THE SUPERINTENDENCE.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1121, 4 November 1873, Page 2

THE SUPERINTENDENCE.

{To the Editor of t/ie Westport Times.) Sir, —I noticed in your paper of the 24th October an article headed " Behold the Promised Chief," by "An Elector." It seems to me, sir, that " Elector " has a notion that no one else himself knows what should qualify a man for the Superiutendency, and that he must needs let the public know it. After a lot of bosh about honesty (which no honest man ever boasts of) he winds up with go-a-headiveness, &c. Have we not had a good sample of Mr Curtis's rule ? I should like " Elector" to tell us where and what it has been. Not in the Province of Nelson that our present Superintendent has done any go-a-head work. On the contrary the present Government has been the great drawback to the Province. Had they put their shoulder to the wheel and followed in the track of that good old gentleman Mr Robinson, who lost his life in the service of the Province, Nelson would have been a better Province tbis day, and instead of its principal town being called Sleepy Hollow, it would have been the grand emporium of the West Coast, and stood A.l. in the list. Why should we nob get our supplies from Nelson as well as from Melbourne or Sydney ? Simply because petty jealousies interfere, and for which we on the Goldfields have to pay, and that dearly. The time has come that we can alter these things. And why not ? It has become a matter of fact among some of our officials that we can't do without them. Let us try, we cannot be worse off. " Elector" writes of a certain gentleman who aspires to the honor of the Superintendent's chair, and amongst other things about the land affair. Why did not " Elector" ask the aspirant when he was giving an account of his stewardship how he got out of it ? Then again "Elector" writes of a certain left-handed clique (I suppose he belongs to a righthanded clique). Does he think because he has an opinion that no one else has a right to have one ? I will give him mine. We want a man to be Supcrin. tendent, and to be in his Superintcr. dent's office at office hours, and have no other office of which we have no concern, and to attend to and see that the interests of the Province are properly carried out by those that aid under him, anil to be subservient to

hone of thorn, and to see tbat all monies ore properly and equally divided in all parts of the province, and periodically to travel through the province and see to its actual wants, and not trust to others for information. I know that tbero are miles and miles of auriferous Bountry yet unexplored in this Province and oi which officials know and care nothing. But what availeth if no encouragement be given to prospectors, which I feel satisfied never will be, if the present Government rule. I confess I never was on friendly terms With Mr O'Conor, but I feel satisfied that he (the Buller Lion) will do his best to bring the province out of the mire, and I believe he will not be afraid of opening his mouth and roaring if necessary. I had a letter from a gentleman in Kelson, who states that Mr O'Conor stands high there in esteem; and "" O'Conor to the rescue " is the cry in the Ittangahua and Upper Buller But whoever may aspire to the honor of election (except Curtis) I hope it will be the universal cry amongst •electors "to Vote for no man who will retain any of the present Government in office, for if they do get in again we are doomed for another four yeaiM of Kip Van Winkle-dom Should such be the ease, and the present Government still rule, I will travel the West Coast and live on dry bread, if heed be, to .get signatures for separation. Why should we not have separation as well ; as Westland?—l am, &e, Old Identity.

((To 'Hie Editor of the Westport Times.) Slil,- —I feel it is my duty as an : avowed supporter of Mr o'Conor in bis 'candidature for the Superiritendency to ■state publicly some of the reasons which have led nie to this avowal. It is well ■known that the choice of candidates is limited, and has been justly described as between " the devil and the deep sea." I respect this classical comparison and : am proud to declare in faVor of Mr O'Conor rather than the deep sea, as it will be especially necessary whoever is elected Superintendent that he should not only be able to maintain the dignity of that high office, but also •command the respect of the government 'of the day. Mr O'Conor from his regal descent •early training and gained colonial experience, must be pre-eminently fitted to maintain the former, and, in consideration of his proved consistently political and .judiciously diplomatic con■duct in the New Zealand Parliament, \viil be able to command the latter. I confess that as a resident of the West Coast I should be perfectly satisfied to allow Mr O'Conor to conduct the affairs of the Province unaided •Still as it will, for many prudent reasons, 'be necessary for him, as Superintendent, "to secure the co-operation of an Executive, I am certain Mr O'Conor, "whose known amiability and conciliatory manners are irresistible, will gather round him men of talent and respectability by "whom an Executive will be formed, the \visest, purest, arid most energetic which •ever directed the destinies of Sleepy Hollow. Add to all these the man? virtues which the historical incidents of his past political life so fuliy demonstrate, and it must be admitted that he is certainly the most disinterested,' the most independent, and most popular politician Nelson has ever known. Although his conduct may sometimes appear rather conservative, his politics are thoroughly republican. The interests of his constituents being second only to his own, will therefore be perfectly safe in his hands. As from his independent social position he has ever been above the Vulgarity of business, so he has always proved himself superior to the temptations of jobbery. It must be confessed that his legislative creations have not been very numerous, still his fame, and with it the Buller District, have now become notorious over the length and breadth of the Colony. If it had not been for O'Conor where would our coalfields have been ? Nowhere !! Put for him who would •ever have thought of railways? Nobody !! ! "Why, even the locality of the Buller would have remained unknown but for the roaring and afterWards the wailing of this courageous Hon of the District.

Like many othdr of the most popular and active men of the day Mr O'Conor's actions and utterances have been too often misunderstood and misrepresented, and his enemies invariably refer to the freaks of his genius, as unbecoming a representative or an honorable man. But I have to assure such people that they have only to know Mr O'Conor a little better before they can speak with any degree of authority of his many personal peculiarities, and great public work. The public should really be charitable. Has he not done wonders during the short term of his public life ? It should be remembered that he has only been ■about two or three years engaged in political matters, and during that time has he not conducted himself with discretion and propriety 1 And although in his earlier efforts, the exuberance of his native talents led him into many excesses has not his improvement been creditable ? Indeed his present candidature for the Superintendency is it not unparalleled among the political prodigies of New Zealand ? I feel that my attachment to the cause of Mr O'Conor may have already led me into extravagancies, but I really cannot restrain -my enthusiasm even at the risk of being considered injudicious. I must again challenge his enemies to either bury the hatchet or cast their hats into the ring and declare themselves fearlessly, if they dare, or for ever hold their tongues.—l am, &c, Mvtatoiu