PARNELL ELECTION. UNOPPOSED RETURN OF MR. R. G. WOOD.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3970, 13 May 1870, Page 4

PARNELL ELECTION. UNOPPOSED RETURN OF MR. R. G. WOOD.

THE nomination for the purpose of filling the vacancy for Parnell, caused by Major Heaphy's resignation of his seat in the House of Representatives, took place at noon yesterday, at the Parnell Hall. At noon, when the proceedings were commenced, there were fbnly 18 persons present, including the Returning Officer, his clerk, and two reporters ; but subsequently the number was increased to about 35. Colonel Balneavis, the Returning Officer, read the writ and the notice. Mr. Roskruge nominated Reader G. Wood as a fit and proper person to represent the district. Mr. Abbott seconded the ination. He spoke for some time, commenting approvingly on the principal points of Mr. Wood's address on Tuesday evening — an address which|he characterised as "manly, straightforward, frank, and exhaustive." He said that there had been a little private feeling between himself and Mr. Wood, and he seconded the nomination to show by action as well as by word that he had. forgotten that feeling. He wished to be simply believed, when he declared that he was now as earnest and sincere in supporting Mr. Wood as he was vehement in opposing that gentleman when he came forward as a candidate for a seat in the Provincial Council. Mr. Wood had said that he was a supporter of the present Government ; and he (Mr. Abbott) felt sure that there was none of the constituency of Parnell but preferred the practical, common-sense measures of Mr. Fox, to the chimerical and Utopian measures of Mr. Stafford. He thoroughly approved of Mr. Wood's idea as to free-trade in land being an essential and a great step towards pacifying the hostile natives. He would hare the Maoris dealt with freely and honourably, but firmly. It would be with the Maoris as it was with a nettle :—: — " Gently, softly touch a nettle, And it stings you for your pains ; Grasp it firmly, steady hold it, And it soft as silk remains. " While he 'thoroughly approved generally of Mr. Wood's speech, there were some omissions from it. He was glad to see that the Cross had taken up a point which would have escaped notice but for his having called attention to it — the necessity for an immediate revision of the Tariff. Ho should now like to hear Mr. Wood's views on the Education question. He himself believed that education should be made compulsory. No other candidate being proposed, The Returning Officer declared Reader Gilson Wood, of Hobson's Bay, freeholder, to have been duly elected. (Much applause. ) Mr. Wool) : I have to thank you very deeply for the honour you have done me, in so unanimously electing me as representative of Parnell. Those words are often used simply as a matter of course, and without meaning ; but I beg to assure you that I do honestly and earnestly feel that you have conferred a very great honour upon me. In October next, I shall again present myself before you for election j and I hope that whatever I may do in the meantime will give you satisfaction. It had been my intention not to have said anything further than this, because I thought I had on Tuesday evening touched upon all those topics of general interest which it was worth while to touch upon ; but as Mr. Abbott has mentioned education, I will very &hortly state my views on that matter. A<3 to the necessity for the education of the people, no one can feel it more than I do. I look upon education as one of the great means for the suppression of those evils which we see around us ; but I also look upon education as a matter of local concern, and as not a matter with which, in all probability, the General Legislature of the colony will deal. It is a matter, I think, for Provincial Councils to legislate upon ; and I shall be delighted to see, in the next session of our Provincial Council, an Act passed placing the educational system of the province on a far better footing than it is upon at present. The proceedings were concluded by a vote of thanks to the Returning Ofhcer.