The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1870. "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 102, 22 January 1870, Page 4

The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1870. "Measures, not Men."

"It is difficult to induce the public, as a whole, to take an interest in public affairs, and hence the greater reason why representatives should endeavour to disseminate information, and, if possible, create an interest in public matters." These are the words of Mr. Gillies in his speech at Tokomairiro on Monday last, and they carry with them their own significance. Seldom can the colonial public be aroused to anything approaching political life, unless some question is involved very closely .affecting their private interests. There is therefore the more necessity for the elect of the people meeting their constituents on stated occasions, not only to give an account of their stewardship, but to instil some animation into the body politic. The good custom of members of Parliament meeting their constituents annually has become quite an institution in England, and has been productive of a very healthy public opinion. We shall take the sentiment supplied us by Mr. Gillies as a text upon which to base a few words applicable to the honourable member for Lawrence city. It is in the memory of the most of us how Mr. John Hughes was placed in the position which he no w occupies. Had even a third-rate man presented himself for nomination at the time, Lawrence would have been saved many a vain regret. Everybody knows that it was from no merit he possessed that he was mada a representative of the people, — unless it might be the virtue of honesty and conscientiousness of purpose which made him long and kindly known as " honest John Hughes." We fear, however, this ; virtue has now fled from its wonted sanctuary, and that from intercourse with political scapegoats and adventurers our Lawreaoe memj^ar v*

conscious of having so forfeited the confidence of his constituents as to make him shrink from coming into contact with a rather enquiring community. Since Mr. Hughes was elected a member for Lawrence, he has never deigned to address his constituents. He has been repeatedly requested to do so, and has repeatedly declined by offering the lamest possible apologies. No doubt the honourable member's convictions are similar to those now shared with regard to him by the vast bulk of the electors, namely, that he is incapable of disseminating any such information as would create an interest in public affairs. Besides, it is well known that since the canonization of his patron friend, Julius Yogel, his time has been fully occupied, like the celebrated dove in ancient story, " seeking for rest and finding none." If it is Mr. Hughes' intention, which we have no doubt it is, to stick firmly to the seat so unworthily occupied by him, we must quietly wait till that seat will become vacant by the effluxion of time, comforting ourselves with the old French proverb which says, " Piitienee is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." Let us hope in the present case the fruit of our patient waiting will be sweet.

Our local Hospital is an institution which every resident in the Tuapeka district is desirous of seeing conducted in a manner satisfactory to the widely scattered Community for whose benefit it exists. On this account we are pleased at any time to observe a more than ordinary interest exhibited during election time. L.ist week the annual meeting of subscribers was held, and a committee elected, but we were never more dissatisfied with the manner in which any committee were placed in a position of trust tlian we were upon^ that occasion. To our mind the election was a mere farce. If the interpretation given to the clauses of the Ordinance bearing upon the qualifications to vote was the correct one, then we say the sooner the Ordinance is amended and put into something like a reasonable shape the better for the Hospital and all concerned therewith. That a subscriber of one pound or more annually should be debarred from voting because it may not be convenient for him to pay that pound subscription in advance, is absurd in. the extreme, and requires no comment. By adopting that course, which had nothing to recommend it but two or three years of bad precedents, the Hospital has lost, we believe, upwards of a dozen subscribers, and, besides, raised a spirit of dissatisfaction amongst several gentlemen which may prove contageous, and detrimental to the best interests of the institution. The truth of our remarks was strongly exemplified on the evening of the meeting, when great difficulty was experienced in getting nineteen individuals to constitute themselves eligible for election. That difficulty being at last overcome, there was nothing left for these nineteen gentlemen who remained in the decimated meeting but to nominate and elect each other, which they did in due form and order. We have no objection whatever to the gentlemen elected — far from it : they are all honourable men ; but we do deprecate the system as thoroughly rotten at the core. The only liberal construction, in our opinion, that can be put upon the ordinance is that any gentleman who subscribes annually the sum of one pound sterling to the funds of the Hospital is entitled to a vote at all general meetings. Had subscribers for the past year been allowed to elect a committee for the present year, we are satisfied that not only the terms of the Ordinance would have been complied with, but the best interests of the institution greatly forwarded.