THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 180, 2 December 1881, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

* . THE NOMINATIONS FOR EGMONT. I The nominations of candidates for the representation of Egniont in the General Assembly took place at Hawera this da}'. On previous occasions, the nominations have been made at Omata, but population having increased in this part of this district so greatly since the last election, Hawera has now become the centre most convenient to the majority of electors, hence the change. Since our last issue the authorities had relented 60 far as to agree to £3 10s. being expended in the erection of hustings. In consequence of the down-pour of rain the pi-oceed'mgs took place in the Court-house. There were fully 150 persons present, Normanby, Paten, Manaia, and the Plains being well represented. At noon, Captain Wray announced his authority for holding an election, and called for nominations. i Mr. James Livingstone proposed Mr. 1 George Hutchison. Mr. \V. Pinches seconded. Mr. Furlong proposed Major Atkinson. Mr. Milroy, of Patea, seconded. He said that at all past elections Major Atkinson had had opponents, and now again he is opposed. The electors should consider the important work in connection with native matters undertaken by the present Government. Could anyone who opposed him at this juncture have the tggpd feeling of the district ? (Yes. No.) yßJ&khoped ;,Major Atkinson would again be returned by a large majority — large enough for the Major to be proud of. Mr. Hutchison should only say a few words. Whatever might be the state of the political atmoshere, the physical atmosphere was depressing, and he should not detain them in their damp clothing. He declared he was the nominee of no one, and he wus thoroughly independent. He stood to represent the interests of the district, so neglected in the past. (Cheers.) He then repeated his already reported assertion that he had not charged Major Atkinson with treachery to Mr. Bryce, but that he had been unfaithful to a certain line of policy. He referred to Mr. Bryce' s speech as refuting not what he (Mr. Hutchison) said, but what Major | Atkinson 2iad said. It was a common, but not very creditable thing for an opponent to misquote his words against him. Major Atkinson should also be short, but there were one or two points upon which constituents should at once receive information. The election had been hitherto conducted with good humour, and : he hoped it would be so conducted, whatever the end might be, and that whoever was elected would be supported by the district. He must reply to some charges made against him by Mr Hutchison at Opunake, with regard to the harbor. Every statement he (Major Atkinson) had. made could be borne out. Mr. Hutchison had given only an opinion, but he (Major Atkinson) had given facts as to the quantity of land available, and a map showing it, would be on view at Mr. Davidson's store. Then Mr. Hutchison had said he (Major Atkinson) raised arguments mutually destructive ; but if his speech in the House had been considered on its merits, it would have been seen that his business at that time was to show the unreliability of the Committee's figures, but he did not accept them. Iv his speech in the House he contended that no rate would be' levied, and still held that opinion. He understated the land available. There was over 400,000 acres available for settlement. My. Hutchison said he took no notice of figures laid on the table by Mr. Wright, but as a fact he had laid figures on the table showing that Mr. "Wright's figVu'BS were yi&eulDuß. He wonld also leave these papers at Mr. Davidson's. Then Mr. Hutchison said he would not have Baid there would be no rate with the Hansard reporters alongside him, but it was in Hansard. Mr. Yorke had been in error on that point, and acknowledged his error when the passage was pointed out to him. Mr. Yorke rose, and confirmed Major Atkinson's remarks. | Major Atkinson continued — With re- | gard to the railway expenditure, he said I his statements could be proved by reference to official documents. Mr. Hutchison took a test case, and said he would pin him to it, and he in return would pin Mr. Hutchison to his case. Mr. Hutchison coutended that ,£7l,oooout of £82,000 voted was not spent, that only had been spent. Ifc w&b quite reasonable to expect that Mr. Hutchison was not profound on finance. But he was a lawyer, and it was reasonable to expect that he knew something of the statute law. Now, by the amendment to the Public Bevenues Act, when the end of the financial 3 r ear was changed to the 81st of March from June, power was given to the Government to expend money after 31st March. Up to the cad

oi' March, £56,000 had beeu expended, but up to tho end of June, £15,000 more was spent. Iv all upwards of i' 72,000. This was a test case, aud Mr. Hutchison's statements were iut what were to bo expected. He proceeded to sum up tbe progress of the tlistricfc during the last tan jenya. Th&Ye wwee ten years hpo m tbe district 1200 residents, ami 548 electors ; now there were beuweer (jOOO and 7000 residents, and 1730 electors. He did not claim sole credit for this, but as their repiesentative, he claimed some credit. Could tbe district have progressed under a terrible native difficulty to the extent that it had, if he had neglected their interests as alleged. He referred to the correspondence between Mr. Hutchioan fin a himself, and. coutended that Mr Hutchison's figures ,were entirely wrong. As to the *. complaints that he had not given figures to Hutchison, he explained the cause of delay, and said the figures had been sent at the earliest moment. He said this to show there was no want of courtesy between them. He repeated his original £gures, &B to the large railway expenditure in the district and the pleas on which he pushed the claims of the district. He had been told .that the money was only spent in opening up the lands, but •of course expenditure must be justified on that ground, and he would not ask for expenditure for this or any district unless he thought it for the benefit of the district or the colony. He ctiaflenged any one to show thatllG had I violated a single promise, and claimed to have advanced the interests of the district. If he had misrepresented Mr. Hutchison's statements about treachery to Mr. Bryce, he was sorry. He meant to convey he had never Leen unfaithful to the vigorous policy. The Government had. never stopped for one moment since^the constabulary crossed the Waingongoro, and he had never been nnfaikhful to the 23olicy with which the Govemtnenfc se£ out. (Cheers.) Mr. Livingstone — Did you not dismiss the constabulary ? Major Atkinson said he had been under the impression that if the natives allowed the sale of the Plains, Te Whiti would come in, and therefore they would not have been justified in keeping up an expenditure on constabulary, but still none were discharged except those who wished to leave. The only difference between the Government and Mr, Bryce was as to the time when Te Whiti aud Tohu should be taken, and not on the question of policy. The main difficulty had beeu, and still' was, that the Government and the settlers were not supported by the Parliament, aud Mr. Hutchison, Mayor of Wellington, was a supporter of that party, which was opposed to the Government policy. Now, which party would his opponent join if elected ? That was a question to be considered, because he would turn out the present Government. Mr. Hutchison disputed having said so. Major Atkinson — Why, you are trying to put me, a member of the Government, ont of the House altogether. Mr. Hutchison said that was another matter. Major Atkinson claimed to be a member of the party which had heen doing its best to settle the uative difficulty, and Mr. Hutchison was opposed to that party. The policy of the future must he progressive and economical, and that was the policy the Government would pursue. It was a first necessity to complete the missing links in the North Island, , and he hoped to he associated with the party who should complete the line to Auckland. He hoped during the present summer to come to a satisfactory arrangement with the King, and if they did not succeed it would be because the time was not ripe. He urged electors to elect their member on broad grounds, and referred to the actions of the Government since it took office, Mr. Hutchison made some explanation in reference to harbor returns, showing that one return had escaped him. Hia j aim would be to be a local member on the principle, " Take care of the pence, the pounds will take care of themselves." Iv answer to Mr. G. McLean, Major Atkinson said the endowments of the Board could not be mortgaged, and no more money could be raised by the Board. In answer to Mr. King, Mr. Hutchison said he would join a middle party against the^resent Government. He would support the native policy of the Government. The show of hands was then called for, with the result that 20 were held up for Mr. Hutchison, and a perfect forest, quite 100, for Major Atkinson. A poll was demanded by Mr. Hutchison. NOMINATIONS IN OTHER DISTRICTS [By Telegraph.] Wanganui. — John Ballance and W. H. Watt. Show of hands — Ballance, 86 ; Watt, 45. Watt's candidature was decided upon in the last hour. Dunstan. — W. Eraser and Vincent Pyke nominated. Show of hands — Pyke, 15 ; Fraser, 9. Taranaki.— Mr. Joseph Colesby, and Colonel Trimble were proposed. Show of hands equal. Poll demanded. St. Albans. — J. E. Brown, Wilson, O'Niel. Lincoln. — O'Callaghan, Perryman. Dunedin, Central. — Basting, Bracken, Graham, Dickson, and Cargill. Rodney. — Seymour George, Shepherd, Fbanklbt Nobth. — P. Buckland, Luke, Gordon, and Major Harris. Waikouati. — Green and Thompson. Wakatipu. — Fergus, Mcßride and Thompson. Bay of Islands. — Lundon and Hobbs. City Wkst (Auckland). — Dr. Wallis, J. M. Dargaville, W. C. Laing, and M. Fleming. ; City Bast (Auckland). — Sir G. Grey, and J". McCosh Clark. Auckland City North.— Bees, Garrard, Thwaites, and Peacock. Show of hands — Eees, 40 ; Peacock, 15 ; Garrard, 9 ; Thwaites, 4. Manukau. — Sir G. M. Eorke and Owen McGee. Show of hands— O'Rorke, 36 ; McGee, 6. Waitejiata. — Hurst and Alison. Show of lian<3s — Htiz'st, 29 j Allison, 25. Eden. — Reader Wood and Tole. Show of hands— Tole, 24 ; Wood, 4. Parnisll. — Moss and Monk. Show of hands — Moss, 24 ; Monk, 13. New Plymouth. — Kelly and Brown. Te Aro. — Messrs. Shaw, Johnston, J and Stafford. Show of hands largely in' • favor of Shaw. Poll demanded. Ktjmara.— Blake and Seddon. Show of haud3 in favor of Seddon.

Greymotjth. — Petrie, Guinness, and Madden. Show of hands — 'Pe&ief 71 ; Guinness, 29 ; and Madden, 2{£; Cheviot. — Saunders, Fendall, and Melllwraith. • ' ' .. OamaiuJ.— ShrimsM and Hassell. Waitaki. — Reid and Duncan. 1 Clxjtha. — Thomson and Jbwittr Foxton. — Buffer, JFrance, Iza'rd, NewI man, Russell, and Wilson. Thohndon. — Levin and Dwan. Napier. — Buchanan, McSweeney, and McDougall. . " Dunedin South. — Fish and Ross. Waipa. — Whitalier,- Jackson, and Johns. Nasbby. — De Latour aud ftfackay. I Mount Ida. — Scobie nr>ri MeKenzie. | EanctlTikei.— Fox and Stevens. Wairab (Blenheim). — Dodson and Seyi mom. [ Hutt. — Mason, Marks, Jackson, , and Sinclair. Mataura. — Thompson, McKenzie, and ! Richardson. Dunedin East. — Reeves and Davis.

' MEMBERS RETURNED UNOPPOSED. ■ Macandrew, Port Chalmers* .'.. 1.. O /Taiaroa, Southern Maori O Levestam, Nelson .City O Fulton, Taieri M Bryce, Waitotara M. Johnston, Manawatu M Hall,£elwyn ... M . Roll^stbn, Avon- „-. ...g'Bff Swanson, "W .'.. .'.. .V.f M Whyte, Waifcato '..^'flt ! Montgomery, Akaroa O M represents Ministerialist ;'- O, Opposition.