THE NELSON SUPERINTENDENCY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1667, 8 December 1873, Page 2

THE NELSON SUPERINTENDENCY.

MR O' CONOR AT WAKEFIBLD. i Mr O'Conor addressed the electors at Lower Wakefield on Saturday evening. Mr O'Conor then spoke fop an hour and three-quarters, his speech being a repetition of those already reported. After he had been catechised at some length, Mr Hinde moved a vote of thanks. Mr Harper moved, and Mr O'Shea seconded a vote of confidence. , Mr O'Oonor said that as the latter proposition was calculated to give rise to a feeling of antagonism among those present, he should feel perfectly satisfied with the customary vote of thanks. Mr Shephard said that if those present were willing to listen to him —(Cries of "Go on")— he should like to state that while not appearing as a defender of Mr Curtis, he should like to tell the electors why he felt bound to oppose Mr O'Oonor. That gentleman had come before them as the advocate of the extension of the railway from Foxhill, but they should look back and see what were his opinions on the subject before it became " necessary for him to conciliate the people I on this side of the province, and they would then be able to judge what reliance was to be placed upon the sincerity of his promises. He would point out what Mr Q'Conor'sformer opinions were, but before doing this he would refer to the notorious Westport land purchase, and the enquiry into it by a committee of the House of Representative's.'." -'At this .^juncture,, Mr Q'Conor rose and said that as he had an appointment elsewhere he hoped Mr Shephard would not take" it as an act of discourtesy if he left the room, to

which Mr Shephard replied that he should not only look upon it as discourteous, but as a gross insult to himself, Mr O'Conor in replication said that he really could not remain as he had a long ride before him, and had made an appointment to meet a friend which would prevent his staying to listen and reply to any long speech from Mr Shephard. Some conversation then ensued between the two, Mr Shephard insisting upon it thatat was due to himself and the meeting that Mr O'Conor should hear what he had to say, so that he should not be in a position to accuse him of attacking him behind hia back. Mr O'Conor, however^ insisted upon the necessity of keeping his .appointment, and in the meantime the meeting broke up without giving any expression of opinion. ' . . The correspondent of the Mail, writing from Waimea West, says : — Mr O'Conor addressed a well attended meeting- last night, Mr John Kerr in the chair. The speech was a repetition of his former ones, being filled with abuse of the Superintendent, the Government officials, and the newspapers. At the conclusion Mr Charles Stratford moved.a vote ot confidence. Mr Bell proposed" aa ; an amendment a vote of thanks only, which was carried by 17 to 8. , ; A Motueka- telegram states :—'' Mr O'Conor held a meeting last night at the Lower Moutere, about, seventy persons being present. Several questions were asked. Mr O'Conor lost his temper,, and made most unprovoked and unfounded charges against MrTarrant, which aroused great indignation. A vote of thanks to the candidate was proposed but negatived by 12 to 6, two of the minority not being voters. We (Examiner) mentioned a few days ago that a challenge had been telegraphed to the West Coast on the subject of the election for the Superintendency. It was , a bet of L3OO to L2OO on the success of Mr Curtis, and addressed to a leading member of Mr O'Conotfs Committee in Westport, who bad been talking very loudly on the subject. The answer came yesterday in a chaffing vein :■ — " Have not washed up yet." We should think, not ! The joke is that the Westport gentleman to whom the telegram was sent had been offering, till brought to book, any odds on Mr O'Conor. '■. ■ ■