The Lyttelton Times

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 4 December 1852, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times

December 4, 1852. At the Meeting, on Wednesday, of the Lyttelton Colonists' Society, Mr. Alport introduced a motion to the effect that it is the opinion of the Society that a Public Meeting be called to consider the most fit and proper persons to fill the various positions under the recently enacted Constitution. This motion was, after a slight discussion, negatived, and we think that the Society acted wisely in so doing; for had it been sanctioned, • the result must have inevetably tended to involve the Society in discussions foreign to the purposes for which it was originated—to render it, in fact, an electioneering club.

In the present position of the Settlement, no very positive or clearly defined opinions can, with any justice, be expected from Candidates, and we cannot, therefore, con-

ceive what imaginable benefit, could have resulted from a meeting- to decide upon Mr. Alport's proposition. The case is very different in England; there the public is divided into two great and distinct parties, and meetings are convened to elicit the views and opinions of the Conservative or Liberal Candidates, as the case may be each party holding a separate meeting; but, here';'we are not sufficiently advanced in Politics to be able to do this, and any opinion a public Meeting may express with respect to this or that person's eligibility would carry no weight with it, and just simply amount to nothing. r We observe, with regret, that the Colonist Society of Christchurch have entered into the field as political partisans, and authoritatively pronounced upon those whom it deems the fittest persons, and most entitled to its confidence. Had the Society contented itself with restricting its dictum to Christchurch, we should not have felt inclined to question its proceedings; but it lays them open to fair criticism when it takes the entire Settlement in its grasp and condescendingly engages to patronise those of whom it approves. There is something extremely ludicrous, or, rather, ironical, in the replies of several of. the Gentlemen who have replied to the request of the Society to stand for the General Assembly. Mr. Russell ignores the Society altogether, and contents himself with stating "it would give him great pleasure" to be returned for Christchurch : Mr. Fitzgerald quietly says, " he had acceded to the request of the' electors of Lytteiton," but adds with grave irony, "he should feel grateful for any- assistance the Society could offer him :" Mr. Stoddart declines on the plea of business, and on account of a sense of the want of business habits: while Mr. Wortley, having unlimited confidence in the power and support of the Society, promises L to accede to its request should his services be" called for. All this looks very much like humbug, and as humbug, we. think, it shouid be denounced.