CAVERSHAM ELECTION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2168, 19 April 1870, Page 2

CAVERSHAM ELECTION.

The nomination of candidates to represent Cavershanx in the General Assembly, took place in the schoolhouse, Caversham, to-day, at noon. There were about fifty persons present. After the usual preliminaries had been gone through by the Returning Officer (Mr J. Burnside), the following candidates were proposed, in the undermentioned order ; Mr John Graham, proposed by Mr J. J. Eagerty, seconded by Mr Jas. A. Townsend. Mr William Robertson, proposed by Mr J. L. Macgregpr, seconded by Mr Robert Gillies. It wes stated by the last-nieutioned gentleman that he seconded the candidate’s nomination pro forma, seeing that the gentleman who was to have done so had not come forward. Whilst personally his support would be given to another candidate, he had no hesitation in seconding Mr Robinson’s nomination, knowing him as he did to be a thoroughly honest, upright, and hardworking settler in the district. Mr James MTndoe, proposed by Mr John P, Jones, seconded by Mr D. Calder Mr W. H. Cutten, proposed by Mr Hugh Calder, seconded by Mr AVilliam Reid. Mr Graham was the first to address the electors, and did so in a speech of fully an hour and a quarter’s duration. It was for the most part jeomposed of quotations from Hansard, of sentences most egotistically framed, and of much personality. Mr Robinson spoke at some length, but from the peculiar manner in which he delivered himself many of his remarks were imperfectly understood. He premised by stating he appeared before the electors as their servant. To his mind the real fault in the representation had been that ; tl}e elec? tors had never definitely stated to their members what they wanted them to do, but had left them to go to the Assembly and act according to their own opinions of what was right or what wrong ; hence the consequences he would show the people were suffering from. He would divide the subjects he had to touch upon under three heads, viz., agriculture, trade, and commerce. He found the district of Caversham was purely an agricultural one ; and he himself being an agriculturist, their interests were closely united together. His interest had been deeply injured by the action that had been taken by the Legislature, and theirs must have been injured also. He asked them whether they had progressed or whether they had retrogressed since he addressed them last; he held that their interests depended principally on the welfare of agriculture. How could trades-

men or any other men exist except the agriculturists provided food ? The great cry had been get settlement on the ground, but as to the consequences he would leave them to judge. By the administration of the waste lands he had suffered ; they had suffered likewise. So with the Hundreds Bill, which was the means of sowing ill-feeling and discord. Referring to the compensation of 600 acres granted by it, he thought as the squatters had made a bargain they should abide by it. If they deserved compensation they should get it, but they ought not to be allowed any privilege until their time was up. A great deal had been said about establishing free trade in the Colony, by which population would be got ; and by having population they would benefit the agricultural interests, so that while the agricultural interest prospered, commerce and the City of Dunedin would be benefited. But his opinion was that in a short time there would be no trade at all. Lastly referring to our relations with Great Britain, he did not think they would ever be disturbed, and he would not support any such proposition. We had undertaken self* reliance, and were not able to bear the burden. We had three thousand troops who were not able to cope with one hundred braves led by a patriot, who were lighting for their homes and lands. We should do as France had done with the Zouaves—make the Maories our defence instead of our enemies. If returned he would have the influence of any other member; if not attended to he should fall back upon that support before which the strongest nation would shake to its foundation. Messrs M‘lndoe and Cutten afterwards addressed the meeting, and a show of hands was taken, with the following result MTndoe, 23 ; Cutten, 7 ; Graham, 5 ; Robinson, 2. Mr Graham demanded a poll on his own behalf, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the presiding officer.