, future,, of •- the.colony, tliat are now under discussion,and must be decided,, renders' it*imperative upon the electors to: exercise the greatest care in the s'electioil^of'representatives, in order 7 to >, secure the election of a progressive L :aiid' r 'able ,phief Magistrate. , J^tuch. more^ i depends; oupon the wisdomj Lability,* and- integrity of a Superintendent, 'than 'is'geiierally understood, in theJ.obtairiance of equitable j legislation;* md the progress^ of the Proyince, -Recent, events have shown;;, tp =i what lengths a section of the Council i will go in order td_ compass their own ends., rlt canno|; be denied that the} pas- i tpral tenants of the Crown will .leave I no scheme untried tp secure the election of an anti r iprogressive . Superintendent. - Tj'hecfeime has come when public opinion -should show to, r the runholders that if they study their own interests, t,hey L will let well alone, and- avoid pTovbktng^a determined class contest, ;in which, even [though & peculiar combination <of _ circumstances may 'for the : mom'eiit^afibrd a ! faint hope of success,: ultimate defeat is certain. look upon, hostility to the pastoral; interest as a thing! to be deprecated, it can scarcely be expepted that- thi©/ vast majority of. the settlers will tamely submit to the effort which is now being made !"6n the part of the mino-rity-to hold the ascendancy, or that bitter feelings will not be aroused which may clip, the privileges;, they nowenjoy — privileges* as erpwn tenants, that no person objects to, spl"ong "as"t'hey do" not stand" in the way of the progressive advancement o^ the Province.^ The-electors - have the question "fairly : before them. The recent events that arose upon the Railway question being debated in the Council must be fresh in the memory pf aIL It sufficed to prove that cleverness in the system of working a jppint, of .playing with the vanity of shortsighted and foolishly ambitious men has been eminently successful.; The chief aini'pf the electors should be to prevent :thos&classes— the squatters' andambitipjis vpoHtibal.nbnenties who do their bidding 1 —from • obtaining ascendency in 'the. Council. Should such .-ascendancy be gained, and. every effort will be.made^tiOi gain it, the retrogression of the Province ■will be sealed. - With a" Squatting SujjgijV , MTi?r | CIJTHBEBTS^,Y.&^

we shall have squatting laws and rule ; all hope of any scheme for opening up the country for settlement by railways or roads will be lost, progress destroyed, and the country again assume the character of a sheep walk. This is the ,^ light in which' the settlers — the bone and sinew of the country — should view the subject, and manfully oppose the-agres-sive advance of the obstructionists' sway.. This can only be accomplished by returning men with a definite creed, pledged to j support the railways] and the election of an anti-squatting Superintendent. .We will return to this question again!

TH EAT E : '-E E 0 A I/f : .oA ,; iHVßßeA&onai;-. .Vvr-A-A Tar '-'i SPEOIAL NOjTIOE. . , Offing to the sudden indisposition of Madame Oaraoidnrf/.the^fiMt^gear^w'ofaeGompan^is 1 poftponed till Mondsjr."« • ' iiD * w^;-^> « ?i » '-^ '-^^