The Southland Times. TUESDAY, MAT 10, 1870.

Southland Times, Issue 1248, 10 May 1870, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, MAT 10, 1870.

A faikt hope that the lion, member for Invercargill in the General Assembly would, of his own accord, have adopted the course which honor and justice alike dictated, has hitherto restrained us from suggesting to Mr Wood the propriety of vacating his seat. The near approach of the session, however, compels us, as guardians of public interests, to throw aside unmerited delicacy, and insist on his at once resigning Bis trust into the hands of the constituency. Moreover, iess hesitancy need now be felt, seeing the ice has already been broken by our correspondent, "An Elector," who very justly censures the representative for not having ere this rendered to his constituency an account of his last two years' stewardship, and followed the noble example of Mr lIAJTEiNSOir under analogous circumstances. Striking indeed is the contrast of the two cases, nor need we*to pom& on whom lies the odium of the comparison. Those who have had an opportunity of observing the punctilious re-

gardtothe small courtesies and proprieties of official life for which the hon. member is remarkable, cannot give him the benefit of a supposition that he is unwittingly blind to an obvious duty in cases of greater importance. But even admitting the possibility that the proper course might never have suggested itself unaided to Mr Wood's mind, the parallel case of the hon. member for Eiverton was surely suggestive enough to have forced upon his notice what he ought to have done. It is useless to Bearch for either excuse or palliation for so gross a dereliction of public duty ; none can be found. Nothing short of culpable indifference to the well-known opinions and wishes of a great majority of his constituents, the overbearing influence of ! bis coadjutors, or a fatup us zeal impelling I him to sacrifice his own principles of j public honor, and the interests of the people, at the shrine of party politics, can have induced Mr "Wood to retain a position to which he cannot possibly persuade himself he has even the shadow of a just claim. The question of reunion is, so far as this province is concerned, the question of the hour, with reference both to the local and general legislatures, and the verdict given by Invercargill on that issue at the late elections, was such as must have convinced even the most wilfully obtuse that no man of re-unionist proclivities could honestly regard himself as fairly representing its opinions. So decided, indeed, was the expression of the public mind on the subject, that a sensitive man, in Mr "Wood's position, would instinctively have announced on the Bpot his determination to give the electors the opportunity of choosing in his room some one whose political aims were more in harmony with their own. It is to be regretted that no such tenderness of conscience operated upon the hon. member in question, or, that such scruples being engendered, they were stifled in the birth, and never permitted to exhibit their vitality. Had he even come manfully forward face to face with the electors, given a straightforward explanation of his past conduct in the House, and an equally plain and sincere indication of his intended action in the future, it is barely possible lie might have secured^ such an expression of confidence as would have justified the retention of his place in the Assembly, and enabled him to meet his compeers unblu shingly. As it is, if he again goes to Wellington, he cannot expect his statements to be received with any degree of deference. The first opponent who chooses to remind him of his anomalous relationship to his constituency will put him to hopeless confusion. Any little weight or influence he might otherwise have possessed will instantly vanisl^ and hence, except in the contemptible consideration of a head to count, be will be useless even to his own side. We trust, however, that Mr Wood will yet take steps to extricate himself from a false position ; that he will now call the electors together, and be guided by their decision. Failing this, there remains but one thing to be done. Their duty in the matter is clear. Having given their representative every opportunity to take the initiative, without effect, the electors must themselves take action, and that without delay. Either Mr Wood's resignation, or a protest ,, against his being longer regarded as member for Invercargill, ought to go North within ten days. The people of Invercargill must not be misled by assertions that reunion is a foregone conclusion. ]Far from it. .The question will be regarded by the Assembly from a colonial point of view, not as one affecting merely an obscure locality, and will doubtless be the ground of a smart conflict between the two leading partieß in the State. Very little may turn the legislatorial beam, and it is therefore most important that our wishes in the matter should be nnmistakeably expressed, either by the return of a member truly impersonating our views, or by such other constitutional means as will naturally suggest themselves.