MONGONUI.-THE ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1940, 5 April 1870, Page 4

MONGONUI.-THE ELECTION.

I rilOM AX OCCASIONAL COItKKSI'ON DKNT. ] March 2<l. | Tin; nomination for n member to Mipplv the vacancy occasioned by tlie resignation of Mr. I 'I homas Hall, for this district, in tln* General Assembly, took place on the 2tfrtl at tlie Court I House. At tin' hour appointed for the nomination of candidates —12 o'clock, not more than twelve . electors were present. W . IS. Whiti:, Ksq., Ileturning Ollieer,, read the writ- from His Kxcellency directing him to call the eh v, tors, nml which was re.* i turnable on the «Slst instant, and coneluded by calling on the electors to nominate >ome pcr-on to till the meaner consequent upon the resignation of the late member. Mr. Mackintosh proposed Mr. John Lundoti, as a tit and proper person to represent Mongonui in the General Assembly. Mi*. IjCNiiON trusted Mr. Gdiies might be firs! proj) sed which was opposed bv Mc«r<. Hull and Butler. 'Ihe Kkti-uning <)mci:it looked upon Mr. Mackintosh's proposition as hasty, and considered it. n?ore courteous and in accordance with election proceedings that Mr. Gillies should be first nominated. Mr. Kino hoped, as some of tin* electors of Mongonui presented an address to Mr. Gillies, and that gentleman was absent, out of courtesy, ami considering the position he occupied, he would be nominated firv.. Captain IJctlku and Mr. Ham. thought it better. as one hud been proposed lie should be seconded, and the business gone into. Mr. John Kino, of Auckland, sc.ondrd the nomination of Mr. John Lumlou, for nm* v reasons, as t lie course adopted by a few i eopie should not be binding on the whole of the electors. He resetted a public meet ing had not been called before the address was agreed to and presented. The gent leman \> ho presented the address made a most Miccessful <tep to really disfranchise the district, by asking a stranger to its requirements without a particle of interest in t e locality, to become its repre (tentative in the General Assembly. The treatment ot the Superintendent in only staying one night at Mongonui and going away again in the morning was clearly not very complimen ta-v to Mongonui, and it was unreasonable to suppose that the prime movers in the matter had the confidence of the electors. The gentleman who resigned, and who. it was currently rumoured, was about proceeding to Knglaml at t hi' public expense, to promote female immigration, in conjunction with the Kev. I>. Bruce, should have been present to render an account of his stewardslnpiinring the last four yeais. Mr. Iving regretted his absence, a* a review of that gentleman's en,duct during that period would prove lie was inct.puble of carrying out the misplaced confidence of his constituents, and like the honorable member for the Hay of Islands, the interests of his district were entirely ignored. Mr. Gillies paid a very short visit to the district, and any one

to say that he made an attempt, to make himself acquainted with the wants of t lie settlerof Mongonui, must lie lorcet to answer in the negative ; who (lid lie call uoon, did any Pt villein go round with liini? The speaker alluded to a eonversa ion he had a day or two ngo wit'i a settler at Wancaron, who was honored with a call from Mr. Gillies aid Mr. Hugh Ciirleton, and wliut formed part of the conversation, was about perhaps the wants of Wangaroa and the surrounding district. ? not at nil, Mr. Hugh Ciirleton advocated a petition to be sent to the House of licprcsentatives re-' questing that Mongonui should be added to the lla«. Why? liecause Mr. Carleton knows if a general election, as it is sure to take place he w-as certain to be unseated tor his district, hut if he got Mongonui tacked on to it he would stand a yood chance of ree ection ; and Mr. Ciirleton absolutely stated Mr. Gillies would support the mutter in the j House of Keprescntativrs. Mr. King was | glad he had an opportunity of informing the electors of the fact, and would take care that a counter petition was got ready to oppose such a scheme, in anticipation of anything in that direction being attempted. The electors could see from that how anxious Mr. Ciirleton was for their good. Mr. King could quote other instances evidently showing that something more than the present wants of the settlers were looked forward to from (he flying visit. In reference to general matters ho hoped that everyone possessed of the necessary qualifications, would get registered during the present month, he would undertake in conjunction with other gentlemen tliut. Mcngonui should cease, after the present election, in being the pocket borough of the sitting member. Mr. King advocated a property and income tux to equalise taxation, »ml pressed its at tention on tile minds of the

electors for the forthcoming general election ; or otherwise, gentlemen like the Messrs. Williams of the Bay, aud such like, although making their thousands of pounds annually, would go scot free, while the poor man as at present, was the greatest contributor to the consolidated fund. The present financial arrangements of the liener .1 Government were unbearable, and from calculations, lie believed at present not more than .C2O out of every I'IOD collected in the Province was rce •liped lor Provincial purposes, after colonial demands were satisfied. The new postal service about to bo commenced would prove a great advantage to Auckland, and the Province was indebted for that boon to the present General Government, especially the Postmaster General, thoHon. Mr. Vogel, and the Auckland mombers who were trno to her iutcrests during the lust session at Wellington. With reference to Mr. Ball's action he might state that when asked to support the getting of Auckland members on the committee ho quietly remarked " What had he to do with the Province, he had the Colony to look too." Mr. King alluded to the neglect Auckland always received from Mr Ball's presence in the Assembly, and after making a few observations about the recent election, the necessity of the district not being politically ruled by a few, and other local matters, concluded by seconding the nomination of Mr. John Luudon. '

Captain Butler proposed Mr. Gillies as :i fit and proper to represent. Mongonui ill the General Assembly. Mr. Gillies w;is a nmn of tried abi'ity who would command respect mid attention in the House, would obtain things for the Province that other members could not owing to his position and i'lllnence. Captain Butler agreed that Mr. Gil ies not. being a resident was against him, but believed his election secure. Mr. Lundon hp knew ns a good settler, with considerable property in the district, but was certain lie mould not do as much credit to Mongonui as the gentleman he proposed. Dr. Feather-tone had suid that Auckland had not four solvent men some .years ago. Mr. London said Mr. Gillies did not deny using the expression, but stated he mentioned it as a joke. Captain Butler, after a fetv other remarks, would urge upon the electors to support Mr. Gillies. Mr. Bam-, junior, seconded the nomination of Mr. Gillies.and believe I his father's opposition to Mr. Williamson, the late Superintendent of the province, was not in consequence of his not getting land orders satisfied for two persons he brought out to the province. Mr. ICing's qualification he thought must be obtained for Mongonui in consequence of his late official connection with the Asylum. He had much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Mr. Gillies. As no other candidate was prepared, Mr. London came forward and regretted Mr. Ball's absence ; he could not stand beinir one of those wiih au interest in the district to be handed over in the manner arranged by their late memherin Auckland duringtlie last sitting oft lie Council. Their 'ate represent nt ive should have been present to answer for the tru-t given to him by the cle, tors four years ago. During the l;i>t sitting of the Council, Mr. Ball was nne of the strongest supporters the present Provincial Executive had, and when the wants of the country districts were before the Council, he (Mr. Lundon) was the only member to raise his voice in favor of Mongonui No doubt it was to Mr. Ball's advantage to keep sweet with the present Government at Auckland, as it was generally understood he was going home in the beginning of the coming month, as Immigration Commissioner for the purpose of assisting in the selection of female dome-tic- for the Province. No one could object, to Mr. Ball's taking tile position, but it was unfair to make his removal a stepping stone tJ get. Mr. Gillies returned for Mongonui The attempted annexation of the Mongonui with the Bay of Islands district was a most unfair attack against the district, and the action of-Mr. Carleton in looking after the political dodges when he accompanied Mr. Gillies was not much to his credit, nor to the credit of the gentleman he accompanied. Mr. Lundon had no belief iu his return this time, owing to the pledged requisition, but would be prepared to light it out in October next, or at whatever pc iod the next- general .lection took place. Mr. Lundon niaintuine I that his being t lie prime mover in t hee-tabli-hment of the first Highway District Board in his neighbourhood tended to raise the value of the property, and adde 1 much to the importance of t he adjacent settlements, and although meeting with strong oppo-iiion, the settlers lour.d out his action subsequently to be of great advantage. He intended residing in the district very soon, ntul would cheerfully assist his fellow settlers in the furtherance of any good works for the district, and trusted, as one who was known amongst them, would receive, notwithstanding tin' promises made to support Mr. Gillies, a fair proportion of the votes. Mr. Lundon alluded to certain votes in the Council during the last, sitting in connection with thy Great North Koad and the Northern districts, and after making some observations about the seat of Government question, the probability of an early dissolution of the General Assembly, and other local matters, thanked his hearers for their patient attention, kiiil was prepared to answer any questions put to him. The Kev. Mr. Dtnn wanted to know if Mr. Lundon was in favor of the Permissive Bill, and was informed that ihe force of example tended more to what the rev. gentleman aimed at than legislative enactment. Mr. Dunn desired to ascertain whether, if elected, the nominated candidate would be in favor of reducing the heavy departmental expenditure of the colony. Mr. Lvnihin thought the only way of reducing the expenses of the colony etl'ect ually was by repealing the Civil Service Pension Act. in reply to other questions, Mr. Lundon considered it very necessary that a meeting of the Auckland members should be ca led at once and the Ministry impressed with the necessity of the next meeting of the Assembly being held at Auckland, in consequence of the necessity of ministers being near the warlike operations at present going on in the t'rovince. He was not decided whether, if elected, he would vote for a property and income tax.

1 In- KLTi iiNiM.; i'kio. 1: called for a show of liiimls for each of tlio ca: didates, which Jie (Itclarcd to be in favour of Mr. Gillies. A poll was demanded on behalf of Mr. Lundon, and n vole of thanks to the Returning Officer, concluded the proceedings. The polling for each of the candidates at !• o'clock on the 30th ultimo showed the following Hiiuibers :— Gillies Lundon Mongonui .. ... ... 8 5 Oruru ... ... ... ... 5 3 Oruaiti .. ... ... !• (5 Kaitaia . . . ... 6 6 28 23