CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH.

Press, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5067, 3 December 1881, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH.

The nominations for this electorate tookplace this day at noon in the Oddfellows' Hall. There was a large audience present, a considerable number of gentlemen being on the platform. The Beturning Officer, Mr Alex. Lean, haying read the writ and advertisement of polling, called for nominations for one member to serve in the House of Representatives for the district of Christchnrch Sonth. Mr P. Cunningham said the gentleman whom he had to propose was too well known to them all to require many words of introduction from him. He had known him intimately for t«enty years : he esteemed and thoroughly respected him, as did all who knew him. Mr John Anderson was, indeed, a man whom all parties could and did respect and honor. It had been objected that Mr Anderson was too old, but he would like to see the man who admitted that insinuation. If it were allowed, then the greatest atateman that England ever produced labored under the same disadvantage. In that respect, indeed, the only difference between Mr Anderson and his opponent was, that the former had white hair on his head and the latter had none. It had also been said that Mr Anderson could not speak in pnblic ; well, he thought that they required workers, not talkers. [Applause.] In the last Parliament seven-eighths of the memoere were " speakers," and they spoke with a vengeance. Mr Anderson, though not endowed with that fatal grift, i would work for them, and that was what the constituency required. Hβ -waa a man who fairly represented the trade and commerce of the place, an interest which had been underrepresented hitherto, and which ha felt sure all would like to see properly represented. Mr Anderson was quite capable and earnestly determined to do them justice in that respect, [applause.] The speaker concluded by proposing Mr John Anderson as a fit and proper person to represent the constituency in Parliament, Mr S. Clarkson seconded the nomination. He said he had known Mr Anderson for thirty years. It had been said that he would go into Parliament as the nominee of the Hon. John HalL The allegation was most untrne. Mr Anderson would, if elected, go up as an independent member and the representative of the wording men, and he had no doubt would do credit to himself and honor to the constituency. Mr C. P. Hulbert proposed Mr John Holmes, and Mr Nicholas Bowden seconded the nomination. Mr Anderson then briefly addressed the meeting. He said if elected he would go to Parliament with the intention of folly supporting such liberal measures as might be brought forward. One thing, at any rate, he would try to do, and that was to suppress the objectionable system of proceeding at nominations, which was quite opposed to the spirit of the ballot law. If sent up, he would do his best for the colony at large and Christchoroh in particular. [Applause.] Mr Holmes followed in a speech of some length, in which he indignantly repudiated being actuated by the selfish motives some of his opponents credited him with. He had been blamed for belonging to a certain religion, or, it waa said, if he did not belong to it, his mother or his grandmother did. It was an unwarrantable piece of impertinence to enquire what the religion of a candidate was. Then, again, it was said he was an Irishman. What were the best men Canterbury ever produced ? —Crosbie Ward or J. E. Ktzgarald ? They were Irishmen, and men of whom any constituency might be proud. He could not pretend to the talent of such men, but in his love for hie adopted country, and an earnest desire to serve the people who did him the honor to support him, he would yield to none. If elected he would enter Parliament as a Liberal in the strictest sense of the word, but totally independent of any man or set of men. [Applause.] The Eeturning Officer then called for a show of hands, which was declared to be in favor of Mr Holmes, a result which was received with loud cheering. Mr Cunningham demanded a poll on behalf of Mr Anderson. A vote of thanks to the Eeturning Offiser ended the proceedings.