GENERAL ELECTION. ELECTORAL DISTRICT OF AUCKLAND EAST.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2676, 13 February 1866, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION. ELECTORAL DISTRICT OF AUCKLAND EAST.

The nomination and election oE a candidate to represent the above electoral district in the ensuing session of the General Assembly, which will meet on 16th April next, took place at twelve o'clock, noen, yesterday, in the Mechanics' Institute, Auckland. There was a large attendance of the principal citizens present, including several members of the Provincial Council. Colonel H. C. Balneavis, Returning Officer, read the writ of election issued by his Excellency the Governor Sir George Grey, also the notice of election from the Dailt Southern Cross. He then expressed his readiness to hear any gentleman who had a candidate to propose, Mr. Thomas Russell came forward and said : Mr. Returning Officer and geutlemen — It is my duty upon this occas : on to propose for your acceptance a gentleman I am sure inevery way qualified to represent us in the General Assembly. It is usual upon occasions of this kind to eot forth the merits of the candidate for your acceptance, but I am very glad to have to say that it is not necessary now. The gentleman that I have to propose for your acceptance is well known to you ; he does not need any commendation on my part. He is an old settler— an Auckland man— and has sound views of the political questions that most deeply affect us. When it became necessiry for me to retire from the representation of the East Ward, I became anxious to know whether some gentleman holding sound political opiuions could be found to represent us in the next session and f utui c session s also of the General Assembly . My mind was quite relieved wheu I found that Mr. Archibald Clark was prepared to undertake the duties of our representative at the forthcoming election and in the General Assembly. (Gheers.) I have conversed with Mr. Clark, and you will hear from him to day his opinions upon great public questions that affect us — the Auckland province particularly ; and I am quite satisfied that upon the great question of. Separation Mr. Clark holds sound views, and will be prepared in the General Assembly to act with the other members of the Assembly for this province — (hear) — to act cordially with them, sinking minor differences so as to secure united action in obtaining self-government or Separation for the province of Auckland. (Cheers.) Gentlemeu, I will not detain you long : MY. Clark is here, and you will hear what he has to say. I have great pleasure in proposing that Mr. Archibald Clark be elected to represent the City of Auckland East in the General Assembly. (Cheers.) Mr. B. J. Ckeightojt said : Mr. Returning Officer and gentlemen — I have great pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Archibald Clark as a fit and proper person to represent the City of Auckland East in the General Assembly. At the same time I cannot but express my regret that the late representative, Mr. Russell, is not going back to Parliament. (Hear. ) I am sure at this crisis the countyy will feel his loss ; but it is the duty of the electors of the City East to take care that that loss should be as lightly felt as possible. I think the constituents, in selecting Mr. Clark as their representative in the General Assembly, will entrust the interests of the City East and of Auckland to the keeping of one who will at all events not betray his trust, and who is so closely identified with the interests of the city of Auckland and the province. Gentlemen, I have great pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Archibald Clark. There being no other candidate to propose, Mr. Clark, who was greeted with frequent plaudits, rose and said : Mr. Returning Officer and gentlemen of the City of Auckland East, since I had lasc the honour of appearing before an Auckland constituency several eveutful years in the hi&tory of this colony have passed away. Duriug the greater part of that period I was, as you mostly know, residing in the mother country ; and having recently returned it has given me much pleasure to witness the extension and much improved aspect of the city, showing to me that during the time T had been away there had been the presence of considerable material prosperity. In the country districts also there are not wanting signs of improvement and of prosperity; and so far as I"have been able to learn, while there are individual cases of failure and disappointment, yet upon the whole the industrious and persevering setttler has been making his way, and that his prospects are improving. (Hear.) With regard to the districts in the more southern parts of the province, the case there is rather exceptional. The war operations and all the distmbances caused by war have pressed somewhat hard upon them. They have met with losses, and been subjected to inconvenience, but I am glad to say that the Provincial Government has taken up their case, and that there is a likelihood that compensation at least to some extent will be awarded them. If I may make use of the old proverb — " He gives twice who gives quickly"— I think it is very applicable to the circumstances of this people. Whatever awards the Government may see fit to give, after proper inquiry, those awards ought to be paid at once, and thereby relieve the pressure from off the shoulders of many, and in all likelihood put them in such a condition that they will retrieve their position if they may not be able to go beyond it. (Hear.) I have alluded to the prosperity which prevailed generally in this province two or three yeais ago. We all know tbat that was not destined to be of long duration ; we for the most part feel that things now are in a state of comparative depression, and I think it is the duty of well-wiahers to the province to do everything that lies io their power — in the first place to find out what causes led us to this state, and in the second place to endeavour to remove them. (Hear.) For my own part, I think that chief amongst those causes has been the action or political mr-conduct of the Weld Ministry. (Hear ) During the time I was living at a distance, and I no sooner was made aware that it was the intention of the Ministry to burke the Waikato settlement scheme, than I saw looming in the distance coming times of depression. I was pretty clear as to what was coming to pass. I was a great believer in the Waikato settlement scheme ; my whole heart was in it. I felt exceedingly grieved, vexed, and annoyed, when it was put so suddenly a stop to. Ha<i it been carried out in anything like its integrity, I always felt and do now feel that it would have settled the native war, and prevented any future native wars, and at the same time there would have been a stability given to this province which would have enabled us to take a place and to go a-head of the most favoured province in the colony. (Hear and cheers.) An impet as was given to action on the part of_ the community by the announcement of the adoption of the scheme, and when the Imperial Government endorsed the scheme at least so far, and when it was put partly into execution, prudent men felt themselves warranted and looked about them to prepare for that extension of trade, which was likely to accrue from such a scheme. That was my feeling, and I was willing as a trading man to go into it to some extent. We were doomed to disappointment ; there was no fruit on that tree : the apples turned into ashes in our hands, (^ear.) L am fully persuaded, as I stated already, that the action of the Weld Ministry was the main cause of the depression under which we are now labouring. (Hear.) How much of that action originated in unfriendly, or it may be hostile, feeling lurking in the bosoms of some of the Southern politicians, I am not prepared to say, or how much of it was brought about by the combined action of the Aborigines Protection Society and the Imperial Government acting upon our Government and men in power here. lam not prepared to say how much is due to one party or how much is due to the other. This I am prepared to say, that looking at the result and the full weight of it, I have come to the conclusion — with many others — to adopt in the right sense of the word the self-reliant policy— (cheers)— and endeavour to have as much the management of our own affairs in onr own hands as we possibly can. (Cheers.) That a step in the right direction has been taken I am glad to say, although it does not arisp out of the present movement ; the Provincial Government has wisely entered into an arrangement for taking up the balance of the Waikato confiscated land. I quite approve of that course ; I shall be willing to lend whatever aid in my power in the way of legislation so as to enable them to devise such schemes as may tend to the improvement of the people in the occupation of the land. (Hear.) This brings us to the great question of Separation. Upon this your late members of the province of Auckland — the members of the Provincial Council of Auckland — I may say the whole body of the people— have uttered no uncertain sound. (Hear and cheers.) I don't understand how any man can expect the support of any constituency of the province of Auckland who is not prepared to vote for Separation. (Cheeks.) I have made my mind up upon that ; not but that in the consideration of the question matteis of detail will come up in connexion with it. Their views with regard to this and othe,r ,qufestions should find expression in meetings held by Auckland members alone. (Hear.) After discussing them there, they should come down to the House and vote as one man. (Loud cheers.) I believe in the phalanx alluded to in the Herald of this morning. The Macedonian phalanx was a great power in the w«r3 carried on by Philip and Alexander; and if Auckland members are true to themselves, they will be ' a great political power in the House of Assembly. (Cheers.) The

question of finance will without doubt occupy a con sidcrable pait of the time of the General Assembly shoitly to meet. With regard to that, I can only express my-elf in very gencial terms ; and say this, that co lsi'denng the exigencies of the time", I am for the exercise of a ri«jid econo ny — to rul» <iff all unnecessary and doubtful c\p "ndifcuro, and even where there weie expenses that it was dean able to go to, 1 would counsel del.y until the finances of the country are put 011 a more stable footing. Buj, on the other baud, where the Government has committed itself to a course of conduct— wheie a pledge was made and agree nent inter. I into with a third party, I would not counsel the breach of such an obligation — whether relating to a body of emigrants in poor and dependent circumstances, or a body of shareholders of a rich Steam Navigation Company who might have the ability or will to enforce their claim in a court of law. All just claims must be met. We irust take care that the meaus to meet them be found, even if it should be necessary to cn r orce taxation in so*ne form or other. (Uheors.) There are many questions which will come up in the House of Representatives for discussion and disposal. Many of them, indeed, I am not able to anticipate ; but w'tb. regard to all of them I will say, m a general way, that should you honour me with your confidence, and send me to the House of Representatives, I shall go to Wellington, not to work my own work or seek my own pleasure, but to give a careful attention to all the duties which may devolve upon me as your representative. (Loud choirs.) The Returning Officer : Mr. Clark having been duly piopoied aQ d seconded, and no other candidate having been brought forward, I declare that Archibald Clark, Esq., is a duly elected member for the City of Auckland East for the House of Representatives. (The announcement was received with repeated cheers.) Mr. Clark : Gentlemen, I consider it an honour at all times for any gentleman to be elected a representative in any of our Legislative Assemblies or Kxecutive Councils by a constituency in Auckland; I reckon it a double honour when xipon the present occasion the return, has been made without opposition. I can only for myself return you my sincere and heartfelt thanks, and trust, if I am spared to go down to Wellington, that your interests shall not suffer by it. (Loud cheers. ) On the motion of Mr. Smart, seconded by Mr. George, the thanksof the electors were given to the Returning Officer. The proceedings, which occupied about twenty minutes, then teiminated.