NOMINATION FOR NAPIER COUNTRY DISTRICT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 347, 30 December 1862, Page 3

NOMINATION FOR NAPIER COUNTRY DISTRICT.

ITeiday the 26th inst. having been fixed for the nomination of two persons to represent this district in the next Provincial Council, a considerable number of electors—probably from 25 to 30 — attended at the principal polling place, Greenmeadows farm. At noon, the Returning Officer, Mr. Cheyne, read the writ of the Governor, and called upon the electors to proceed to the business of the meeing. Mr. H. S. Tiffen then came forward and proposed Capt. J. C. L. Carter as one of the members for the district. There -was no necessity for making a speech, as Capt. Carter was well known to them all. He would simply propose him, and call upon his friends and brother electors to jsupport Capt. Carter and Mr. M'Lean. Mr. James Anderson seconded the nomination of Capt. Carter. Mr. Wobgan asked why it was that the candidate did not appear. He had no wish to raise objections or find fault ; still it was quite possible that some of the electors might have questions to »8k which it would be well had Capt. Carter been present to answer. Mr. Tiffen explained that domestic affliction was the cause of Capt. Carter's absence. Mr. A. Alexander, in proposing Mr. Donald M'Lean as a fit and proper person to represent the Napier -Country district in the Provincial Council, said that he considered it a fortunate thing, and he was sure his fellow electors would think so too, that such a man as Donald M'Lean was willingto come forward. That gentleman was one of the oldest settlers in the district ; he was thoroughly conversant with its requirements — as indeed he was of the wants of the whole Province ; he had had a great amount of official experience ; he was well acquainted with nearly all the settlers ; and he was esteemed and respected by everybody, from the poorest labourer to the Governor. He might say that Mr. M'Lean had not an enemy, except of course those who were enemies of us all. He need scarcely say he alluded to Fox, Fitzherbert, and their party. Mr. M'Lean had a large stake in this Province ; his interests and those of this district were, identical ; and, on the whole, he did not believe that a better qualified representative could be found in the •whole Province. Mr. Rhodes, in making a few remarks, said that he had come there with the intention of nominating Mr. M'Lean, but as this had been so ably done by the outgoing member he had muchpleasure in seconding the nomination. There were, he said, many qualifications to be desired in a representative, such as leisure time to devote to public, business, interest in the locality, a knowledge of its necessities, and good abilities ;

and he was sure they would admit that Mr. McLean combined all these in himself. There was one objection which might be raised against him, but he hoped nobody would be oaptious enough to do so, especially as it was a very small one. He believed Mr. -M'Lean was not a proprietor in this electoral district ; still his interests were closely allied to theirs, and he (Mr. E.) did not think it right that a man should be sent into the Council to watch over and legislate for one district alone ; he thought it rather the duty of a member of the Council to take a broader view of the political questions brought before him ; and, while he did justice to his own constituents, at the same time to do his best for the whole Province. Mr. Rhodes concluded by seconding the nomination of Mr. M'Lean. Mr. Wobgan said he would like to ask Mr. M'Lean a few questions. At the same time he might be permitted to say that he sincerely believed we could have no better man in the Council. The questions he was about to put were asked in a spirit of the greatest friendliness and good will. It was well known that many reports were current, concerning acts done by the candidate, which were freely discussed and commented on in private, and he (Mr. W.) thought it the more just and. manly course that Mr. M'Lean should -be afforded an- opportunity for explanation, which he hoped and believed would be perfectly satisfactory. ,The first question, then, he would ask was the following : — Is it your intention to reside in Hawke's Bay ? Mr. M'Lean. — It is. 2. "Were you one of the first to occupy Maori lands, and did you pay rent for the same 1 Mr. M'Lean was extremely glad of the opportunity Mr. Worgan's question afforded him. of explaining this matter, which he believed he could do satisfactorily. He was aware that it. was frequently rumoured that he had been for several years past a leaseholder of native lands. Reports of that description might be easily circulated to his disadvantage without his having an opportunity like the present of contradicting them. With respect to this accusation, it was true that for a succession of years his sheep had trespassed on native land. It was impossible to keep them off it. The owners made repeated application for rent and payment, but he gave them distinctly to understand that the law prohibited leasing, and that the best course for them would be to sell their land to the Government ; and to avoid trespass he offered to erect a dividing fence if they would sell up to a certain Datural boundary. All that could be said about leasing land from the natives was that he had once paid them £30 as compensation for trespasses. He sent sheep out of the Province to avoid trouble with the natives. One of his brothers some time ago proposed to lease several runs that were offered, but he (Mr. Donald M'Lean) wrote from Auckland requesting him not to take them until some system was adopted by the Government to legalise leasing, and it was not until this was partially the case, and that another runholder had taken possession of land near his run, that his brother became an occupant of native land. Mr. M'Lean said that this led him to contradict another report which he believed was current, to the effect that opportunities had been offered him of purchasing the Ngaruroro Plains, and that he had, either willingly or through carelessness, neglected to secure them. Mr. Worgan said that Mr. M'Lean had anticipated his third question, which was concerning that matter. Mr. M'Lean could assure them that he never had one opportunity of purchasing these plains. If any elector could prove that he had had such an opportunity without availing himself of it, he would consider himself unworthy of their confidence. It might as easily be expected that he could now obtain the unanimous assent of the settlers on the Meanee flat to the sale of their land, as that the natives should unreservedly dispose of these plains. The acquisition of any portion of their land had been always attended with difficulty. Such was the case in acquiring the present town of Napier. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that in the early days of this district, when the larger purchases were made, it was not an easy matter to find money to secure native land. About that time the parliamentary grant was stopped ; local resources were small ; and he could only say that he did the best he could for the Province with the means then at his disposal. Mr. Worgan would also ask whether, in the event of his being returned, he would pledge himself to see that evenhanded justice be done in the expenditure of the revenue of the Province equally for the benefit of all the settlers without respect to classes. Mr. W. considered that the smallest holder of property in the Province had as muoh right to consideration and to have his property improved by the expenditure of the public moneys, in proportion, as the largest runholder in the colony. Mr. M'Lean would answer this question with much pleasure. In the event of his being returned, he would consider it his duty to attend to the interests of the Province at large, and this district in particular. It must not be expected that a road should be made to every man's door, but he believed that the most urgent public works should be carried out first, and that roads should be made where most required and easiest formed without considering whether they would most benefit the rich or the poor man. He hoped they would find that he would use his best efforts to see justice done. Mr. Worgan hoped Mr. M'Lean would excuse him for pressing this^ question a little, and for instancing a case in point, which bore materially upon the prosperity of this district, viz., the formation of a road through the North-west district to the Puketitiri bush — a measure of improvement which ought to have been carried out long since. That part of the province had hitherto -been shamefully neglected. Both our late members promised to see this matter attended to, but yet, although for two consecutive years sums have been placed on the estimates for the said road, not one shilling had been spent in that direction until lately, when something had been done to the road as far as Puketapu, while thousands upon thousands had been spent on the roads towards the Southern portion of the Province. Yet | the North-west portion was by far the most i

populous ; and it required no exorbitant sum to perform the work in question— -a person having already offered to complete a. practicable drayroad for a very moderate amount. He would also point out the increasing importance of the district : the settlement in it of Major Whitmore alone -was of great importance to the Government, considering the vast sum she must have expended and the improvement she is effecting. Mr. McLean would not like to pledge himself to any particular measure, nor did he think it right to do so ; he was as yet only nominated, and might not be returned — at the same time he would be happy to meet with the electors at any place or time, when he might have an opportunity of hearing their wishes and views. Mr. Wokgan said that the settlers had memorialised and were as one man on this subject. Mr. BotrsFiELß asked Mr. McLean,— Why were you so particularly severe upon Messrs. Tiffen's & Northwood's occupation of Native Lands in 1851, when, at a later date, you permitted Ormond and others to occupy the Porangahau Block, thereby very greatly retarding the completion of that purchase, And in that case why did you not enforce the Native Land Purchase Ordinance? Was it by your consent they occupied? Mr. McLean replied that, with regard to the first part of the question, he found it necessary, in order to secure any land, to prevent leasing. He did so without using any severity, and, being the only Government officer in this district at the time, he felt that it was his duty to act as he did. In Mr. Ormond's case, that gentleman came up to a run at Porangahau without his (Mr. McLean's) knowledge; he asked permission to remain a short time while his sheep were lambing, but it was not intended that he should be allowed continued occupation. At that time he would remark that it was not his duty to enforce the Native Land Purchase Ordinance, nor did he conceive that he could be expected to look after every infringement of the law as a constable, even if doing so did not interfere with his other duties ; .but he had used his endeavours to resist the leasing of land as far as he could, when doing so was detrimental to the interests of the Colony. Mr. BotrsFiELD asked a few questions respecting the administration-of Native affairs and other matters that seemed more of a personal than public nature, which were replied to by Mr. McLean. No other candidate having been proposed, the Beturning Officer then declared John Chilton Lambton Carter and Donald McLean to be duly elected as members of the Provincial Council of Hawke's Bay. Mr. McLean thanked the electors for this proof of their confidence, which he trusted was not misplaced. He then proposed a vote of thanks to the. Returning Officer, which, having been seconded by Mr. Tiffen, and responded to, concluded the business of the day.