NOMINATION OF CITY MEMBERS.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 331, 21 December 1860, Page 2

NOMINATION OF CITY MEMBERS.

The business of nominating two city members for the House of Representatives, took place on Monday last, and, as has been the case more than once latterly, the day was very unpropitious for hustings speeches. Mr. J. Sharp, Returning Officer, having read the writ for the return of members, Mr. N. Edwards proposed Mr. E. W. Stafford. He had been known to the people of the province for many years. He had attained to the highest political position that could be reached, possessed large local interests, and as once Superintendent of this province, he was well aware of the requirements of the province, and a fit and proper person to represent it. Mr. R. Burn seconded, referring to past experience as sufficient ground for returning again one who had done his utmost for the prosperity of this city. Many things had been said on both sides about the present crisis: he was not prepared to say whether the war was a just or unjust one, but he considered a patched up peace would be worse than the present state of things. They should send men of energy whose previous action would be an earnest of their good intention. Mr. 0. Curtis proposed Mr. Domett. The mention of the name should be sufficient, remembering that the people have had five years' experience of his political conduct, and which he believed would satisfy all except those who were determined to be satisfied with nothing, and would always find fault with everything. The speaker referred to the meeting at the Freemasons' Hall somewhat exultingly, asserting that nothing had been advanced there in opposition to the men in question except some remarks upon what had been done towards educating the Maoris, a point that had no reference to the matter. He trusted that electors would not think of returning any other than former members without sufficient grounds—the showing why they were not satisfied with them, and gaining a knowledge of what was promised in exchange by those who would succeed them. Mr. J. Brown seconded the nomination of Mr. Domett. Mr. W. L. Wrey said he was glad to open _a door for electors to express their true opinions in proposing Mr. J. P. Robinson as their representative. He believed the electors were desirous of a change, and although accused of unnecessarily wishing to upset the' Stafford coach, involving all sorts of evil effects, he did not believe that a change would be Sy any means for the worse. The great burden ofwhat has been said in favor of the two can-1 didates just amounts to this—if you upaet the Stafford Ministry you inevitably let in Mr. Fox and the Wellington party. JUedid not look upon this as a necessary consequence, because he had a higher opinion of the talent in New Zealand than to admit that Messrs. Stafford and Fdx were the only two persons capable of conducting the affairs of the colony. He did wish to see a change, as the present Ministry had Bhown too great a desire to govern by patronage. Mr. Robinson they all knew to be an upright,; honest man, possessed of sound, good sense. He was heart of oak, and would judge of all things brought before him with uudeviating recollection of the wants of the Province. Mr. H. «J. Goodman, in seconding the nomination of his Honor the Superintendent, said he did so without diffidence or parade, relying solely upon their support from the fact that he had .efficiently discharged official duties in whatever capacity they had placed him, and had always been found consistent and indefatigable for the public welfare. He was not such a blind worshipper or strenuous advocate as to be over ready to pronounce his eulogy; but to those who may say he is wanting in vigor, it may be said he was never deficient in principle ; and to those who can point to a better man, it may be asked if they can find one who has committed fewer mistakes ? : : Mr. Domett in a lengthy speech which was much more to the purpose than anything that had fallen from previous speakers ran through some of the featuresof his late political career, unreservedly declaring that he would give no pledge with respect to the future. The opponents to the ministry on the war question he characterised as " factious." The " enquiry" that was insisted by that party, was likely to have produced considerable alarm" through, the publicity of details that would reach the Maoris. All reasonable men wish for peace, and have no desire to kill Maoris, for the sake of killing, or even to gain possession of their land; but a permanent peace ought to be made. (He ; then went into a detail of what ought to be done in the event of a peace.) He denied calling the natives "hoary cannibals living in a beastly state of MiMwrnvw i" f« towr could ha—ail natives

were not old or hoary. People must remember that they were about to elect representatives to a General Assembly, and that the welfare of the whole colony must be looked to, and the good of a part must be secondary to the good of the whole. After some remarks on the New Provinces Act the speaker alluded to the Compensation Bill, and attributed the failure of the bill to an amendment proposed by Mr. Sewell. (The well known indications of some obese person having fallen into a state of torpor here interfered with the speaker, and caused considerable laughter.) Mr. Domett then alluded to his being a government officer, and said he treated with contempt any insinuation to the effect that he could not vote independently on that account. He said that in case he should again hear the warning note of a rear-rank friend, he would at once thank the audience for the patience with which they had listened to his dry explanations. Mr. Robinson said that he had great personal, respect for the two gentlemen who lately represented the constituency of Nelson, and reluctantly opposed them, but as he did not approve of their political views or past actions he did not hesitate to come forward on the requisition of a number of electors, who thought with him that the government and their supporters were not so bright as painted by others, or as pictured by themselves; he was fearful he had a dark side of the picture to present to the electors of Nelson. He explained the promise he had made at his first election that he would not go to the House of Representatives if requestedl.J had denied that he had made any such promise at his second election. He then entered on the threadbare subject of the war and expressed grave doubts on the policy of the government haying resorted to arms in the manner they had done; but as there were bodies of men in arms against the government, they must be over-powered at any cost, and that most effectively and speedily. The ministry were much to blame for the facilities given to the natives to purchase ammunition and arms of all kinds. Had Sir George Grey's restrictions been fully carried out, such sales of arms-could not have been effected; Ho had seen a ship confiscated and a captain fined! five hundred pounds for exchanging an old musket for a pig, and another man imprisoned for giving; a few percussion caps to a native under those regulations. He then compared the ease with which natives could procure such matters, and the diffitulty thrown in the way of Europeans procuring powder for even every day use. The Government acting under a panic, had likewise proposed to introduce a bill of a most arbitrary and despotic character, but the opposition, not the Nelson menir bers, curtailed some of the most obnoxious clauses of thi3 atrocious bill. (Several clauses, with remarks on this bill were read by the speaker). He then gave some illustrations of the practical working of such a bill, and said that the ministers had tried to introduce another bill, the tendency of which might be imagined when one of the principal: supporters of the Government declared that if such a Bill passed, that it would be impossible for a European to live in the Northern Island. He alluded to the Fox cry, and said he cared little who constituted the Government, so that they tried to promote the interests and happiness of the people at large; there was plenty of ability in the colony, without getting all the supplies from Wellington. He for one. would most willingly support Mr. Stafford if he would stand by those principles for which, before he went to Auckland, he was so staunch an upholder ; but he was afraid Mr. Stafford had got into very questionable political society there; yet he was glad to remember that he was formerly one of the most zealous advocates for the public. He viewed the New Provinces Act as having a strong centralizing tendency, and was really framed to deal a death-blow to provincial institutions. And for the support of which statement li« would ask, who supported the ministers in getting this Act passed? AVhy not the tried friends of local self-government and free institutions; but, as far as Nelson province was concerned, the bitter opponents of all measures, giving the people power to manage their own affairs, which alone was pretty [ conclusive evidence of the bias of the measure. Ho then entered on a statement showing that tke Wairau had latterly a fair share of Provincial revenue, and said that Motueka was in a position much more in accordance with the spirit of the Act, to demand separation than the Wairau was, but there were no runholders in Motueka, There was little likelihood of the West Coast "being opened up by the expenditure of much money, whilst the New Provinces Act could be brought to bear whenever one hundred and fifty electors were settled there, atid could demand the whole of the revenue. Of the centralizing tendency of the present Government the Gold Fields Act was another proof. Be was rather curious to know how much better the General Government had managed the gold-fields than the Provincial; no returns of the expenditure or receipts were forthcoming ; but he believed that that there was barely enough revenue at present to pay the salaries of the police, although the district had been assisted by the pro»incial revenue to the extent of some thousands. He should go to the House, if elected, determined to follow a course best adapted for the welfare of the province, and would endeavor to prevent any further dismemberment of the provinces, and try to get back that which was taken away; whether Mr. Stafford, Mr. Fox, or Mr. Anybody be at the head of the Ministry. Several questions were then put by various electors, and satisfactory answers given. Mr. C. Elliott came forward "to speak of an absent man " who had pursued a course with great credit to himself, and with the approbation of the majority of the electors. Mr. Stafford, when he was returned for the House of Representatives (lying under a similar pledge to Mr. Robinson's), resigned the Superintendency at once without any reservation; and to him should be given the credit of making Nelson the place of departure for the steamers, and the saving of ,£I3OO a-year of the Company's Debt, which was' initiated by Dr Monro. Wellington men had characterised these efforts as a "spoliation," but with them liberty meant putting their hands into other, people's pockets. The benefits conferred by Mr. Stafford were real, not fanciful, and it was to the present ministry that the province was indebted for the substantiality of those benefits. .The; Superintend dent and previous speakers had told them that it was not inevitable that a Wellington ministry should lollow;. but it was well known that the leader of the opposition was always sent fovby the Governor. Electors should look to the result of any whimsical desire to turn out the present ministry. What fairness could be expected should a Wellington one succeed it when their watchword had been " Wellington Province for the seat of Government and no surrender," and, as for Fox, he had been guilty of "selling" his Auckland allies, most barefaced assertions, was1 not to be trusted, was the wolf of the fable that wanted them to turn away the trusty dog that had protected their interests, arid although once approved of by the speaker,—he respected him more when he knew him less. The Superintendent was wrong about the ministry having withdrawn the restriction on the sale of arms: it was done in committee, and why was it withdrawn? because it was not sufficiently stringent. He blamed the ministry himself; in some things he knew they had erred, but if they had not they would have been angels, not men. Electors should not listen to trumpedup stories of Arms Bills, and what not before they get rid of tried men. Several questions having been replied to, Mr. Akersten recommended electors to look well to who were the originators of the Arms Bill, which, in its general tone appeared to be more fitted for the times of the inquisition than those of free enquiry and progress. There were some days to spare before the elections, and he trusted they would not forget to let their votes register their opinions. The show of hands that followed placed Mr. Stafford first, and Mr. Robinson second. A poll j was demanded for Mr. Domett. Town Schools. —We remind our readers that the annual distribution of prizes to the scholars of the Nelson Town Schools, will take place at tbo Framaaoos' IfeU> this day at noon.