Page 2 Advertisements Column 4

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 651, 10 July 1852, Page 2

of an elector in a manner suitable to his inclination and to his conscience, without any ap prehension of the consequence. Personally, I will say nothing of the g 1 ntleman — Lieutenant Symonds — already in the field asniy opponent, who desires to add to his duties as a Pensioner officer, and a paid magistrate, the responsibilities of an independent legislator. The main question is not between us as individuals : — one of a far moie impoitant character has to be answered •• — " Will the Pensioners exercise their privilege of voters, as citizens or as soldiers?" The answer you will practically give, excites an interest far beyond the limits of the Pensioner settlements. Your fellow colonists are looking to see whether they can rely on you as fellow labourers in the duties of a representative government; — or whether habits of obedience, — admiiable in a soldier — have become so inveterate as to destroy your independence as citizens, and therefore to unfit you for the duties of electors. The existing law does not confer on the people the right to elect all the members of the Council, but reserves to the Government j the power to nominate one-third, or six out of eighteen — of the number of which it consists. The proportion of nominees is large ; and it could never have been contemplated, that Government officers would obtain any of the elective seats. Nor is there a chance that such ; will be the case in any other electoral district in the Province. Why then should you set youiselves apart from every other constituency ? What reason could induce you to take a course so different from all others? I will not say that th*e best motives may not guide you to do so; but such motives, you may rest assured, but very few will give you credit for. I neither say, nor mean, anything offensive to Government Officers ; but I do say, and I maintain, that, when the Go#rnment has secured a full representation for itself by reserving the power to nominate one ,third of the Council all those who represent the people should be free, unbiassed, and independent; qualifications, which it would be most unreasonable to expect from those who enjoy both place and pay as Government Officials. It would be no more preposterous to elect me to command you in the field than to elect my opponent as an independent Representative for the Council. And as you, assuredly, would not commit the former absurdity, why should you stultify yourselves by the latter 1 You have it intimated to you by the Lieut. - Governor himself that you are neither expected nor desired to be false to yourselves and your fellow colonists. You are free to act as you think best ; and the responsibility, then fore, rests exclusively with yourselves. As f&r as I am aware, you are the first Constituency of a similar character that has ever been called upon to excercise the elective franchise. Some of your friends have misgiving as to the use you will make of it. lam not of that number. I have no such misgivings ; or I should not have offered myself to you as a Candidate. For myself, I place full reliance upon your honesty, judgment, and independence; and I anticipate, with confidence, that you will not throw away your first opportunity of showing to the world that you are not deficient in these qualifications, so essential to all Electors. I have the honour to subscribe myself, Your obedient servant, W. Mason.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 28th June, 1852.

Sir, — With reference to your letter of the 25th instant, requesting to be informed whether the Local Government propose to exercise any influence whatever in the c ection fora member for the Pensioner vil'ages, I have the honour to inform you, by direction of the LieutenantGovernor, that the 'Government have no wish, nor indeed any inclination to interfere with the freedom of election, either in one settlement or another. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,

(Signed) Andrew Sinclair, , Secretary. W. Mason, Esq., Tamaki.

TO WILLIAM BROWN, ESQ.

SIR, — We, the Undersigned, respectfully request that you will allow yourself to be nominated as a Candidate for a Seat in the Provincial Council of New Ulster, for

the City of Auckland. Your long acquaintance with the Colony, and your untiring efforts in its behalf, induce us to make this request. L. MacLachlan. John Macfarlane. Richard Ridings. David Nathan % Alex. Kennedy. James T Boylan. W. S . Grahame. James Hennessy. Patrick Dignan. A. Ding-wall. Alex. Marshall. John Finlay. C. A. Harris. Walter Combes. William Harkins.

Gentlemen, At the late hour at which your invitation has readied me, I have little time more than that which is necessauy to say that I cheerfully respond to your request to become a Candidate for the suffrages of my brother Electors, as one of the Representatives of the City of Auckland, in the appi-oaching Provincial Council for New Ulster. Even did time permit — any lengthened address, on my part, might be accounted superfluous. My opinions on public affairs are pretty generally known, I shall, therefore, rest contented at present, by assuring you, and, through you, the constituency at large, that should I be elected to the honourable ,?yet onerous, office of a Representative for the City, my best energies shall invariably be directed in furthei'ancebf the best measures for the advancement of the Commercial, Agricultural, and Political prosperity of our adopted country, in which my feelings and my interests are so largely involved, I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your faithful servant, Wm. Brown. Auckland, sth July, 1852.