PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTION.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 577, 6 November 1869, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTION.

(To the Editor of the Westport Times.) Sib, —I see by your issue of Saturday that Mr Braithwaite, of the Caledonian, is mentioned as a desirable man to represent the mining community in the Nelson Provincial Council. Now, although I consider Mr Braithwaite a much more efficient man than any of the others mentioned, I think it is high time we had even more direct mining representation. If diggers are not competent to take a more direct interest in their own affairs, then they have no right to complain as to how they are done for, and still less right have they if they are not willing. But 1 don't think anybody will disagree with me when I say that we have men wbo are perfectly able, in every sense of the word, to do all that is required of them in the Provincial Council. We do not want to send a man to put the people of Nelson right; we only want to put ourselves right with them. And, considering all that has been said by our common enemy, Mr Curtis and his party, I think that we ought to send a real live digger amongst them. And to satisfy them that we have not degenerated from the common race of mankind, he ought to subject himself to a thorough overhaul, to show them that there is neither a tad nor any other part of the lower animals connected with us. Any sensible, straightforward digger, by stepping forward, is sure to get elected. A Digger. Bochfort Terrace. » {To the Editor of the Westport Times.) Sib, —It is to be hoped the electors of Westport will this time, in electing their representatives in the Provincial Council, send men that have stood forward in trying to do good in the district to the best of their ability—such men as Mr Eugene O'Conor and others. It is folly to send gentlemen like some of our former representatives, whose names were never heard until they were brought forward, and wbo sat in the Council chamber like mere automatons. It was said by one of England's greatest statesmen that people are governed quite as well as they deserve to be. When they send such men to represent them, possibly Messrs. Curtis, Greenfield, and Co. are carrying out this idea in governing the West Coast. I trust, therefore, that some one will bring forward such men as Mr O'Conor to represent the district. Scrutator. Auckland.