MOUNT BENGER ELECTION AND WESLEYAN METHODISM.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 284, 10 July 1873, Page 10

MOUNT BENGER ELECTION AND WESLEYAN METHODISM.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — Knowing that your columns are always open, either that justice may be done or humbug exposed, I send you the following little bit of news. Being at Roxburgh the other clay, I could not help hearing a good deal of talk about tho election which has just taken place there, and resulted in the return of Mr. George Ireland as a member of the Provincial Council. !Now it appears that the Wesleyans of that -''happy place" claim Mr. Ireland as one of their body, and of course were proud to think he had defeated the other local candidate (Mr. J. Beighton), who has the misfortune to be a member of the National Church. This is of course quite natural, and nothing but what we might expect ; but when I was told that the Wesleyan minister of the district, during a pastoral visit he was paying to a lady friend of mine there, who by the way differs with him in politics quite as much as he may agree with him in religion, expressed the pleasure he felt a*. Mr. Ireland's return by saying he (Mr. Ireland) might be the means of converting every member of the Council. I must confess I felt a liitle bit disgusted — of course when he spoke thus he meant converted to Wesleyan Methodism. I leave you to form your own opinion of the above, tor the truth of which 1 can vouch ; but I call it " twaddle." I may, however, inform you that the recent election seems to have quite overcome the feelings of my good friends, the Wesleyans, at Roxburgh, and has slightly affected those in the neighborhood of Alexandra; but I do hope that Mr. Ireland will not allow his sensitive feelings to so far overcome him as to render him incapable of discharging tho double duty of M.P.C. and W.M. — Yours, &c. Anti-Humbug. Alexandra, July Ist,