GENERAL ELECTION. ELECTORAL DISTRICT OF CITY OF AUCKLAND WEST.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2677, 14 February 1866, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION. ELECTORAL DISTRICT OF CITY OF AUCKLAND WEST.

At twelvo o'clock, noon, yesterday, Hie nomination and election of two candidates to represent the interests of the constituency of the Electoral District of City of Auckland West in the next session of the House of Representatives, took place at the Old Supreme Court House, Queen-street. There was a numerous assembly of electors congregated in front of the building, and on the platform we observed a number of influential citizens. Colonel H. C. Balneatis, Returning Officer, punctually at the hour mentioned, read the writ of election issued by his Excellency the Governor, and also the notice of holding the election as published in the Dailt Sotjthebn Cross. He then asked if any elector had a candidate to propose. Mr. Alexander Black then came forward and said : Mr. Returning Officer and Electors of the West Ward, I come before you to propose a gentleman today to represent us in the West Ward — a gentleman well known to u» all. He has fought our battles before, and I had the honour of proposing the same gentleman as a member of the Provincial Council when he was absent. He is here to;day, and will answer for himself any question you may put to him. He is a good man, and a man in. the right place ; if not I would not propose him. In the present crisis, he will act for the good of the place, and for the interests of the working population. T believe he will be one who will do his endeavours to bring about something for the benefit of the working population. I have been a good number of years here, and I have never seen so much depression as exists amongst us at the present time. The gentleman I am about to propose is Mr. John Williamson. (Cheers.) I pro pose that gentleman as a fit and proper person to represent us, in the West Ward of the city, in the House of Representatives. (Cheei's.) Mr. P. Dignan said : Gentlemen electors of Auckland City West, I have much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. John Williamson as a fit and proper person to represent the City West in the General Assembly of the Parliament of New Zealand, and in doing so, allow me to remark that anything I could say to you could not in the slightest manner elevate him in your estimation higher than he stands at the present moment. (Hear.) His political career and political acts have gone through the crucible of public opinion ; he has been tried and tested, and found to be Al. (Laughter and cheers.) All that is necessary on our part is to ask him tp do what he has done before — to attend to our interest when he is called, on to do duty in the South; and by paying the same attention aa before, it will satisfy us and the province of Auckland, and we will testify that we approve of what he had done before by re-electing him. We have all given our opinion in favour not even of him but of all those who have discharged their duty faithfully to this province. I, therefore, beg to second the nomination of Mr. John Williamson. (Cheers.) Mr. J. C. Firth then came forward and said : Electors of the West Ward, I come before you in [ like manner to propose, not anew man, but a welltried man, for I think you will agree with me that at a crisis like this in the affairs of this colony, and especially of this province, it is of the greatest impoitance that we should not have new men, but that we should have men to represent our interests who have proved themselves worthy of our confidence—men who know the duties of Parliamentary business — men who during the last session have by their unanimity, by # their wisdom, by their firm and united action, when the province, which was at one time likely to be the insult and scorn of the rest of New Zealand, raised it to a position whicn it has not occupied for years. I think you will agree with me, and even those who have said so much against it will agree with me, that the province of Auckland is not to be put down by talk or reproaches — that it means to secure its rights — that its members gave an earnest during last session that they are not to be put down, and that the interests of the province of Auckland are safe in their hands. (Cheers.) T think we owe very much to the old members for their staunch and consistent advocacy of the interests of the province of Auckland They were all ardent supporters of Separation — that measure that can only give us selfgovernment — (Bear) — that can only rid us from the possibility of the dictation of such men as Mr. Weld and Mr. Sewell. I think that in having gone in as ardent supporters of Separation to the late contest, they have come out with opinions unchanged ; for I believe they are one and all ardent supporters of Separation to-day. (Hear.) I think you will agree with me thab uo gentleman who is not a decided, staunch, unflinching, and unwavering supporter of the ' separation of this province from the Southern portion of New Zealand has no right to ask your confidence ; I am certain he has no right to hope to secure it. (Hear.) r I he gentleman I have the honour to propose is a staunch supporter of this great movement — Mr. James Williamson. (Cheers.) I think also it is necessary in seeking to secure a great object, that we should have men who are prepared to sacrifice their private ideas or little personal feelings, in order to secure a great object ; and I am proud to have to compliment the old members, as you have already complimented them, in having given the interests of this province over to their wisdom and oare, for their having sacrificed private ideas and opinions, and acted as one man in the House of Representatives. I think that any man who is not prepared to go in for Separation, and go in with the majority of the Auckland members to secure that object in whatever way they may consider best, is unworthy to solicit your vote and confidence. I believe the gentleman I have the honour to propose will be perfectly ready to do it, and he has already done so — he has proved himself to be an ardent supporter of Separation, and prepared to sacrifice his private opinion, if the opinions of the members should ever clash, and go with the opinion of the majority — (cheers) — as the best means of securing that object. This province has for many years suffered from its enemies m consequence of the people being disunited ; but during the last twelve months it has been united and agreed. The province, by united action, has had a great deal to do in the overthrow of Mr. Weld from the position of Premier of the country, and placing Mr. Stafford in his present position as Premier ; and I feel certain if our members go down to the South — our fifteen members go down prepared to advocate the interests of this province as oue man, they will prove themselves to be a power which no Ministry can hope to slight, and at no distant day will secure the great object we have all at heart, and feel sure of helf-govern-ment, which is involved in the obtaining of Separation. (Cheers.) T, therefore, have great pleasure in proposing Mr. James Williamson as a fib and proper person to represent Auckland City Westjin tbe next session of the General Assembly. Mr. J. S. Maofarlane said : Gentlemen, I appear here merely to second tbe nomination of Mr. James Williamson. He is pretty well known to all assembled, and 1 have only to second his nomination as a fit and proper peraon to represent the constituency of the City of Auckland West in the forthcoming session of the House of Representatives. The Returning Officer asked if there was any other candidate to propose, and there being no response, he said that John Williamson, Esq., and James Williamson, Esq., having been duly proposed and seconded, he declared them to be duly elected members for the City of Auckland West in the House of Representatives. (The announcement was received with cheers.) Mr. John Williamson said : Gentlemen, electors of the City West, I need not tell you that I duly appreciate this further mark of your confidence in me. I have endeavoured to serve your interests as best I could during the last Parliament. (Hear.) I had the happiness in the last session of being compactly united with the representatives of the whole province of Auckland. On former occasions we differed in opinion ou many points ; but on those cardinal points affecting the interests of Auckland in the last session we were united as one man. (Cheers.) I have the pleasure iv seeing already some chosen— my colleague to-day especially, as one who stood by my side as I stood by his side during the last session of the Assembly — which was a critical one for the interests of this province— in defending the interests of Auckland. lam glad that you •have re-elected my colleague, and I need, not say that T have to thank you heartily for havin? again chosen myself ; not but that, had I consulted my own dpsires, I should rather at this time have retired, and looked after concerns more peculiar to my own interests; but as the work has had a beginning— and well begun »t Wellington last session— it was necessary that those who commenced that work should be present— those whom you may choose to elect— that they should complete that work. (Bear.) I felt this should be done at whatever sacrifice. I don't put myself before you at all as a martyr. I felt at any rate that at whatever sacri6ce, if called upon again to represent you, we should not shrink, but rather respond willingly to that call. (Cheers.) Therefore, willingly I have this day appeared before you as a candidate ; and, as I said before, I thank you for this additional mark of the confidence you have been pleased to repose in me in entrusting me again with your

interests during another aesaion of Parliament. (Cheers.) My seconder, Mr. Dignan, has said, in a very complimentary and kind way towards myself, that I have given attention to the interests of this place. Well, I don't claim to myself any thanks for that at all ; for I have been identified with Auckland for so many years that, if I neglected her interests, I bhould neglect my own. (Cheers ) I don't claim, therefore, thanks for that ; but, at tbe same time, I have to express my thanks to the gentleman who was so kind as to nume me in so friendly a manner as he has done to you. I can only say to you that, in coming here before you and in accepting this position again, I shall, I trust, so far as health permits, be always found at my post, and do the utmost I can to advance the iuterests of Auckland ; and not so long as this colony of New Zetland remains a united colony shall I be found traitorous to the interests of the colony at large. (Cheers.) I thank you again for the position you have placed me in, and I shall be glad to do my utmost to serve your interests. (Cheers.) Mr. James Williamson said : Electors of the city of Auckland West, I thank you for the mark of confidence you have this day bestowed upon me. J. - have, during tbe time I represented your interests in. the House of Representatives, done the best I could, so far as I knew, and I mean to do so still. (Hear.) There has been something said about pledges to be given here : I have no objection to the pledges proposed ; but at the same time I don't hold that members should go down South entirely as delegates. (Hear.) Still, these pledges are in entire accordance with my own views, and I can have no hesitation in making those pledges. We will obtain Separation — (Hear, and cheers) —because the feeling of every Englishman is that he must be governed by himself. (Cheers.) There is a division between the two islands — the Southern Island and our Northern Island — and it will give each enough to do to manage their own aff urs. Let each manage their own affairs, and if they don't succeed they will have no right to throw blame on any party. (Cheers.) I have to thank you for the confidence you have reposed in me before, and for this new mark of it ; and you may depend upon it I shall be found working with the majority of the Auckland members. (Loud cheers.) On the motion of Mr. John Williamson, seconded by Mr. James Williamson, the thanks of the electors were given to Colonel Balneavis, .Returning Officer. Colonel Balneavis suitably acknowledged^ the compliment, thus terminating the proceedings, which occupied but little more than a quarter of an hour.