THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF NELSON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 574, 30 October 1869, Page 2

THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF NELSON.

The public occurrences connected with the election, since Wednesday, are these : —The Committee appointed at a public meeting met on Thursday morning, and rescinded their resolution to send a deputation to Nelson to ascertain the numerical strength of Gibbs and Akersten there. The Charleston deputation returned to Charleston. Mr Gibbs, one of the candidates, sailed for Nelson by the steamer Kennedy. Mr Eowlands, Gladstone street, was also a passenger. When they may get to Nelson, with prevailing weather, is uncertain. Their probable occupation at present is catching cod under Eocks Point. As probably, this enforced delay will have an adverse effect on Mr Gibbs's support in Nelson, where he expected to hold more meetings, as the other candidates are doing. What the Committee decided upon was to telegraph to Mr Barnicoat, Mr Lightband, and Mr Tasker, for information. From a telegram below it is not 'ikely Mr Barnicoat will reply. Mr Tasker has not done so. Mr Lightband has, and to this effect—that Mr Curtis will certainly be returned unless the "West Coast support Mr Gibbs. The Committee do not publish this. From Mr Akersten himself we have received a letter to an opposite effect. We publish that, though we are not a Committee working on his behalf or otherwise. It is as follows : Nelson, Oct. 25. Since I arrived in Nelson. I have been through the country districts, and I find I skall get a much larger share of support than I expected, and much of it. has come over to me through an unfounded report that was j circulated through the country by a friend of Mr Gibbs, to the effect that I intended to resign in Mr Gibbs's favor. I never had such an intention, as I never believed a man like Mr Gibbs (who has mixed very little) would receive the amount of support necessary to oust Mr Curtis. I offered to stand out of the way, and, in fact, to support Mr Barnicoat, and especially when I found he would be supported by the West Coast ; and it was only when I saw no one likely to carry the election coming forward, that I ronsented to contest the election. I can assure you that if every elector now on the coast were to vote for Mr Gibbs, you could not return him. I shall most certainly poll two to his one in some of the districts, and at least four or five to one in the city. In Collingwood and Takaka, Mr Gibbs's best districts, Mr Curtis will take about half. The other half will be divided in about the proportion of three to Gibbs, and one to myself. I rely on the West Coast, who can carry tho election if they pull well, but I again assert that they cannot return Gibbs. I intend to go to the poll, and I believe I shall be returned, even if Mr Gibbs gets 50 votes on the West Coast. Wm. Akersten. From an honest anti-Curtis leader in Nelson we have this telegram : Nelson, Thursday. I believe you West Coasters have the election in your hands. If you give a fair support to Gibbs, he will go in for certain. Then from another we had this telegram : Nelson, Thursday. A report has been published in the Examiner that Mr Barnicoat had telegraphed to the West Coast that Mr Akersten had the best chance. This cannot bo correct. Barnicoat cannot know, and it is doubted if he telegraphed at all. The story seems improbable. Gibbs is promised the support of at least half of the country districts. Akersten's speech at Stoke, and an article in the Colonist showing up some of his proceedings, have done him great harm, and turned many from him. He is fast losing credit. Then again, from Luckie, of the Colonist, we have this : Thursday, 4 p.m. I have just received the following letter from Mr Barnicoat. It has reference to a report published here, in connection with the election, and I send it for public information. D. M. Luckie. (To the Editor of the Colonist.) Sie, —I shall be obliged by your giving me the earliest opportunity of contradicting a statement in an article in the Examiner of Wednesday, taken apparently from the Westport Times, to the effect that, in reply to a telegram addressed to me by Westport electors, asking my opinion as to which of the candidates (Mr Gibbs and Mr Akersten) had the best chance of support, I had replied Akersten. The fiict is that I have received no telegram on the subject; and I have expressed no opinion, by telegram or otherwise, to any of the West Coast electors, on the relative chances of the above-named candidates in contest for the Superintendence'. J. J. Baenicoat. We need not say that no such statement emauated from the Westport Times. Thus endeth the lesson. We hope the electors are benefited by it. No doubt everybody in Westport who is anybody will have telegrams to-day.