OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1380, 5 March 1861, Page 3

OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

To the Editor of the Southern Cross. Sir, — Now that the elections Cor representatives to the Geneial Assembly, foi this province, hive take.i place, 1 have given myself the task of reviewing the features of the past, and of contemplating the pioba bilities of the future in connection theiewitll. Dining the contests I saw many a " Shadow on the wall" of e\ents which have been promised to be fulfilled in the House of Representatives of the ensuing General Assembly, but which will, if not pi opeily "watched, " come like spnits, so depait " In eveiy case I have opened an account " m the tablet of my memory," and have debited each member with the promises he has made to his constituents, and I shall not give him credit for any portion of the debt, until he has properly discharged it, in his place in Paihament In order to revive the recollection of the members of their pledges, and to stamp their futiue duty more firmly upon their minds, I beg now to tiansenbe a few of the leading promises which stand recorded against them.

City op Auckland, East. Mr. Russell. — " I v ill support the present, 01 any other ministry «ho -ssill prosecute the war, until Bntibh law and authonty shall be the only standaul for both laces." " I will endeavQ\n\ltOMbnng the public expenditure withm proper limits. ,1 think one third of it might be cut off without Mjuiy to the public service " " I will use every means in my powei to check the encroachment of the Gcneial Government upon Piovmcial Institutions " " I will endeavour to provide for the provinces the largest possible share of the revenue of the Colony."

City op Auckland, "Wrsr. Mi Firth — "I will suppoit whatever ministry will conduct the affairs of the country with pluck, economy, and common sense " " My giand object will be to defeat all attempts to make a hollow peace. The war if fairly fought out, will give us a sine and lasting peace, and as soon as that is secured, I shall be ready to place my charge again m your hands " Mr. J. Williamson — "I will labour not less earnestly than I have hitherto done, to promote the mteiests of this piovince and of the Colony,"

NIWTOX. Mr George Graham — " I shall do my utmost to preset ve the integrity of the piovinces, and endeavour to pioeuie for them, a larger shaie of their own revenues, and to reduce the disgraceful and wasteful expenditure now going on, which if not cheoked, must lead to heavy taxation, and the ruin of the North of New Zealand." " I differ with the present ministry in their Native policy. That system has ruined one of our finest provinces. Having, however, plunged us into war, lam of opinion that it bhould he energetically prosecuted until those in rebellion submit themselves to British law and authority."

Parnell. Mr. Reader Wood. — " I will do what lies in ray power to remedy the evils under which this countiy labours ; to restoie to the Assembly some of those powers of which it has been induced to divest itself ; to give to the country something like Constitutional Government; to the piovmces a larger share of their own revenues, and to the administration of the public finances, that care and economy, which have been too much lost sight of, and without which, it is impossible longer to avoid heavy and grievous taxation."

Northern Division. Mr. J. O'Neill.—" I will endeavour to prevent the dismemberment of the provinces, and secuie to the Provincial Governments their proper share of the revenue to be expended in public works." Mr 1. Henderson. — "T have no interest to serve which is not in common with your own."

Peankmn. Mr. Kobt Graham. — He referred to his past conduct in the Assembly as a guarantee for the futuie, and stated that the war was conducted without forethought, but that now no premature peace ought to be tinkered up The lebek must be disarmed and thoioughly subdued, and the King movement effectually put down — the land question should be settled by individualizing all tribal lands, which should be secured by Crown grants— and the Maori should be permitted to sell his land as he does his produce, and subject to the same law as the European. He would endeavour to open up the country, and he would oppose the cential monopolizing policy, and the extiavagant expenditure of the public money. Lieut -Colonel Nixon has given no pledges beyond those of faithfully representing the interests of his constituents.

Raglan. Mr, C. J. Taylor. — " I will vote for the repeal of the New Provinces Act, " "lam prepared to unite with the other representatives of this province in obtaining a sweeping reduction in the expenditure now lavished on an over-grown, and daily increasing official staff, and to act in concert with those gentlemen, that Auckland may hold the piominent position due to her in the government of the Colony."

Bay of Islands. Mr. Hugh Carleton. — " My political opinions being well known, it suffices me to give a general assm-ance, that I wjII endeavour to promote the interests of the Bay of Islands district." I

Onehdkga. Mr Cr. Maurice O'Rorke. — " No effort of mine will be wanting to restrain the tendency towards centralization which has been so insidiously encouraged by the present ministry." The " New Provinces Act I have ever regaided *s the most iniquitous and unconstitutional measure which has ever been enacted by a New Zealand legislature, and if allowed to remam on the statute books, will in a few years, sink this province

into a petty municipality, ' without revenue— witnoul immigration, and without dignity " " I have ever considered the Manukau as the harbour above all others in this province, the best situated for postal communication between thi« part of New Zealand and the Australian colonies, and I will endeavou^ to advance its interests." "I will support any ineasuie which in my opinion maybe best calculated to bring the war to a speedy termination, but in such a manner as will uphold the soveieignty of the Crown, and vindicate Biitish law throughout these islands."

Mahsden. I Mr. John Munro.— " My object will be to assimilate our Constitution as much as possible to that of the British Amencau Colonies, and to combine the greatest amount of administrative efficiency with the greatest piacticable economy of expenditure." Mongonoi — Mr. W. Butler. Pensioner's Settlements.— Mr. W. Mason. 1 cannot find any record of the political views of these members, and consequently content myself in supposing that their constituents are perfectly satisfied they will attend to then local interests in the coming parliament By the foregoing extracts it will be perceived that the leading featiue which pervades thorn is the " prosecution of the war," the next is "Economy in tie expenditure of the Geneial Government," the thhd is the "pai amount importance of Provincial Institutions," and the fouith is that of more local objects, such as " Steam Communication," &c. Some of our members tire, as we know, untried men as practical politicians, who have their spurs to win in the Assembly. Fortunately for them as winners in the contests, the fortuitous circumstance of the war presented itself to their assistance, and happy were they in taking advantage of it, for by its powerful aid they have been able to float into the House of Representatives upon the strong tide of public opinion. But it must be borne in mind by them, that it is more easy to declaim, than it is to legislate ; the one is an attack upon the passions, and the other is an appeal to the mind. On the hustings you cannot leason, but in the House you must : consequently, our maiden members must prepaie themselves for the coming session by bestowing a deep leflection upon the merits of the question of War oi Peace, and strive to obtain the blessing of the latter as quickly as possible, and at the same time, secure equal justice to the Maoris, as well as to the Europeans. 1 am fearful the cry of " Economy" has fulfilled its mission, and that we shall see but little of its fiuits in the Assembly. When the countiy is at war, it is an unfavourable period to seek for retienchment, but however, let the pledges be redeemed as far as possible, and let each member do his best to cut off, even if it be only " one third of the annual expenditure of the Government." I now conclude by hoping that our confidence in our members will be found reposing upon a " satisfactory basis, ' and that at the end of their term of office, we may present each, with branches of the " olive" and the " laurel" affectionately entwined, as emblems of our lasting satisfaction and gratitude for the services they have perfoimed for us and our country. I am, &c, An Elector. Auckland, Feb. 25th, 1801.