THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1125, 18 November 1873, Page 2

THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

{To the Editor oj the Westport Times.) Sir, —Allow mc a small space to express my views regarding the meeting on Wednesday night. The meeting, taken as a political one,

was tolerably well conducted, with one or two exceptions. The explanations given by Mr Curtis were of so straightforward and truthful a character that lie has completely rebutted the charges brought against him by his political opponent On the other side the explanation given by Mr Curtis of O'Conor and Co., in conjunction wiih Spence Bros, wanting to make the railway by private enterprise if the Government would grant them the whole of the coalfield along the proposed line—thus securing to themselves the vast mineral monopoly of the wealth of the district—must carry proof convincing of Mr O'Conor's real intentions " in the interest of the people." If the " Co." had succeeded there is no doubt it would have been the means of keeping back the commencement of the railway and also the formation of other coal companies. Such is the conduct of the man who is trying to make the people believe it is solely to benefit this District he seeks to be elected Superintendent. Pure politician ! Rara Avis! Had Mr O'Conor & Co. succeeded in the coal scheme it would probably turn out a better speculation than the Towing Track, in which he was a shareholder, and in which, under the guise of removing a tax off the boatmen after nearly all the traffic falling away he succeeded in palm.ing off the property on the Province for nearly double its value in land scrip. This was done not because the dividends were nil! No ! Nor because Mr O'Conor happened to be a large shareholder ! It was purely upon public grounds the track was sacrificed; which a grateful community ought never to forget. On the other side I cannot hear of one instance in which Mr Curtis has taken advantage of his position, either as Superintendent or politician, to enrich himself. Had he done so his political opponents might have accidentally mentioned it. As one of the audience at the meeting I must express my indignation at the manner in which the resolution to pas? a vote of thanks to Mr Curtis was smothered, also the manner in which Mr Dunn, a miner from the terrace, was howled down, while a well-dressed professional gentleman was tolerated to enter into a lengthy cross-examination about some small table talk. Such treatment of a miner by Mr O'Conor's liberal and enlightened supporters is an insult to the whole mining community, and I hope they will resent it to a man by voting for Oswald Curtis, Esq.— I am, &c, Ex-MiNER. "Westport, Nov. 12, 1873. ( To the Editor of the Westport Times.) Sir, —Tour journal, in common with all others, being open for the discussion of public matters, permit me through its medium to offer a few suggestions and make a few remarks on the present important subject—the coining election. I have watched with care and listened to the addresses of the two candidates now in the field with the object of discriminating between their various policies and the genuineness of their advocacy, intending to record my vote to the advocate of the policy which I should conceive to be most conducive to the welfare of the province generally. Having the interests of this district thoroughly at heart, and knowing the prejudicial feeling which prevails against Mr Curtis, and a strong desire on the part of many to elect Mr O'Conor at all hazards, I have come to the conclusion that such inclination is impolitic and rash. Mr O'Conor had the honor of addressing the electors at "Westport last Tuesday, and in a speech which occupied some considerable time, without displaying the slightest political ability or one single feature to inspire confidence, and was mainly made up of violent and personal attack upon Mr Curtis's private, more than his political character, and no policy by Mr O'Conor. I for one am not willing to support any candidate aspiring to the important office of Superintendent of the province without some basis to go upon. Mr O'Conor has not given even the outlines of a policy, bnt in reply to question as to what his policy is, h;is stated that in the event of being elected, he shall be guided by his executive. How easy it is to guide Mr O'Conor ought not to be , a very difficult problem for a "Westport babbie to solve. " I likes my own way and I'll have it" is his doctrine. We r have heard Mr Curtis, who, in a mild ' and gentlemanly manner, has fearlessly and triumphantly refuted the charges with which Mr O'Conor assailed him, and which, to say the most of, were of a ' very flimsy and insignificant character. \ That a change in the administration of ' the affairs of the province, properly made, would be calculated to do good, and that \ Mr Cnrtis's administration has not been ' "aT that my fancy punted," I thoroughly believe, but in judiciously effecting that change great caution should be exercised and at least two essentials complied with—first, that an undoubted and qualified person and a gentleman be chosen ; and in the second place that that gent'eman has an approved and definite policy. In the face of that desideratum, and since I fail to perceive .that (notwithstanding Mr O'Conor's violent attacks, and the numerous questions that have been carefully prepared and put to Mr Curtis) Mr Curtis's political honesty has not suffered in the slightest degree. If such is the case, and Mr Curtis pledges himself to do his best in the interests of the province as a whole, and that he will forward the interests of this district by pushing necessary public works, and

doing all such necessary things as are compatible with common justice to other parts of the province, and since he has challenged the electors to show asingle instance where he has not performed promises, I cannot, after thrgwing aside all preconceived opinions/but come to the conclusion that a great deal of the want of confidence shown to Mr Curtis is totally unmerited, and the result of blind prejudice. My object in going into print in this subject is that I am desirous that it be well ventilated, as the time will soon arrive when a candidate must be elected, either for the welfare or ruin of the province. Hence the foregoing from— Yours, <fcc, An Electob.