ELECTION OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 581, 29 May 1858, Page 4

ELECTION OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

"' The election of a member to. represent. Lyt" telton in the General Assembly tonic place yes^

terday at the Town Hall. The attendance W as more numerous than might have been expected from the circumstance of there being no opposition, the main point of zest in all elections. . ■ ;''. '■• •• ■ ■__ ,1 i rt n At the appointed hour,--12 o clock,—U C. BowEN Esq.', Keturning officer, having read the writ, . i-.it rt i • Mr I. T. Cookson briefly proposed Mr. Crosbie Ward, as a fit and proper person to represent Lyttelton. ■■ „' .. Mr. A. J. Alfoet in seconding the motion -expressed his great pleasure in doing so; and warmly eulogised both Mr. Ward's qualifications and aptitude for-a member and his selfdenial in undertaking their representation. Their being no other proposition of candidates, the Beturning officer declared Mr. Ward duly elected. (Cheers.) Mr. Wabd returned hearty _ thanks to the constituency, and expressed his gratification with the conviction that he was not standing where he had no right. He commented at some length on the proceedings of the :General Assembly; and although he praised the evident ■ industry of the ministry, he expressed strong objections to some of their measures, especially their Electoralßeform with Vote ,by. Ballot> and Nomination in writing, which he denounced in severe and indignant terms. He expressed his pride ■in occupying a seat once filled by Mr. litzGerald.: and assured the constituency that lie would use his best endeavours in furtherance of the welfare and true interests of Canterbury.

His Honor the Superintendent then

came forward, and "after briefly adverting to the circumstance of its being well known that he had offered himself to represent Akaroa, referred to some strictures made therepn by a. newspaper, wherein it had been maintained that the services of Superintendents would be better employed at home. He held on the contrary that those services could not be more beneficially, employed, for the: vital benefit^ of their respective provinces, than in watching and advocating their interests in the General Xegislature of the colony. Taking the ability of a Superintendent for granted, his necessarily acquired knowledge of all matters affecting the welfare of, the,province could not but be of the highest importance in the -transactions of \ -the General Assembly, especially such as' had hitherto existed, including the Superintendents returned by the other, provinces. In the previous experience of a Superintendent, he cannot do wrong without the mistake being immediately discovered and corrected; and this

trains him thoroughly to avoid mistakes in the general; representation of the province. In proportion to: the increasing notoriety and importance of Canterbury, its wealth and influence ■were growing in equally rapid ratio; and this was specially, a critical juncture, at which the province should not hesitate in sending forward a most influentiar representation. Who, therefore, c6uld have more influence than the Superintendent? - He has had during his official

cai'eer the most easy and direct access to the means *of procuringl accurate information. 3?rqm this circumstance alone, and from the fact that the Superintendent must necessarily have been elected by the majority of the •whole(province, he contended that a Superintendent's voice in the General Assembly must be far more influential than that of any private individual, however well qualified and respectable he.might otherwise be. For want of room we cannot report in full

his Honor's speech, which was _of considerable length, comprising a eulogium. on the Ministry for their industry, but. animadverting on some of their measures, especially the introduction of vote by ballot. in their Electoral Reform Bills ; commending a General Asylum for lunatics; a reformed system of treating convicts; and the appointment of magistrates and other specified officers, by the General Government. His Honor concluded by regret-

ting his inability to attend at Akaroa, for the purpose of meeting his constituents at the hustings on Monday next. Mr. Wakd then proposed a vote of thanks to the Returning officer, which was carried by acclamation.