ORIGINAL CORREPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1137, 7 April 1869, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORREPONDENCE.

WK DO NOT IDENTIFY OTTBSBLVBS IK AKT WAY WITH THB OPINIONS BJOPRBSSBD BX OVB COBBBBPONDENTS. (TO THB BDITOB OV THB SOUTHLAND TIUBS.) Sie — I beg leave to apologize to the Electors of the Invercargill District for not holding the public meeting which I advertised. I proposed to have it for the purpose of putting an end to that current of accusation and complaint which is always sure to now after any popular excitement. I therefore publish these letters as a ;closing statement. — 1 am, Sir, tout's : truly, W. P. Tanner. April 5, 1869. The Eeverend TV. P. Tanner, Beturniug Officer of the District of Invercargill for the Diocesan Synod in Dunedin. Eeverend Sir — We hereby claim to be returned as representatives of this District, in the Synod to be held in Dunedin, on Wednesday, 7th April current, on the ground that we are the proper persons to be elected in consequence of having a majority of votes. We protest emphatically against your partiality throughout, and canvassing throughout for Messrs M'Culloch and Baker. We further protest most emphatically now in writing, as has already been done verbally, against your refusing to recognise the votes in our favor of Messrs A, 6, C, D, E, F, G, H, X, L, which you had already accepted from us, and for which we hold your receipt. We further protest against the votes for Messrs, M'Culloch and Baker, signed by M, and N, junior, as witnesses, and we hereby give you written notice that we will require all votes whatsoever to be produced before the Synod. We also request that you will forward this protest to the Synod, and hereby intimate that it is our intention to have a copy brought for. ward in the Synod, together with any other information believed to be required. — We are, Eeverend Sir, Your obedient Servants, Feed. H. Mooee Thomas Pbatt. Invercargill, April 3, 1869. To the Chairman of Committee in the first meeting of the Diocesan Synod in Dunedin, 7th April, 1869. Sir — I have the honor to send you the voting papers that I have received as . Eeturning Officer in the Invercargill District, and I beg leave to notice the several protests that have been made against my return in a letter, of which I send you a copy, addressed to me by Messrs Moore and Pratt, but first I declare that the votes have been care- ! fully scrutinized in my presence by a candidate from each side, and that with such a system no other result can be obtained from the voting than that which I have returned, which I believe also fairJy represents the majority of Church members in my district. The first protest is against "T w™**" 1 "^ for Messrs" M'Culldch and Baker ; in this protest I heartily concur, but of course this does hot in any way affect the correctness of my returns. In an ordinary ecclesias* tical election, when important questions reserved for the highest court* are not thrown open for popular voting, a candidate should be judged from his personal fitness for the post he would fill, and a clergyman may then leave the matter to the. discretion of his parishioners, but in this particular election there were points to be considered which were quite distinct from the personal character of the candidates, and so it has been necesary that a clergyman should canvass, if he would wish to give his parishioners any information on the questions that have been raised. This is a disgraceful position, and I wish to join Messrs Moore and Pratt in protesting against it, for it is hard for a clergyman to be obliged to canvass, however much he may dislike it, because it is only by doing so that he can use his influence when he considers that the honour: of the Church is at stake. With respect to the other protests, I know Messrs A. and B. to be nonresidents. Mr L. is under age. Ire- ' ceived the votes of Messrs C. D. B. P. GT. H. and K. in favor of Messrs M'Culloch and Baker, and when afterwards papers were given me, signed by the same persons, I mentioned the feet, but declined to go farther into the matter until I had to account on the day of election fur all the papers that I had received. I believe that it is sufficiently clear that the voting paper is the property of the elector, and may be held, handed over, or withdrawn by him after it has been signed, until it is given to the Eeturning Officer, when alone it becomes the property of the candidates. Messrs M. and N. junr., are as credible witnesses as any that this system seems likely to produce, and 1 am acquainted with most of those persons whose laigna-' 1 tuies they witnessed. You will observe that the voting papers which have been used on< the side of Messrs Moore and Pratt were so prepared that they might be collected, by third parties. I do not know however, whether this was done in order thac the electors might not be drawn within the influence of the Clergyman, who is also Eeturning Officer. A do uot complain of any party's using all tha opportunities afforded it, but I protest against the issuing of voting t papers before the day of nomination. Which have not the names of all the nominated candidates marked on them. The whole position in bo extraordinary, we are anxious to know what the fault in our constitution is which is urging on the iaity to do a work that our highest court was unwilliuy; to do itself, to deprive a Bishop of his See, because he is a high churchman. Ido not believe that any fair complaint can be brought against either party i a this contest, each one need the advftntegei it poiifiMdj

but I protest against having my parish placed in such a position. However I trust, that if we can only get ari honorable settlement of the difficulty, these wounds will soon be healed.— I have, the honor to be, b'ir, your obedient servant, • W. P. Tanneb. Eeturning Officer, Invercargill District April 3, 1869. (TO THB EDITOB OF THB SOUTffLAND TIMES.) g 1B — Why does not " One Concerned " mind his own business instead of. writing upon matters of which he is literally ignorant. In the first place he is wrong as to the number of votes recorded. He then speaks of the " Eitualists " in Invercargill. What on earth does the , man mean? why there is not such an animal in the place. The Eeturning Officer took the votes of those which were handed in first. The duplicates delivered afterwards were rejected impartially on either side. A person was sent put with a list of Church of England people in the vicinity of Long Bush, and he was instructed to get the votes of as many of them as he could. He returned not with fifty or sixty votes, nor filled up by Dick, Tom, and Harry, but with about sixteen, the names of all of which were on the list, and well-known Church of England men. " One Concerned " had better mind his own business, and not pick up information from the " Man in the Street," and publish it as authentic. — Your's, &c, Peopositi Ten ax. (*0 THB BDITOB O? THB SOTXTHIiAND TIMES.) Sib — Much to my regret I cannot allow a letter beaded " Eitualistic Supporters/ and signed " One Concerned" in your contemporary's issue of this date to pass unnoticed, and as I shall be compelled to make use of language which to the unconcerned may appear somewhat intemperate, I scorn to assume a " norn de plume" as the correspondent in question has done, one whom I can only believe in one particular — namely his signature, to which I would suggest an addition of one deeply concerned at defeat. I distinctly pronounce the letter referred to a tissue of mis-statements, and in doing so will confine my remarks solely to what I know of my personal knowledge, and I have no doubt that any of the others concerned in the return of the successful candidates are quite able to justiiy their own conduct. As regards the Beturning Officer I must say his position was a most unenviable one — two distinct duties having to be performed. He fairly notified that aa pastor and instructor lie purposed to advocate that course of action he considered for the good of the church, and as Eeturning Officer any unbiassed person who could have witnessed his ultimate passing of questionable votes on the side of those with whom he acknowledges a difference of opinion, could nofc fail to be struck with his deep anxiety to avoid any partiality. The rotes of those who had recorded on both sides (why or for what cause I cannot tell) were thrown out according to the hour and date they reached the hands of the Eeturning Officer, aiid in all cases when I lodged any votes, though I am not aware of any of my soliciting having done so flagrant a thing as voting twice, I affixed to the envelope those distinguishing marks of time. No youth was employed as " One Concerned" states. A young man was furnished by myself with a list of undeniable members of the Church of Englamd in the neighborhood alluded to , with instructions only to wait on those wholiad not voted, and who distinctly claimed membership. He returned with sixteen not sixty votes, and the witness alluded to, as an assistant at a hotel, but actually the owner, voted himself the other side. ' Audi alterampartem' before I finish with Mr " One Concerned." On his side, I may fairly state first, that some fifty votes were signed prior to even Messrs M'Culloch and Baker appearing as candidates. Among those I can name one who stated he would rather have had his hand cut off than have voted for those who, when the subject of who should be bishop was brought on, would oppose the claims of Bishop Jenner. • Several, nay very many, regretted their hastiness, and one was a member of a committee pledged to secure the return of those he had inadvertently voted against. Secondly, I must allude to the 174 votes recorded as " One Concerned" states, and further, give a short analysis. This I do, as it has been said that on our side there were some of other denominations. I can only speak for those t sent in myself being all attendants of the Church, and of my own knowledge ; among the rest I cannot point out more than one whose declaration bears any doubt. I can also prove that I conscientiously refused the vote of one young gentleman under 21 years, whose paper the other side was not so scrupulous of accepting (or forcing) owing to elasticity of conscience. Among their list I noticed, not only how completely they had scoured the country districts, even venturing into the Eiverton and Campbelltown Districts, where other elections had been going on, but I discovered one good papist, several pious conformists, sundry devout juveniles, and a somewhat startling proportion of the lounging fraternity to be found unemployed near the Post Office, few (three, alas ! I think) of all of whom were thrown out by the Eeturning Officer. Thirdly — As regards " Eitilalists inducing, &c.," I would venture to state, amid the great difficulty of defining this description of worshiper, that I must acknowledge that during the last eleven years in the colonies, whether from verdancy or not I cannot tell, I have failed to discover one of the genus. If " One-Concerned " would be kind-enough to introduce one to my notice, it would considerably relieve, my ignorance, while, fct the iam« time, I should be norry euoh

an one, if guilty of excesses as 5 described by public print, should occupy any prominent position in the Church. To sum up, what has already extended to greater length than I purposed. Ido not in any way attach blame to tbe candidates themselves, who throughout, I have reason to think, were desirous of everything being conducted fairly and equitably ; it is only to such as the writer of the letter in question, which savours much of a defeated partizan who endeavored to cast a slur oa my integrity in objecting to my rendering assistance to the Eeturning Officer in the copying out of the voting lists, an imputation which, coming from the quarter it did, I merely treated as unworthy of notice. — 1 am, &c, D. Macbobie. Invercargill, April 6, 1869. (TO THB EDITOE OF THE SOUTHLAITD TIMES.) Sib — There has been some misapprehension with respect to my tender. Be facto my tender is the highest, and offers to pay to the Government the lump sum of £1,410 for the lease of the line for the period stipulated. And in addition, to bring up from the Bluff all government plant, materials, &c, required, free of charge. The instant I discovered that another tender had been accepted, at the same time that it was declared the highest, I sent in a protest to His Honor the Superintendent. — I am, &c, Chas. D. Ibyine, Civil Engineer. p.S. — The tenders were taken in yesterday at 12 o'clock, and I sent in my protest before 3 o'clock. The corresponding amount from the accepted tender is £1308.