MR DONNE'S MEETING.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 213, 6 April 1868, Page 2

MR DONNE'S MEETING.

On Saturday evening, Mr Donne addressed the electors of Caledonian and "Westport, and solicited their votes for the forthcoming election, as a member to represent Westland North iu the Assembly. The chair was taken by Mr James Graham. Mr Ponne spoke at some length, but the speech was nearly word for word the same as spoken by him at Charleston, Addison's, and elsewhere, for which we refer our readers to our paper of March 28th and 31st, and April 3th. Various questions were put to the candidate at the conclusion of the meeting, the most pertinent of which were the following:— What is your opinion, Mr Donne, of the native policy ? In answer to this, we understood Mr Donne to say that he thought the policy adopted in the past towards the natives was not a wise one, but that he was not up in matters of statesmanship, and consequently not prepared to state his views of the policy best to be adopted in the future. A gentleman next asked Mr Donne if he joined in the Loyal procession at Charleston.

The answer to this was, No! and he accounted for this by private reasons, which were evidently not accepted as a full explanation by the meeting.

The chairman next wished some one to propose Mr Donne as a fit and proper person to represent Westland North, in the General Assembly.

Mr Tyler hereupon mounted the platform, and spoke as follows, — Mr Chairman and gentlemen, I do not come before you to propose that Mr Donne is a fit and proper person to represent you in the Assembly, but on the contrary, to move that he is not a fit and proper person, and I shall explain my reasons for doing so as shortly as possible. First, I doubt Mr Donne's ability ; next, his integrity ; and thirly, his loyalty. Tou require, in reference to my first objection, a man who is possessed of some qualifications as a statesman, and I contend that the performances of Mr Donne in the Nelson Provincial Council have not been a proof of that ability which we require in our member for the higher post to which Mr Donne now aspires. Secondly, with regard to his integrity ; if you refer, gentlemen, to Mr Donne's printed address, you will find that he takes credit to himself for having been the means of establishihg district courts, of having brought about the measure of increased representation for Westland, and with having been the means of establishing a polling place at Addison's Mat. With reference to the first of these objects which Mr Donne says he brought about, I took the trouble to wait upon the Commissioner and found, that before Brighton was first rushed, and long before Mr Donne took his seat in the Council, that Mr Kynnersley was in communication with the Government, urging the advisability of establishing District Courts. The second privilege which Mr Donne takes credit for having brought about, is the increased representation granted to Westport, and I say that this was a necessarily urged upon the G-overn-ment by the separation of Hokitika from the Canterbury Province, whereby only one member was allotted to the whole cf the West Coast Groldfields, and although Mr Donne may have moved the resolution in the Council, the measure was, in fact, previously decided on ; and gentlemen, with regard to polling places, I am authorised to state, that the establishment of a polling place at Addison's, was entirely the work of the returning officer. So much, gentlemen, for Mr Donne's integrity. Now for his loyalty.

A gentleman in the body of the hall asked Mr Dotmo, if ho was in the loyal procession at Charleston, and I do not think you proporly understood the purport of the question. At a timo liko this, when disloyalty and disquietude exist, it behoves every man to show his color, and give unmistakeahle proof of his loyalty ; yet we find Mr Donne not walking or taking any active part in the loyal demonstration, preferring to walk about without any distinctive badge, so that he might not lose a vote from the Fenian party; here, hewever, where the tables are turned, and all our loyal feelings are excited, he is full of professions of loyalty, and of hatred to the seditious cau«3. On these three grounds, gentlemen, I beg to move that Mr Donne is not a fit and proper person to represent you in the General Assembly. (Cheers.) Mr Donne here got up to rebut MiTyler's assertionSj and in a most excited way, read extracts from letters, and portions of the blue book, and accused our reporter of being the cause of the hostility displayed by the meeting towards him, but at this stage of the proceedings, the whole meeting was so noisy, that we are unable to furnish anything like an intelligible report of the finale of the meeting, which soon after broke up, and adjourned to the Apollo Music Hall, to hear the speeches made in reference to tli address to the people of the Caledonian.