COCKATOO ELECTOR'S REPLY.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 565, 4 January 1876, Page 3

COCKATOO ELECTOR'S REPLY.

"Sl«,— You will, I trust, allow me to reply to •the comments made on my letter that appeared in your issue of the 9th Dee, by " Anothor Cockatoo." " Another Cockatoo" charges me with •ignoring talent, m a neoeieary qualification in a representative of the people. If be had -read my letter over carefully, ho would ha ire 'found that I distinctly advocated talent and abihtv, »• essential requisites in such a one ; but '•I held then, and still hold, that a men in whom a fair amount of ability, and a thorough knowledge of local wants and local requirements are combined, h calculatfd to prove a iar better and more efficient represent&tire than one who, • however "brilliant hit talents may be, possesses ibut a superficial knowledge of the questions he is called upon to determine. " Anotirn'Ooekatoo" also objocts to the principle of each class being represented by men identified with -euch 'dims. I never dreamt of advocating for the principle such unirertil application as he would seem to imply I did. All •classes and puisuits are represented, and worthily represented, by men of either class indifferently ; in f*ct, in plncae where cla««ei and callings are intimately blende I/ai are often the case in large centres of population, any oth«r course would be i-a'mott impracticable. ffeverthelen, wherever any one leading pursuit' is followed — and such •pl»ee« are numerous — Waikalo being one of them il hold it to be a safe rule and a wiso one though no rule diets hut his its exception— to return men thoroughly idrntiGed with such pursuit. He is surely bestablo to administer to the wants and wultes, feelings, or requirements of •*ny particular class, whos« knowledge and experience of such class isJthe wiJest and deepest Nor would such principle as 'l have indicated tend to pio^iote narrowness of spirit, or selfish and petty vmws ; at leait not among nren worthy the name •cf statesmen. Tho soldier mates none the less able general to command an army, becauso he understands the management of a. company. The *aailor none th« lew skilled navigator beoause he is acquainted with the most minute details in the •working of his ship, nor does tho pohtican be■come anj the 1«H national statesman because he thoroughly understands the wants and inlor«sts of his own particular constituency. Under such conditions the mind expands, and the knowledge thus acquired, is increased and intontided, *.s ampler scope is afforded •for the disploy of these powers. I can icarcely understand tk " Anotker Caokatoo" when he argue* tliat under the rule I have here laid down, w« should Lave ■no eminent men to rule over us. Could commerce, agriculture, mining, manufactures, art ■ science, law, p'nyaic, tke "Press, literature, oould none of"thes« furnish us with suitibU men for leading statesmen or Prime Ministers ? Why ! even the eminent TMimes lie quotes aro all idtnti'lled wi«fc aome pursuit or other— if not in profession, at leaatdn practiw— and there ai-e few •fttateamen indeed, whatever their rank and position, who art -not, or have not been to identified. But the most ntticeable factin connection with ** Anotker Cackatoo's" very abU loiter (by the bye I with the gentleman had chosen tone more Appropriate ' non de plum*,' there is strong internal •videooe in the teller that it wni not penned >by a cockatoo), is that while arguing against the 'principle* I laid down, in the abstract, he •careely attempted to combat their application to the present state of this Colony in gene ral — and "Wailcato in,particuh»r.— l am, &o, •Oooiitoo lElbctoe. Te Awmmutu.Dee. 20th, 1875.