TO THE ELECTORS OF THE MOUST BENGER DISTRICT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 150, 22 December 1870, Page 6

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE MOUST BENGER DISTRICT.

(Per favor of the Tuapeka Times.)

Brother Eelector*, — ]STo\v that tho general elections for the future Parliament are coming on, it behoves every man, especially belonging to a mining constituency, to be. up and stirring, and see that the miners at least get a fair representation in the future, and not be a bye-word in the Assembly as they have been. Jivery miner should at 'once make it a pomt — and a strong one — to endeavour to form n Liberal League in their several districts for tho purpose of securing united action at the ensuing elections ; for it must bo apparent to every miner, that if united action is not agreed on now, we must expect (and it will serve us right) to be misrepresented for the future as we have been in the pas*. We must endeavor to counteract tho undue influence of the squatting interest, and see that wo return men, and such a number of them, that they will have some weight and standing in the new Parliament. We have now the old battle to fi ■dit over again that was fought for years in Victoria — Capital v. Labour. We all know the struggles we had year after year, but conquered in the end ; and what the result is must be well known to every old Victorian miner. Their representatives have now some power iv the Assembly, and also hold office in every ministry formed. It is now our dutjto follow in their steps and see that our representatives are placed in the same position. It is not for me to point out how we have been misrepresented, every miner who takes any interest in such matters knows that too well to his cost. Not long since a requisition was taken round the goldfields for signature, calling upon Messrs Yogel and O'Neill, the goldfields representatives to resign, because found they were legislating for other constituencies, aud utterly ignoring the one that returned them. Well, now we have another chance, and it will be our own fault and we shall alone be to blame if we do not now band together and put the right man in the right place. Every mining constituency should endeavour to get a local man for a representative — men they know and can depend on — men that are acquainted with our wants and grievances, and who will endeavor to redress them ; and we must not trust, as we have done, our interests and future welfare in the hands of the Dunedin

merchants and lawyers — men who bare no interest whatever in the place, and therefore, cannot be expected to legislate for us with the same spirit and interest as a local man. I see there is a requisition being taken round this district for signature -requesting Mr. Barton, the lawyer of Dunedin, to stand for this district, said requisition being got up by one or two persons here ; not, I believe, because they think Mr. Barton is the fit and proper pcrsou, but in opposition to a gentlemen, a local man, Mr. .T. F. Dean, a thorough miner's man, in fact, I may say almost one of ourselves, and a gentleman whom the miners here have unanimously pledged themselves to support. T-q show how rotten the above requisition, is, in requesting signatures to it, they H3>y, although you

do aign iL you ;u'o not obliged to vote for him unless you like ; such a course 1 lake it being anything but complimentary to Mr. Barton. Mr. Dean addressed a very large meeting here this week, and was listened to very attentively by the meeting, with the exception of some two or three persons who, I expect, look upon themselves as forming part of the respectable portion of the community — men of education, forsooth! who endeavored, but utterly failed to interrupt the meeting. A vote of confidence was carried with only three dissentients, which, out of such a large meeting, speaks for itself. The miners here are banding together to secure that gentleman's return. If the other mining constituencies are only true to themselves and will look out and return proper men and thoroughly unite in supporting them, we may then expect to obtain a fair share of representation in the Government of the country. Thei'efore, Brother Electors, let our motto bo — " Right Men in the Right Place " — commune bonwn.

I am, &c, J. T. Gwyxne, Switzers, Dec, 17, IS7O.