The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5. 1862. THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1739, 5 November 1862, Page 3

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5. 1862. THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Re Jim and ft tr nnt; Let all tlic ends thou uuTst at, be thy Couutry’j, Thy Cion’*, and Truth’s.

The apathy with which the approaching change in the olliec of the Chief Magistrate of the Province appeared to have been regarded, has given place at the last moment to a very sudden and unexpected activity, if we may be permitted to judge of the fact from the number and variety of the rumours which were current yesterday as to the intentions of this or that individual to "come out," and of this or that candidate to "shut up." "With a very natural and laudable desire to obviate the delay and expense which must necessarily attend a contest, it was reported a few days since that Messrs. Newman and Graham had arrived at a mutual understanding, and, having found that their objects in seeking office were similar, had resolved upon an amicable division of the labours, Mr. Graham taking the post of "Simper," and Mr. Newman the offices of Chief Clerk, Provincial Treasurer, Waste Lands Commissioner, and some few others which, it was understood, would be speedily vacant. This story, sufficiently improbable in itself, has been contradicted authoritatively by Mr. Newman, who addressed to our contemporary the Cross the following letter, which was published yesterday morning:— To the Editor of the Southern Cross.

Dear Sir, —A statement being in circulation to the cfTect that I am retiring in favor of Mr. It. Graham, be good enough to contradict the same, in your morning's issue, as having no foundation. Joseph Newman.

Auckland, Nov. 3rd, 1862. —This, of course, set the matter at rest, and made it clear that there must be a contest with all its inconveniences and disadvantages. That being the case, it seems suddenly to have occurred to some of the more active mind* of that very large proportion of the electors who can see in neither of the candidates now in the field any special fitness for the duties of office which they have so handsomely volunteered to perform, —that there might as well be three candidates in the field as two; the winnowing process would not bo more expensive for the greater than the lesser number, and the public might thus have a chance of obtaining a more capable and useful servant. Accordingly, if rumour on this point may be for once relied on, it is said to have been determined to put Mr. Williamson, the late Superintendent, in nomination this day at the hustings, some gentlemen who were not long since ranked amongst his political opponents now coining forward as his avowed supporters, and it being understood that the majority of the Provincial Council would be found willing to co-operate with Mr. Williamson, if elected, in making the best dispositions which, under the new circumstances of the Province, are possible for maintaining immigration to and promoting settlement in Auckland. Tin's wns the "latest intelligence;" whether it be true, or whether any change of purpose lias taken place will be discovered to-day. Mr. Williamsom is absent from town, but that absence will not effect the validity of the nomination, and, presuming that he will be duly proposed and seconded," it will be competent for him, as for either or both of the other candidates, to withdraw if it shall appear that time may he saved, expense avoided, and the public interest promoted by that process. It is provided by Clause X oi the " Regulation of Elections Act, 1858," that ■ It shall he lawful for any Candidate, so nominated as aforesaid, at any time thereafter to withdraw Ins name as a Candidate by giving a notice n the form number 8 in the said Schedule, or to the like effect, signed bj the said Candidate in the presence of, and attested Dy a Justice of the Peace ; and whenever any Candidate shall so withdraw, the Returning Officer shall forthwith publish such notice in such manner as He Mail deem best calculated for giving fulPpublicityjto ithe same, and if after such withdrawal there shall be n more Candidates than persons to be elected, no IoU shall bo taken, but the Retarding Officer shall declare at the foot of such last mentioned notice in the term numbered 4 in the said Schedule, or to the like effect, that such Candidates arc duly elected, and shall endorse the Writ accordingly, and return the same to the governor within the time by which the same shall have been made returnable. We "ive this rumour as it has reached us, and as rumour only. It is matter of great regret that a contest should have been made unavoidable, but we must console ourselves with the hope that the best man may win.