Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 965, 29 August 1878, Page 3

Correspondence.

Siß,-r At a meeting held at Te Awaimitu on the 24th inst. re Railway Terminus, a silly effort] was again made by a few interested individuals to have the saMf "Terminus removed from its present central site to the village of Te Awamutu. The hour was ; 7 o'clock p.m., happily chosen to exclude all those not living/within its immediate iieigborhood. All these petty artifices and underhand work only serve to stir feelings of bitter animosity between neighbours, and all this because one gentleman would have his property considerably enhanced by the railway running into his paddock, another his new house being close by; another his leasehold, cut up in lots would fetch a better price, &c Thus to secure these advantages to these few individuals the interests of a large farming district must be or entirely ignored. Truly, these Te Awamutonians seem to be possessed of only one idea, viz that Te Awamutu is the Waikato. I hope our member is not similarly possessed, and neither fool, nor blind enough to support "such senseless and unfair change; if he did, not all the king's horses, nor all the king's men could again his return to the House. Let him look to it.— I am, &c„ One fkesent at mbetino. Alexandra, August 26,1878.

Sib,—l notice, in a paper of a late date, that Mr McMiun has gratefully opened , his mouth to approve' of the Maoriqualifications in the New Electoral Bill, no -doubt'electrifying the assembled wisdom by his usual eloquence. There are, without doubt, many mean spirits abroad who ' iail.to.see the benefits of Maoris haying votes to return ;European representative,, as well.as a;\ aori one. I would draw . the attention of such to the beneficent effects of the present system, as instanced in the late Waipa election. "When, as we all know, through the careful manipulation of the Maori vote, by a wise and beneficent Government, we were saved the trouble of thinking for ourselves. And, as it were, snatched as a brand from the political burning, by the aid of a Maori Iblock vote, run up to the poll by paid public servants. " Show me the man, with soul so dead," who says that this is anything but a great benefit to the European electors of any district, enabling, as it does, the Government of the day to turn : an election to. their own advantage. In the election I have instanced, this power was used in a most fair, honorable* and altogether fortunate way, returning, as it did, the very man of all others who was most qualified to represent the people who elected him. A tried political veteran who' had gained fame immeasurable in many a hard fought battle for the public good, as a trustee in a country highway board; an unusual qualification, as your readers will observe, and rejecting the untried man who, in comparison,'Ttad no stake whatever in the district, and had never taken the least interest: in. its welfare, and had never been a Highway Trustee. Of course, .doubts will enter the minds of some, that such a state, of affairs may not always, under All circumstances an 4 governments, 'be -: the v !great, success it was in this instance."'"'future Governments may not jtspire'to the political rectitude of the present one, and might use the power they would have, to their own ndyantagWaiv|, to that of the particularly fortunate district with fifty to a hundred Maori votes, on its roll, and so disfranchise : it.—l am,. &c.,., WaipA Elector. August 26,1878.