The Westport Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1127, 25 November 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1873.

" At the Sign of the Broken Ring" : Thus, as indicating their fancied principles as political regenerators, do the O Conorite partisans in Nelson city notify their gatherings. Thus do they attempt to prove their immalculate intentions of sweeping away, at one f'll swoop, the entire family circle of'office-holders, who, as they aver, have lived and fattened on the lifeblood of the Province. It matters little how often the existence of such a famil7 arrangement has been controverted, or howsoever self evident the disproofs of favoritism in the appoint ment of public servants. Still leas has it been considered necessary to prove that better servants could have been found. TheO'Conoriteshavinginvented a plausible theory holdstedfastly there-

to as their best sheet anchor, and raise the cry of the " Broken King," as the shibboleth of war political, a convenient excuse for their wildest vagaries. But while thus showing fight against a phantom evil, a myth engendered of their own distorted imaginations, the Nelson men forget, or haply know not, that away from their immediate ken another " ring " has been forged and shaped, and only awaits the final weld ing when Eugene U'Conor assumes office as Superintendent. A " ring " that will work more evil than any ever wrought by the insignificant family circle they now join issue with in Quixotic battle. These are not the days for speaking in parables. In the interests of the Province, of the goldfields, and of the settled districts, plain words are needed and we shall use them. The "ring" to be guarded ngainst bears the motto, "B. J. O'Conor & Co." It has a present and palpable existence. The members are banded together for the sole advancement of their own selfish interests. The election of iheir chief to the office of Superinten ent is to be the one grand coup da main that shall give them the power they aspire to. Brief extracts from the documents read by Mr Curtis when addressing the electors at Westport will furnish the key note to the policy of " O'Conor & Co." It will he remembered that the patriotic and disinfe ested friend of the people, Eugene Joseph, in March last applied on behalf of himself and others to obtain concessions for laying down a railway from Wesiport to Ngakawhau, and that his mouest demands were these and nothing more: —" Free site for line, offices, wharves, &c.; a bonus or gift of twenty thousand acres of land — the whole coalfield reserve to be held for selection of three blocks by applicants for tivo years, such blocks to contain in all not more than 1280 acres." Terms afterwards amended to " 2000 acres in five or more blocks with frontage accessible to the proposed line of railway." His Honor the Superintendent did not concur in this little game, to virtually pick out the eyes of the country, having, as he explained to the electors, arranged that on completion of the railway by the Colonial Government the land along the line of railway should be surveyed, and " that after survey and division into sections, each section to be offered by auction or public tender, with such conditions as to rent, royalty, &c, as Colonial Government may approve." Thus, while protecting existing rights, ensuring to the general public the opportunity of taking up areas along the line for coal mining, stone quarrying, gold seeking, agriculture, or other kindred pursuits, but to the strict prevention of monopoly. This straightforward dealing has not suited the tactics of " E. J. O'Conor & Co." and with that energy, for good or evil, of which his friends make such exceeding boast, their chief is now working with all might and main to oust the real friend of the people from office in order to forward the schemes he and the members of his " ring" have devised and set their hearts on. It is to this end that his partizans are making such frantic efforts to secure votes. To this end they have induced to join them in the election contest men whose good sense and calm deliberate judgment will yet lead them to regret the unhallowed alliance. It is, in a word, a struggle for personal gain, a selfish desire to grasp riches at the expense of the Province that incites the chief movers in the O'Conorite party to evince such sudden, such exceeding, such persistent zeal in politics. Let the electors consider these things. Let them ask themselves have these men who now urge them beyond measure to vote for their Chief, who way-lay them in the streets and follow them to their homes, who remind them of their "little accounts," and in the same breath speak incidentally of the election, who hurry and skurry too and fro, who talk loudly and blatantly of politics, who make wager on the issue of the contest, who condemn by covert sneer and malicious innuendo, all those who oppose them, and who by a hundred little tricks try to defame their rival candidate, have they e v er before bestirred themselves in like manner in any public cause? Are they not men whose religious faith and political creed are embodied in the pages of their cash-books, and whose highesl aspirations extend not beyond the cleverness of barter? Would they, think you electors, care one straw or bestir themselves to do one single hands tura..for Eugene Joseph were they not expectant sharers in persona) gain ? What guarantee have the electors that Eugene Joseph once in power will not by the " single stroke of the pen," of which he has spoken, mark the first greedy inroad on the public estate to be made on bebalf of his party ? It behoves West Coast electors to watch the movements of the " ring," and it would be well also that Nelson dupes taking credit to themselves for haviDg broken one ring now turn their attention to the other.