HEATHCOTE ELECTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1196, 13 February 1864, Page 2

HEATHCOTE ELECTION.

The nomination of candidates to the vacant seat In tho Heathcote district took took place at Christchurch Quay, on Friday, January 22. There was a numerous attendance of electors. The Returning Officer, Dr. Donald, having explained the purposes of the meeting and read thp writ, Mr. W. Wilson said—As one of the electors of that district he had for a number of years taken great interest both in elections of members for the Provincial Council and for the General Assembly. He congratulated the electors upon the interest which they evinced in the present election, and he felt great judgment would be exercised in their selection of a representative, and the interests of the province would be benefited accordingly. He characterised the interests o£ the district of the Heathcote as being divided into the agricultural and commercial. There were a large number of farmers who should have 6ome one to represent them, and the commercial interest surpassed any In the province, with the exception of Christchurch. The railway also added an important item to the commerce of the Heathcote district. If they were fairly represented they should have a member connected with the agricultural and commercial interests, and he had much pleasure in proposing Mr. H. P. Murray-Aynsley, as being a fit and proper person to be returned for that district. That gentleman was identified with both interests and was a representative of one of the largest commercial firms in Canterbury. He was calculated to advance the interests of the province. He waa formerly at Trinidad, in the West Indies, and had gained considerable experience in Colonial Government. It was for that reason he had been selected by Mr. Moorhouse to form one of bis Executive, and he was proud to say that during the time he acted he in some measure assisted in securing the passing of the £500,000 Loan Bill, without which the great Railway works could not have been so successfully carried out. When all else was forgotten the names of those who had .aided Mr. Moorhouse in the furtherance of a work upon which the progress of the country depended would be borne in mind by future generations. On that ground alone he was worthy to be elected, and further that he was a man of good principle, and perfectly unimpeachable character. The press stated that the hustings was the proper place to hear the expression of the opinions of the candidates, but from his experience they generally indulged in vague generalities on those occasions. They must not judge of the merits of candidates by their capacities for making fluent speeches, and he was certain that if they considered the merits of the two candidates their choice would fall on Mr. Aynsley.

Mr. Ollivier seconded the nomination of Mr. Aynsley. He did so because he (Mr. A.) was so intimately mixed up with the late Government, and also that from his connection with his late chief, Mr. Moorhouse, he was well qualified to carry out those views which he had initiated. The present Government could not honestly give effect to those great works which had been originated by the Government of which Mr. Aynsley had been a member, and he believed their proceedings were fatal to the interests of the colony. He did not wish to disparage Mr. Rolleston, and hoped at some future time to see him in the Council Chamber. Who were the present Executive? In which of Mr. Rolleston's colleagues had they confidence ? At the present moment almost all the public works were at a standstill. He might be told that this was in consequence of the formation of the Road Boards. He had no confidence in the present Government, as its head had lost that of the country. The contest should be who should fill the office of Superintendent? The best safeguard would be found in an Executive to which there could be no objection, then they would have the principle of responsible Government carried out fairly. The present system was a perfect farce, as calculated only to make the Superintendent responsible. The present Superintendent was conducting matters most unsatisfactorily, and should be dismissed from his office and a new one elected by the voice of the people. Look at the Constitution Act 1 Was there anything in it about a provincial ministry? Could not the Superintendent do anything he liked contrary to the advice of his ministry ? When the late Government had resigned he could have carried on the Government himself, and no one had a right to find fault with him. There was nothing compulsory in the Act to make the Executive have seats in the Council, and they might dispense with a Provincial Secretary. He (Mr. 0.) would not now touch upon matters which had occurred lately. By and by, in the proper place, they would have the opportunity of challenging the acts of the Superintendent. He must caution them again as to what would be the result of the election in which they were engaged. H they wished to be in the ranks of progress they must give their votes to Mr. Aynsley. If, on the contrary, they supported the other candidate, that act would check the progress of the public works. It was utterly impos-. sible for those works to be prosecuted as long as the public had no confidence in those at the head of affairs. It was absolutely necessary that the chief officer should be changed. He had great hopes for the future, and he congratulated the Sectors upon a gentleman of such promise coming forward to represent them, and he entertained no doubt but that Mr. Aynsley, whose nomination he had great pleasure in seconding, would be found at the head of the poll.

The Hon. J. Hall then rose and proposed William Kolleston as a proper person to represent the district of the Heathcote. He would first make a remark upon the speech of Mr. OUivier, who had given utterance to two statements. The first was rather an amusing one ; the other was of more importance. The amusing one was that the speaker did not believe in responsible government. This, to those who knew the history of the hon. gentleman who had held the post of Provincial Secretary, and conducted an opposition, was really diverting. He (Mr. H.) had before heard him adapt his opinions to the circumstances of the day. The other statement, was entitled to serious consideration, this was —Mr. Kolleston ought not to be elected because the present Executive could not carry on undpr the present Superintendent. Then what did they think of Mr. Aynsley's remaining in office under the present Superintendent. They would all agree with him (Mr. H.) that they had met not to elect a new Superintendent, but a member for the Heathcote district. He first knew Mr. Kolleston when he did not disdain the work of driving bullocks and humping wood. This he did week after week, and month after month, and right well did he do his work. Mr. Kolleston was conscious that he possessed abilities and a liberal education which qualified him for a higher position. In a remote part of the province among the mountain ranges, he had found a tract of country and put sheep upon it, and by his energy he had helped to extend one of the most important industries of the province. After that he was selected by the Government under the advice of the Executive, of which Mr. Aynsley was a member, to investigate and report upon the important subject of education, and after great labor thereon, there could be no difference of opinion but that he hud assisted in producing an able and exhaustive report. Apaihe was selected to fill the important office of '" vinciul Secretary, and the industry and ililiu which he had shown, formed a favorable con t rn to that of his predecessor. He (Mr. H.) would g. one instance of it. A bill had been passed autliorisin the formation of road boards all.over the country, an everything was prepared by him by the time tli: usent of the Governor wa» received to that bill.

sssr«s i^&sttst dtsgri e the fact that there *«««*"*«* opposition to Mr. Bolleston (Cries rf M j Well, perhaps, not bitter. h « C »»f th b e e S toeether, and let them decide whether the public wSshadbeen pushed on. Let the Government Sde by that verdict, and if it is unfavorabe the Government will not cling to office. But ifthe Council justify their measure*, they would have done the State a service and the electors would have done Kselves honor by placing Mr.RoUes^.J iJPJgUnn to carrv out that policy. Mr. Wilson had pronosed M?AynsLy\ecause*he was locally interested what they required was a man to further the getiera EesK the province, and the election should no be decided upon such narrow grounds. Mr. mu excluded his address by thanking the electors for 2 confidence which they had formerly reposed in him, and assured them that he could not better serve them than by proposing Mr. Bolleston as a candidate for their suffrages. Mr. Chablbs Clark seconded the nomination, observing that Mr. Rolleston was well worthy of their confidence and support. The speaker here drew a comparative picture of the merits oi the late and present Provincial Secretaries, decidedly unfavorable to the former, and concluded by warmly recommending Mr. Bolleston to the electors. Mr. R. Tubnbull, in proposing Mr. Moorhouse as a candidate, stated that the real point at issue was, whether Mr. Bealey should continue in office or not/ This election would greatly influence the question. The district was worthy of the contest, as the electoral roll contained the names of most of the eminent men of the province. The speaker here expressed his opinion that the present Superintendent was viewed with unmitigated contempt throughout the province. He charged Mr. FitzGerald with apathy and want of courage, in not having come forward at the late election for Superintendent, as by so doing he would have saved the province from the present miserable squabblings. In conclusion, he proposed Mr. Moorhouse, as a fit and proper person to represent the district. Captain Chableswobth having briefly seconded the nomination,— Mr. Athsley said that he came forward as a candidate for the seat lately vacated by Mr. J. S. Williams. He (Mr. A.) had been a member of Mr. Moorhouse's Executive, and had consented to continue in office under Mr. Bealey upon the understanding that the public works which had ]>een initiated by the former Government should be ! pressed on. But this had not been the case; everything was at a standstill. The great works at Lyttelton and elsewhere were crying out to be pressed on. He was essentially mixed up in every interest of the province, and it was his desire and his intention to expedite the important works which had been promised. The country owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. Moorhouse and his Government, and required a guarantee for the prosecution of his designs, but Mr. Bolleston could not give such a guarantee, not having been in the Council, and his opinions being unknown. Besides, what could be expected of an Executive under such a Superintendent ? The country would be certain to go back. Why did not Mr. Bolleston go to Mount Cook and oppose Mr. Hall instead of contesting this district ? In con- ' elusion he expressed his hope that the electors would | give him their support, and show their confidence in him by placing him at the head of the poll. Mr Bolleston said that he appeared at a disadvantage as he was comparatively unknown to the electors. He had, however, done his best to make their acquaintance, and he believed that he should receive fair play. He had lived a life apart and was in fact but a looker-on in politics; although an interested one, the only object which he had in view was to carry on the business of the country and to do the province service. It was true that some of the public .works had been put a stop to, and time had been frittered away in unseemly discussion. He took office for the purpose of furthering the business of the country, and it was necessary that he should have a seat in the Council to enable him to explain the business which had already passed through his hands. As to the Mount Cook District, he thought that Mr. Aynsley's dates were not quite correct as the seat was vacant before he was made Provincial Secretary. Mr. Aynsley asserted that he (Mr. B.) had come forward as an opponent of the late Government. It had also been stated that the present Government was obstructive. This was a mere assertion which could be met with a simple denial. It was also untrue to say that they opposed the policy of Mr. Moorhouse. Because the present Government, on former occasions, opposed what they thought rash speculations, it did not follow that they have been insensible to the great advance which has taken place. He could emphatically state that they were not enemies to progress. He looked upon Mr. Moorhouse as a man of progress, but he (Mr. B.) was not prepared to admit the same of his satellites. It was not fair to charge the Government with being "the authors of the present lull in the prosecution of the public works. This lull was entirely owing to the carrying out of the policy initiated by the late Government. What had Mr. Aynsley done towards the formation of the railway ? and why had he not published the reasons of his resignation? The present Government were justified in taking office and in not calling the Council together in order to make it the arena of disputes. If constitutional, was it fair to saddle the Superintendent with a body of men who were obviously opposed to him ? Now, the Council would shortly meet: if he was returned he would explain their policy; if otherwise, he would cheerfully resign the office which he at present held. (Cheers.)

Mr. Moobhocse said that it was ridiculous to conceal the fact that the proposition of Mr. Turnbull had given him the opportunity of expressing his views relative to events which had recently taken place. Although he felt a great interest in the wellbeing of the whole province, it was a matter of surprise to him to hear the complimentary expressions which had been applied to him. He was afraid they were not altogether merited. There was one thing of which he felt that he had just reason to be proud. "Was not the railway a great commercial fact, and had it not already paid beyond all expectation? And yet it had been carried out in defiance of all the heavy intellects which had been brought to bear against it. He did sincerely hail the advent of Mr. Rolleston into public life, as he believed that he was calculated to effect- much good in the province, and that he was destined to attain to a high position in it. They could not deny but that each candidate had his claim. As a politician Mr. Rolleston discloses considerable ability. His address to the electors was a well considered document, and he had evidently been well advised. It has been stated that this young gentleman fresh from Oxford and from bullock-driving, is the fit man to explain conclusively the affairs of the country. That is one error. His hon. friend, [ Mr. John Hall had stated that there was an unconstitutional opposition to his election. That was the next error. What was his real status ? He comes fresh from his father's sheepfolds to flesh his maiden sword in politics, and asks, forsooth, to walk over the course ! The truth is that he has fallen among thieves, politically speaking. They had heard how an executive had been snubbed, but the previous history of a former Government showed how Mr. FitzGerald had dismissed his Executive, and had ousted his friend the Hon. J. Hall, who retired from the ranks with a considerably depressed tail. He considered the Government not deserving of the confidence of the country. He would give a reasonaround the purlieus of the building devoted to the business of the province men had been conerecated to canvass for Mr. Rolleston. Some of these had been remunerated, whilst others had tendered their services gratuitously Mr. Rolleston, thoughactuated by every desire to serve his country is a ftTVf 11 W s° - has fa = Ue " iuto bad hand? He (Mr. M) was desirous of explaining his own noaf. tion with regard to the late ExecutL & tune ago the Superintendent camel him, and to Executive. He had come to him (Mr M • ™S • abject terms had besought him to coEtJi&'Sfi as he was about to retire from a noshi™ Zi i , £ felt himself unequal. assurance that he would not iE£v i • Bealey 8 tion, he had taken postTthetead of L*? Talk about Const&tloi had no sooner taken his seat ti,„n i™ ? ! J W , hy ' he Honor had not informed K* v l V mnd thathis vhichhelmdtaken3 the Bte P 'til his colleaguehad bwSl M ;^ '■' Press at hiVm*™-.n" made aware of the kct "Wo time hi? !T eßs re, * ueßt Imd ke P l i or a, nmo, but at last began to reflect public ' ; •'» Honor then changed his mind, in ccn- ;■••.-"• »=asserted, of the violent tone of the :' _•'• ■•« that he thought it consistent with '!•;;/ -""iin in office. He added that ' v " W!IS n °t wanted, but that he

bad been advised to continue in office by tu i heaviest intellects of the province; that he foi, ! as firm as a rock, and, If necessary, would m ' ' cabinet at 6s 6d per diem. He (Mr. M.) w oul s repeat that his Honor was politically perjured, an a that Mr. Bolleston would find to his cost that he was surrounded by persons who were converti n „ him to their own purposes. The present Govern ment was composed of the most incongm,,,,, materials. The Superintendent tits at the head r, the Council-table like a tame pigeon. He does«• w he is bid, and signs this or that document ashc'i, told. There was one hon. member who had belong,i to his (Mr. M.'s) Goreniment, and deserted it, u cause there was too much progress, and another begotten of him, Whom hare we got as 1,, vincial Solicitor? It was imponible to feebleness to the present Gorernment, 80 th tv obtained a gentleman who had sold his business «t \ fabulous price, and was about to pay a visit to i: n .',. land, if report spoke truly, never to return, 'j \, issue of this election would be to declare the chf,i,.. of the people whether they would have an able (~,. vernment, or half-a-dozen men pulling at the teats <,< an old milch cow. The Superintendent is a comply,' nonentity. He (Mr. Moorhouse') once believed thai he waa honest, and had a will of his own, but m,.-, he knew that he had no settled opinions, and no \,<,\i tical integrity. He (Mr. Moorhouse) asked the eh ,•. tors as reasonable men toconskler upon what groun!. they would give their votes, and to reflect whether promises obtained by fraudulent inducement oupht to be held as binding, and if they were not free i,, retract their pledges, and to give them to the m,. t truthful and honest man. Let the election be eon. ducted in a creditable manner by their exercising due discrimination between public and private the racter. The electors must bear in mind that Mr. Aynsley's election would only confer the same numerical strength upon the late Executive as it had before the retirement of Mr. Williams, it Was only natural that they should wjsh to see his l w supplied by a gentleman holding similar opinion.,. A healthful opposition was not distasteful to him; he liked a fair fight with only just sufficient room in the ring for a sponge and refresh ments. (Cheers.) Dr. Tpknbum, came forward to propose Mr. Fitz Gerald; and took the opportunity to indulge in a virulent personal attack upon Mr. Moorhouse and Mr. Maude, which we regret our want of space will not allow us to publish in extenso. Mr. Habhaw in a few temperate ami well closer. phrases seconded the nomination. Mr. FitzGerald said they had often seen at races good horses used to nurse a. bad one to the post. Mr. Moorhouse and himself were in precise!; the same position. He did not come forward with the object of being elected, but as his name bad been mentioned by some of the preceding speakers, to make a few remarks on this election. He begged the electors to consider the question to be put to them solely on public grounds, apart from all personal considerations whatever. He could not help saving that he had listened with considerable pain to the speech which they had just heard from Mr. Moorhouse, especially coming from one who had held so high a position in the province. That speech sounded to him all through as if it were dictated by personal disappointment and a personal disagreement with the Superintendent. They had that day been listening to statements of private conversations which had taken place between Mr. Moorhouse and the Superintendent, which Mr. Bealey was not there to listen to and was precluded by his position from answering. [Mr. Moorhouse: They were conversations in the Executive Council.] Mr. FitzGerald: Very well; and they were all the more private on that account. There was nothing more necessary than there should be a loyalty and confidence between one member of the Government and another, and that all conversations in the Executive Council should be considered strictly private and confidential. They had been told that this was not only an election for the Heathcote, but that Mr. Eolleston must not be returned, because Mr. Bealey had pledged himself to his Executive that he would resign, and bad broken his word. Mr. Moorhouse has said that the Superintendent waa politically perjured. He would answer that: What had Mr. Moorhouse himself said to the electors almost within the same breath. He had just told them that if any of them had promised their votes under j mistake as to the facts, they were at liberty to break, their promises after {hey had heard the disclosures of to-day. He replied then that Mr. Bealey had made the promise to resign under a mistake ; and Mr. Moorhouse's own principles just announced, were a sufficient justification of his conduct. The polite expression which Mr. Moorhouse had applied to Mr. Bealey, would be equally applicable to every one of them if they followed his advice. The form of this expression was worth remarking. He knew that they were going to lose this election. (Cheers, and " Nb, no.") Why, did they suppose that Mr. Moorhouse would have made use of such a rotten argument as to ask them to break their promise unless he were flogging up a horse that was beaten. He (Mr. FitzGerald) would speak not to those who had promised their votes, hut to those who had not promised any one, and there were many still who had not done so. He would give them one very good reason why they should not vote for Mr. Aynsley, because he was Mr. John Ollivier's man. (Loud laughter.) Who was it who had got them into this mess? Why, John Ollivier. Who was it who proposed Mr. Bealey? Why, John Ollivier. He had put up one man who he now tells you is a dummy, and now he puts up another who is» dummy's dummy; and in three months John Ollivier would come to these hustings again, if they now returned Mr. Aynsley, and ask them to trample hint too in the dirt. They had tried Mr* Ollivier as s begetter of candidates, and this was the result. Miserably bad stock he had got, now let them change the blood. He wished to say one word about what had been said by Mr. Moorhouse as to bis turning Mr. Hall out of the Executive when he (Mr. FitzGerald) was Superintendent. He did so, but why? Because Mr. Hall could not get a majority in the Council He told him if he could not command a majority he had better go. He had in doing so simply fulfilled the functions which had been intrusted to him by the people. [Mr. R. Turnbull: Yes, and you put old Packet m.] Mr. FitzGerald—Yes he did, and the Council gave him a majority. If the Council chose to keep him there that was none of his fault. He wished to say one word as to the result of this election. What would happen if Mr. Bolleston were returned, and what if Mr. Aynsley were returned. They were told that the object of this contest was to drive Mr. Bealey from office. Now he considered Mr. Bealey a weak man, but like other weak men he was gifted with that faculty which providence had bestowed on men of that character to protect them from the encroachments of their fellow creatures—unconquerable obstinacy. He has got just enough of that English character in mm that they would find the more he was flogged the mare he would'nt go. He (Mr. FitzGeraM) believed he would stick to it to the last. The ques< tion for them now was whether they were going to Plunge the province into a miserable quarrel between the Superintendent and Provincial Council, in which all the public works would be neglected, and all the progress of the province stopped, or whether they would defend the position and dignity not of the individual, but the office of chief magistrate If they disapproved of Mr. Bealey they could take the legal and constitutional methods of getting rid of him which were provided by the Constitution Act. Was it iair—f or that is what they wanted to do ; was it fair to compel the Superintendent to call the Council together without allowing him a voice in the Council by the Provincial Secretary to tell his story. JKflfS* M s' &™ 1 * w " th * represents m!Li^.E rty<rf P ro ß r «»' There was noihing more absurd than to imagine that there were but one or two or three heaven-born men who were alone £ifJ°^?u n< ! UC u the business o* the Province. He believed that there were fifty men in this English community of sufficient ability to do so. He had mmself been looked upon as the opponent of progress. Itwasamerecry. He had never opposed the CT-/t7'l ot^?tothe finaQ cial part of the scheme. WMr.FitzGerald's) policy had been carried out and ?J r - Moorhouse's had been lost. He shook hands with Mr. Moorhouse on that question. MrM. wastheauthor ot the railway, and he (Mr. FitzGerald) was quite satisfied with the financial arrangements. He had protested against a large loan and said it was not necessary, and now, six years afterwards, only £50,000 had been borrowed, which was exactly what he had proposed. It was childish to say that he (Mr. FitzGerald), who had been working all his life and who had been one of the founders of that great settlement, was opposed to progress j and above all, to say that Mr. Aynsley, whose speech they had just listened to, was the great apostle of progress, was the most ridiculous statement that could be made. At the conclusion of the addresses, a show of hands was called for with the following result— Bolleston, 28; Aynsley, 17. The other candidates withdrew from the contest The Returning Officer declared that the poll would take place the qyt <far ( Wwjia ti* botes* ri* and four, at of Mr. Archer, xmd.