THE ELECTIONS.

West Coast Times, Issue 234, 22 June 1866, Page 3

THE ELECTIONS.

land (hear, hear), and suggested that miners should insist upon candidates for their suffrages, standing or falling by it. (Cheers.) The survey of the so called rural lands was vigorously proceeding, and the country was being divided into strips a mile wide, which would be afterwards sub-divided into blocks, with the intention of bringing them into the market at an early date. Under the Canterbury land regulations tho minerals were sold wijhthe^ land, so that if the sale took place, the miners of the West Coast would in* reality be in a much worse position than those of Victoria, as they would be entirely at the mercy of a few speculators and capitalists. (Cheers.) Mr. Barff concluded by thanking the meeting for the patience and courtesy with which it bad listened to him, and retired amidst loud applause. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.

PUBLIC MEETING AT THE KANIERI.

A public meeting, convened by Mr Gillespie, was held at the Star Hotel, Kanieri, On Tuesday evening last. Over three hundred miners were present. Mr Brown being voted to tho chair, opened the meeting by (Stating that he understood Mr Gillespie did not appear in the character of a eandidute for legislative, but merely to impress upon the miners of that district the necessity of taking an interest in the approaching election for the Provincial Council, and how imperative it . was that a suitable person should be selected to represent the Goldfields. He then introduced Mr Gillespie to the meeting, who on coming forward, said, that being a mere tyro in politics, he experienced no slight difficulty in explaining tti them tbe present political state and tn'o Mur6 political requirements of Westland. It was, however, their duty' to take an interest in the land of their adoption, and to mark the operation of those laws which exercised so powerful an influence in advancing or retarding its prosperity. Past experience had shown him how fallacious was the idea so often indulged in by mining communities— that they bad no abiding city to .dwell in, and thus frequently endured political apathy, which led to the, most disastrous results. He, However; trusted that the miners tff Westland would never suffer such reproach, but that the example of other colonies would serve as beacons for their guidance. In addressing them that evening, he wished them distinctly to understand that he merely came forward as an individual whose long connection with gold mining bad convinced him that) as a rule, digging {Jomraunities were exceeding remiss in Sending suitable gentlemen to advocate their interests in that • Legislature, from which emanated those' laws that so naturally affected them. As tbe time was close at hand when Westland would be called upon to aendhir representatives to Christchurch, ne thought that eligible* pieri dhoujd ( b 6 at once selected, and induced to come forward. There were some gentlemen already in tbe field, all of whom,. ho felt constrained to say, were not calculated to

properly represent so important a district as the West Coast. By a reference to late Issue's of the " West Coast Times," he had

(ftteetvfed, witK Some surprise, that certain parties in Hokitika bad Undertaken to produce the rigbt men, but it wds to be prpve.d whether they would be accepted byjbbe miners . He thought tboße vi parties fiati dfirdgated to themselves far too much, in dictating who the goldfieluV representatives should be, as their province lay clearly in providing for Hokitika alone. It appeared to him tliat there was a wish to dictate to the goldfields, on the assumption that they did not contain men of Sufficient standing and talent. He, howeve^ j aid tiot Consider a merchant a "fit Jlna proper persoty'' arid he thought it a Biiesti6n whether such a fjferstm tfoula 1 djsfyhguish between a head-race and a iailswe, pr recognise a " set of timber," if it were,ahpwn him v (Hear; hear, and cheers.) Jo., reviewing th.e -past "acts of. ( tfre Canterbury Governmentj m connection ;with Weatland, anyone must be convinced that the outlay upon the next- to -useless overland road, and that abortion, the escort, would be a drag upon Westland for years to come. How many works of utility might have been completed with the sums thus misspent. Wharves extended, bush tracks cirt, . ferries established on the $apgeroiis rivers, banking companies Iqsifered; mining boards introduced — which. wiStHutions we,re urgently required* The speaker considered that through men of 19 practical experience being placed at, the iiead* of affairs, public, money had thus >ccn < sduahclered, and if the present opibrtunlty of sending good men to the . Council were neglected, results equally as disastrous would most assuredly be the fruits thereof" (Applause.) Mr. Grillespie was of opinion that the duties of those gentlemen wno might be returned would be anything but easy ones ; they had much to learn, and would require to wear a bold front if they desired to obtain anything like a fair share of the revenue, as .- they w.buld be oppos9d.to.men whose views jvere not in harmony with their own; and, numerically speaking^ would be infinitely superior to them. \The Speaker thoiight that the Kanieri district was the most important of any in the province, and that men of no mean ability would be requisite to represent it properly, and whose opinions would have weight in the House. They would stand forward as champions of a class composed of men who possessed tb,fe bloat indomitable energy in the pursuit of their calling, who^ bad ever been light and reasonable in their demands, and bad, moreover, largely contributed to the maintenance of, the, State. , New countries were Colonised by them, of which Westland was tb'fe latest instance. (" Hear, hear ! " and fiteers.) In concluding his address, Mr Gillespie briefly alluded to the general inefficiency of gold-fields' officials, and trusted there would soon be a sweeping reform in 'that department. He resumed bis seat amidst loud and continued applause. Mr Barff then came forward for the . purpose of explaining how it was his name bad been connected with that of Mr Casdlus. He bad, when he first appeared ' before the public in Westland, been induced to do so through the receipt of a numerously signed requisition from the residents of the Waimea district. Not receiving such an inducement from any mining district, this time, he bad thought it advisable to publish an address, stating it to be bis intention to stand for the goldr fields. Afterwards be received a requisition signed by some of the most influential Hokitika citizens, asking him to stand for the goldfields with Mr Cassius, and, as he entertained a very high opinion of that gentleman, he consented. Subsequently, however, he altered that opinion as Mr Cassius seemed too apathetic, and he consequently refused, to make a tour of the different districts with him ; and, moreover, he (Mr Cassius) appeared exceedingly undecided when asked by the speaker whether he intended to come forward or not. Mr Barff then sought the advice of those gentlemen who had signed the requisition, which decided him to stand alone. As the present .meeting was called by Mr Gillespie, it might perhaps be considered that be (the speaker) was out of place in addressing it, he, however, -wished to say a few words reepeoting a question that would be likely to engage . the attention of the next Council. He reX ■ ferred to the proposed sale of auriferous