The Southland Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1873.

Southland Times, Issue 1717, 21 March 1873, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1873.

Ms Caldeci'B resignation of*his seat in the Assembly, announced elsewhere in j our columns, confirms the opinion expressed by us BOtne time ago, that that gentleman would not continue to occupy the position of a representative after having accepted a contract from the Government. The impropriety of members of Assembly retaining their seats and votes while personally interested in contracts, the due performance of which or otherwise it is in the power of the Executive to decide upon, is so apparent that, apart altogether from the provisions of the Disqualification Act of 1870, no right-minded and independent man would consent to do so. We are not therefore surprised at Mr Calder's decision. The duty is now imposed upon the community of choosing a representative, and it j is in every way desirable that the choice of the electors should fall upon one who i will fill that position in reality, and not I merely in name. The public opinion of the constituency has already been emphatically pronounced in favor of the Public Works and Immigration Policy initiated in 1870, and therefore the representative returned for Invercargill ought to be able to nivo his active support to any Ministry which undertakes to carry out that policy in the spirit in which it was conceived. The present unsatisfactory condition of parties makes it a matter of importance that the hands of thone who were placed in power at the end of last session, and who, whatever charges may h;ive been brought against them, have certainly proved that they are anxious to conduct that policy to a successful issue, Bhould be strengthened. It is too much to be feared that the cry of " prudence" raised by the Opposition, in tn my cases merely serves to cover an inveterate hatred of the policy of progress and settlement, to whic'i it is well known that there is a parly in the country extremely hostile, although, for obvious reasons, tnat hostility cannot be openly avowed. So successful has this policy been in obtaining the approval of electors throughout the colony, that evan those who in the first instance were opposed to it, from priv ite interests or from timidity, are now constrained to veil. their opposition under th« name of modified support, and by raisinu the cry of " prudence," eudeavor indirectly to fasten a charge of imprudence and extravagance on those who are actively engaged in carrying it out. In Borne cases this means nothing more than that the malcontents are themselves aspirants for office, which, once attained, they would do very much as their predecessors had done before. Of this ,we had an illustration iv the history of last session. No reasonable man would overlook the importance of prudence in the couduct especially of undertakings of national magnitude. But the opponent* of the present administra ' tio'i, although loud in their grumbling, are also very vague and general, and carefully avoid indicating the particular direc-ion in which prudence is to be displayed. No one denies that there has been much hitherto in the administration of th^ scheme which mi^ht have been better. The immigration part of the plau, for icstance, which is most important, and on which its success as a whole largely depends, has not, up to the preseut time, been placed ou a footing satisfactory either to the friends or the foes of the administration. There is much rootn for improvement here, and in determining the choice of the community, prominence should be given to the views which candidates may hold on this matter. Our local interests, particularly in regard to direct immigration and mail services to the Bluff, aa well as other matters, can scarcely yet be said to have received their fair share of attention from the Government, and the will and ability of intending candidates to do what cau be done to remedy this neglect should also be considered. An intelligent and active yet discriminating supporter of the present Government, so long as they continue to deserve the confidence of the community by their actions, and until the charges of mal-administration and corruption, so freely made by the Opposition, are supported by more than mere assertions, is the man for Invercargill. Such a supporter, we may point out, would have far more influence and opportunity to obtain the amendment of I what may be dove amiss, or neglected, than an out-and-out opponent, on whose hostility the administration would have to count in any case, whether doing right or wrong Several gentlemen are spoken of us likely aspirants for the honor of occupying the seat rendered vacant by Mr Caldeb'b resignation, but out of the number mentioned, Mr J JS. Cuthbeet soif is the only one who has definitely announced his candidature. Until the others fairly take the field, it would be premature to deal with their claims to | the public confidence. Aa regards Mr ! Cuthbibtson, he ia well known in the district as an old settler, and one who long took an active part in political affairs during the existence of Southland I

Iss a separate Province ; and it may be added, that during his political career he earned the reaprct of the community by | the ability and earnestness with which he always discharged his duty as a representative. He does not come before the constituency, therefore, as an untried man. On the contrary, he has already proved that he is possessed of the ' necessary talent not only to take part in ■ the deliberations of Parliament, but to do bo with credit to himself and advantage to • the diatru-t ; and as Mr Cuthbertson has for POtne time past thoroughly identified himßelf with the town, by taking an active interest- in various matters connected with the public welfare, we think that he is fairly entitled to " woo the soft Toices" of the electors.