THE Marlborough Express. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1869.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 October 1869, Page 3

THE Marlborough Express.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1869.

“ Givb me the liberty to know, to utter, ami to argue freely according' to conscience, above all other liberties.’ XI ILTON

Since our last, the new leader of the Marlborough pastoralists has raised his standard, and in conjunction with some of the old tacticians is fast mustering a country party in opposition to the settled districts. The runholders will not have roads if they can help it. A coalition appears to have been formed between the W ard-Goul ter party and Mr. Seymour, having this motto before them. Mr. Ward has issued his address for Clarence, and the lure held out is one which, if believed in, will suit the district. He goes in for giving them “power by local boards for expending in the improvement of the district the monies raised in it,” a doctrine sufficiently vague to be read variously by those who know the candidate. Mean-

time be has not been to see the electors, while j Mr. Wharton is busily canvassing, and it is pos- j sible Mr. Bullen will stand as the other represen- 1 tative. It is said that Mr. Ward hankers after Wairau Valley, where Messrs. Carter and Backman are still the prime favorites. A doubtful | rumour anticipates a contest now for the Awa- j tore in the person of an old favorite, Mr. Mo watt, , against Mr Beaumont. Mr. Duncan, a very clear-headed and substantial settler, lias au- ; nounced his intention of standing for the Sound, ; but as he makes no promises—which, by the : way, are unnecessary so far as his is concerned—we do not know his opinions Ihe Tua Marina election has resulted in the return of Mr. G. Dodson (at the top of the poll), and Captain Baillie ; and the figures given elsewhere are worth studying They shew the necessity of an alteration in the boundaries of the district, and the want of unanimity which has prevented the return of two members on this side of the river, and presents the anomaly of sending one member pledged to maintain roads, and the other avowedly opposed to them. The Upper Wairau nomination comes off on Monday next, when Messrs. Coulter, Monro, Paul, and Litchfield will determine which two of their number shall represent it. The polling takes place on the following Thursday. Opinions differ so much as to the places of the candidates that it is not possible to gness how they will result. The I'ress administers a mild sort of reproof to us for presuming to penetrate the somewhat misty haze which is cast over the movements of the Picton party It appears therefore that whi.e we give all the information w r e can respecting both friend and foe, our contemporary prefers to realise the old saying respecting those who “love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” He also prints a ridiculous letter from some anonymous faineant attacking us, in which we are charged with hedging, “ with the view of going in hot for the winning side when events foreshadowed which side was to win. The writer cannot have been a regular reader of the Express, or he would have known that we declared ourselves distinctly, and without feai of anything, before the writs were issued, and that as a Provincial officer, we have never been opposed to Mr. Eyes or his Government M c rro in strongly for compulsory rating for iioacls, for Education, and for Drainage. We have urged these/for the last four yesrs, and we unhesitatingly support Mr. Eyes’ party because it ai 1 v<<«Svtes, and is pledged to a similar policy V\ e • sincerely trust that they will succed in effecting a thorough reform, and remove the stigma fastened on usj'oy Mr. Vogel: “ The people of Marlborough evidently do not care to tax themselves.