THE CAMPBELLTOWN ELECTION.

Southland Times, Issue 1171, 26 November 1869, Page 3

THE CAMPBELLTOWN ELECTION.

We have been requested by Mr Cuthbertsou's committee to publish that gentleman's reply to the requisition to become a candidate for the above district. It is as follows : — Gentlemen,— l am much gratified by your expression of confidence in me, and willingly accede to your proposal that I should become a candi late for the representation of your district in the Council. The extremeiy short notico I have had prevents me meeting you in person, but this is of the less consequence, my views being well known. I have always consistently opposed the continuance of the provincial system in the government of the colony, believing it Ito be the source of many of the evUs we are now enduring, and in its indirect effects subversive of the principles of free constitutional government. 1 hope yet to see it superseded by an arrangement simpler and more efficient, which by affording facilities tor the development of local government, will secure the economical and satisfactory application of funds to local objects, and at the same time leave the colonial ad ainistration at 1 liberty to devote their attention and resources to objects of colonial interest, such as harbors, immigration, educatiou, main thoroughfares of road and rail from end to end of the islands, and many other matters affecting the well-being of the community as a whole, which are now either neglected , or imperfectly attempted, often with disastrous results, from insufficient means and divided councils by the Provincial Governments. Campbelltown, more perhaps than any other constituency, from the capabilities of its harbor and its peculiarly advantageous position as a point of arrival and departure, would consult its true interests by supporting a policy of a truly colonial, as opposed to a merely provincial, character. The present re-union agitation, if successful, will have a direct tendency to perpetuate the provincial system, from which we have already Suffered so severely. The con-

trary assertion so freely indulged in, ' when 'party purposes are to be served, wi.l blind no one for a moment who has. watched the course of the Otago party in the Assembly. There is nothing less desired by the politicians of Otago thau to merge the individuality of their province in a consolidation of the various governing bodies of tiie Middle Island. The manner iv which the re-union a^-it ition has been carried on, haa already, in the opinion of many, seriously injured the prospects of the province, whether as regards an acceptance of its proposals by Otago or the Grenerai GJ-overnraent, ..by placing its destinies in the hands of a majority apparently mc ipable of perceiviivr, in their devotion to this one idaa, the absurdity of any act that is recommended as necessary to carry out their cherished sche ne. It is time, even in the opinion of intelligent re-unionists, that more moderate counsels should prevail. , I do not offer any quack nostrum, I warranted instantaneously to remove the depression under which we suffer ; but at the same time I profoundly distrust the efficacy of that which the re-unionists recommend, and fear that in their hands we shall suffer severely iv the interval which must necessarily elapse before their vaunted cure can be appliel. As the Asse nbly, in rejecting the Otago and Southland Re union Bill, seem to disapprove of the re-union scheme, and as by the Assembly the matter must ultimately be decided, it appears to me that the Ministry must undertake to furnish the means *of continuing the necessary departments of the public service till next session, in any case, whether we decide to re-unite with Otago or not. Next session a measure will certainly be required to determine the future, not only of Southland, but of other divisions of ( the colony, which, under the^present distribution of the revenue, cannoc much longer maintain a separate existence, or fulfil the ends of government. In the meantime, a decision of the Council in favor of re-union to Otago seems to me premature, because utterly destitute^ of any practical effect at present, aad impolitic, as needlessly anticipating terms which may prove better and more stable than any Otago could offer. If returned, I can but promise to do my best for my constituents, as circumstances arise, and to observe perfect ira partiality in regard to the interests of every class of the community. — John R. CTJTHBEBTSOy.