CITY ELECTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3593, 23 July 1872, Page 3

CITY ELECTION.

The nominatioVi of candidates for the Christchurch scat iii tho Provincial Council, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr J. G. Ilawkes, took plaeo yesterday in front of the Old Towh Hall. The Ret liming Officer (Dr Donald), together with the intended proposers and seconders of candidates, took up their position in tho gallery overlooking the street, and tho public assembled on tho roadway jtelow. Strange to say, no provision whatever had been made for the reporters, and it. wSS therefore difficult to obtain a report of thefe proceedings. Altogether, there were about two hundred and. fifty persons present. The Returning 'Officer proceeded to read tho writ as soon as the appointed hour—twelve o’clock noon-Miad struck, and then called on the electors to nominate their candidates. j;

Mr J. G. Hawicrs ; who was received with applause, then stepped forward. He said it was nearly ten years since ho first stood before them on that platform as a candidate for their votes on his own behalf. They gave them to him, and ho had been their representative from that time until a few days ago, when he found it incumbent' upon him to resign his trust. Ho begged to thank t)is electors for the universal kindness, he had received at their hands during his term of office. He could assure them that he felt deeply sensible of it. (Cheers.) On the present occasion he did not come before them in the same character as when ho lust addressed them. He did not intend to ask their support tor himself, but for a gentleman whom he had to propose for the vacant seat. That gentleman was Sir John Cracroft Wilson, a man of large political experience, both provincial and colonial; with a very large stake in trie province; of well known independence and unblemished character, and whose position removed him from temptation, arid was likely to render him proof against any temptation in the direction of office or personal aggrandisement of any kind—a class of men particularly required in the Provincial Council at the present time, to oppose the log-rolling which was so prevalent during tho last session. He (Mr ilawkes) had no desire whatever to say one word in disparagement of Mr Andrews, who he believed to be a thoroughly intelligent and sincere man, but at the same time he believed that if Mr Andrews was returned it would be a great mistake, because his want of influence in the Council would be highly detrimental to him as a representative; In conclusion, lie begged to warn the working men of Canterbury not to trust as friends those who simply assert that they are suoh. Let them prove themselves to be Working men in reality before they wore accepted in that character. He would now propose Sir John Cracroft Wilson as a fit and proper person to represent the city of Christchurch in the Provincial Council.

Mr J. G. Ruddk.vklau said he had much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Ssr John Cracroft Wilson.

Mr Wynn Williams, who was received with loud cheers, said he had a candidate to propose, but first wished to refer to a remark that had fallen from Mr Hawkes in proposing Sir J. C. Wilson. Mr Hawkes, iu a very solemn tone of voice, had warned the working men of Canterbury against being led by the speeches made by persons who made a great profession of being the working man’s friend. Now, he (Mr Williams) must express great surprise at this, because it amounted almost to saying that those who were not the friends of working men, must be their enemies. It was upon principle that he came forward to propose a working man. as a candidate, for he considered when there was a chance of returning a respectable and intelligent member of that class, the opportunity ought not to be lost. (Cheers.) There could be no doubt that every other class in tho country was fairly represented in the Provincial Council, and it was therefore nothing but right that the operative classes should also have a fair share of representatives. (Cheers.) He accordingly begged to propose Mr S. P. Andrews as a candidate for the scat vacated by Mr Hawkes. He (Mr Williams), in doing so, was satisfied that he was doing a right thing, because Mr Andrews was not only a respectable and intelligent man, but was as upright and honourable as any of the present members of the. Provincial Council. (Loud cheers.) He had much pleasure in proposing Air S. P. Andrews as a fit and proper person to represent Christchurch in the Provincial Council. (Cheers.)

Mr John Caygill seconded the nomination of Mr Andrews. Alluding to what Mr Hawkes had said with reference to log-rolling during the last session of the Council, he said he hoped the working men of Christchurch would do their duty, and attempt to put a stop to it. The way to do this was to send representatives of their own class, and though Mr Andrews might not be able to accomplish all they desired in checking the existing evils, still he had sufficient ability to gain the respect and attention of the Council, and no doubt he would in time bring about some improvements. (Cheers.) He hoped the working men would do their duty to themselves on this occasion, and he was satisfied they would never have cause to regret it. (Che ;rs.) The Rbtuhmng Officer inquired if any one else had a candidate to propose, and receiving no response 1 he called upon those who had been nominated to address the electors if they felt so inclined. Sir J. C. Wilsox/'K.5.1.jC.8., said, having been asked by several electors to offer himself as a candidate he had promised to do so, and as he never broke his word he now came before them to ask their support. Before referring to general matters ho would like to make a short explanation respecting his absence from the meeting held a few evenings ago. He saw the advertisement calling the meeting, and asked his friends whether he should attend, but they pointed out that there was no signature to the advertisement, and advised him not to do so. (Laughter.) As in duty bound ho accepted the advice of those who had requested him to come forward, and the result was that ho kept away from the meeting. (Laughter ; and a voice: That’s a poor excuse.) To his astonishment, however, he saw by next morning’s papers that the Mayor presided at the meeting. (Laughter.) Of course the Mayor did not know the unpleasant position which the fact of his taking the chair without announcing it in the advertisement placed him (the speaker) in, but it would have supplied the very deficiency which kept him away. Ho doubt the Mayor did not intend to put him (the speaker) in that position, but still it had laid him open to the charge of being too proud to attend. Now, he would give them his word of honour that he was nothing of the kind, but that he simply and purely acted on his friends’ advice. If ho had called a meeting, he would have sent a notice of it to his opponent; for that, he must say, would have been the true English and open way of acting. He did not at all like the way the meeting had been called, and made that protest in order that it might be clearly understood that he was not too proud or haughty to attend it. Referring next to the speeches made at the meeting, and that day, ho said there were a great many fallacies in them, more especially as to who was the best man to represent them in the Provincial Council. It had been said that there was a great deal of 1 log rolling in the Provincial Council last session. Now, ho defied anyone to say that he had ever been guilty of such a practice. Mr Williams : Oh, oh.' Sir J. C. Wilson : I say no. Mr Williams: And I say oh. (Great laughter.) Sir J. C. Wilson said, well, ho would be happy to hear Mr Williams bring such a charge against him, for ho could emphatically refute it. All ho could say was that he hoped they would send the best man to stop this log-rolling. (A Voice ; We will, and that won’t bo you (Laughter.) They undoubtedly wanted the best man they could get. (A Voice: Wo don’t want you.) He hoped

they would lot. him speak. (Hear, hear,) Well, they wanted the host man they could got (A Voice i Wo don’t want you) for a work of a particular nature, and he would ask which was the best. (A Voice: Not you.) Ho had nothing whatever to say against Mr Andrews’ honesty, for no doubt it was as good as his (tho speaker’s.) but ho had not the same experience as himself. Mr Andrews might also be as brave but ho doubted if lie would tackle abuses as lie (the speaker) would. (Oh, oh.) lie repeated t his, for there was not an abuse during his thirty years’ experience in India, or during his t welve years’ residence in Canterbury, that ho had not tackled, so far as they came within Ids scope. If they wanted Mr Andrews to build a wall for them, then it would no doubt bo judicious to elect him —(A voico, “Wo will,” and cheers) —but if they wanted to put a stop to log-rolling or any other abuses in tho Council, then they should elect the man having the most experience in such matters. Lot them elect tho best man, and that was all ho wished for. Adverting to the matter of land on deferred payments, he said a great deal had been said by persons in favour of it, but lie asserted that they were all ignorant on the matter, that they had had no practical experience. Let them look at Canada, Queensland, and Otago, the latter of which, ho believed, had been swindled out of a largo sum of money by tho complications arising out of the system of deferred payments. He had imported a great many servants into this province, and all those who had stopped with him until they had saved sufficient money with which to buy plant, had invariably succeeded, but those who commenced on their own account before they had done so had invariably failed. (A voice: What about the “Masters and Servants Act?”) He had always treated his servants well, and he defied anyone to prove to the contrary. (Interruption.) He had seen with regret that it was proposed for tho members of the Provincial Council to elect the Superintendent. Such a radical change should not, in his opinion, bo made, unless the electors of the whole province had been consulted and approved it. (Hear, hear.) He ,was opposed to such a measure, and he would not submit to it being made, unless the people first gave their consent. His desire was to do that winch was tho best for the province as a whole, and it hud always been so. (Interruption.) He repeated that his sole wish was for the good of the community at large, for he loved Canterbury, and would do all he could to advance its interests. As a proof of his attachment to the province, he might tell them that, twelve years ago, he was told that if he remained here he would never get tho honours he had won in India, and all the time lie remained here he failed to do so. Illness, however, came upon him; his medical advisor ordered him to take a sea voyage, which he did, by going to England, and no sooner had ho returned than he received news that his honours had been bestowed upon him. They would see, therefore, that his love for Canterbury had kept him out of his honours for a space of twelve years. Mr Andrews on stepping forward was received with loud cheers. He said that knowing it to be the dinner-time of many of them present, and as he would take future opportunities to address the electors, he would be very brief with his remarks. His opponent had expressed a certain respect for him, and he fully reciprocated the feeling, for, as a working-man, lie felt that this should be granted whenever due, no matter whether to friend or opponent. (Cheers.) He also hoped to retain the respect of all throughout tho contest. (Hear, hear.) It was upon that groundwork that ho had formed his basis of action, and if anyone not having a respectable character had put him forward anywhere he was sorry for it, because he would not like his cause to be assisted in such a way for the reason that he hoped it would be free from regrets, and firmly believed that his return was certain without any such help. (Cheers.) He could only say if the electors did return him, he would do the best bo possibly could in their interests. He bad not come forward with the remotest intention, as some imputed to him, of setting class against class, but purely to remedy an existing evil. The squatters were well represented, audit was eyident to all that the working men were not, therefore it was but just that an effort should be made to secure more equal representation. (Cheers.) It was the first law of nature for men in discussing a particular question, to ask first--” How will it affect me ?” and then, when that was settled, to say “Now, how will it affect ether classes?” Sir J. C. Wilson, in looking at a question in the Provincial Council, would then first consider how it would affect his financial position, and how would that agree with the interests of tho working men ? (Cheers.) If, therefore, he (Mr Andrews) was not a proper man to be returned, then lot them get some one else rather than accept bis opponent. There were plenty in tho city fit to fill tho vacancy, and such being the case, he should be sorry indeed if the electors had to go to the foot of the hills to get a squatter to represent them. (Cheers.) If they would not have a working man, let them at least have something nearer to a working man than his opponent. There were plenty of merchants of ability in tho city, and it would be much better to take one of those than a squatter. (Cheers.) Since he last addressed the electors ho had given farther thought to the subject of compulsory secular education. He had been asked to withdraw bis formerly expressed opinions in favour of a measure of this kind, but he could not do so, for he was satisfied that education would never be so firmly established as it ought to be until they adopted such a system. (Cheers.) As to deferred payments for land, he must say he did not hold with the arguments advanced against it, for he believed that it was possible to get a thoroughly practicable scheme. (Cheers.) Messrs Fitzgerald and Travers had told them that the proposal was beautiful in theory, b ut would bo bad in practice, because workmen would take up land, become the great power of the State, and then alter the laws to avoid payment; but he had better experience of the working men than to imagine for a moment that they would do anything of the kind. (Cheers.) Mr Hawkes had referred to the subject of tho working man’s friend, but he must tell them that they did not sue, for they believed that they had only to put forward any question themselves in a fair manner, and it would bo attended to. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) If he were returned he would do his best to make their wants known in this way, but if they did not consider him the best man, be bad no hesitation in saying that they need not elect him. (Cheers.) The Returning Officer then called for a show of hands, when three were hold up for Sir J. C. Wilson, and about two hundred for Mr Andrews. Sir J. C. Wilson demanded a poll, which the Returning Officer said would take place by ballot, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Monday next. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, moved by Sir J. C. Wilson and seconded Iw Sir Andrews, then terminated tire proceedings.