The Westport Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 22, 1872

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1024, 22 November 1872, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 22, 1872

The Waimca oracle bath spoken! Mr Joseph Shephard M.11.11. for "Waimea, and Treasurer for the Province of Nelson, laboriously delivering himself of a speech, nt once oracular, ■discursive, and self assertive, has tried hard to catch the ears of the groundlings, and toimpressupon thcAVaiuieaites that be, as a politician, ia without sin, and without guile, as proof against all temptation as bis namesake of old. He may lay the flattering unction to his soul that he lias succeeded in allaying mistrust among his Waimeaitish believers, bnt we fear bis eloquent defence, if it may be so termed, has fallen on deadened ears heyoud the select circle of his own particular friends. The Nelson press gives but the faintest reflex of his arguineuts having convincingly changed tho current of popular opinion in Nelson in his favor, while here on the Coast, tho printed records of hid utterances are read and commented on with incredulous and even contemptous expresaions. Mr Shepherd's assorvations, that under no circumstances could ho in his political career, transgress the strict bouiads of duty, are accepted, cum ijrano salts, and with a sensation of bewilderment as to what particular code of moral law and mental reseivatiou forms the basis of his political creed. It matters little now what

particular force of mental argument it was that impelled in wayward and eccentric deviations Mr Shepherd's political opinions, and caused his vote to go bobbing too and fro in reckless fashion. His expression of belief that he acted straightforwardly, need not now be necessarily questioned. Instead of seeking for an analysis of the individual opinions influencing his votes in the House, it is a matter of greater interest, on account of the position Mr Jbhephard holds in this province, to scan narrowly the closely packed columns of print in which his utterances are embodied, for some indications of more liberal views and lessened prejudices on coast affairs. It is a matter of deep regret that the indications are still but tho veriest shadows. He has ceased to abuse Mr fox for stirring up strife and dissension between tho people on the coast, and the Superintendent of Nelson; confessing that if Mr Fox made mistakes, they wero honest mistakes, but Mr Shepherd still chooses to class the residents on the Goldfields as turbulent malcontents, suffering from a chronic grievance. He said : —" When Mr Fox visited the Coast, persons endeavored to instil into his mind, insidiously and from interested motives, ideas of Provincial affairs and views of its alleged mis-government, which they wished him to see in the light that these persons felt most desirable for their own ends. Mr Fox's integrity of purpose was undoubted, and all must admic that his mistakes were honest mistakes. Some amount of discontent was felt on the Goldfields at the time of that visit, and to a casual visitor that discontent might appear just. But those who could, with unprejudiced eyes, look to the whole case could see that instead of those accusations of the abstraction of large sums, which were being spent on the settled districts, being a fact, the reverse had been the caso. Mr Fox, when he went down, had had these pernicious and false views forced upon him, and every endeavor was made to create with him the impression of a general mismanagement of our public affairs, pressing upon him that some change or interference was necessary, and every endeavor was made to set his mind against Nelson, and by some meaus to get possession of a large portion of its proper revenues." This might have been well left unsaid, for it indicates rather a strongly embued prejudice against this portion of tho Nelson Province than any earnest desire to act justly, now or hereafter, in uniting the interests and sympathies of the Coast population with that of the older settled portions of theProv'nce. MrShephard tried hard to please his constituents by dilating on the Foxhili Railway as a means of communication between the AVest Coast and the settled districts, and the extension of roads in the direction of Reefton, Greymouth, and liokitika, so that in time a coach might run right through to " Nelson," but on general West Coast affairs he was ominously reticent. The developmeut of our coal mines, the extension of agriculture, the rectification of present abuses or defects in goldfields administration, the fostering of local government, the rendering of judicious assistance to expand languishing industries and stimulate private enterprise, were but barely touched on. For Westport Mr Shephard found never a word to say in its favor. Ho excused himself as best ho could for his eccentricities in tho Council Chamber, but beyond that he only proved that Nelson and Nelson interests, in the most limited sense of the word, is tho all aud all of our Provincial Treasurer's aspiration. The Coast deserves better treatment from Mr Shephard, for the Coast communities would willingly condone past omissions or transgressions if assured of a better order of affairs hereafter.