MR. WHITE'S EXPLANATION,

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1670, 11 December 1873, Page 2

MR. WHITE'S EXPLANATION,

; The following, letter has been addressed by Mr John White to the West Coast - Times: — ■ -^ ,■■■-,■■ : Sir — As the, statement- in your leading article of to-day, that I had forwarded telegrams to the Premier,- urging that 'the Province of Westland Act be put into operation forthwith, icon veys an impression.; which .is. ;aS::unjust<to..in~e as?.it is erroneous in fact, I trust you will permit me to offer a brief explanation. While in Wellington, I suggested to Mr Yogel to delay bringing the Act into operatiqft tntil the Ist «Tanu.ary, 'l§7§.. Jdid^hw on two grounds j first, to. "give time to thai people to enroll themselves, ao that all might have a voice in the election of Superintendent ; second, to allow Mr ? Robinson to sit out the time for whioh he' ? was elected as Counfy Chairman;- gut Mr Yogel thought, and doubtless, there are weighty reasons why, the change, being determined upon r it- should— be given effect to with as little delay as possible. Hence the^Government fixed upon theiJLs!; iJanflaiy, ,1874, to proclaim the Act, '^TKinkina: over the matter after, my return to Hokitika; !it \ became apparent to mie that serious in- ~ convenience to the public service would arise, unless tho new form of ' Government were established, by that time, and so JL urged upon Mr Yogel to substitute % the ' ]pt December, 18^3, for the Ist Jaiiuary,, 1-874, for bringing the Actinto operation, .. : ajud this he acceeded to* So ( that it' will ; be seepl am/ guilty of ."hu'rryxng.on the elections" to the extent of one calendar month, but am not.guilty} as>your article insinuates, of pressing the elections for? of Superintendent to the comparative rev? vvjh'O; happen to be on the roll; What! djesire, what .1 always have desirediiaud what I have spared no effort to obtain, ia . that the wftofe people should -be -placed in a| position to exercise their undoubted right of choosing their local head. On no political question have I now, or have 1 eyer had, a stronger conviction. Not to mention that one of my first acts in the^f County Council, in 1870, was to introduce . absolution: affirming that principle ; to omit all reference to the numerous occar sipns in which I have written, spqkenv and telegraphed in its advocacy, Lwoulc[ nevertheless remind you, . sir, that- the. •' Miners Extension Franchise B.ill, to which, .. you refer in your article, was supported by me, not , only in 18,73, but in the _> se3sion of 1§72 whe.n a „-.. election in Westjand wss ;. not even a. jbemote contingency. ' Jf my opinions and sincerity on this question are matters of doubt, as would seem by your remarks, then years of consistent action upon prin- ■ ciple go for nought. .■' : 3 >