The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 421, 15 November 1856, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, November 15. Oru neighbours at Wellington have apparently allowed party feeling to have got the better of them so far that the}' are making a *oke. of Representative Institutions. The question at the late election for the city of Wellinsrton was not who are the best men to represent us —those best fitted by education and intelligence, — but each party appears only to have considered' who would be most obnoxious to their opponents. They do not reflect that achoice thus made brings discredit, not only upon the Electors" who voted, but upon the whole of the Province. For a long time past, the claims of Wellintrton to be the seat of the General "Government have been'seriously prejudiced .in the eyes of the colony at large by the factions party spiri' which has distinguished that, province, and the recklessness with which all higher considerations' are thrown overboard, to gratify the bitter feelings incident unon =ur-h a state of things.

We are'not acquainted with Mr. Samuel Skey. better known as ' Long Sam the boatman,' who was one ofthe successful candida'e.s at the la.t» elections for tbe Provincial Council at Wellington. We have no doubt that he is a vcv good boatman, and that in bis business he deserves the confidence of tbe Wellington public. P.ut we do not find that even bis supporters claim for him an amount of education or fitness for 'legislative duties superior to those possessed hy others who have been brought up in the same station in life. The grounds rp >n which his 'upporfc *rs votedl appear to be that be is at lea-u ss w-dl fitted for the office of representative as- the person who was put up on the other side. Has Wellington then c-une to this pass, that she c-'.n find no person lie)ter fitted to fill a vacant s»at in her Council than Mr. Samuel Skey ? The newly elected member is pla'-ed in as fals" a position as bis constituents. For no rn"n was ever placed in a position for wb;c!i he is to'ally unfit without as triiieh in'-irv in himself as to t'iose around him. We have nlways understood that one of the ureal advantau-es of a popular form of O'jvernment'is (hat iiiteHi_ence and fitness for ouV, ; L r ( .f S j.',,. better of mere wealth, or tbe advuntatr^i' of fortuitous circumKbinee t ],;*_' if is open for every man, however hi.-m:-." ;<■.:■.y be bis position in life,

to raise himself to the highest positions in the State by his ability and his persevering self-education ; but Wellington proclaims her opinion, so far as the late election is concerned, to be that ignorance and unfitness is the best ropiesentative of the masses. "Either (he town of Wellington has exhausted its supply ol'edueated representatives, or else the Provincial politics of the 'Empire State' are. handled in such a manner that many of her best men stand aloof. AYe have heard this hinted as the real cause of the difficulty of obtaining proper representatives. If this is tiie case, we believe them to be certainly wrong; they must not be surprised that if they desert their posts others, less fitted, will step in to take their places. At-the. same time, those who have elected Mr. Skey do not go the right way to bring about a better state of things. A public dinner was given by them, not to do honour to their guest, for he has as yet clone nothing to deserve praise or but to glorify themselves over their opnonent; and at this dinner those who voted against \Mr. Skey were denounced, and the electors were infoip^d ih true after dinner oratory, that they 'tffd gained a great victory, and that the day of the election was, a great day lot; the people. How many of the electors we wonder believe this. By .5 this time, they have heard of a species o f American oratory vulgarly called ' Bunkum,' and they ought to know its value.