THE SUPERINTENDENCY ELECTION
THE NOMINATION.
The nomination of candidates for the office of Superintendent of the province of Auckland took place yesterday on the Barrack Green, outside the Mechanics' Institute. The nomination had been fixed to take place at the Mechanics' lnstitute at noon. At that time Colonel Balneavis, the Sheriff, read his Excellency's writ, and then proposed that the proceedings should be adjourned to the green outside, as the hall would not accommodate all the people who had assembled. Dr. Lee suggested that the adjournment should be a formal one, and moved the adjournment accordingly. Mr. J. Sheehan seconded the motioD. Mr. Hughes, solicitor, said that to avoid any question in future as to the leeality of the proceeding? the nomination should take place in the Mechanics' Institute. That place was named in the writ. The Shekifs said he would take the responsibility of adjourning to the green outside upon himself. A hustings had been erected by order of the Sheriff, and thither the meeting adjourned. There were from 800 to 1, 000 perßors assembled, This number was increased during the proceedings to about 2,500 persons, Mr. Williamson, one of the candidates, on stepping on to the platform was ppcognised by the crowd and enthusiastically cheered. The Returning Officer, Colonel Balneavis, said a question had been raised as to whether or not the nomination ought to be legally held inside the Mechanics' Institute. For his part he did not think it mattered. The candidate?, or the three gentlemen who he had been told were to be candidates, bad agreed to waive that question, and had agreed that the candidates should be nominated nt the hustings outside. (Hear, hear.) The writ had been read inside, which made the nomination legal; the election notice had also been read ; and now was therefore the time for any elector who had a caadidate to propose to come forward and do io. Before, however, a candidate was proposed, he (the "Returning Officer) would request the meeting to be good enough to give a fair and impartial hearing to the several speakers. (Rear, hear.) It would do no good to interrupt the spenkers, and he desired them to give a patient hearing to the proposes and seconders, and especially to the candidates themselves. If the electors de i ired to ask them any questions they would be al>le to do so at the conclusion of each candidate's address. If any electors had any such questions to ask it would le perfectly competent to tbeaa to do so, but he begged the meeting to abstain from interrupting the candidates. (A voice: "A fair field and no favour for Brother Jonathan.") Mr. Alexander Black then came forward to address the meeting, and was received with some applause. He said he had come there to-dav to propose a gentleman for election to the office of Superintendent — to the office of chief magistrate of the province of Auckland. It was a great boon that was conferred up-m the electors th»t they had the power to elect their own Superintendent, and that they were not obliged to accept a nominee from Wellington, bs they would have been obliged to to do if it had not been for the exertions of the gentleman he was about to propose for their acceptance. Had it not been for the a\ lis exertions of that gentleman, backed as he was by his Executive at the time, the electors of Auckland would not now enjoy the hoon of choosing their own Superintendent ; they would be ruled from Wellington, and would not Vie called upon to-day to assemble where they now were. The gentleman he had to propose for the office of Superintendent of the province of Auckland was John Williamson, Fsq. (Loud cheers, and a voice, "Well done, Black.") He (Mr. Black) had watched the rise and progress of the colony, and especially of this province, from its earliest days, and Mr. Williamson was the only Superintendent that had ever succeeded in lifting this province out of its difficulties. (Chee»s.) Though the province was in a prosperous state at the present time, Mr. Williamson took office as Superintendent ab a time wheu it was abandoned by other people, because there were no funds. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Mr. Williamson had raised the province out of a state of almost bankruptcy into a condition of prosperity. They were not all bankrupts now. (Cheers.) It was Baid at Wellington, by some of the members who were inimical to the prosperity of this province, that it was living; upon iron rails . (Laughter.) But those iron rails had after all been of good service to the province, though they were bad to eat and indigestible. (Laughter.) He , would leave the candidate he was about to propose to the electors, and, if any of them desired to put auy questions, that gentleman would be glad to answer them. This was not the first time that he enjoyed the honour of proposing or seconding the nomination of Mr. Williamson both for the Superintendency and for the General Assembly. (Cheers.) He would conclude by again proposing John Williamson, Esq., a3 a tit and proper person to fill the office of Superintendent of the province of Auckland. (Loud and prolonged cheering. ) Mr. Michael O'Haxre, on coming forward, was receired with cheers. (Someone amongst the electors present called for "Three cheers for the Thames," which were accordingly given with great heartiness ) Mr. O'Haire said he begged leave to second, the nomination of John Williamson, Esq., as a fit and proper person to hold the position of chief magistrate of the province during the next term. (Cheers, and a voice: "Who are you?'' Another voice ; "He is a man, that's what he is. He is a miner, and you had better shut up.") He (Mr. O'Haire) had come forward on this occasion at the request of many friends, and from the conviction that of all the candidates that had been spoken of for the Superintendency of this province M. John Williamson was far the best man. (Loud cheers.) Hig (Mr. O'Haire's) reasons for saying that, he would explain to the meeting by-anrl-by. But before he did so, to justify himself in the position — the honourable position — in which he was now plsced, he would address a few remarks to the meeting. He was a miner — (cheers) — and he felt proud of it. (Loud cheers.) He had lived for fourteen years on the golddelds of the colonies, and he knew a, little about political matters. He knew many things of those who were honest in politics aud those who were not, and was able to discriminate between the two clashes. (Hear, hear.) He desired the electors to bear in mind that there was one great question which affected them. New Zealand was their adopted country, and in all general matters they should have its real interest 1 } deeply at heart. (Cheers.) The man who had conferred benefits upon the province and the colony at large, the man who had devoted himßelf to the promotion of the general good of the whole province, was the man whom the electors should choose as their Superintendent. (Cheers.) He would say to them that he believed John Williamson, Esq., was that man. (Loud cheers.) There were many men amongst them who perhaps thought that miners never raise their eyes or their mind* above th« gold they seek for, but he (Mr. O'Haire) could tell them that such an idea was altogether eironeoua. (Hear, hear, and a voice : " Hear, hear, old boy — they raise their eyes to heaven.'') Throughout the history of the Australian colonies, since the firat discovery of gold, no class in the colonies had taken more lively interest or a more active part in the general welfare of these colonies than the diggers had— (loud cheers) — no class by their energy and enterprise had done more to promote the progress and. welfare of the colonies than the diggers had done. (Cheers. ) Some one present at that meeting had asked him where he came from. He would tell him that he came from amongst the diggers, »nd he was proud of it. (Cheera.) He now came to tell them the reasons why he believed Mr. John Williamson to be the best man amongst the 'several candidates who -vere spoken of to fill the office of Superintendent. He held that any man in the country, or in the community, who possessed the genius or the ability to qualify him to hold a distinguished public position, if he jiacl |n bis heart; that patriotism that; would
innplrehim to exert himself in doing good for his fellow nun — unless that genius and ability were like light under a bushel— he should come forward and try to do his very utmost for the political and social happiness of his fellow men. (Cheers.) Had the men who now came forward to contest the election with Mr. John Williamson ever conferred any benefit upon the community by their conduct in any public position? ( "No, " and "Yes. ") No, they had not. It was admitted that tl ey had the genius and ability to do good, but it appeared to him (Mr. O'Haire) that they had never been actuated by patriotism, if they had the integrity and political honesty, to qualify them to do so. (Hear, hear.) He felt convinced that Mr. Williamson, from the time that he first commenced to devote hia time and abilities to political matters in the province, bad thought only of the good of the people of the province of Auckland and of the colony, and had acted always aa a straightforward, conscientious, and independent man. (Loud cheers.) That independence he never sacrificed in devottng his time and abilities for the political benefib of the people of Auckland. (Loud cheers.) He had, however, unselfishly sacrificed hia means in his consistent devotion to the good of the people of this province. (Cheers.) He (Mr. O'Baite) bad been told, and he felt certain that it was a fact, that when ruin and political destiuc* tion threatened this province there was no other man who had the patriotism to come forward to take the helm and guide the ship amongst the rocks into a safe harbour. (Loud J cheers.) Mr. John Williamson was the man j to come forward in that emergency, and now, when he had piloted the ship into a haven of safety, would they elect a man to be Superintendent from amongst those who had formerly stood aloof, while they thought — and perhaps many of them hoped — that the ship was drifting to ruin ? (Loud cbeerp, and u, voice: "Never."') He had heard it said, and a great deal had been made of it by certain parties, that Mr. Williamson was a poor man. Was that any reasonable objection to his return ? Did that in the slightest degree detract from bis ability and fitness for the office of Superintendent of the province ? Why, many of the greatest statesmen that ever lived in Europe were poor men. The great Pitt, whose mind was like a hovering spirit bringing all Europe together, died £30,000 in debt. (Laughter.) The great and noble Fox, than whom Fngland could boast no better or nobler statesman, died poor. The great orator Burke became poor in his devotion to the good of the people, and became dependent upon a pension from the Government for his support. The great Grattan sacrificed his time and worldly prosperity, so that he died a poor man with a paltry pension. The great O'Connell — (a voice: "Dame:') — of whom every admirer of true genius must be proud — he spent his time in advocating and struggling to maintain those political rights of which at the present time we were po proud. (Cheers) He died a poor man, and sacrificed hisown independence and the independence of his family for the public good. In those times did the electors reject these men because they were poor? They would say that if the electors who lived then had done so they ought to bo held in disgrace, If a man who had sacrificed his interests for the community, as Mr. Williamson had most unselfishly done, were to be overlooked, future generations will hold the present electors in contempt. There was one other matter to which he (Mr. O'Hnir) would make reference, and then he would conclude. He was aware that many persons were dipsatiffied with the manner in which the goldfield had been administered. He spoke from his convictions, and was not obliged to support Mr. Williamson or any other man. He was here to speak his mind independently. (Cheers ) There were no doubt many thines to be remedied, but he believed that where Mr. Williamson had nude mistakes it was attributable to errors of judgment;. It was admitted on all hands that there was no man in the province who had done more or had more deeply the progress of the province at heart than had Mr. John Williamson. (Cheers.) The prosperity of the province depended upon the prosperity of the goldfield — 'cheers)— and, as he said before, there was no man who had the interest of the province more at heart than Mr. Williamson had. (Chpprs.) It would therefore be unjust to think that Mr. Williamson had wilfully done aught to injure the goldfields, because in doing thus he would be injuring the whole province. (Hear, hear.) Therefore he felt sure that anything that Mr. Williamson had prred in was capable of amendment, and he hoped the electors would elect Mr. Williamson to tint position in which he would be able to ameud any error that he may have made. It. was very well for some of the candidates to make promi a es as to what they would do if they got into power. It reminded him of an anecdote of a barber, who, when his business was getting very slack, put a notice outside his door to this effect : " What do you think * I will shave you for nothing, and give you a drink.'* When a person came he shaved him, but when tfce eame person asked for a drink he said, " Youmuatpayme for the shaving! have given you." The other person then pointed to the announcement outside the door, but the barber said, "Do you think I will work for nothin t» and give you a drink ? Would you work for nothing ? Certainly not," Depend upon it these gentlemen who promised so much would not work for nothing. If they took their past actions as guarantee for their future promises, they might judge what these men would give them. He would conclude by seconding the nomination of John Williamson, TSpq., as a fit and proper person to fill the office of Superintendent of the province of Auckland. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Tonks said he did not intend to make a speech, because he thought tbat the electors come there to hear the candidates, and not so much the proposers and secondeis. He would pimply content himself by proposing Mr. Hpnry Ellis as a fit and proper person for the office of Supeiiotendent. (Cheers and groans.) Mr. Henry Paktington said he had much ple&Bure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Henry Ellis as a fit and proper person to represent the province of Auckland as its Superintendent. Mr. William Hat, of Papakura, said he had great pleasure in coming before the electors at this time to propose for their election Thomas Bannatyne Gillies, Esq. — j (cheers)— as a fit and proper person to be elected aa Superintendent of the province of Auckland. Be thought they would all agree with him that Mr. Gillies was eminently qualified to fill the office. (A. voice: "We had a lawyer before, and don'fc want any more of them.") If they desired to elect a man that had qualifications that would enable him — (a voice : " The bawbees'') — to conduct the business of this province, Mr. Gillies was the man. The province was at the present time in a state of transition from comparative poverty to wealth and prosperity, and we wanted a man that was properly qualified to conduct the province safely through that stage of transition. (A voice: " But not a lawyer.") They did not want a man that would trifle with the province, but a man that would be able to make the country districts prosper, and that was able to turn the prosperity of the country to proper use. (A voice : "We want no lawyer.") What they wanteJ was a thoroughly honest man (laughter), a man who would be able to conduct the business with despatch. He thought Mr. Gillies was that man. They wanted a man of determination and perseverance, a man that would grapple with difficulties to the utmost of his ability. He thought, of the candidates who had come forward, Mr. Gillies had possessed these qualifications in the highest degree. (A. voice : '• Ho n about the Doctor ?'') Ho (Mr, Hay) had been told to-day that Mr. Gillies was a man comparatively unknown to the electors (A. voicu : " Where is the Doctor ?") But Mr. Gillies was an old settlei in the colony; he had lived in New Zsalund for 17 or 18 yea's ; and his conduct when he waa connected with the Governmeni of the colony was a proof of his qualifications, He had been returned before to occupy a seal in the General Assembly. (A voioe :' " Tak< another wet, old man.") Mr. Gillies had also it a most able manner filled the office of solicifcoi to the Provincial Government, and he hac t iken a very active park in conducting thi affairs of every place in the color.y in whicl b$ had resided, fifo would only w% tb,em, t<
look at the Acclimatisation Society of Auck- ! land. (Laughter, and a voice : "He had better retire into private life and cultivate cabbages.") He had great pleasure in proposing Thomas Bannatyne Gillies, as a fit and proper person to be elected as Superintendent of the province of Auckland. (Cries of « No, no.") Mr. John Wihamson, on coming forward to address the electors, was received with vociferous and prolonged cheers. He said -.—Mr. Returning Officer and gentlemen, electors of the Province of Auckland, I do not know any other ground than upon that of courtesy that I am here now first to address you upon this occasion. One of the candidates, at any rat , has been & long t»me in the field, and I thought that he, in the order of things, should hare been presented to you first to-day. The other candidate who sucoeeded him ho« retired from the field ; of oou»se I do not expeot him here, and Mr. Gillies, who appears here before you now for the first time to ask for your suffrages, is no doubt entitled to the last word. (Laughter and cheers.) Gentlemen, I might have been first in the field because it was my intention to have offered myself again for your suffrages for re-election to the office which I have held. And I was urged by some of my friends in Wellington to leave my place and to come up here again to put myself in the position of a candidate, hut, gentlemen, 1 did not choose to desert my post or my party, even though I should hare risked my re-election to the high and honorable poBt which I hare held so long. I knew, gentlemen, that there were interests connected with this province which were to me of higher importance than my own election. I knew that there were on the floor of I tbo \F6embly men who, professing to be yout representatives, misrepresented you. (Hear, and cheers.) I knew that it would be unsafe to leave the interests of the province of Auckland in their hands. (Renewed oheeiß.) I knew that some of them were men of deeo contrivance ; I knew that they would seizs upon the absence of prominent men who had stood up in defence of the interests of the province of Auckland, ond' taking advantage of their absence, and in tbe presence only of a thin House, have done something which might have led to the discomfiture of the interests which I was there to represent. (Loud chesrs.) Gentlemen, I felt it to be my bounden duty to remain and watoh the general affairs of the colony, and more particularly the interests which belonged to myself and to you, and not leave my post until tha prorogation had taken place. I have made this nay invariable rule, and so long as T hold a seat in the General Assembly it will be no minor matter, no trifling master, that will take me away from my post there. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I have seen the evils of it; heretofore in the legislation of , this country. I have seen that in the absence of some „of the finest men in the country, who represented one of its provinces, advantage was taken of if, and Borne of the , evils which we now labour under took theiv origin from that absence. I had to wntch one of the arch- contrivers in hi? movements in that House. I tell you, gentlemen, that it , was (by virtue of his office) his business to \ be there to the end. (A voice : Mr. Oarloton.) , I tell you, gentlemen, that if he had not been carefully watched till the end of the ■ session it is hard to say what might have , befallen this province. (Cheers.) 1 there- • fore remained there, at a disadvantage to ; myself, white others were presented before \ you vho had opportunities of taking advan- j tage of my nbsonoe, by canvassing the pro- ( vince, by visiting many parts of it, and ( holding themselves up as the men to repre- , sent you in the position of Superintendent. ] I also had another reason for remaining. \ It became me to see (hat a dissolution of the Provincial Council had taken place , before I again offered myself for re- , election. .At the present time I ' hold the office of Superintendent, nc- ■ cording to Constitution 1 practice, until I < shall be re-elected by you, or until you elect ( my successor. I, therefore, had to labor under restraints, I hau the public duties of ( my office to discharge from the time I arrived , from Wellington t) the present, and wliile , my opponents have been very active in the j personal canvass which they have undertakpn , — and I don't blame them for it— Lut while ( they have been active, I say I have been , labouring under these restraints which pre- j vented me from doing that which I might , have doue if I had be^n otheiwiae situated to . obtain your good will. But, gentlemen, I j did not rely upon this; I relied upon tho ( honesty of the electors of the province of ( Auckland; I relied upon their gratitude and , their generosity. (Bear, and cheors.) I knew that that man whom thny believed to have ; been working for their- interests and welfare . would, if he were only to come torwaid at j the eleventh hour, receive their support, as I < trust I shall on this occasion. (Cheers.) \ And now I trust you will give me a hearing while T proceed to state something with regard to Auck- j land as it is, and Auckland as ( it was vhon I undertook tho list administration through which I have passed. , (Oheere). It ia now thirty months ago, , about th's time, vr} en my predecessor, Mr. , Whitaker, laid down tho reins of office, and whan the taking of them up depended upon : the man whom you might choose. I was advised by Bome of my staunches!; friends not to undertake suoh an arduous duty, but I still had faith in the resources of this country — I still believed that I should not shrink from doing my share of tho work which might be caloulated to bring the provinoe out of its difficulties, and in the face of great discouragements from my friends, and in tho face of discouragements which I knew to exist — for I could not be ignorant of the etate of the general affairs of the provinces having been myself a prominent member in Mr. Whitaker's Jtiesutive — in the face of that, I had faith enough to come again and offer myself to you ; I had faith enough in the resouvess of this country, and the destinies to which it was yet to come ia the future ; I had faith enough to commence again the uphill work ; and, thank God, during the time of my recent administration, I have had the gratification of seeing Auckland raise its head again, and rr.any of you are here to prove that I was justified in entertaining those hopes. You see its wealth ; you are helping us to dovelope it ; let no man despise you ; you are the bone and sinew of the country, and you are now in r. position to have a voice in the election of a Superintendent, although you were deprived of it at one time by the advocacy of a gentleman who is now to be nay opponent. The miners were deprived, by his great influence in the General Assembly at the time, from exercising any right afc all in the election of a Superintendent of a province. (Cheers.) Bat you are now in the rightful position of taking a part in this election ; and I trust you will prove, by tbe exerciio of your votes, and that suffrage which you have a right to hold, that you are able to discriminate between the men who are your new-born friends and thoße who have been your old and staunch friends, and who stood firmly by tho province. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, when I began thirty months ago to administer the affairs -which belong to the rule of the province of Auckland, I found that notwithstanding all my predecessor could do to disentangle that skein of difficulties into which it had passed by mismanagement and wanfc of judgment in dealing with the large funds and resources ■which had been in the I hands of the previous Government— T found that notwithstanding all that had been done by my predecessor to bring out the real estate and condition of tbe financial affairs of the province, and to puc them in a clear light before himself and hi< (3-c vernmenfc — I found that after he had concluded that work — and ifc waa a valuable work — the province of Auckland was not in a sfc te to be envied. I found that 1 was surrounded by hundreds of people who had no bread to eat coming , clamouring to the doors of the Superintendent's office for food to eit—food foe their i wives a d families — not men unwilling to i woik it they had had it to do, but men positively destitute of employment and of any ■ means of providing for the support ot their L families. I summoned those men around i me: I held a meeting ia Queen-street, at l which my friend, Mr. Lusk, the Accountant, > ' attended, and I told them exaobly b,ow I was
situated. Oponlv and lioldly in the streets of Auokland I lmde that declaration (Oheers.) 1 here were five or sir hundred men there who were willing to put forth their industry in any way they could rather than be dependant upon any one ; but \rhero was the work to come from ? Employment, it was quite true, I could hare given to them, but money I was not able to give tfeem in return for their labour. After consultation with those who were in th« Government of the day, I believed that we might employ the prisoners on some other work than thfct of stone-breaking, which had been carried on in the gaol, and I offered to as many as chote to volunteer for that work, the breaking of stones — a work whioh was then being doDe without pay in the gaol. Many of them undertook it ; they were mere novices to i such work, and although they could hardly earn gait fov themselves and their children, yet they laboured hard, and some of them who had never had a gtone-breaker'f hammer in their hands before, in a short time were able to realise about four shillings a day for their labour. Energy was put forth by those poor men of whioh they ought to be proud. (Oheers.) I say that from that time until the present, I have never forgotten the energy put forth by those men — those earnest hard-vrorkinsf m*n — on behalf of their wives and children, and I could bring out from among; the^e men, some of the men who have shown by their perseverance and industry — who have proved that the industious hand will not go unrewarded — men who have now ample wealth, and who are no I? in a position, not only to contribute towards the support of their own families, but to their connections in other countries, whom they are now disposed to bring here to cast in their lot among us. (Cheers) Suoh things as these are illustrative of that power and perseverance whioh some men possess ani are endowed with, and also go to encourage public men in their public duties to exercise a like perseverance in that which is good and right. (Cheers.) G-entlemon, I was aware tha in this couutry there abounded a source o wealth which was known to exist from its earliest days, but had never been utilised. I called the attention of some oi the poor people to it, and gave them the means, at a trifling cost, to set about again the preparation of flax, and from that day to the present time an impetus Was given to that industry. Shortly after that, I felt it to be my duty to again make an attempt to encourage a search for gold. The Council to whioh I belonged, in Mr. Whitaker's time, had voted a large reward to encourage the prospecting of the province to gold discoveries. Sinoe that reward was issued, shortly before I went to attend to my duty in the General Assembly, men were induced to go forth. The £5,000 was a great stimulant to them — a great inducement, and a great encouragement to them to go forth in search of the rich treasures which many of us knew to exist in those hills ; and I had not been long in Wellington when I had the gratification of knowing that that wealth was disclosed — that great source of wealth disclosed which has now produced such a wonderful chftDge in our circumstances here, and from which you are now deriving advantaaes yourselves— (oheers) — for, although you may not be all miners, you are more or less indirectly concerned in the disclosure of that wealth. The province of Auckland's depressed commerce, at the time I speak to you of, Has become revived. Ships had deserted our harbour, and now they are flocking to it. Our harbour presents that liveliness which it had in days of yore when wo were in the enjoyment of prosperity ,and our wharves and our harbour exhibit those signs of life and activity whioh can only come and proceed from a great demand for the goods which are to be brought here from distant countries. Not only is our foreign trade increased, but our coasting trade has greatly increaieel, and steamers which were lying then idle have been employed ; others have been built by the industry of our artizans, and our enterprising commercial men are now deriving from the constant employment of those steamers between this and the Thames immense profits, calculated, as I trust, in a slort time to make them rich enough. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, who has brought about this state of things f Ido not wish to say a word that might be regarded as flattery to any of you or to any class of yow, but I say that if those ricb gold discoveries had been loft merely to the novices of Auckland, willing as they were \>i go forth and work them, a great d<*al of that wealth would have been yet undiscovered and undisclosed. (Cheers.) And we, the early settlers of Auckland, have a right to th\nkyouwbo are here now working bard, and to encourage you to work hard in those hills, and to bring out more, perhaps, directly for yourselves, th e wealth which is there, but also to enable us to distribute that wealth throughout the whole community, and the changes which have taken place in Auckland are greatly to be traced to your industry. At that time crime was certainly on the increase, but crime is now on the decrease. I intend to read to you one or two statements of facts connected with the distress of the country then and the decrease of it now — with the crime of the country at that time, as disolos3d by the gaol, and the decrease of that now, as disclosed by recent returns from the gaol. I intend to road to you also a statement whioh will show to you the comparative improvement with regard to the exports and imports, and shipping, and the Customs revenues of the province of Auckland. Ido not wish to detain the present audience longer than is necessary, but I do believe that I Bbould seize upon this opportunity in my official capacity to lay before not only the present andionce here, but before the colony generally, some evidence upon our improved condition, whioh I trußt will tend to do good when perused -at a distance from this place. With regard to the poverty and destitution at the time to which I have referred, I now wish to state that the total expenditure for relief of the sick and destitute, and for orphan and neglected children duriDg 1867, was £4,011 16s 2d ; during 1868, £3,231 10a ; and in 1869 the expenditure, which has been greatly reduced, is approximately estimated at £2,220. This is the natural consequence of what I have been stating to you — the advanced prosperity of the place. In 1867 the average monthly expenditure was £334, and in 1869 it has only bean £185. (Oheers ) In April, 867, there were 312 persons receiving relief, and in October of this year the number was only 78. (Oheers.) I should state that the present average monthly and estimated yearly cost inoludes the maintenance of ninety desti- ! tute children who cannot be neglected. Some of these are not orphans, but children who have been deserted by their parents at a time when they wore driven, away from the place to seek employment elsewhere, and who could not endure to look at their poor starving ones around them. Bather than do anything that would bring disgrace upon themselves and their children, many of thoie people left the country and left their children as a burden upon the community. Although they were not orphans, the Government of the country could not neglect them. (Oheers.) With regard to the gaol, I may state that in the month of May, 18 -7, there were 224 prisonera ; at, the end of September, 1869, they had been reduced to 116. The total expenditure for the year 1867, was £7,902 18s, and for the nine months of 1869 which are passed, the expenditure was j>3,400. The va'ue of labour performed by prisoners under the new system whioh has been set on foot there, produces very argely towards the maintenance of that eatablishmon . During tho nine months ending 30th September, 1869, reproductive labour haa been performed by the prisoners worth £2,500, and non-productive labour £600. The maintenance of the prisoners is costing tho province £3,400 in nine months, and now the aggregate result of their labour awoun'3 to £3,100, to that the gaol may bo said to be a self-supporting establishment at the present time. (Oheers.) Tbte estimate is male upon the suppontion that tho labour of one priioner is equivaknt to one-half that of a free labourer at current ratjs. It was necessary for the Government to undertake the . building of a powder magazine. It wa* ' thought that the work migkt be best done by the labour of the prisouerc, convenient to the gaol, and itlio that it might be erected i* a
place whore it could bo guarded by the guards of the prison at the same time. Therefore, the magazine has been bnilt close to the prison ; it has been erected there entirely by the prisoner! thenuelves, under the direotion of one mason. (Oheors.) Thoso men who hftd never been accustomed to use a mason's tool, have now undertaken that work, under the instruction of others ; and it is as fine a building for tke purpose as the colony can produce — tho worlr of the prisoners themselves. Now, with regwd to the exports duripg that period, T may read this : ■ During the three months ending 31st Morch, 1867, the total amount of goH exported from the Provinoo of Auokland wan 735 ounces, valued at £2,210,0r a lit'leleas than the present receipts of one shareholder in tha Golden Crown for a similar period. For tho corresponding quarter for 1869, the Customa return* show an export from this port of no less than 41,674 ounces, equivalent to £117,440; and from statistics to a suhspquenfc date, rublished in yesterday's Cross, I learn that " dnrinjr the six months endmsr on September 30, 1869, we have exported from this province atone, 50,223 ounces of gold, valued at £157,890." « This." the Cross add*, «bv no means represents the total amount of gold, obtained. It ia 8 O easy to smuggle thia precious commodity, that much of it leaves the colony without passing through the Customs boots at all." There is no doubt that if there wai a more careful restraint and more careful means taken by the General G-overnment, we should have a large? return as the export duty from the gold that hag been brought forth ; but that is not j D the hands of the Provincial Government ; it bolongs entirely to the work and functions of the General Government of the country. With regard to the article of flax, we have only exported from the orovinco of Auckhnd, during tho quarter ending 31sfc March 1867, 16J tons, value £560, while there has been exported from this province during the corresponding quarter of 18^9, 279 tons, value £5 480 ; and during the three months ending 30th September, 1869, 250 tons, v»lue £6,479. (Cheers.) These figures, besides showing a wonderful increase in the manufacture of the New Zealand flax, exhibit also most plainly & decided improvement in its market price, attributable in no small degres to the experience which has been gained in its manufacture, and in the improved stjle of machines for dressing the plant. The gathering of kauri gum wis an old industry here. I do not say that any great impetus has been given to that industry during the period of my administration, er that anything has been done by me to give it any encouragement ; but I say when the necessities of the people called forth their industry, they went forth to dig this gum to provide the support for their children which necessity compelled them in some honest way to procure. In the time of their adversity and necessity men will turn their minds and their attention to those means of providing for their families which they will not under ordinary circumstances, so that although those days ot adversity did come upon them, I believe it was for the good and welfare of the people and of our interests that it did come. It is so in families as well as in communities. Efforts are brought out which, never would have hesn thought of, and men's wits are »et to work to devise suoh Trains as they consider best to enable them honestly to support themselves and their families. The Onstoms' returns for the quarter ending 30th MaroVi,lB67, show an export from the ports within this province during that period of 990 tonn and packages of kauri gum, valued at £25,844. For thn quarter ended 30th September, 1869, according to the statistic? publiihed in the Oi-oss of yesterday, 17)934 cwts. have been exported, of the value of £3*5,947. This gum has been procured from gumfiolds which had been du» ovpv before, and which the necesiity of the people had sent them forth again to dig over. A larger quantity of that article has been derived by indusfry. The Maorios hav« also helped greatly towards the development of that industry ; and now it is yielding to the province of Auckland the large returns which I have mentioned to you. (Cheers). Wool also has been in the increase since 1867 to the present time. The export of wool in 1867, for the first three months, was 170,735 lbs., valued at £18 836. There has been reposed from Auckland during thethreo months ending 3 let of March, 1869, 428,945 lbs., valued at £28,451. The value of the imports to the province of Auckland during the quarter ending June, 1867, was £211,950. During the corresponding quarter of 1869 the total value of imports is £349 930. The vei« sels which entered inwards during tho Juno quarter of 1867 were in number 37, tonnage, 10 576 ; Juno quarter, 1868, 20, tonnage, 5,02* ; June quarter, 18*59, 66, tonnage, 17,797. During the June quarter, 1867. 48 vessels cleared outwards, tonnage, 16,263 ; June quarter, 18^8, 34, tonnage, 8,583 ; Jane quarter 1869, 67, tonnage, 18,761. The Customs revenues have been greatly on tho increase since the discovery of the gold For the Juno quarter of 1867 we had collected ac our Customs, £33,132; for the June quarter, 1868, £01,543 ; for the June quarter, 1869, £52,140. (Queers.) For the quarter endad 30th September, 1869, as shown by tho monthly returns furnished by the Collector of Customs, the amount was £58 912 153 4d. Gentlemen, at tho commencement of the year 1867, the operation ot the Highways Act was eonfined to twenty-one districts — for the mist part, in the immediate vicinity of Auckland — and only seven of hem situated north of Auckland. At present, there are no less than seven ty-'-ight Road Boa. da in full working order. (Cheers.) With rsspect to the Customs revenue, I have to flay that ifc is a great encouragement to the Government, to know that after our share has been given back to us, we shill have not only sufficient to maintain the necessary department of the public service, but we shall also have at our disposal larger sums than we ever yet have had, over and above the necessary outlays for tho maintenance of tho Government, the gaols, and the police — we shail have, over and above that, a surplus revenua which will enable us to contribute largely toward") th.G encouragement of those Highway Bourda. By this means I trust that, whether I be in office or wiioever my successor may be, tho Oovernmout will bo in a position at last to prevent so much, grumbling and growling as thero has been in the outlying distriots, for the want of that support which they thought they should have received from the Government, and which it wa» not in tho power of tho Government to give to them. It will be a greab pleasure, I am sure, to any Provincial G <vernment to render that asa-'stanco to the outlying districts which will enable them to opon up the country and to do ihat work which wil enable them to have access to their properties and farms. (Cheers.) For without this, gentlemen, no community e&n prosper — no community can long be expected to live in a, quiet and amicable state with their rulers. Means must be devised for giving to men who have gone forth as the pioneers into the wilderness of a new country like this— without throwing heavy burdea* of taxation upon those just begin ing life in the wilderness — m^am muit be gireu whereby access will bo afforded to those places, and by a mwtualit; of intercourse between the town and the oountry the whole community will be made to prosper. I have often been chvrged with neglecting the outlying districts ; but I aay to you, fearlessly, that those charges have been not fairly, but very unfairly, brought against me, and that by gentlemen who, frota the positions they hava held, must have known the unfairness of thosa charges. I say that, after the general cravingß for money had been satiated out of the share of the revenues cormog to the province, there has been nothing left— except in the rase of thos^ provinces whera a large laud revenue is collected — out of which the Superintendent and Provincial Council could give to the outlying district* that for which, they craved, namely, assistance towards the opening up of thosa i districts by means o£ roads. It is only recently tb»t I found that one of these opponents of mine— a gentleman who has but of i late found it to be hia advantage to gire up i the po%t ho officially held in the province — ' had reiterated this charge of neglecting the > outlying distriots. I found that to be the i o*so -when I visited T»ur»ng& a few days
ivo : mid tlio goofcldiniu I refer to ia Mr. J tiuai Maok^y. [ would not have mentioned ins n* me, but thai; I dad it appended to a Maori documeut which has been circulated i nongab tho native people to my disparagemeat, with a vww, if possible, to diminish my influence amongst that people, whose intuesta I have always beoa the first to adrov&te, and whoso friendship I have ever been oa^er to obbuu and retain. Wheu I was at ".mranga, a powerful nativo ohief of tlrjt district;, an old acquaintance of mine, brought to ma a Maori circular, sigucd "J.xinea Maokay," and dated from the office of Dr. Pollen's committee — (1 ui^hter, and a cry of " Where's that ? ")— nd, September, 1869. Mr. Mackay, fiddi easing the native paople of this country, makes this charge against me: —"Now, know ! yon," — he seems to be read in the law, this •^r.tlsman — "Now, know you that there arc mmy person*? who do not desire that Mr, Williamson should be re-elected, because we have seen the evil of his system, of his needlessly expending the money of the Governmnnt upon tho town of Auckland and the kmds only uear the town of Auckland, without any thought to apply a portion of that money to improve distant districts beyond the I own. Therefore, we consi(Ur that his work ■-hould cease, and that we should elect a new poraon. The person we have selected is Dr. i'olleD, who is a good man, a right man; should he be Superintendent there will be carried out all good measures for all parts of our province ; then we shall live, then will prosper the north end of this island, and good will grow to both races. 1 ' I cannot tell precisely what Mr. Mackay desired to convoy to the native mind of this district ; but I know that tho natives have beon often visited by me, and that at T«suranga — the very place where I obtained this document — I have endeavoured to induce them to dedicate some of their lands to the public, in order that roads might be opened up into tho conntry — roads which would be available to them, and would increase the value of their own properties, while, at the same time, the Kuropean settlers would derive advantage from those roads. ButMr. Mackay is not ignorant of the fact — and therefore I think the worse of him for sending such a document amongst the natives — that I had no control over the districts which were under martial law during my time in the Superintendenoy. Mr. M&ckay might have known, and t say he did lniow, that tho Provincial Council of Auckland did not vote any money which would enable me to contribute towards the opening up of the outlying districts to the south of A uckland. For what purpose, then, or from what reason, did he inculcate and promulgate this idea amongst the native* 1 It was for no good purpose ; of that we may be sure. When a man who has been in a public position like Mr. Maokay, sets to work to inculoate such mischierous ideas into the minds of the Maoris, I believe that he is no friend to the people of the colony, whether of the native or of the European race. (Hear, hear.) I warn you against auch men as these— against men who, while they are obtaining salaries from the Government of the oountry, and are doing a mockery of service, are at the same time securing to themselves advantages such as private men have not the opportunity of securing. (Bear, hear.) I say that while Mr. Mackay held the office which he did recently hold — and I aay it now in his presence, if he ia here to-day, as I think he ia 'Cries of "He is. ") Yes, I see him now. (Lighter.) Mr. Mackay may wag his beard ah me, and look wise in his own conceit ; but I tell him that he has not been honest and true In taking at the hands of the Government, while he wag receiving public money for his services, that privilege of which he has boasted, of being permitted to dabble in land on his own account. (Applause.) While he held his position as a Government official, he endeavoured to throw difficulties in my way in the opening up of the Thames district. I oharge him with thai; in his presence. I can point to the Thames newspapers —and some representatives of the press of that district are now present on thiß platform — .ind show you a letter with the signature, '* James Mackay,'' in which he condemns the railway system I had devised. I say that Mr. Mackay, as a publio man, travelled out of his way, when he endeavoured to misdireot and Mislead the pubHo mind in regard to that matter. I shall yet be in a position, I trust, to enable me to make public offioiala keep in their own places while they are in receipt of Government salaries, and avoid interference with those who have the responsibility of doing the work of the province, which the people of the province have elected them to ilo. (Applause,) According to the order of thingp, nnd I think it ia wisely so ordered, you are called upon to elect your Superintendent before the writa are aent forth for the election of membbrs of the Provincial Council. At least, 1 presume that the worthy ReturnIng Officer will iiaue tho«e writs at auch a time that, before tho elections come on, it may be known who has really been chosen as Superintendent, That being so, I think it right, on my own behalf, should I again be elected Superintendent of the province of Auckland — (cries of "You w>U," and cheers) — to state to you what are my views, as to what it ia best should be done for the province ,• and if they approve of those views 1 ask the people of the province to elect as their representatives in the Council men who will give to me a hearty and willing support in carrying out those views. (Cheers, and cries of "Wo will.") I tell you, it is of no üße your putting into office a Superintendent oleoted upon certain views and principles, unless you also elect for the Provincial Oouucil such men as will give to your Superintendent willing, hearty, and free 00-operation and support. I see that my friend, Mr. Mackay, ig a candidate for a seat In the Provincial Council. (Cries of " He'll not get ifc.") Mr. Mackay states in his address, that ha takea pleasure in knowing that upon the requisition to him there are the names of many of my supporters. To any of you who do not wish to throw difficulties and obstructions in my way, if I should bB again choien as Superintendent, I say, Beware, not only of obstructives like Mr. Mackay, but also of other men who will seek to go into the Council to throw obstacles and impedimenta in the way of those who you believe are going into ofice to further your good. lam not saying this with any desire to deter, or any thought of deterring, opposition. I believe that no Provincial Council should exist witkout having within it an opposition to the Government of the day. But that opposition should be fair, not obstructive. I last session sent down to the Council a Bill intended to justify me in getting an advance of money for the construction of railways and tramways on the Thames— works which I knew would tend very much ;to the development of the wealth of that district ; which would help the hard-working men amongst the hills there to transport cheaply the products of their labour, in the shape of goldbearing quartz, down to the machines to be crushed. And whom did I find opposing that bill ? Why, the very men you had choaen in the Thames to send into the Provincial Counoil. (A Voice: No one chose them.) These were the two obstruotors to the Bill at that time. The General Government subsequently took upon itself to advise the Governor to disallow the bill ; and but that, from a wise foresight, the precaution had been taken of putting into the Appropriation Aot a clause which justified the raising of the money, I should have been unable to have done* for you works from whioh all of you on the Thames are now deriving suoh great advantages. Therefore, I gay to you a*ain, In your Provincial Council elections, beware of men who come fawning for your votes and support, but who, if they get into the Council, will not only betray those interests which you send them to protect, but will do great damage to the commonwealth generally. FwVVl Th * t ' 8 On9 \ or Maokay," and "We'll take care there's no feathering of neat3 next time.") 1 think it my duty to cive to you an outline at least of my views at to what should be done in the future. The details must, of course, bo worked out hereafter; and if t am elected, when, out of the members of the new Provincial Council, mv advisers are ohosen, it will be for you to look narrowly and closely at such proposal* as are submitted for consideration, aa to the future policy of the province. I think that there should be a new scheme of immigration. We shonld not remain dependent upon the at-
tractions of the goldflelds f.>r the increase of our population. I belie™ that, under the ciroutnsUuces in which t'lis proriaoe, aad the North Island generally, are at present placed, it would be wia loin on our part to enoourago immigration to the inland, and ea- , pBoially to the province of Auckland . ( A. voice: 'Oh 1 ! we must make 'roads first.) In order to be able to locate immigrants, and to carry on generally an extensive system of colonisation, we require to obtain from the native people large tracts of land/ Native land might now. to the north of Auckland especially, be obtained at a cheap r*te ; and I can assure you that the natives would now rather sell those lands to the Government of the province, believing the Government to be desirous of sending people to settle upon thdse lunds, than they - would sell to private individuals. I am sure that the Provincial Council, if it was in a position to. do so, could acquire land in the north at a cheaper rate than any private person could obtain it. £ maintain that roads are necessary before we undertake this larger work of colonisation. We musi m*ke provision for oponing up trunk lines throughout the country, whether in the shape of wooden tramways or of 01 dinar ily formed roads being a question to be hereafter decided. My own opinion is that, in the end, wooden tramways for trunk lines would ba found cheaper, more effective, and more useful than the old-fashioned, only half-formed roads we have hitherto been making. For this purpose, money will be required ; and I trust that the increasing revenues of this province, and of the colony generally, will enable whoever may be elected Superinten lent to undertake largely (with the consent of the Council) the construction of great trunk line3 of roadway, und at the same time to contribute toward* the operations of the Highway Boards that may be in existence. It would be a moat narrow-minded policy, in a wealthy country like this, to shut up the l&nds klto^ether,|rather than to obtain money, in the way of advance on revenue, and thus to enable the Government of the day to open up the country by means of that money well utilised and economised. This money, although raised for such a purpose, would bo to a large extent repaid by the hosts of immigrants who would 03 attracted here ; aud it would also enable those already here, working amongst the hills in quest of gold, to obtain that which is the desire of every one of us, a portion of mother earth, as our own property, on which to settle down. It will show our wisdom as colonist", if we endeavour to persuade and to attract the miners who arc here, to remain among ua ; and we cannot and shall not succeed in that, unless we offer to them land upon which to settle down. It would be wisdom on the part of the people of this province to encourage its rulers to raise sums of money, ta be advanced upon the security of the wealth which we knowjexiits here, in order that auoh works as I have sketched might be undertaken, and such objects sought, and that thus the value of the oountry generally might be enhanced. I think, also, that our towns cannot long exist without manufactures — that vre now import very many things which we might manufacture or produce for ouraelves. I believe that the wool which we send away in its raw state might be manufactured here ; and that thus the towns might ba benefited bj the production of much of the cloth which w< now import. By such means, not only mighi a valuable industry be raised up for the em' ployment of the children of our artisans ; bill there are amongst us many artisans and meohanica who have, by the force of circum stances, been compelled to turn their attention to other matters, who might be, and whe ought to be, called back to those occupation! with whioh they are acquainted. I think that the Gorernment of this pr^vinc* should in every way accelerate such at establishment of manufactures as ii now being done in the province o: Otago; but whether it should be done bj bonuses for the establishment of particulai industries, or otherwise, is a question to b< discussed hereafter. Sugar might be imported raw, and be refined in our midst; and ii would soon beoome evident that we might dt many things for ourselves, if we once made t spirited start in encouraging the establishment of industries. (Applause.) I think that the direct revenues of the Thames goldfield*, oi of other fields that may be opened up — and ] believe that many others will be opened up— should bo directly expended upon those field*, and that also they would be entitled to a fair ■hare of the general revenues of the country. I have already said that railways and tramway*, or roads, must be made. In addition, education mutt be still further provided for. During my term of office, the subject of education has not been neglected. We have utilised at last the endowments left by Sir George Grey towards the establishment of a Grammar School; and we have now between 80 and 100 boys, the sons of respeotable parents, receiving, in the Provincial Grammar School, an education such as will qualify them for commercial life.thms rendering it unnecessary for their parents to send them out of the province to obtain such an education. The Common Schools of the province have nrt. V , v erlooked. We have now an Act wWu authorises the establishment of Common Schools ; and large tracts of land have been set apart as endowments fox them. It is true that those endowments arc not now productive of revenue ; but befors many years hare passed, if colonisation, goat on, as we must all hope it will, those endowments will become rich and valuable, and tht Government will b9 in a position to foster aud encourage education in the outlying districts. There is no man more alive to the importance of this subject than lam myself. Raspeotable people, in the home land or elsewhere, such as we desire to hava as fellow-colonists, will shrink from coming to a country in whioh theydo not see their way to having thojr children educated; and therefore it mvst be the policy of the Superintendent and Provincial Couuci of Auckland still further to encourage the establishment of district schools, as rapidly aa people congregate as inhabitants of the respective districts. While I was in Wellington, during the last session of the Assembly, I was taunted, when the old Government had gone out and the new Government had come in, with not having joined in the general set amble for borrowing money. I did not join in that scramble, because I thought it would be very unwise— even if the General GrOYemment had been inclined to consent — to get ■uch power until th« Provincial Council of Auckland lad concurred in asking for such a privilege as that of borrowing money. But when the new Provinoil Council meets, it is oneofthefirstthingsthatshould be considered, whether we should or should'not seek to obtain an advance upon the security of the revenues of the country, and so to obtain the means of providing for the province such advantages as thoae to which I have referred. (Applause.) I trust that you will excuse my now making referenoo to a matter whioh is personal to myself. I wish to do so on the present occasion, because it is seldom 1 have au opportunity of meeting the charges brought against me by revilers— men who are, perhaps, considered by ' the ' community to be reipeotable and pious, but who do their utmost to disparage me in my private ciroum* atanoes— men who do the work of backbiter* —men who, generally, in such matters, set an example I should be very sorry to follow. I am charged by these jevilers with being under the thumb of certain men in this community. I have read it in the speech of one of the gentlemen who has come here to-day to oppose me— that I am, under the thumb of certain persons ; and, therefore, that lam not free to act in my official capacity, however well disposed I might be to do so. That gentleman knows my affairi, and he knows that I am in circumstances, perhaps, in which I am subject to liabilities— (cries of "Never mind that, '» "Thafa no disgrace," and ap. plause) j but I defy that gentleman to say taut ?"?■•* *»e. (Cheers.) I defy him to say that i have not performed my duties** Superintendent irrespeative and r«g»rdles» of any such things as, by inuendo at leant, he has said would operate upon me. (Cheers.) I hare, % ??L my °* reftr ** Superintendent, done what I have, in my conscience, considered it to be i right I should do. I have recently exemplified that faot, and I could bring before you here praotical illustrations that saoh hu been my fixed rule; and I indignantly repel •ny such ohargo m that to whioh I Lave re-
ferred, no matter from whom it somas. In the case of the reviler whom I have indicated, I believe that the charge was made protectively for electioneering purposes. I think ho did not utter the words on behalf of the candidate whose causa he was advocating when he made his speech ; but that, looking forward to a time when he might be himself before you 1 as a candidate opposing me, he thought to prepare his way by destroying me in your estimation. (A Voice: -Indeed, he oouldu't do it ) lam free ! I say it emphatically,' I am free to act according to my conscience ; and I add that I will not ■ sell my freedom. (Cheers.) If T were! to-morrow to have to return to thit business to which I waa brought up— for thank God I have a business — my familj could be supported still by my efforts in that business. 'If I could ba left houseless tomorrovr, through certain liabilities which the gentleman to whom I have referred is aware were pressed upon me, neither tbab gentleman, nor anyone else, could or should take from me my freedom. (Cheers.) I declare that I would not seek again to enter upon the duties of the Superintendency, if I did not feel that I could act according to the dictates of ray conscience, and do that which is right as between man and man. I speak of thi3 matter because I have felt deeply about it ; and I trust now that I shall hear no more about it. If I should, let those men who say such things of me mark well what they are about ; for I may call upon them to answer for their conduct, before a tribunal where, perhaps, it would be very difficult for them todoao. (Oheers, and cries of "Bravo," "That's the way to ta'k to them.") Attempts have been made upon the very gates of the freedom which you yourselves eojoy — to deprive you of the power to elect your own Superintendent. In tha face of opposition, I have held for you that right in virtue of which you are enabled to come here t >day, and to choose between myself and thoso who aie opposing me, I say that you would not have been called together as you have been to-day, but for the efforts of myself and my colleague", who honestly and fearlessly defended your rights, when they were assailed in the General Asseoably. Taose friends are amongst you still ; and I have no doubt they will be found ready to stand up again in defence of your freedom and your rights, if the necessity for ao doing should aiiae. (Cheers.) Some of those who i were the assailants of that freedom and those rights have endeavoured to get within the very citadel, to sap its foundations, and to hand over the keys of the long-besieged city to the enemy. I hare confidence in you that you will not permit such insidious foes to enter, but that you will hold on to such an instalment of freedom as you have yet received, remembering that the day may come, and shortly, too, when it may be necessary for the people of these colonies to ask for, or to demand, a larger measure of freedom than that which they now possess. (Cheeis.) Let me now say that, whether I be elected to the high office of Superintendent, or obliged again to retire into private life, I shall not cease to take an interest in the public affairs of this province. I know that I shall be placed in some position wherein I sha'l be enabled to watch well and well to guard the interests of the place in which my lot has been fixed., and in whose behalf and with whose people I am proud to have been able to co-operate. Let not my opponents think that they will bo able to deprive me of that share in the public affairs of the country which I have hitherto taken. It may be that I shall not hold a high position — (No, no) — but, at an? rate, I am sure that this community will place »ne in some position in which I shall be enabled to contribute my mite towards the protection of your interests and your freedom, (Cheers.) I am proud to see so many parsons here to-day takiag an interest in this election. I see around ni€ many old settlers ; and, whutevei may be «o»d to the contrary, I know that they will support me. I know that I have Incurred the displeasure of some persons in the community. Perhaps I had not my wits about me when I opposed some of those who have now proved themselves to be very witless, by coming forward to oppose me — to seek that support from you which I know they will not get. (Applause.) I know that I have inourred the displeasure of those persons, by keeping them, or somo of them, out of high offices of emolument tc which they have aspired; but I must bear the odium which those gentlemen are pleased to level against me, and I *in eontent to meet their opposition. (Cheers.) On the occasion to which I have referred, I exercised my freedom and my unbiassed judgment, I felt that it would have be&n an acquisition to the present Government of the colony tc have gained for it, as a member, one (gentleman residing; amongsb you ; but I felt;, also, that I couli not say, on your behalf, that you wonld choose that gentleman as your representative in so high a position. If the result of this election should prove that that gentleman is a representative man of Auckland, and that the people of Auckland recognise him as »uph, I must be content to submit. Let this election be the test on that point. I believe that the issue for tho electors will ba Centralism against Provincialism, and nothing else. If, by the result of this election, you show that you are not prepared to 1 abandon those Provincial institutions which you have possessed for years, that result will go far to break fche neck of that Centralist boding power which would, if it could, have trampled you in the duit, and destroyed your great and cherished principles of government. It is an attempt which has failed in the major degree, by the retirement of my friend, Dr. Pollen, yesterday; but which is now being tried ia a minor degree. I warn you to ba careful of those who come forward as candidates, and who have openly avowed that they do not like Provincialism — who tall you that they will go in to improve it, as far as they can ; but who, I tell you, will, if they oan, sap the foundations of every iota of your freedom. For your sakes as well as my own sake, and quite irrespective of my present candidature, I warn you against such men as those. If I succeed, I shall be proud to point the colony to tho remit as a Tiotory of Provincialism. It will ba a victory that will say, not only here but throughout the colony, in effect, "The Provincial institutions whico we now enjoy under the Constitution Act shall be retained." It will be a declaration that the time has not come when the colony can be governed by one body, from a centre. I do not say that the time will not come when that oan be done safely : but I do say that the Provincial Governments have yet a great work to do. That work is fully to colonise the immense territories which the large province* especially have yet unsettled j and, until that work has been done, the time will not have come for ths creation of a Central governing power for the colony. (Oheers.) I thank you for the patient hearing you have given me. I trust that the opposing candidates will alto receive from you a patient hewing ; and that hereafter you will go to the poll, if a poll should be demanded by any of us, determined, in the free exercise of your right of choice, to choose the man whom you believe tha best fitted and adapted to bold the reins as Superintendent of this province. (Loud cheers.) i Mr. Hbnbt Eraia next came forward and was received with mingled groans, oheera,and hiiies. He said :— Mr. Returning Officer and gentlemen, electors of the Prorince of Auckland. A cry hat gone through the province for the kit blx months that w* ought tp have a ohange hero ia the management of our affairs. (No, no ; bear, hear.) The oxpiratiom of tho praaent Superintendent's term of offio* has been usually looked forward to as tho fitting opportunity for trying conclusions on that head. The time to test the sincerity of that cry has now arrived. Electors you or» no* called upon to consider this question in all its iuses. (Shut up.) Tho necessity for a lektnge is therefor* the great issue placed before us. (Hear, and great confaaion) I say tke qaastiem is— ought w« to hava a change f (No, no, no.) Is ifc expedient, is it dtnrftblt, that wa should have a change? (Derisive obsera and laughter.) Ought we to have a change P (Great laughter.) Well, listen (loud laughter) —you have tho question now on one side, without delay you will hare it on tha other aide. Now, if a change is not ntoefssjy, th«a look on tho otto tide, and
office in the pr^ent Ministry. I will tell you nil about that. Wo will then boo what it moans. Gentlemen, 1 was offered office in the present Mini try ; -I was ofFoied unsolicited on my part. f Xh*y requested mo t-> join them, and I might have taken almost any office in the Ministry that was vacant, and that I might hare chosen to select. I wub offered the office of Solicitor-General with all the political advantages thai belonged to thut of Attomey-G-oneral. I was offaied that ot tVitmaater-Gentrftl. Theso offers woro made to me through my friendship with gentlemen composing the present Ministry. At their Request I wenb to Wellington; bat vrhen I went there I found tha* if I ioinod the Ministry some of their .supporters — sorao of their 'Auokland suppoitera— would turn round to the o'hei 1 side. (Oheera, grcans and uproar.) That was w'lal I ioimd there ; that Auckland members would not continuo to Bupport them. (Ones, " Who told you that ?") I will tell you who told me. £ vront to some of them, amongst others to Mr. William3on himself, and from him I obtained the assurance that ho bud no objection ; (loud cheers) " but that thpro wore objections." When, therefore, I found thtiie were conedt^od objection I*,1 *, I e.ud " No, I am not going into the Ministry to weaken it." I should huvejikod to be able to support thorn; it was a Ministry I liked I wad told of the desire of the Ministry to have mo in office, and after some further discussion of the matter, I said if its Auokland nupporlors would put their na>njs to a letter, staling that they would still give their personal support; to tne Ministry in the event of my joining, then I would join it. I said at the samo timo that if they would not do tha f , but would use my being in the Ministry at a means ot getting out of their pledges, then I would not join tho Ministry. Well, thore were somoot them that would not put their namos to any suoh thing — (Loud cries " Name, name, name") Tho gentlemen are not preaeut, and I am not going ti speak of men behind their ba r ke, Mr. Diohlts, M.G-.-V. ; I wai ono that would not. Mr, Giilies : Wall, I wa3 not present, but I could not get such a document. But I tell you this not to liad fault with thora, but to show that it was not Mr. Wilharaion who prevented me going into tho Ministry, I might have taken oifico without asking. I was ofl'oi e 1 after that u, soat in tho Ministry, but I would not accept it, for the reason which led me lirst to refuse it — beoau e I would not be an element of weakness. I Yolunfcaiily ro r med. Thore wa', however, another condition attached to the fuithor offer ; that was that I should abandon Auckland and come to lire at Wellington. In this case I spurned tbo offer immediately. (Cheers 5 hisaoa ) > uuh is the history of that imputation. You have been also told th.it this is a cont3 3 t batweeu Centralism aiid Pr'>viucialiBm. No ono knowß bettor than my opponent that from the bogin n'ng ot my curoer m tho House of Assembly, I have been in favour ot Provinohlism, and against Centralism. Ho cannot point to ono aiagla peno i m r?je whole of my enreor when I took fc*do with Centralism against Provincialism. lam Burpriaod at what he has said, for he inuat have known that we fought side by side in tho Assembly — not once or twice, but times and times — in support of Proviiiciaham j pnd I am sure ho will nol do mo the injustice ot sajing that I am a contraUst. I have called these misrepresentation-*, if nothing worao, and I will meet thorn whensoever tliciy may e^ino [A voice: l< l'ho elements are against you."" It is said, too, that I am an unknown man It may bs that some people do not know ni« politically, but then thoy must be unknown pheinsi'lyes. For the last ten yuard, at least, ] have boon in sotno way or other promineni in the political Council ot the co)ony : having been not only ft member of the Provinciß Coundls ot Otago, but a momber of twe diffeient Q-oneral Governments ; having beer member of the General Assembly, attendi^ cession after sejsion to my duties in tho Hou-it of ' Representatives. I think that th< man who ' kuovs ijotbanrr of me politically cannot know much * about £h( colony. (Cheers ) And now as to inj qv/a personal reaoons for coming forward. ] •will not indulgp — I should ha ashamed to in' dulge— rin peraonal chaiges against my opponem. I will sibvod upon my own mer^s O#o qf ttio reason? I " havo is bocaiiße I find lhoi.'e is a widc-aproad diaaffectior to ProvinoHlism existing throughout the pro^ vince, caused by a deep feeling of utt r djsLrnßt ia the present administration of iti affairs. will further say that Gontralisa would never havo been able to raije its heac had PfOviucia).ism been properly managed It is because gf the gioui mismanage mfaut th?6 has been exporjencfcci fch&i this distrust p?Q7ftih, ' Ijfc js no 1 too lato I hope to change this, j hope to ge< true local Belt-government given to the out' districts in connection with, and as a part 0 provincial institutions. I upprovo of provin ci§l institutions for tfyia leason, that they an basod upon local self-government as againal Centralism. I see no diujo'ulty, if wo ar; honest— if <he «nd Provmoi'ai Ojuncil are honest about the matter — it: a ocating from the provincial revenue, to th< credit qi the different districts, such sum9 a! woujd be proportionate p,y tho Bum thej raiged, that money to 'bo e^pendejd upon local improvement Pon't let us lave tht Prafincial Enginees 1 , and othfr emissaries un through tho riiHtriots aud oaying this and flaying that, but you oannol b,av« it just now, but let the money be handed ovts to the local Board to spo d 10 their own _ advantage. Thete is, I admit, a time jyljen tho eyitom of provincial institutions must disappear, JBut it will be many years before that cau take place. It will be many years before thore will be so many interests united in the yespeotive provinces so a3 to form one whole. While thesp provinces are populate! from different oentrcs— while these separate populations havo such different ideas, the provinces must exist, and exist beneficially if they are properly adminiatared. Jf wo w«re governed from tho centre wo should soon find ourselves in a pretty mess, whon we mutt have one of the ministers to come and reside here to look after us. (Oheers,) Ithinkajeo that a great deal may be done towards tho reduotiou qi the cost of Provincial Governmont, for it ha? been too costly. It is not so muc v i that it has been too posfcly, by getting too high ealuiies, ioe I believe in paying tho man well who can work well. But there ha9 been a paying of salaries which arp refcaiaed for political purpostß, and not for the purpose of doing work. say that a great deal should t>£ saved to pro vincial institutions b/ doing away with tlfi«. (Hear.) Then, 1 say that the Superintendent ought to make himself personally acquainted with the wants and desires of every district within the provjnee. He ought not to trust altogether to the reports of his officers. He Bhould not merely go hero and there when grumbles come up to him frpm those particular places. He ought personally to meet the inhabitants of districts from t me ;o time within their respective distriots fot the purpose of consulting them, and no merely viiit them when he wants them for election purposes. He ought in person to gather the wantß and wishes of the districts. Another reason why I objaot to the present provincial administration is on account of its conduct of the goldfields. Can any man who is a digg»r gtand up here and defend the regulations in force there, and tell me they «ro the right Jthings : I knovr there are dofoots in them— there,* will bo defects in every regulation ; bat I aay there are serious defects in these which are in operation afc the Taames goldfield. Tho land is locked up to a large extent by lea»e», mot granted so as to emure iti being worked. The land is "shopherded" so th*t no one can go thore, »nd the result is that protection i» given to the big claims, while the little ones must be worked. I ask any man to go to (ke Thtme« at this moment and tell me whit proportion of land hao been applied for and what proportion is being worked. Has not a very large proportioa of it boingr locked up for montha against the public. I a*j this, that there ought to be, if any, more proteotion for the working? miner, or at least equal proteotion to that which is afforded to tha lesieo. Then there ii another thing ia connection with
theso regulations. Immense turns of raonoy ' aro collectod for rogistratiji nnl transfer, j and an immenso sUff of c!< rlco ..10 employed copying printed papers and wiiting them in a book, whioh is no further nooe-isary fian that it simply provides sulaiiee for t'.e clo'kd. Thut much might bo very much simplified Thoro ij no difficulty about ifc, ■ but so long as there in a Hilary in the way theie will be euro to bo obstacles to any simplification. Whut I can promise you ia not much. You know my abilities for businoes ; that I hnvn been iiblo to manage my own affaiis, both as lawy< r, farmer, nnd in every other capacity in which I hive been engaged. My services are ftt your disposal. I am prepared to work for you, to abandon lor you tin ben 2*B [ doiivu horn tho praotico of rav profession, aid at your request, to do a'l lean for the intereMs of this proviuce. (Cues, " Who abkod you ?" Chcois and «roans.) Mr. Gillios roiid tho requisition, and four of tho names utUcned, auai'lsi much noise and uproiu. Tho Hetpkning Orrtci u said that now wuu the piopoi- timo for llio olecton to put questions to tho candidates. Tho following printed question whb handed to Mr. Gillies :—": — " Would you, hb Snpcrintmtendont of tliia provinco, support a proposition for the appointment ot a committee of the Council to enquire into tho working of tho present Liceut>iu»: Act, with a view to ii f a amondment — such committee to have power to call for and to receive any cvidenco that might be tendorod ? aud would you support any amendmentot tho present Licensing Act that would provide for leaidenls of electoral diatncls to bo heard before tho licensing justices, previous to the granting or renewal of any publican's license in their respective disttiots, and wkich would also provide that in tho event of a given majority o! such residents memorialising the justices not to grant 01 renew any license, tho Jus.icrs shall m suoh case le'uso all such opplioitions." Mr. Q-iiLißs : I would support an amendment of the A< t, and I would give an opportunity for the ro-idonts to bo heard 5 but whether the msijoiity are onHllod to enforce tlieir opinion upon the mino i!y is a different question. _ I would not have tho .Act so <h it the majority cou'd tyrammo over tba refit ot the inhabitants of a di&tuot. There niiuht be circumstances which would justify suoh proceedings as had token place ill somo p*rts of A morion, but I do not think we have o mo to that just ytfc. Mr. CKeeffb asked whether Mr. G-illies was piepared to go into office at a Hakiry of £BuO n-yoar, »ml give up tho p:aotiee of his profession. Mr. (Jilhes : T am pre oared to go into office at the salary, and 1 urn proper ud to eaeijfico my professional business. An Elector asked Mr. Gillies whether he waa prepared to raeommend to his Oounsil, should he be elected, ft uuv distribution of the repiesentatton. Mr. Gillies : I would bo prepaied to re distribute tho reprfaontation if it could bo dono. The Council is too big at present There is too much talking power. Mr. Q-iLLiES, in reply to an >thor question, said tkeie wore certain deductions that must first of all be made from the revenue, but he would be prepared to distribute tho leiilue among t'ie districts according; to thu araouu's raised in them. He wou'd aho bs prepared to make tho absentee contribute to local improvements by which his own property waa improved and benefited. JTo would abo givf to the Thames district its fair ekn-e in tSe distribution of seats. Mr. James Mackvy came to the fnnt and said lie wished to ask Mr. Williamson a qu'S' tion. He handed up his question, which v\as in writing, ub follows :—": — " Mr. Wi'liamson you Bi.ato that I wns paid a brge salary t) do a mockery of duty. How do you rectn cile that stattmrnt with one you mado at public dinner id fcho Thames, that the oponin; of the Thames goldfield was die to my esor tions only ¥" Mr. WiLLiiM3OK : I say bo (cliocrs) ; tha' dining the latter period of hia office, whil< leoeivmg his aalmy to do a public duty, Mr Mackay was doing a "mockery of duty." Isnj that he beoame a partner of Taipftri, an 1 int6?es<od ia thopo matters in which laipai was iuterestod. t sny that yhile ho ou^ht t' be peiforming that duty for which ho vrn< p »id, ho WP3 also doing tho duty of the partnership of that firm of which ho hac became a mombor. I say that the moment h< begun to. dabble in land, he should have g'vor up hit public ofl]co. Therefore, I any that hi was doing a " mockery of duty." _Mr. MACKA.y; fcfov/ do you reconcile tlm' witii the public dinner. Mr. Williamson : I nm conscious that ] mudo that sUtomant, but it was at a tin*c when there wore few houses at the 'Ihamo except a few miserable raup^ whaivg. Thai was Ion!? Lefot'G the cireumsinncss to whirh 1 havo alludcl wliieh gave tiso to the oipieaeioa. I d£d Buy that Mr. ijackay' did exorl himselt to open the Thames, but I say now, after abundant experiones, that ti moip absurd arrangement could nofc hfVVO beou made by any se isible m r m than tho arrangement ffH^ ho made with the natives. (Loud ohears.) Mr. Maoeay: Are you awoTQ that the mining population are coDpmers of broadstufFd and not producer*, how then dTd you vote in the Assombly for a tar to be put or tho e bro»dstuffs ? Mr. Williams jn- : I wish tj answer e»'orj quostjon ip. rolalion to myccsiluet as riupotinlend/>nr. The time will oomo when I shal] h&vo to answer any 'question a< (q my oonducl io the Geneial Assembly ; when I offtrmysoll again to thoso who olucted mo to a soat in the Assembly will bo tue timo to anGwer thai , questionThe same question was handed to Mr, Williamson aa had been handed to Mr, Gillies, routing to amending the Licensing Act Mr. Williamson said : You w»il pleaaa to recolloot that the rtupeiintondonfc will not havo power to iutorfore with the Provincial Oouncil It wi'l be in their power to acfc, I have myself presented many petitions on thii subject y\fter a great deal of experience and a gr?atdcftl of atudy of the quostion, lam of opinion that the majority is not,, on a question of this kind, to be trusted as being the best exponent of tho publiu voico. I know that in the early times in many districts, and in some diafciiota perhaps now. if there were not roadside accommodation for traveller?, they would have boen often nonplused, and porhaps put to great hardghips. (Hoar, and eheera ) Tho IiETTTBNiffG Oppießß called for a show of hands. A porfect forest of hinds was held up for Mr. Williamson. A considerable nnmber were also held up for Mr. Oil ie3. The Returning Opfickk announced that the skov of hands was in favor of Mr, Williamson, \ poll was demanded upon behalf of Mr, Qilliea. TneBETUENiNG Opfioee announopd that the polling d*y would bo on tha 18th of November, and said : On tho day of polling, I must requoaf; you to cgme and poll early. In places where there may bg a groat many electors to poll, it will prevonfc oonfusion, 1 »peak. to you, that nono of you may lose your votes ; far, remember, the poll will be closed exactly at four o'clock. I, therefore, recommend you to como early and vote for the person you wish to bo returned. (Cheers.) Mr. WiiiLiAMaoN proposed, and Mr. Qhlieb seconded, a vote of thanks to <ha Returning Officer for tho impartial manner in which he had conducted the proceedings. Three cheers were given for Mr. Williamson, and a oheor was also got up for Mr. (Jilliea, aftsr whjoh the candidates loft th« hustings w ith their friends. This concluded the business of nominating the candidate! for the office of Superintendent of the province of Auckland.
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Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3805, 29 October 1869, Page 5
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15,190THE SUPERINTENDENCY ELECTION THE NOMINATION. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3805, 29 October 1869, Page 5
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