The Lyttelton Times

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 101, 11 December 1852, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times

December 11, 1852,

The remarks which we made in our Journal last week, touching a motion introduced in the Lyttelton Colonists' Society by Mr. Alport, have produced two rejoinders, which we publish in another column ; one from Mr.'Wakefield, in his character as Secretary of the Christchurch Colonists' Society ; the other from " Jacob Faithful."

We feel obliged to Mr. Wakefield for the trouble he has taken in forwarding to us copies of the replies of the Gentlemen whom the Society addressed, and deemed entitled to the confidence of the Constituency. A more careful perusal than we were before enabled to give their replies, from our then having only emasculated passages before us, induces us to frankly admit that we were not altogether justified in deeming them ironical; indeed, we must assume that the Gentlemen addressed appreciated at its due value the confidence placed in them by the Society, and that the sincere thanks and deep sense of the honour, &c, expressed by them, should be taken in the fullest and most literal sense of those expressions. "Jacob Faithful" claims a word at our hands. xi Jacob" labours under great misapprehension in supposing that we consider the Lyttelton Colonists' Society a non-poli-tical body. We have never considered it so ; on the contrary, we have ever held that

politics, in the strict sense of their meaning, should form its chief element; but we have endeavoured to draw the distinction between politics as applied to individuals, and politics as applied to measures. To our apprehension the Society was established to defend the interests of the Settlement against attacks either from Down-ing-street or Wellington; to express opinions on public measures; to demand the redress of grievances; to call attention to the requirements of the Settlement, either as to the necessity for forming new Electoral Districts, or opening up communications with the Plains ; in fact, fordoing all and every thing of a purely public and political nature. But we must protest against the Society being made the medium of influencing in any degree the elections. We are convinced that were it to call a public meeting in its corporate character, the inevitable result would follow to introduce discord into the happy unanimity which prevails at present amongst its members. It is little less than absurd to suppose that all can agree as to the eligibility of this or that person; and but few, we apprehend, of the aspirants to Legislative honours would be particularly gratified even should a respectable majority of the Society express an opinion of their fitness for office.

If it is necessary at the present moment to call a public meeting to ascertain who are prepared to come forward as Candidates (and we are by no means disposed to think that it is not necessary), let the electors of Lyttelton call it; and assured we are that if the public really do desire it, that they will come forward and act without having recourse to such extraneous aid as the Lyttelton Colonists' Society might afford.

Our friend, " Jacob," touches upon one or two questions on which we are not disposed at present to enter. Suffice it, that we fully agree with him that had the Lyttelton Society been in existence at the time when Sir George Grey proposed to expend £500 monthly on the road to the Plains, that offer would not have been refused. All will yet most assuredly regret a decision that deferred to an indefinite period the means of removing the main impediment to the onward progress of the Settlement. We hope that "Jacob" will change his opinion as to demanding specific pledges from Candidates. We trust nothing so degrading will be attempted in this Settlement. Place unlimited confidence in those whom you wish

to be your Representatives, and you will then enlist the services of honorable men ; do not so, and you will fail in inducing any one, with an opinion of his own, to come forward.

The next meeting of the Lyttelton Colonists' Society is postponed to the 22nd inst., to meet the convenience of members who arc going to the Plains next week, on account of the holidays to be kept in observance of the Anniversary. On the above day Mr. Godley will deliver his second lecture on the Constitution of New Zealand.

CuiusTcnußcn Colonists' Society.— The business for the General Meeting, on Monday, 13th inst., is as follows: —1. The Secretary to lay before the Society a letter addressed by order of the Committee to the Editor of the Lyttelton Times, in consequence of the article in that paper of the 4th instant, commenting on tbe Society s proceedings. 2. The Committee for Elections to report progress. —(This is made a standing order up to the period of the elections.)