QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2161, 7 December 1875, Page 2

QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sir,:—Whatever good or bad awaits the people of this district as the result of the coming elections chiefly depends on the actions of. the electors, themselves. Hitherto we have been subjected to a doable form of government, each having its own method of. dealing with isolated districts like our own ;■ arid we are speaking the truth when we state that according to the numbers and wants of this district we have been shamefully neglected and unfairly treated by both the Provincial as well as the General Government "lib?"PNjewj Zealand;* Whatfwp really Jneed :at i. the* present t\tck< is •-'a. change, and that for the better; and we have found out that the less of formality we are subjected to in being governed the better it,will.be...for. this district. We believe that,af».we/n;ad bnfr gopd;iform ibf: honest government suitable to the whole colony, with reasonable powers to manage our own local revenues and taxes and subsidies, the Thames would be much better for the, change.-/,'!JWe have; already one form of bad government at our feet, and" it is pur duty and privilege as independent electors to keep the ball of progress rolling until the greater form of government has been purged, reformed and 1 remodelled, through the united efforts of a very much over-governed and over-taxed people. Our duty to ourselves then is quite plain enough; let us try

and choose such men as will go to Wellington on purpose to represent^the people of the Thames Goldfield in <the Assembly, and not men who only represent themselves and friends, and then leave the district in the hands of others. We want those totally independent; of Government influence, unless such influence is pure and uncorrupted, and is for the good of all ; men who can command - the confidence of all rightminded, honest electors. Some of our newspaper writers will persist in stating that the electors have nothing to do vt ith a public man's private character, so long as he shows some outward zeal for the good of the commonwealth. Such arguments can only be advanced on purpose to cover over some ulcerous sore hidden from the public, that is sure to break out afresh when the desired ends of its possessor are obtained. If a man's private or public character is gone, what on earth, has he to recommend him to any'public trust except his unshamed cheek, or what is equally as patent his vaunting cheque book, said cheque book having the property of being an antidote for all that is rank and bad in his character. We hare already too many such men as administrators in this young and growing colony. If we* cannot obtain men whose characters are thoroughly sound, it is no argument that we should accept those whose characters are well known to be bad, and whose 'very appearance in good and honesf company has a direct tendency to taint such company. A writer asks have we not two men amongst us that the electors can place confidence in ? We believe we have; but ynfhtfrtr'JSxpvnmnoed such negligence during the past' that'the electors are afraid to depend on any men unless their character and conduct have .something of the sterling honest <ring about it to recommend its possessor to our confidence. Give us two men that can see their way clear to represent the Thames district in one sound parliament, men who will stand firm against all party feeling, whose whole, aim is based on the advancement of our local interests and the interests, of the whole united colony. The welfare of every one in this district is so much dependent on the other that it would be madness to talk about democracy and aristocracy. It is not pulling to pieces we need, but drawing closer to each other, so that we can make our voices heard in the Assembly as a united and determined constituency, having one common aim—our adopted country's good.—l am, &c, T. Bbighouse.