MANDEVILLE ELECTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1541, 20 November 1865, Page 3

MANDEVILLE ELECTION.

NOMINATION AT KAIAPOI. The nomination of a candidate for the representation of the Mandeville district in the Provincial Council, in place of R. Rickman, Esq., who recently resigned, took place at the Court-house, Kaiapoi, on Saturday last, at 12 o'clock noon. The attendance of electors was moderate, about 60 persons being present. Dr. Donald, Returning Officer, said: Electors of the district of Mandeville, in accordance with her Majesty's writ I call npon you to nominate a candidate for the representation of your district in the Provincial Council of Canterbury, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignatton of R. Rickman, Esq. Dr. Donald, then read the writ.

Mr. Birch .paid: Mr. Returning Officer and brother electors, I have great pleasure in proposing Mr. Marmaduke Dixon as a fit and proper person to represent the district of Mandeville in the Provincial Council of Canterbury. The vacancy which we have to fill up has come rather unexpectedly upon us, as we did not expect to be called together for this purpose before the dissolution of the Council. The reasons, however, which called upon ray friend Mr. Rickman'to resign were imperative. He could not hold his seat any longer according to the Disqualification Act. Having known for some time of the intention of Mr. Rickman to resign. I thought Mr. Marmaduke Dixon the most fit and proper person to fill the vacant seat. And as that gentleman is largely interested in the district, I therefore, think the electors could not do better than return him. In my opinion a representative of any district in the Council, should himself be an elector of the district, and, also personally interested in it. Mr. Dixon fulfils, these conditions, and moreover, we shall always have him amongst us, to lay before him our wants and grievances. Mr. Dixon may not be a very fluent speaker, but he is a man of strict integrity and application. I must remind you that speaking is not everything in the Provincial Council. Honesty and integrity in voting, are of far more consequence. And lam confident that my friend, Mr. Dixon possesses all these, and will vote according to his conscience, without regard to party. I believe some of the electors have been desirous of having—so they say—a more classical man than Mr. Dixon to represent them, and with a view to find one of this class, they have gone out of the district into the very streets of Christchurch, where I believe, they have eventually discovered one. And, this gentleman, whom they have selected, has I believe, come here to be put in nomination.

Mr. Travers who was present from Christchurch, here came forward and said: As the gentleman referred to, I beg to inform the electors of the Mandeville District that I have come up for no such purpose, as I decline to be put in nomination for a district in which I am comparatively unknown. My journey to Kaiapoi this morning, is for the purpose of explaining a mistake which seems to exist upon this point. I had not heard,anything of the matter, nor did I know that the nomination for Mandeville District was to take place this morning, until I saw the paragraph referring to it in this morning's issue of the Lyttelton Times. I immediately started for Kaiapoi, and at once, beg to deny ever having any intention of offering myself as a. candidate for your suffrages. I had been asked in Christchurch by Mr. W. Wilson and Mr. Hall to allow myself to be put in nomination for the district of Mandeville, in opposition to Mr. Dixon, but I replied that I declined doing so, until I was convinced that it was the desire of a majority of the electors that I should do so. (Hear, hear.) I then wrote to Mr. Willock, with whom I also had corresponded, on the subject, .and informed him that I would dscline the honour, unless the electors very strongly expressed their desire for me to be nominated. I should consider it a very bad compliment, on my part, to otherwise foist myself upon the acceptance of the electors ; and, in conclusion, beg most emphatically to deny that I ever had the intention of doing so.

Mr. Biech then resumed: lam exceedingly gratified at hearing this explanation from Mr. Travers, and must say, in justice to that gentleman, that it is only what I expected from him. I am happy to see that Mr. Travers would not allow himself to be brought forward as a mere stop-gap, for as such he was merely intended by those who attempted to persuade him to such a course. I will now not detain you much longer but conclude my remarks by saying that I have the less hesitation in pioposing Mr. Dixon, because the next session of the Provincial Council will be the last before a general election. During this session you will hare ample judging of the merits of Mr. Dixon, by the manner in which he votes upon the various questions. I have great pleasure in proposing Mr. M. Dixon as a fit and proper person to represent the Mandeville district in the Provincial Council. (Applause.) Mr. Wylde said : I have great pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Dixon. I have come up from Christchurch this morning expressly, because I there met persons who told me Mr. Travers was coming up to contest the election. I was also told that the electors.of this district would elect any person whom certain parties in Christchurch thought proper to bring forward. I then left my private buisiness for the purpose of coming up here to use my best endeavours to prove this to be untrue and that the electors would not have any stranger foisted upon them. (Hear, hear and applause.) I have no hesitation in saying, that Mr. Dixon is the best person we could elect, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Kickman. Mr. Dixon is a man of strict integrity, and moreover, he knows all our wants, including our principle one viz: the stoppage of the destructive effects caused by the freshets in the Wamakariri, Mr. Dixon is himself a severe sufferer in this respect, [and therefore the best man to look after the interests of the district in that direction, which all would I allow, are of the most vital importance. (Applause.) We do not want a great politician in our Provincial Council, we only want such as these for the General Assembly, what we want is a man free from party influence, who will look after our district interests, and this I firmly believe Mr. Dixon will do. (Hear hear.) I am not aware that there is any other candidate; Mr. Travers having declined, therefore I hope you will return Mr. Dixon, unanimously. (Hear, hear.) Although the coming session will probably be a short one, and the last before a general election, yet matters of great importance to the Mandeville and Kaiapoi Districts will be brought forward, and it is therefor* best to have a man interested therein as representative. I have much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Dixon.

Mr. Moorb proposed, Mr. Woodford as a fit and proper person, Mr. Dobbs said he was authorized to state that Mr. Woodford declined the honor.

Mr. Dixon then came forward and said, I am exceedingly flattered at the remarks made by my proposer and seconder. I may not exactly come up to the desires of many of my electors, but I shall go into the Council a thoroughly independent man, and vote according to the best of my calculation and without regard to party. (Hear, hear.) I shall always pay the greatest attention to our local interests, if I shall havejthe honor to be returned as your member. The West Coast has drawn a considerable number of our inhabitants away; therefore, money should not be thrown away broadcast, but expended upon local undertakings. With reference to the Waitohi road, I certainly think a certain amount of money ought to be spent upon it to make it more passable. (Hear, hear.) I also hope to see this part of the country more nearly connected with the Otira route by way of the Waimakariri. After referring to a few other local matters, Mr. Dixon concluded by saying he would use his best endeavours to make himself worthy of the confldencc placed iu him should he be returned. Dr. Donald then called upon any other elector to propose a candidate; but no one doing so, he declared Mr. Dixon duly elected. Mr. Dixon then briefly returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him ; after which he proposed a rote of thanks to the Returning Officer, Dr. Donald, which was duly seconded and acknowledged. Mr. Birch said, before the Returning Officer vacates the chair, I should like to

express my thanks to Mr. Travers for coming up from Christchurch and making hit explanations. I hope that whatever may hare fallen from me may be understood to hare no personal application to Mr. Travers, whom, in another place, or under other circumstances, I should hare been glad to support. Mr. Hassall asked if that meant that he, Mr. Birch, would support Mr. Travers for the Superintendency ? Mr. Bikch said that he made no promise. Mr. Travebs said he was glad the electors had listened to and accepted his explanations. He shortly hoped to have the opportunity of addressing them respecting the forthcoming election for the^Superintendency. The business then being at an end, the electors separated.