The Bruce Herald. " Nemo me impune lacessit." TOKOMAIRIRO, MARCH 22nd, 1871.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 36, 22 March 1871, Page 4

The Bruce Herald. " Nemo me impune lacessit." TOKOMAIRIRO, MARCH 22nd, 1871.

On Monday next the electors of the Taieri, one of the most important agricultural districts of the Province, will have the opportunity and privilege of recording 1 their votes in favor of three representatives to the Provincial Council. We have no doubt that when the Returning Officer declares the result nt th« polling it will hfl found that the Taier, like nearly all the other country districts, will have returned tried men, good and true, Reid, w Allan and Shand, who have so sternly and disinterestedly fought their battles so well in the past. Nobly has the Province as a whole, endorsed the principles of the constitutional party, and of which party Mr Reid was the recognised leader, and can it be doubted but that in return for past services rendered, past annoyance endured, for credit gained to himself and his district, the electors will return him trinmpaanily as the electors of Waihola, Milton and Matau have done their tried men by an overwhelming^najority. So with Messrs Allan and Shand who have been able, honest and consistent supporter* of the same party, men who are not blind followers but intelligent discriminators, and whose counsels were always sought and highly prized. No one can deny that Taieri and Tokomairiro held a position in the late Provincial Council second to none ; and why, because they had sent representatives of at least average ability ; but above all, they were men who independent of one another would think for themselves and at the same time bring their individual opinions jointly to bear upon any subject without any feelings of reserve or jealousy, being satisfied with one another that the only object sought for was the advancement of the true interests of the Province. In returning such men again to the Provincial Council, the electors will not only have a guarantee that they will be weil well and faithfully represented, but they will also give those who would seek to represent to know that they are not to he led away by clap-trap but that when they meet with men able, honest, and disinterested otherwise than for the good of the the Province they will not lightly cast them aside or allow any private personal feeling to interfere with them as electors in the honest discharge of their public duties. Pre-eminently are 'the present elections •' measures not men." We would remind the electors of Taieri that it is not a question of the return as representatives of the constitutional party who fought hard against the obnoxious Hundreds Act, protested against the unjust and uncalled for ignoring of our provincial rights, and who b.Bve sternly opposed the tamely allowing provinces of the .Middle Island to he' chained to the chariot wheels of the Norths to be dragged with them and by. them;t6: irretrievable ruin and destruction. What has been done in the past has been done by your representatives. It is" now the ' voice of the electors that is to be Heard, and that voice should g-i ye no uncertainy ' sound, for remember, tbat{whateyer weight : may be attached, to the, opinions expressed -

by public journals or by your representatives, it is but a drop in the bucket in the effect it wjll produce upon the -.representa* lives of other, provinces in the Assembly.,, compared with the opinions expressed by the electors. in.recording their votes on the? election of ~ -their .representatives bare. Daring the late elections it hasbeen amusing to watch the tactics and dodges of the squatter party, and we. have reasqn ; for; saying- a new phase of them is being tried ■on with the TaiWi electors, but which from, ■our knowledge of the intelligence and dis-, crimination ©fthe great bulk of .the Tnieri electors must prove abortive. We- would say to Mr HowOTth that he himself "must be aware that lye has proved himself to be lamentably deficient, of even ordinary ability to take-the position ©farepersentative of the people, not even the name of Solicitor being sufficient to give much weight to either his sayings or doings, and that now, like Mr Tolmie, he appears only as the in sheep's -clothing. It is a pity that men like Mr Howorth, pleasant, social, agreeable, after*dinner gentlemen should allow themselves Xo be made tools of by ■deep-designing knaves. Regarding the •other 'candidates, some of them, nay all of them may he very estimable men, men übove suspicion, men against whom even the ever busy tongue of slander has failed to find any opportunity of spitting out her venom, men in whom there are all the requisites for making able representatives, and for commanding respect amongst tbeir compeers — we say it may. be so, and will not dispute it if it is asserted, but we do *ay the present is far toi an oc•casiem, the crisis of affnirs far too imminent to justify fhe electors in entrusting their interests to mere apprentices when they have such able and well tried journeymen •offering.. Taieri electors, the " territorial democracy," >or as their opponents have termed them the " clodocracy/' have made themselves felt., and proud well, may you -be that you have bad representatives that tno amount of abuse, no art, no cajoling, no pressure of one kind or another could influence or move, but true to the banner they iad raised " the rights and interests the Province," stood steadfast to the end, sand now when they ask for a recognition <of their services, tne least you tsan do, in -our humble opinion,, is to return them with ;an overwhelming majority. Some will •tell you that the Hundreds Act will not be repealed 9 we say do not believe them ; be true to yourselves and it can, it will be repealed. Even a Driver feels the weight <of public opinion, and chameleon like, endeavored t« [jwin the support of the now <enligh<tened electors of Waikari by declaring be would endeavor to get land for settlement free of cqinpensation. We know that pdlrtitians oi the Vogel-Driver class -are of opinion that a large body of the •electors are only fit to be gullpd, and that do so is no ufficnl;, tnsk, but we feel $bat tliereis too much intelligence amongst the Taieri electors to be hoodwinked, and they are too thoroughly alive to the necessities and exigencies of the times to be entrapped by pretences however specious. 3jet all lethargy be cast off and every man go to the poll and record his vote— not a ■svote can be spared. The greater the number of votes- pulled, the greater weight it will give your representatives, and when -yon find true men who have already borne -much of the heat of the battle, ready to give more ©f their feirae and abilities to your interests, surely it is but little to ask of ;vou to spare a few hours o£ your time to record your appreciation of their worth and exertions. Your fellow-electors of Waihola, Milton and Matau have shown you a good example ; we will only add, go ye and do likewise, lor if we have any other wish to express, it is that the majorities may be even more triumphant.