THE ELECTIONS.

CHRISTCHUECH TOWN:AND:COUNTRY.,;:;; The day of nomination having been fixed by c Returning-Officer for Thursday^ the Bth arch at noon, a few of the electors assembled jether in the Market-place, Christchurch, at" temporary hustings erected for the occasion to tness the proceedings. Capt. Simeon, hang sworn in George A. E.; Ross, Esq., to ' "s Deputy Returning-Officer, the: latter ntleinan proceeded to read the writ calling •an election to supply the place:of Mr. John »i, who since his election had beeu appointed the office of Provincial Secretary. 7 Jr. Tancred came forward: and having plained the reasons, why Mr; Hall was requito aj)p ear before the electors for re-election, ,fl ll!; cry eulogistic terras by proposing pmV - Was a fit and proper person to re--5o «V ,ntei' est'» the Council. . ■•■ tion " briefly secoQde<* the nomi- - £i£e^ an("i atf Presentin* himself, the declared Mr. Hall to be duly IT ■ T "its. ■ HAU,-.Aeo came forward to return' utmI fit- W*V ben re^ for the election of a /^ e mtllep,aceof;T.Cass,;EsqMwho!1ep,aceof;T.Cass,;Esq M who! £ nomi,!''? and, Sflkl before Ue proceeded y had vl; 7' c electors f<>v the confidence »vav nr l ' In !,im- His <>ffi™ll Unties -% renuili • p l enod when attention was 'fcifi!,, V! the Council chamber. He 1 lhe Ivi f ? ' t. he, re,u"». t«> resign the trustfrnewouhl „ the, electors, but he hoped ld of t L °/", c wl,en he mi Sht W» deBerjew Fooks asVfit and pro-

per person to represent their interests in the Council. Dr. Gundry begged to second the nomination of Mr. Fooks. No other candidate having presented himself, the Returning-Officer declared Mr. Fooks to be elected a member of the Provincial Council for the town of Christchurch. , Mr. Fooks rose to return thanks. He would make no pledges beyond that most reasonable one, that he would do his duty, and he trusted that the electors would find that in this he should ..lie faithful. So many speeches had to be made, he would not trespass upon the time of the meeting. He briefly glanced over some of the ; chief features of "the absorbing questions of the time, and concluded by returning thanks to,the electors for their.confidence. ;The Returning-ofßcer then proceeded to read the writ foiy the election of Three Persons as •;' :members;for theytown of Christchureh under the ordinance for the extension of the; Provin- •'■ cial Council. .. •.■';.'. :•;-■.- 777. •; Mr. Field proposed, and Mr. Bishop seconded, the nomination of Joseph Brittan, Esq., as a candidate for their suffrages. Mr. Cass proposed, and Mr. Bnwen, M.P.C., seconded, the nomination of Dr. Barker. Mr. Blakiston proposed and Mr. Mihchin seconded, the nomination of Capt. Westenra. yNo other; candidates having, come forward, the Returning-Officer declared them to be duly returnjed to represent the town of Christchurch in the Provincial Council. 7 'Mr. J. Brittan,;;theii came forward to return thanks.) He felt it was due to the electors that he should state to them what his views were upon the leading political questions of the day. He had some hesitation, however, in dealing with these,subjectsybecause of their magnitude, and the necessity which was imposed upon him to be brief and concise. He would first congratulate them upon the occasion which had called them there, viz.; the enlargement of the Council. He was far from disposed to speak .disparagingly of the " old" Council, although theyvvere about to make an addition to it, it might be that they should add but little to the talent it; already possessed, but there would be a. greater amount of public mind to bear upon its deliberations, and that would reflect upon the people at large. There would be a greater : amount of counterpoise to what he must at present characterise as the exercise on the part of Government of 'a certain degree of arbitrary rule. Thehon. gentleman then proceeded '.. to enlarge upon the several schemes for the appropriation of the Waste Lands, explaining that proposed by Mr. Wakefield, by Mr. Tancred, and Dr. Barker. He added that after a mature 'and deliberate consideration of these measures, and balancing the advantages and disadvantages of each, he was constrained to say that upon the great principle he should support the scheme proposed by the Government. As regardedthe price of the land, there were circumstances in connection with the N. Z. Company's claims on the one hand, and the claims set up by the General Government on the other for revenue towards extinguishing Native claims, which rendered the imposition of a high price to be paid all at once full of objection. After dilating fully upon the subject, Mr. Brittan proceeded, to offer a few remarks upon other parts: of the Government regulations, particularly those which had reference to the pasturage and pre-emptive rights. In both these he desired to see alterations. He could see no sense or justice in the destruction of pre-emptive rights in one quarter, while they conferred it upon others. There were the questions of Scrip, and of jEducation, and the not less important one of the Road communication,-but time would not allow him to do more than make a passing allusion to them. .He concluded by thanking the electors for the honor they had conferred upon him. -."'.*''■•'■ Dr. Barker then presented himself. He thought an apology was due from him for coming forward at all to seek the suffrages of the electors. He was actively engaged in professional business, and few men who were so had sufficient time to devote to political questions, or to the demands of the Council. It was not the mere man of leisure who was most fitted to be their representative. In a colony it frequently happened that the man of leisure was neither a man of wealth, nor a man of talent, else he would h.i\e no leisute (laughter). The learned gentleman then* peoceedsdato comment * upon the Waste Landsl m«*sure o£ihet*OovlJrjinieut, audiu doing su.to.refutetome:ofthe#«-; j

guments of his colleague. He; had advocated the £3 per acre principle, hut not as a. price upon which the charges of the General Government should fall. He had contended that 10s. was, arid always had been, the price of the land, and that the Association hatd determined with the sanction of the Parliament ih England, that the;remainin<r 50s. per acre should be applied for general purposes. It particularly provided for Christian instruction and education; It; was that; peculiarity in the scheme which brought men (to this Province, and there was no need to depart from it. Dr. Barker added that his views had been already so fully before the public, it would be unnecessary to enlarge upon the question again; The hon 4 gentleman then proceeded; to state his objections to some of the details ofthe Government scheme, particularly those which had reference to pasture and pre-emptive rights, to the division of the country by a mere line for the latter purpose, and hot with reference to the nature of the soil, or its probable vicinity to townships^ and concluded by thanking the electors for the confidence they : had reposed in him. Capt. Westenra briefly thanked the electors for the confidence they had reposed in him. ; When the proceedings as fair as regarded the election of the members for the town terminated. , The Returning-Officer then rose to read the Writ for. the return of Four Persons to serve in the Provincial Council; for the Christchurch Country District, under the Provincial Council Extension Ordinance. ; Mr. Wilson came forward to propose, and Mr. Anderson to second, the nomination of Mr. D. Inwood. Mr. Studholmeproposed; and Mr. J. H. Moore secouded, the nomination of Mz.^loh,a~ Bealey. ■■'■'.'-. -''■:,•' Mr. Blakiston proposed, and Mr. Thomas 'Wilkinson seconded^ the nomination of Mr. John Ollivier.. Mr. Guinness proposed, and Mr. Leech seconded, the nomination of Mr. W. Thomsoiir 2* Pr.;Barker proposed^ and Mr. Beard secon?^ ded, the nomination of Mr. W.^Brßray. JXmXffX The several candidates then came forwa^|tpj7 address the electors, but there was no newlfisl^-f: ture in their speeches, nor was there any marked expression of public opinion upon them. :fSSBX A show of hands having been called far^lpßeJl Returning-Officer declared the election toJshaSeyj fallen upon Messrs. J. Bealey, J. Ollivie^Pfyy : Thomson, and Mr. W. B. Bray..-'' '." %XOX&. Mr. Inwood then came forward to demandl^ poll,—to take place on Saturday, the 1 otfi£atJ;: 9 o'clock. -.-XMXXX A vote of thanks to the Returning-OfteerJ' for his able and impartial conduct in the ehiir||s was proposed by Mr. Ollivier, and secondj|d|^y7 Mr. J. Brittan, M. P. C, and the proceeJlißg&7 terminated." .-...■.■■.'': ''7M¥77 '-■■■■:.• Polling Day. . ■ . MSmXISaturdaylast was the appointed pollirigtdaTjS for the electors ofthe Christchurch Country::: District. The; poll commenced at 9 o'clock,*aiiully so great was the apparent indifference ofeUusT; electors, that at half-past 31 iscarcely 20y^tesvsy had been recorded. The polling bowevev:lrpim;7 1 o'clock until 3 was particularly close, aad:^ielit7 little room for doubt that the fight would p^je^y tween Messrs. Thomson and Inwood. The ioilowing is the final State of the Poll. Christchurch. Kaiapoi. Lyttelton. ;l Total :y Bealey... ...... 136 ... 12 ... 31 .....i71797t Ollivier 117 ... 13 ... 29 4 ...J; ;;lo9;; ; ; Thomson ... ... 102 ... 12 ... 4S; :::^;157;7 Bray 122 ... 10 ... 10; .....#42;; Inwood ... ... 86 ... 4 ... 5 .....7:*:y; The official declaration ofthe poll was:mad«i;yy in the Market Place, on Monday at 12 o'cl^k y'by the Deputy Returning officer, G. A. RoM,; ,;; Esq. We hear that but two of the success^ly7 candidates, the unsuccessful candidate, andawo-;:? or three lookers on were present. 777y,7

Ltttexton, Tuesday, Mat. 13. The nomination for the candidates to fill the additional seats granted to Lyttelton by the Provincial. Council' Extension Ordinance, took place, outside the Police Office, at 12 o'clock this day. Deputy .Returning-Officer, C. C. Bowen,--Esq., presiding. , The several writs having been read, Mr. J. . H. Le Cren nominated Mi\"C. R. Blakiston, as one of the representatives for the town of Lyttelton in the Provincial Council. Mr. R. Rhodes seconded the nomination. -.. Mr. Bayfield proposed Mr. W. Donald, of Lyttelton.** Seconded by Mr. Taylor. .&&lfr. Srjwfius rose with great pleatute to pro- -&* '' '- "

pose Mr. Sewell, as a fit and proper person to j represent Lyttelton. Before, however, saying anything as to his claims or as to the chief questions oHmporiance before the j^ople, he would refer to the address issued by one of the candidates (Mr. Crawford). The principles hesfeemed . to invoke the constituencyupon, werefirst what he supposed must be called tlie blue shirt principle, the blue shirt opposed to Saxon cloth, and be would ask how Mr: C-v a stranger, could presume so far as to insult the people of Lyttelton hv uufufling that rag;of a^ead hostility between class and class 7 Wa^ri^ any wish, any sign of a wish for one class to oppress another? He and his fellow townsmen would answer no! and lie trusted they would reject with scorn the.attempt to cat(A7 them with such a flimsy clap trap; Tlie other point Mr. ; Crawfordw runs strong upon was the vote of $10,000 ;he does not say what for, whether for immigration or; for the Sumner Road. He supposed the latter must be meant, and he was hot surprised at the opposition. But after saying that the interest of ihe workpig settler, (meaning: by that exclu-: sive title the^ agricultural body), hadybjieh; neglected in this vote, .inferring"therefore';;that;; Lyttelton was more benefited by it, it was very cool of him to come ahd""..ask; you, good people,, to help liihi to,depriveyou of thatbenefitv But lie(Mr. S.) was satisfied that the completion of a road from the Port to the Plains, was of far greater importance to the Plains .than; to the Port. There is a district by; Lake to which a ' road will some day be made round: tlie head of the ■': :- bay,Which will' divert; the traffic of 'tlie'south', as . Kaiapoihas stopped'that of the North; and;the£. the Christclmrch District, if no; road "be now ■ made, ' ; will*. iaye*> nothing ; to^ depend; upon; but that; 7i£lrhsf a river.- : The road doctors have beencoii- ; suited, and they say that the; Sumner road is tlie , ; iouly cart road; and as if he consulted his friend Dr. he should feel bpimdto; follow His advice,■•; so alsothisroad ought to be proceeded witii and. as ] quickly as could b^ibrittellsagaihstthe.sett]emeht. ') A road he believed } was n'ece.sisaryyfor-;the'-,deye-.''-; f lopai}p.eht of the' resources.;; He; then proceeded to ■ .; riptice tfetwoother questions of piiblic, interest, the ymost importeiTt of which by far; was that of ediicai- ; yrtiqhV It was of more importance liere : than even iii y? the :6ld country. Here, all .■'meiiV;could- riser into; yjwealth and importance." ■ Let them butwill it, they t;■ icapdo it, and it is of tlie utmost moment to the.•:• /^welfare of the community tbateducatipn should lie ■■:■. ygopfen to all. ; "Would^that we could ;all think of itas ; :y the; mind is the man, so endeavour to purify the■; yheart and eplarge the^^ ; understanding that;we m |ySruly;enj6y the world. - Morepyerin these; moments . y;pf;tiine we might in some sense live in iandl enjoy y^ternity. For his part, though he had opinions of {%thiig6wn, for the great object he would be £lad to :£ffsa£nhce them, and endeavour'earnestly to carry out S|?u^ plan that ensured education; to ally without dis:yytinctiqn of creed or class. - The next question was *£.the land question. The; opinion of. they people yyof:yLyttelton, he: ;believedyfrom : the signatures ! g^attacbed to the y petition y was 3" favour* of p^.reduction to '£2 per; acre, and he; Wag more >y,strpngly in favour of it now, seeing New ; gyZealand would be under a cloud ,in consequence of "y the'earthquake at Wellington, and it would be iny^expedient to put on what'might: seem a prohibitive ;7priceto emigrants from England and. Australia. Jyjiie'believed the pre-emptive right over the whole t ;rini was unjusti and without doing the runholders -much good would only subject them to unnecessary -;; odium. In recommending Mr. Sewell to their suffrages, lie felt it was something like presumption ;to praise a iiian who had risen to his eminence in r (their councils, and he; would only say that he felt sure that he would be able to treat the questions he bad alluded to hi a large "and comprehensive spirit. Mr.Sewell when hecameherehad been received with ".distrust, and on the part of many had' been pursued ... ;with:untiring enmity, bu: he had won his way into aud the waves of obloquy that were to have y bvetwhelmed him have broken harmlessly at.bis - feet In conclusion he alluded to a transaction that y has been made use of to injure his cause, viz. -—the .letting the wharf to Mr. Alport. This was simply ;; a business transaction. Mr. Sewell found the wharf. ; Jet when he arrived, and be let it again at a higher vreiit, haying first offered portions of it to others, ;.. and as to the building, which he regretted to see, '•'-y Jfrr.-Sewell both verbally and by letter had cautioned yMr. Alport that he could give no right, and that he 7,(Mf- A.) put up everything at bis own risk. He \a?4n earnestly recommended Mr. Sewell to his fejlpw-townsmen, .for he believed he would be a 'credit to their choice. yyy Mr. Fyfe seconded the nomination. He sup-'pVii-ted Mr. Sewell because; he was a man of Vtsieut and influence, and that by his in-; '.yfliieiiee he would be enabled to advance the in- w , terests of the 'town; of Lytfelfbri, and iiideSf^lfe ■..■'the whole comjnut)ityi'y;;V:'*:yyy .-^^-Vi-'g^^Si ' "■;■' After sbmeiJuil^ \ '-.. meanwhile exeitihg himself ii* procuredCnigpfll ■ ' ' ;77 7;-:7i77 ■;;;;:::;: 7.-;X^>;7l!§S|g

nator—Mr. Cryer proposed, and Mr. J. Lingard j seconded, Mr. C. Crawford. MX Blakiston then came forward; and. said he had great satisfaction in accepting the invitation of the electors of Lyttelton to appear as si candidate for the honor of representing them iv the Provincial Council. He would not injure his claims to their confidence by making ? a lengthened address, but would simply call their attention to a few of tlie principal subjects which would most probably be debated in the Provincial Council. Referring toEducationhe expressed his opinion that schools should be e£ tablished in every district; and that all classes should be educated by they State. Probably in two generations some of the present working class would be the legislators of the;colony^ and how lamentable itwould be if those who were possessed of wealth and position should be;ignorant and depraved. The Waste LandsyMr. Blakistonthought,'-'was 'avexed question [arid m o man would attempt to predict what a "sufficient price" would.be iv two years. The object infixing the price should be to j*event monopoly, and to give the small capitalist, and /the men who have earned sufficient'to make them independent of wages, facilities to acquire land. He thought £2 per acre, of which 30s;:hieing payable as a rate in 3 years, a fair price. Speaking of preemptive rights,;he said that the squatters ought to receive every reasonable protecttibn, but that they, were injiuiiig their own causeby the claims they \Ve^: setting up:; he j objected to the Goverhriierit regulations/ as setting class against class,' arid/thought that 640 acres was all they ought to;be allowed a preemptiverightover; this was'sufficient for paddocks, ; honiesteads, and would in fact be a good-sized farim for the squatter to fall back upon.-; After a few remarks on the present'necessity for the assistance of. Government in certain; cases; of private eriterprise,' especially such an- enterprise ■as: that of the establishment of steam navigation, Mn Blakiston concluded by referring tothe; state i. of the roads in Lyttelton^ andtn the scarcity of ; ;p^re\vater- and stated, that if elected, he would : beliappy to concur withtherii as far as possible in effecting all necessary iriiproveriients. 7 Dr Donald said/ that it was "a- source of iriucb gratification to hitri, arid he congratulated ; the electors thereon, that alfprevious speiakers - hadygiyen tlie question of education the first ;^lace in their addresses.. He- referred to his feniarks on a recent occasion at aptiblic meeting in Lyttelton, and 'proceeded to adybcate ; a:'': secular system of ediicatibn,argiiing.-'that'-'bythe denominational plan a series of inferior schools would be set up in the place of one efficient one; he said he should consider; rip sclieriie sufficient' which does riot comprehend, all; instruction^ from the alphabet to a college: arid \ said that with every respect for those who .labored as schoolmasters, he preferred leaving theological /-.instruction to the ministers of the various shades of opinion to whom, he considered, the religious education of the young of their flocks properly belonged. With regard: to the waste lands, he accepted the;decision of the iribabitants of Lyttelton. While he repudiated theidea of a representative sinking into a delegate, as the'government wisely or unwisely had referred it to the people for their opinion, he would bow to their' decision. He presented himself to ,the electors of Lyttelton- as one who by long residence and identification of interest was qualified to represent their wish,'and while he would not forget the general good of the Province, he would :ilways endeavour to advance the interests of Lytteltori. He considered the roadways of Lyttelton the highway of the province, and as such •■"ought' to be made by Procial revenue, even if the maintenance were left to local resources. Mb. Sewell then came forward. He regretted that the gentleman who was last proposed (Mr. Grawfordyhad not spoken before be (Mr. Sewell had addressed them. The consequence was, that he. was ignorant of what were the real points of difference between them. The only difference which he could asyet discover waSj the undoubted' fact that Mr. Crawford wore a blue shirt and he (Mr. S.) a black coat. That difference did not seem to him very material, nor did the fact of wearing a black coat appear to be a sufficient ground to disqualify him from becoming their representative., However, he considered that the blue shirt was intended as a symbol, and'was meant as a badge to signify what was termed the vvoiking settleis' class, the rjtittfmbo^.&tj&vpit&im actual manual labor. 1 highest possible esti['l»ti"en,7at#tbe7lteiit {valuable portion of the [ corowumty; butiie did uot consider it essential

to be one of them in order to symp^thhT^T^ represent their interests, any more than i. ot necessary that be "who drives fat ox™ L Was himself bS fat." Mr^ Sewell then statedUiS had come forward in consequence of a reo •• tion, but for which he shriuld riot have volunf" rily": presented hiriiself •as a candidate. He aware: that objections might be made to r* sitting as a member in that Council which wn,!l! have to decide on the settlement >of the Assoc" tion s affairs.- He repeated the assurance given* > his address—that he Would forbear exercisingi' 11' vote npbri all questions relating to those affair"; and having given- thiit? assurance, he could nl! but think that his presence in/the Council would be advantageous^fatlier thaii otlienvi se as eriablirig hiih to offer explanation in the course of discussion^ and io tending to forward the very desirable object of settling those ques. tions which concerned the colonists ho less than the Association. ; With reference to the j^y Regulations; he had attended a meetino- 0 f inhabitants of Lyttelton held forthepurpose of discussing them, andiu;general heagreeilwitli the resolutions arrived at by that hieetitiov Mr. Spo'ivers; had referred tt> the proposal for givm*. the pre-emption to the stqckbwners over thY whole bf their runs; v XJpb^^ilßi^ point he differed from the Goverrimerit|sregulatioiis. He thought it impolitic; to :'giye?Hliei'; stockowner so" extensive a pre-emptive right; Whilst he recbgnised the value of the: stbckowneis as a class; arid desiredto give thetnoiliel utmost en; cburagemeut;and protection, he"consideredit impolitic iri > any way to obstruct the rapid settlement of the Lands oftheProvince, the greater part of whichwere'suitable for immediate occupation arid; settleriient.' , Hfeuhdferetbod it to be' the intention1 of Government ? to- introduce a measure for constituting .Lytteltoii into a separatemunicipality, v Should sucli* a measure be introducedjhe would give ithis support. ' In reply to a question from Mr.;Allvvright on the subject of Education, Mr. Sewell referred to tie excellent results of the Parliamentary Granfin Eriglahd, the pririciple; of which he would desire tbadopt as far as pbssible^using the religious bodies as an; educatirigfpbwer:/y;At;the same tiriie Hie circumstances of the colony were peculfa'r;¥arid if might ;bej; iriipossible to' apply thai principle in all cases:'; When"it;could not be a.pplied, hie {desired;; as' a vgeneraLrule, to see provision/made for education upon any terms. 7yMR^CKAWFORp ; appealed;?to the electors against-the- prejudices which, a press/tliat did not? represent/ the province y had attempted to excite. He then indulged in arfew Vnilitarj phrases aboti t" -a cross-fire Trom: the enemy in his rear, &c. which even the war; with Eussia has not; rendered famiHar to bur ears, anil we regret we could riot caich"their meaning After this Mr^Crawford ! agairi formally atldvessed the electors, stating that lie had lived under five different Governors '■;, that he liad been poor, but now he couldretirefroirilaboui. Hekneif the position ?bf all; classes*7He was a stoolowner,; sheeprownterya;rid'iand-?owriery and could decide upon what law was riecessary/to promote the .common welfare.:/. :fie«Was;iri favour of tie Government measure ;/or;disposing of the Waste Lands, but he would suggest-some alterations. The mere, selling of the land was riot tbe mosj advantageous: to the /Settlement: the W should be occupied. S Selling was riot occupation. He would-suggest that .the/l.a'riil be sold at 10s. per acfejtliat the rale;shbuld be paid up till the fourth year, arid then remitted if a f l' tain proportion of the.land was under cultl' B' tion.- Mr. Crawford; then referred to the San-. ner Road. 'This road was proposed when Sumne was designed as a town ; the towh.baving W; abandoned, there was no necessity for dieW*' The road, if; completed, would cost £6^ He could point out a road that might be >.m for 10,000 in time for the next year's clip, summit not so high by 200 feet as the Bi» path, with a gtadieut of 1 in 12. Education,^' Crawford said, should be extended to the boj of the Province, making the youth of tbe vince virtuous, and the funds should be supp from the Provincial chest. Mr.: C then relet' to the Waste Lands outside the Province,^ peating what he had said before on the su ofthe Land Regulations. Mr.Crawford v denounced the Lyttelton limes, aim" .^ of" oh .'"and laughter, stating that abetter o^ in reply to a letter signed " Elector, "aa^. refused insertion. Mr. Spowerss however. - ed, on the part of the publisher, that W bad notv-arrived .in ,time^foiv;iHsertiion. 'Saturday'spaper^rA^showipliandsa^ iavou^bf^esW^oHaW^^ j| : Blakistou7Mr. Criiwforffitheri demandea r.