DOMINATION OF CANDIDATES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1839, 16 May 1885, Page 2

DOMINATION OF CANDIDATES

The nomination of candidates took place yesterday at noon in the Native Court House Tauranga-, 1L W\ Brabant Esq., E.M., returning officer. There Wais a large attendance of electors. The returning officer addressed the electors brieily announcing that by the resignation of Captain Morris their late member* a Vacancy had been created in the House of Eepresentatives, and they were now called upon to nominate a fit and proper person fo fill the said vacancy. The Eeturning Officer having read the writ concluded his remarks. Mr David Lundoii rose and and deessed the electors in the following strain, i.e. that the responsibility of nominating a fit and proper person to represent them in the House of Eepresentatives at "ft ellington had fallen npon him, and he now had much pleasure in nominating Mr William Kelly who as they were aware in 1878 won a seat against two candidates. He would now remind them of a remark made only a few days ago by a leading citizen, that no one had done as much for the district as Mr Kelly either then or since. If an energetic representative was required one who would not stop at the mere asking for favours but go on until he got them, his candidate was the man. He was now coming before them for t the fourth time. He had been once successful, twice defeated. Now, it is stated that Mr Kelly is not iit to represent this district because he favours the Waikato railway and so on. He would urge on the contrary Mr Kelly looks at this question from a business point of view, and if his property is enhanced in value by the "Waikato route, it would bo increased threefold by the Tauranga railway. He, Mr Lundon would however not occupy their time but formally propose Mr "W. Kelly as a fit and proper person to represent Tauranga in the House of Eepresentatives. Mr James i'enton seconded. Mr Eobt. Home proposed as his candidate, one whom he said " had made his mark in the House, a man who will cause his voice to be heard in that House, and of all men bo the best qualified to see the greivances and wrongs of this constituency redressed." He had much pleasure in naming Mr John Sheehan as a candidate — seconded by Mr Thos. Buckland. In the absence of any other candidate, the Eeturning Officer notified that the nominated parties might address the electors. Mr Sheehan, in the absence of Mr Kelly, rose and expressed his regret that Mr Kelly was not present as he had a good deal to say to him and of him, and he would have liked meet him on this platform and given to him an opportunity of clearing himself before the electors. He had seen a speech of Mr Kelly's which was published and circulated. That speech was built upon his own previous address, without which Mr Kelly could not have spoken at all. — In his speech he makes no less thau nineteen references to my address. Further, he makes the statement that I dare not go back to former constituencies. I will answer that — In ISG9 I was returned, that was election number 1, (for the Provincial Council) . For the Assembly I was returned without opposition. I myself returned Mr Kelly ! In 1870 1 was again returned for Eodney. In 187S I stood for the Thames, and why bo ? It was in obedience to the demands of a law with which Mr Kelly has no acquaintance — the law of party. I went to the Thames in obedience to the wishes of the Grey party. I hold I must support my party in politics and my belief in this is evidenced by the fact that I can write off no less a sum than £40,000 spent in the service of my party. I am connected with a very old and highly esteemed family and I can boast of the fact that no relations of mine were ever enriched at the cost of the public. I have had it in my power to sign away beneiifcs s when my own brothers sought my assistance I told them to go and learn a trade, and come to me then and I should help them. As to why I was not returned for Napier, my answer is this : A seat was open for me in Auckland had I chosen to take it, but I had, much as it grieved mo, to cou-

test the Napier seat against Mr, Ormond; And I lost the election on the . civjr , of Hie old i>ai;t:f religious feuds, the old difstiiribing cry of Oi'aiige versus llibbon men. A cry that should never for a moment be allowed a voice in a country like this, a young country that wants building up and not torn by dimension and feuds which have proved a cttrge to the Old. CpUnbftyj, I se'fc t]ie : saiile clement is being fanned up here* j can only say 1 take my stand outside these questions. 1 am a Catholic, I have fought the priests on the Catholic question and beaten them hands down. Here you are wrong to allow such questions to enter; the field-. I stand as a New Zealand mart oil the broad ground that these elements of dissension can only hinder the welfare 61 tlie x Country: I charged tby the Oraiige party with being' priest-ridden, I was charged by the Catholics with being opposed to them in the Educational question. On botli sides the} r were wrong, I am am neither in the hands of one party or the of the other. Xam decidedly opposed to both sides of the religious question, it may cost me a vote or two to Bay So lAil thtJi'e I take nly stand. I hold your wisdom is to return a man who represents the Colony first, the district next. I vote on all great questions as a colonist not as a local man. Now Mr Kelty called himself a local mail) if he is local it is not in Tauranga. it if! at Ohinemiilu ; at Opotiki he has ceased fco be so. I was told it was no use going to either of these, his strongholds. I went, nevertheless, and was well received, obtaining a vote of thanks at Opotiki and many private assurances. At Ohineinutu one of Kelly's party tried to secure an adverse vote, I refused a vote of thanks and said plainly I would only accept a vote of confidence or nothing. Bo also at Wairoa, I found there, with the exception of two votes, I might count on universal support. I was especially directed to avoid Te Puke as all were Kellyites. Nothing of the kind, at Te Puke I was well received and obtained unsolicited support. The campaign has not been uneventful. It has proved beyond doubt that the 'local man' cry won't hold water. lam surprised Mr Lundon should be against me, a man whom I had a right to think 1 need not ask for his vote, but he has given his reason, his candidate views things as a business man, and I warn you you are in danger of the whole trade and traffic leaviug you. One special thing 1 have learned in going through the country, that is the claim you have for a railway to Te Puke and on to Ohiuemutu, and I shall, if returned, within seven »days after the House meets press ths Government for the construction of that railway and not wait for arrangements now goiug on in London, but place the matter on the order paper. I shall move for the construction of a line from Tauranga to Itotorua forthwith. This place is entitled to this line, but you won't get it by returning a man who builds coaches and runs an opposite trade. On the contrary the duty of your member is to back up the place, when Mr Kelly is quite prepared to hand over the whole interests of the town and district for a consideration, as a business man. I look upon the cry of a local man as a fraud and a humbug. A man in the Old Country is returned for his ability and his previous services, the people who know their business best vote for such a man. It is difficult to avoid alluding to personal matters, but I consider I am entitled to be heard. At the opening of this campaign, Kelly wired to me that if he retired another local man would stand, I replied I would contest the seat. As to my policy, I helped to make the present Governmeut, gave them my services in Wellington, and was offered a seat in the Upper House which I refused, I said I should support the present Government generally but not give them an unqualified support. Mr Kelly talks of opposing the Government if they don't give him what he wants, that is foolish, how would you better your conditions with such support, — your streets are like a desert, what is the cause of this depression. I believe you icquire a railway, you want the lands opened up, you want efficient harbour works at the mouth of the Harbour. Here the speaker went over the ground of his policy with regard to the confiscated" lauds and what took place under the next Administration, the cry of the Bryce policy was not to open lands and if the Government insist on these injurious proclamations ho should vote against them. The evils of this system were ably exposed and dwelt on by Mi Sheehan in course of which he said "what between the Government, the Laud Courts, lawyers, and native interpreters, every buyer visiting your district and the North Island generally is disgusted and is glad to leave land that ought to be bought at 10s. per acre, and cross Cook's Strait and settle in the South Island. This suits Otago and Canterbury because they want the South Island populated aud settled at the cost of the North Island. I don't believe in settling a man down on a hundred acres ; he cannot live on it. What is needed is area suflicient for the growth of stock. With reference to railways, harbour works must be considered at the same time. "With proper arrangements the largo Union steamers will again visit this port and the natural course will bo by steamer to Tauraßga on by rail to the Lakes, then on to Auckland via AVaikato. With roads and bridges I shall advocate what is

['needed fciid I believe I moW how to set abutitit; a share of the" money voted I Mi fieteririiriea id get; I shall ask fof what I feel we &iS fe'jfc titled to, and do my best to get as much of that demand as is possible to secure. "Without the least fear of the charge of vanity, I can safely say there is no comparison between my- i self and Mr Kelly Von every occasion " wheri He got anVthiflig for' yon, for which' he' idli.ee rae'H iiiedli id UitMptelf , I drew- Up resolutions fdr 1 fiiit^ draft:-' tod bills, ,there is not a thing done for Tauranga that I was not iustrum ental in doing. A Voice— "Why were you not returned ill Napier"; Bedatise 1 , rdplied. the Speaker* I vra« beaten oil the two pointy 'pl ( ießt"ficldeK J on orie &ide arid the Education (juestioii oil the' other, — two lies— but I can £ay this, 1 Merer turned irij c'drit j my vote is always reliable' ', other votes are never to be counted on until they have voted. Now I go to JCatikati to try my luck there. I lodged Gr. V. Stewart there when Provincial Secretary. On that occasion my party were against it • I crossed the House, spoke in favour 1 Of my pku, won over the other side and so got the land for Q ■> V . | Stewart, I think now all Mr Lundon has got to do is to withdraw his candidate und not think that in order that a man should be fit to represent a constituency he must first be a member of the Parish "Vestry. The Speaker sat down, amid applause. There being no question, the Returning Officer called for a show of hands, when -11 were ,for Kelly and 42 for Sheehan. Mr Lundon then demanded a poll for Kelly which will take place on Friday next, 22nd inst.