THE INVERCARGILL ELECTION.

Southland Times, Issue 1155, 27 October 1869, Page 2

THE INVERCARGILL ELECTION.

(Southland Time*, Oct. 20.) The utterances at the hustings yesterday of the respective candidates for seats in the Provincial Council, or of their supporters, were not of a character likely to afford much, if any, useful information upon the question at issue. -Re-annexation ' To be or not to be,' is certainly the engrossing topic of the day, and yet had any person new to the subject attended tbe nomination, and listened to the speeches of the advocates of re- union, with a desire to be informed on the advantages to result therefrom, he must have been grievously disappointed. The abstract question was barely touched by its supporters, and tbe utmost that can be said of their advocacy was, that it consisted of strong assertions, mingled with a great deal of the asperity of personal feeling towards the opponents of the measure. We do not remember to have been present at a nomination in Invercargill in which so free and bitter reference was made to personal matters, utterly beside the point, and where imputations against personal character, in ! the various relations of life, were allowed so much play. It is somewhat amusing to notice the continually shifting standpoints of those who would have us at all risks flee to annexation as our panacea. The proposer of one of the re-union candidates (Mr Andbew Kinross, himself a member of the Provincial Council) — apparently forgetful of the fact that reunion had been represented as necessary on account of the unsoundness to the core of the provincial body, that its disorder was one which the skill of the best physician was utterly inadequate to deal with, in introducing his candidate, Mr Piiatt, said that our present position arose solely from the fact that our councillors had been bad men, their measures necessarily being bad also. It is perhaps hardly fair to the annexationists to regard Mr Kinboss as their champion ; but considering that he had so closely identified himself with the party, and so persistently uttered their war cry as his own, it might have been expected that he would have been more discreet in his remarks. It does not appear to have suggested itself to this gentleman that in this sweeping denunciation he includes tbe whole of the party with which he is acting, and whom he now seeks to intro-

dace again into power. In one particular there is a unanimity noticeable among the advocates of re-union, whic'i is very much to be regretted. If there be any effect in combination, and if the continuous and persistent depreciation of the province, and its resources, by those who, from their position, may be supposed to know something of the matter, be at all likely to force on the state of things which they are desirous to see brought about, then, re-union with Otago is a probable occurrence. If it should take place it will likely be because those whose duty it is, as having been in some degree instrumental in bringing the provinceintoits present embarrassments, have not only refused to help to extricate her, but rather by the course they have taken increased the difficulty. It does not appear that any definite reason has been given for the sudden conversion of those who now so strenuously advocate re-union. Beyond the assertion, " I have changed my mind," nothing can be drawn out. Vague, eulogistic utterances are given of the purity and excellence of a provincial administration which a few short weeks since was all unclean in the estimation of those who now laud it. It is not pretended that any radical change, on one side or other has taken place since then, and a thoughtful mind cannot all at once recognise that suicide and death of yesterday should be the life and salvation of to-day. The explanation, if found at all, must be found where ordinary searchers have no access. Without imputing motives, the singularity of the occurrence, combined with the absence of explanation, excites surprise. Mr Calder, who may be taken as the leader of the movement, stated yesterday, that in the consideration of the subject, he looked not so much at the terms proposed for present relief— the payment of our liabilities — it was on account of the impetus union would give to settlement, and other future benefits, he so strongly advocated the measure. The warm eloquence of Mr Caxdeb in contrasting Southland's advantages with Otagan mis- rule, and his deprecation of any movement which should give so certain a death-blow to the provincial system as that proposed by the reunionists, will be fresh in the memory of most of the attendants at the Provincial Council. The cadence of his words seems scarcely to have died away, when we are startlingly summoned by the self-same tones, entreated to reverse the picture, assured that the terrible ogre against whom we had been so earnestly and energetically warned, is in reality to Ui the genius of happiness, waiting only to enfold us in his embrace, and seeking every opportunity to do us good. We are encouraged to run thither, to trust in him, and to be safe. Dr Menzies dealt very fairly with the proposed conditions of re-union, and urged that these terms bound Otago only to assist South* land out of Southland's own surplus revenue. We have before us the statement of Otagan residents deeply interested in her prosperity, asd who therefore may be rather disposed to represent her favorably, to the effect that her outlying districts have good grounds for complaint, not merely that they are not fairly considered in the distribution of revenue, but that they do not receive the money actually voted to them in the Provincial Council. This will be the case with ourselves, should re-union become a fact; but in estimating the future it is a false principle which looks for prosperity , from governmental expenditure, without the idea of development. It is by acting on the principle of development of our resources — let the idea be sneered as it may — that our deliverance will arise, and it has certainly been the bane of the province that her political doctors have looked for help from outside, instead of utilizing that which has been, and is within. On the result of today's poll will depend the careful consideration of the question before the country. Should the promoters of reunion obtain a sweeping majority, the Council will meet not to deliberate, but with a foregone conclusion. It is to-day the boundenduty of every electorto give bis voice on the solution of the difficulty. We trust the result will be such as will save the province the pain of a deeper humiliation j a more galling yoke, than she has yet endured.