Page 10 Advertisements Column 1

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 98, 15 February 1866, Page 10

ELECTION ADVERTISMENTS. sentative of the Clutha District in the Parliament of New Zealand, you may rely upon it, that my best efforts shall be devoted towards the fulfilment of the trust reposed in me. I have the honor to be, &c-, JAMES MACANDREW. To John Shepherd, Esq., and the other gentlemen signing the Requisition. TO JAMES MACANDREW, ESQ. SIR..— We, the undersigned electors of the Central District of the county of Bruce, in view of the approaching election of members for the General Assembly, beg to request that you will allow yourself to be nominated as the member for our district. From the able and consistent manner in which you have already advocated many measures well calculated to benefit the Colony, and from your large experience in Provincial and General Government affairs, we feel assured that by your being returned as our representative, the prosperity of the Colony will be advanced. Should you accede to our request, we will use all lawful means to secure your return. (Here follow the Signatures ) [reply.-J Gen'.lemen,— Having accepted a requisition to stand for the district ot Clutha, I am unable to comply with the request with which you have honored me. This is the less to be regretted, however, inasmuch as I understand that a gentleman will be brought forward whose political views are evidently the same as mine, and -who, if we should both be re- ! turned to the House of Representatives, will •work hand in hand with me in the struggle ■which the Province has yet to undergo if it is to hold its own. It is, I feel assured, unnecessary to point out to you how essential it is that the representatives of the Province should be men who will act together upon certain vital points. Depend upon it, so long as our representatives are like a rop^ of sand in the great Council of the Colony, so long will the interests of this, the richest and most important division of the colon}', be neglected — so long will it continue to be bled, and its resources be wasted upon objects irom which it derives no benefit. It is as the most probable means towards an end, that I have agreed to stand for the Clutha —that end being that the County of Bruce at least shall return three members who will act together as one man — men who will have no personal ends to serve, and who can neither be bought nor sold — men, moreover, who will sacrifice their own prejudices to unity of action, when such unit}' is essential towards the public interests. I trust that these observations may not be regarded as arrogance on my part, or other than the occasion warrants. In conclusion, allow me to express a hope, that as it will be necessary for our representatives to sink minor differences, and to sacrifice their individual prejudices to secure unity of nction, the Constituencies throughout the Provinces will feel lhat they must, if necessary, do likewise. Although, as a general rule, a representative of the people should be free and untrammelled to exercise his own judgment, yet I hold that it is the bounden duty of the electors, on the present occasion, to seewell to it, that every member from Otago is virtually pledged, or can be depended upon to unite with his colleagues in attaining the following objects : — Ist. That henceforth the public revenue shall be expended within, and for the exclusive benefit of the Province, excepting such modicum as may be necessary towards the economical maintenance of the General Government in the fulfilment of its functions as respeds the Province, and excepting, of course, our fair share of the past liabilities of the Colony. 2nd. That the administration within the Province of the functions of the General Government be delegated, to the utmost possible extent, to the Local Government, so as to secure greater promptitude, efficiency, and economy in the fulfilment of the same. 3rd. That the Port of Otago shall be the outward port of call by the Sydney and Panama steam line. 4th. That the Northern Island be al'owed to manage- if s own native affairs. These, in my opinion, ought to be a sine qii,a non m the returns of any representative for Otago. There are others, in respect of which it would be desirable to secure united action in the Assembly. The foregoing, how i vtr, are the most important. I shall only allude, in one word further, to the land question. ia a matter of much regret to me that, having been partly instrumental in out the Land Bill last session in the Assembly, and thereby affording the Province an opportunity, through Council, of modifying or of