THE NELSON SUPERINTENDENCY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1631, 27 October 1873, Page 2

THE NELSON SUPERINTENDENCY.

MR O'CONOR AT AHAURA,

Mr E. J. O'Oonor, M.H.JR., one of the candidates for the Superintendence of the Province of Nelson, addressed the electors at Pinkerfcon's Hotel, Ahaura, on the evening of Friday, 24th inst. Dr Phillips was called to the chair, and introduced the candidate to the meeting, bespeaking a fair and impartial hearing for him. Mr O'Oonor, on coming forward, said I his object in asking those present to meet him was to make such explanations as would enable the electors to judge .whether it would be advisable on their parts to record their votes in his favor on the day of election. He would state that his present position as a candidate was not of his own seeking ; he had been induced to come forward because it was thoughtnecessary a candidate from the gold- fields should be found, and he consented only . when other gentlemen who were in all respects eligible had declined the contest. On his return from the General Assembly he received a itquisition to allow himself to be nominated for the Superratendeucy, and he hesitated until he had further tested the feeling of electors with regard ,to him. The occasion of visiting his con^ stituents, to give au account of his actions in Parliament, afforded : him an opportunity of ascertaining this feeling, and, although he received warm assurances of. support, should he come : forward, at Westport. Charleston,' and at other places, he determined he would defer making his final decision until he visited Reef ton. Finding the electors at that place were prepared almost unanimously to sustain him in his candidature, he determined to stand. He had since visited the chief centres of population in the Grey Valley, and his experiences con firmed him in his intention to seek election, so that he would not now, under any circumstances, relinquish the contest. The promises made to him, and the reception given^ him at No Town, Nelson Creek, Moonlight Creek, Cobden, Brunnerton, and that evening at Totara Flat, convinced him that the people desired a change in the administration of the affairs of the Province, and that he was looked upon as a fit and proper person to effect an alteration in the Executive management of Provincial matters. It was not to gratify a personal awibition that he sought election, it was to enable him to fight, out to victory the battle in defence of those principles on behalf of which he had struggled for years. He'felt that the responsioility he had incurred was a weighty one, and he had very little fear as to the result, but if he should fail it would be through lack of the support promised him, and not because he omitted to make every exertion to achieve success.- He was not a stranger to the electors of the greater portion of the constituency, because for some years he occupied ; a seat in the General Assembly as well as in the Provincial Council. The part he had taken in the politics of the country had made* him a name, .and he was. willing to be judged as to his fitness to fill the office he aspired to by the light of his past political actions. He desired to see a change in the Government ; of the Province, because he was satisfied there was negligence and incapability displayed in the direction of •iffairo, and because the finances of the Province were not managed as they should be. A< system of wasteful extravagance 1 vaa pursued, and .there w a3; nothing in, he shape of permanent public works or tnprovements to. account for the expendiuro of the public money. During his Jareerinoiie part or other of New Zealand, he had always endeavored to ad-

vance the interests of the working classes, and in doing so he frequently found it necessary to effect a coalition with the representatives of other classes and interests, but in all his experience he never met with one who so persistently arrayed himself J.n opposition to .jalLprfJgEesi^pr,,, improvement for the good of the people" as did the -prese.nt Superintendent /of Nelson. When lie (the speaker) brought all the , energy-and abi^y-.-,of-whieb^.ej. was capable, into the endeavor to procure the abolition, or to effect a reduction in that iniquitous tax, the. gold duty, he ~ found Mr Curtis arrayed against him. When seeking to extend the franchise so that miners could be placed upon the electoral roll, he found the Superintend-^ ent arrayed against him ; and !on,eve|yj occasion, when the question was- one of " progress oriiberalism, he found the head' 5 * of the Province, supported by theauthb-" irity of his office, always arrayed among the ' obstructionists. He (the. speaker) t had no personal motive in makingWe»Bi r '' accusations. He was : speaking' oT : 'Mr. _ Curtis »as the Superintendent of tfie'PfoS' ' vince!, 1 and 'as a political opponent", arid not as a private individual^ but- he' 'held' > the opinion, that neither as chief magistrate of the Province, nor as the holder** of. the delegated powers of the Governor,, had , .Mr ' , Curtis performed b is duty . properly, as he might have 'done.-.; Although in the Provincial Councils and elsewhere he opposed ;,Mr Curtis^ he always observed the respect and ... , courtesy due to his official position,, and he (Mr O'Conor) upheld the dignity ;of > the Superintendent's office when it on an occasion was endangered by the attempt ' to. put a personal affront upon Mr Curtis. But it was not mere empty declamation on his part when he asserted that the effect -of the policy of the present rulers. of the Province had been to brippleentar- i prise, and to render nugatory every effort " to- farther the progress 'or settlement Sfl the outlying districts. -<— Since the begin-i---ning of the Curtw're^i^,- : half a million of money had been received and .expanded by the Government, and r what 1 was' there to show for this vast expenditure ?' ! Where were the roads or other -public works made with Provincial funds ? ■ The tracks', which by courtesy I were' called roads, were ; all that could be seen for the large sums frittered away, no one knows ho w|; there - was nothing worth calling ' a- public work to , be seen, except those made by .the... General Government. : The , speaker here; ■ alluded to the ; No Town, road, for which L he said, money had been voted, years^J before it was expended ; to the absence 6f(£ a ferry at the bottom of Mopnlight preek,<, 0 where (he said he spoke feelingly) life 'was constantly endangered, through the parsimony of the Government in grudging a small subsidy to.maintain a safe means ofcrossing, the Grey River -at that place, and to other local wants. His idea of the duties Of the Superintendent was ' that that -officer : should make himself per*,.. sonally acquainted with the inhabitants] and; their requirements in, every. part of . the Province. He should make ; . the ■ : furtherance >■■ of the welfare and interests of those under his control hi3 chief; studyjfr and in gaining a personal acquaintance•with the wants of the people, it was not necessary that he should travel in semiregal state, with an imposing retinue." It~was not enough that he should receive deputations at his hotel, and refuse 0r .... grant the prayers of petitions with the airs | of a petty kiug. He must learn and! inform himself by personal intercourse, -- ;- and actual inquiry; made on the spot. - f This had never, been done by any Superintendent of Nelson, arid certainly not by Mr Curtis. It might be said -the details o)f official routine, if properly attended t0, . ; would detain the Superintendent most of the time in Nelson, but this ■ answer '-was/j r not sufficient in the present case. Inconsequence of the absence of- any personalia knowledge of the physical features of the country, or the resources of the several localities, on the part of the Executive, r applicants' for mineral or agricultural -; lands were kept waiting for rQplies'totheir'.'f applications until they, were wearied aid

disgusted, so that they abandoned the in-"" tfention to occupy the ground, applied for. These delays .generally occurred while,the, „„ t members of the Executive were seeking for information which should have been , in their possession beforehand ; but, ifinofficial routine was well looked after, evenTf these complaints would not be so frequent. ; He was not one to find fault without suggesting a remedy, and he thought that as the absence of ;any recognised system in,,. the carrying out the details of the Admin- .... istration was the. cause of the confusion v and aimless extravagance which now pre-. > • vailed, instead of the method andeconoinywhich should prevail, so .he; also thought. ;> that the adoption of a definite system . would lead to opposite results! He helct 111 that the money, raised in the outlying dis- r tricts should return to those districts and |^ be expended.in developing the resources of" the Province, for by that means only they might expect to attract and retain population. The maxim must generally be observed that injustice must not be 'done by pandering to the, interests of the few to the injury of the many; With regard to- the establishment' of Road Boards on the gold-fieldsj he was in favor, of the principle of the Act creating tfiem,' r I so far that whenever an oßPortum^ ; pl^ local government was offered^' ~iif would* '*"* be at once taken advantage of. The avidity with which "this small concession" was seized upon should show that the desire to obtain local government was the general wish of the gold-fields residents; • He introduced a" Bill into the House "W| Representatives to establish, local goyenf-Y. meht on the gold-fields, the main principle' '''' of which was that after deducting departmental and other charges all the revenue should be expended in local improvMnent. The principle was received with general » approbation, but the 1 attempt did not succeed, because the Superintendent of " Nelson said he would bring fprwarl\a|J measure in the Provincial Councils-thai:* would meet the object intended. See how his Honor had redeemed his : promise. They were called upon the, other day'to ele,ct Road Boards, and now they had them they were useless, because power-it less, being without means to 1 effect the 1 objects for which they were created^ ; - The '^ Boards were electediin.l^ctoW_;.^ey rr ,, could not assume their, functions until March, and until' 'the' Provincial Council met in April they would riot ha~ve .fluids i"» to go On with public Vdrks Unless 1 tniiy/\ imposed heavy lo.cal taxation in -the shape "*' of rates. The Superintehdent'might hand Over the amount of {the authorised unexpended votes, but it Was optional with him to do so. The Board^ would .be a mere agency in 'each ! disthef ; to perfornl*i;he

Work without saUry now done by the District Engineer's Department, and the Boards had the dangerous authority V> make up for the absence of revenue from ojther sources by imposing prohibitive taxation on traffic in the shape of tollbars and by other means. These taxes fell eventually on the working classes, who "were already overtaxed, and the result would, be that the working classes must combine to shift unendurable burthens on to shoulders better able to bear them. The Act was an empty shell, and only gave the power of creating additional taxation to perform work which is already provided for. It was no wonder the gold-fields members in the Council refused to take part in passing the Bill. They asked for an equitable allocation of the revenue, and this was what they were offered. They were overruled in Committee when the Bill was discussed in detail, and they withdrew from the Chamber in a body as a protest against tho measure when it became law. He always believed tho people took an interest in the question of local selfrgovernment, and the eagerness displayed in adopting this new measure, with all its faults and imperfections, shonld show that the wish to obtain local government was sincere and universal. This acceptance of the Road Board Act has surprised the Government most, because the measure was mi ended as a foil, and for the purpose of causing disunion among the already badly united gold-fields communities, but, a 9 good may come out. of evil, the new Boards might, by combining and becoming the head and front of an aquation, eventually succeed in procuring the local control of locii I revenues, and thus defeat the very object for which they were inaugurated. In reference to a public works scheme, he held it was not good policy to attempt to construct permanent works out of the current revenues from year to year, for if this plan were followed much longer the departmental expenses will absorb the whole of the public income. Loans should be raised to develop the mineral, agricultural, and other resources of tho Province. The coal-fields of the Province, with good management and the display of ordinary enterprise, would yield immense yearly revenues. But what is the fact? The coal-fields were unprofitable as they were worked, and it was now proposed to hand over those splendid public properties to private companies, so that strangers would' reap the benefit. The money to develop the magnificent re3ouices of the Province must be raised by loan in the first instance, because the great expenditure required, was beyond the reach of the current revenue, and outside the means of private, capitalists. The area of agricultu&l land on this side the ranges was not great, but the consumers were here, and it was necessary to open a means of communication between the producer and the consumer. With such a policy as he had described, a progressive Government could do a deal- of good, but he despaired of any good ever coming from the present Government. He Was ,one of those who would wish to see the present Executive thoroughly cleared out, and replaced by men with some popular policy and the ability to carry it out. If elected, he would select such men, and he hoped to establish a Government that would raise Nelson to her proper place among the Provinces of the Colony. If he thought he could not effect this object he would not seek the honor he was asking at their hands, for he would be content and prefer to remain in his present position than to go out of office, as the present Government was doing, amid the execrations 6i the people. He had felt the bitter experiences of public life, and he knew what it was to contend against the envy and jealousy of unscrupulous rivals, but he liad the inward- satisfaction of knowing that, if elected as Superintendent, he intended to faithfully perform the duties of the office, as lie conceived those duties to be, and he felt he bad sufficient confidence in himself to enable him to carry out his intentions. He was laboring under a disadvantage in addressing them, for that was the third meeting : he held that day, and he would conclude by reminding them that he represented a cause that was their own, and he would not ask any man's vote if he was not considered worthy of it. He had to thank a gentleman present, who was spoken of as a probable candidate for the Snperintendency, but who generously withdrew so that he (the speaker) would have the greater chance of being successful. .

Mr O'Conor was listened to attentively during the; delivery of his address, and was loudly applauded at its conclusion. The Chairman intimated that Mr O'Conor was ready to answer any questions or make any explanations required of him.

Mr F. Guinness, M.P.C., said that as the candidate had alluded to him, although uofcby nafne, as one who was spoken of as a 1 probable candidate forthe Superintendency, but who had withdrawn in. his (Mr O'Conor's) favor, he would wish to make a personal explanation on the subject to the meeting and the public at large. He did: express an intention of coming forward for the office, but he told Mr O'Conor and others that, in the case of any other person who took as deep an interest in the welfare of the electors offering, he would not stand. He wished it distinctly to be understood that he did not withdraw in favor of. Mr O'Conor; lie withdrew because he thought Mr O'Conor had a. greater chance of .support than he (Mr Guinness) could expect, and for that reason he declined the contest, with its attendant expense and incon--veniences. He was of opinion with Mr O'Conor" that in consequence of the ruinous 1 maladministration of , public matters by the present Provincial Government; a marked change in the Executive Tvas absolutely indispensible. The present was not the condition, of affairs which should exist, and it was desirable that a radical alteration and a (Sweeping change should be made. In connection with this subject he would ask Mr O'Conor whether, 'in the event of his election, he would make his Executive directly amenable to the representatives of the people in the Provincial Council ? He held that it was essential to the good government of the Province that the /Executive should be directly responsible to the Provincial Council, and by that means amenable to the voice of the people. The inhabitants, of the Province would never be satisfied if a change of this sort were not effected. < •■

Mr O'Conor could see the evils of irresponsibility on the part of the Executive, but he did not think it was the duty of the Superintendent to initiate any change in the existing state of fie hw; In forming an Executive the Superintend.

- - ■ ■ .. »- ent should call to office only those of his party who possessed the confidence of tho Provincial Oouucil. If it was found that the selection made was unsuitable, and if the Council wished to introduce the principle of- responsibility he, as Superintendent, would not oppose such a measure, but he would not originate it. He would endeavor to amend or perfect the present system as laid down by the law, but not as practised by . the Government now in office. This system, pursued by Mr Curtis, was constructed on the bastard plan of mixed Government, which, while leaving the : sole and absolute control of public affairs in the hands of the Superintendent, left the rest of the Executivo with a small minority in the Council responsible for the conduct of the Government. He would' riot oppose a change, but he thought that men of sufficient ability to carry on the Government satisfactorily could befpund, and that if these men possessed the confidence of ihe people it would be sufficient. If the Executive were directly responsible to the Council, the struggles for power would be intolerable, and, with a small Council such as now existed, the Government cou.'d not be carried on by any party. Suppose the Superintendent were elected to carry out a defined policy, and suppose the Provincial Council gave him an Executive •the members of which were directly opposed to this policy, what wotild be the result 1 A deadlock, of course, and where would be the remedy? [A Voice • An appeal to the General Government.] Theje appeals would be constantly necessary ; the Government could not be carried on without a party, but if the Executive did not possess the confidence of the Council it should resign at once.

Mr J. D. Pixkbrton, M.P.C., said he had listened with pleasure to Mr O'Conor's addressii'and would compliment him on the able manner in which he put his views before the meeting. He^vad very little .difference* of opinion with Mr O'Conor on public affairs, excepting in matters of detail, and he had no doubt the candidate would make an efficient Superintendent. Still ho would take exception to certain remarks made by Mr O'Conor, one of which allusions hit directly home to him, but it referred to an opinion by which he was determined to stand or fall. In speaking, of the abolition of the gold duty, Mr O'Conor had alluded to him in a marked manner. (MrO'Couor: No, no). It must be so, because' his (the speaker's) views on the subject were well known. The gold duty might be an obnoxious tax, but that wa3 not the reason it was raised as a battle cry in politics. As long as he had the honor to hold a seat in the Provincial Council he would oppose the arguments used in support of the abolition of the duty. He would boldly and fearlessly oppose: the claptrap used by the abolitionists, because none of them proposed a plan that would be an equitable substitute or a practicable remedy for the tax. The banks were the merchants who dealt, in gold as a commodity, and the banking corporation reaped the benefit of the reduction, while the people and the reveHue suffered, , With regard to the .responsibility of the 1 Excentivo'to the Council, Mr O'Conor's assertion that if such were the case the struggles for place and power would be interminable might be correct, but he, as a member or the Council, was not one of the scramblers for office or pay, and was not likely to become such. But as a taxpayer, and a representative of the people, he held that the Executive should be;responsiblo to him as a member of the Council for the proper administration of the Government.

Mr GotNNESS inquired about the action of Mr O'Couor during the last session of the Provincial Council, when he was a member of a Committee that recommended a reduction in the number of Wardens on the West Coast He would like to be informed if Mr O'Conor would carry out the recommendation of that Committee if he were elected.

Mr O'Conor thought Mr Guinness was under a misapprehension as to the part he (the speaker) took while acting on the Committee alluded to. He would not advise the reduction of the Wardens if he saw they were wanted, and his experience of the Grey Valley since he came into it convinced him that a Warden was necessary. He thought with the rest of the Committee, that a re-distribution of offices might be made so that one Warden could take charge of the Coast line, and another perform the work of the inland districts. The , recommendation was : - made from | motives of economy, and in despair at the contemplation of an almost exhausted exchequer and a failing revenue. He thought that the Victorian plan of utilising the services oi the Wardens migh^ 'With, great benefib to the public, be introduced. The Wardens might do more out.door and less Courfc work, but in any alteration he might make, should /he : be elected,' he would consult, in the first place, the convenience of the miners. He would especially refer to the miners ; at Moonlight,. and the inconvenience they had to put up with in .consequence of the absence of official accommodation, j Mr John Kennedy enquired if Mr O'Conor would take steps to purchase and throw open the Arnold bridge to ftie public. v Mr O'Conor was not precisely aware how the Arnold bridge was circumstanced. He believed Mr Guinness had a resolution on the subject carried last session, but he (the speaker) had not, considered the matter, fl c understood the terms offered by the owners of the bridge were moderate, and if so he would not object to the purchase, , but. in these ;( matters great caution should be exercised. The Government was considered fair game in making such bargains,., and he knew of one instance where L6OO were given for a bridge; and it was discovered after the purchase that, the article;, was not worth as many pence. He believed the Arnold, bridge was faithfully built and of durable materials, and he, would, not' object to the purchase. of it, especially as the time was not far distant when a toll-bar would have' to be placed in that locality, and the acquisition of it would then become a necessity.

• : Mr Pinkeuton asked the opinion .of Mr O'Concr with respect to a water supply to the gold-fields, ,:and also whether, if elected; he would in the 'matter.:. of jexpehditure!;ori public works treat all districts alike, and not give the BnlJer the' " lion's' share" of' the readymoney. „. ■Mr O'Conor said he always considered it | was the duty of the Government to construct such water works as were beyond «he reach of privatef capitalists. The Nelsonl Creek 4hd? -^Napoleon Hill raiceß should have. been. made long ago

either wholly or partly at the cost of the Government in the first instance. With respect to the distribution of the expenditure, he trusted he was not so blinded by self-interest that he would permit himself to commit an injustice. His principal ground of complaint against the present Government was that it did not act with justice to all parts of the Province, and the fall of the present Executive would be attributable to its action in this respect. If placed at the head of the Government, he would take a warning by the fate of his predecessor, for he thought the greatest slur that could be cast upon a person in office was that he did not act with a just impartiality. Mr Guinness alluded to an Act of Parliament which was in existence, but was now a dead, letter on the Coast. The Act would enable the holders of miners' rights issued in Westland or Nelson to use that rii?ht in either districts by a system of transfer. The Superintendent of Nelson and the County Council of Westland had neglected to make the regulations necessary to bring the Act into operation, and he would ask Mr O'Conor if he would take steps to give effect to the law on thtf" subject. Mr O'Conor said he certainly would. He took a great interest in the workings of the Act,. and he would use every exertion to have . it brought into operation. «The late rush to the Haast, had it been successful, would at once indicate the necessity of putting the law in force, so that miners ' could vote wherever they were, if qualified. In reply to Mr Kennedy, Mr O'Conob said he thought the revenues which could be set aside for the .use of Road Boards was insufficient, and should be increased largely to make those bodies efficient. No other question being asked the candidate, Mr Guinness moved — " That » vote oi -, thanks be given to Mr O'Oonor for his visit and address to the electors." i Mr Pinkerton seconded the proposition, j The Chairman asked if there was any amendment to the resolution of Mr Guinness, and, none being made, he declared it carried. Mr O'Conor said that before the mee£I ing dispersed he would like to have a more marked expression of the opinion of the electors of his candidature. He wanted something more tangible than a mere vote of thiank3 ; something definite either for or against him. Mr D. M'&enna, with a few remarks, proposed — "That Mr O'Conor was a fit and proper person to fill the office of Superintendent of the Province." The motion was not seconded, and after I a vote of thanks to the Chairman the pro- \ ceedings terminated. I