THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3996, 2 September 1874, Page 3

THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

XOMIXATIOK.

The nomination for a member to represent the electoral district of Waitemata in tho General Assembly, to fill the vacancy which had been occasioned by the recent election of Mr. Von dor Heyde having been declared void, took place in the Devonport Public Hall at noon yesterday. About seventy-live persons were present. Mr. H. C. Balneavis, the Returniug Officer, read the writ for the election of one member to represent the district of Waitemata in the House of Representatives, and the advertisement of the nomination.

Mr. D. Burn proposed Gustav Von der Heyde, Esq., as a proper person to represent the district in the House of Representatives, and Mr. Jno. Bollard seconded his nomination.

Mr. John" La.uj; proposed John Sangster Macfarlp.ne, Esq., as a tit and proper person to represent the district in the New Zealand Parliament. In doing this, he said lie had the utmost pleasure in stating that since lie arriv;d in the colony 10 years ago, he had done business with Mr. Macfarlaue, and could say with safety that lie should like to see a great many of our merchants as honorable as Mr. J. S. Macfarlaue. (Cheers.) Not only was this so, but if they would look around them, and see what he was doini' for Auckland and what he had done for it, they would in very few questions of importance fail to find Mr. Macfarlane's hand and purse. He had helped forward many industries, not one of which had failed, but they were all doing good and circulating money in wages throughout the country. He need hardly state that men who had done this were the men wanted as representatives. Not men without a stake of any consequence in the country, but men associated in its progress and development. If such men were got to take an interest in she country, there was no doubt the province of Auckland, if it was to be a province, would be benefited as such. In seconding Mr. Macfarlane's nomination he had nothing to say against his opponent. He had been acquainted and had done business with him too, but with all deference to Mr. Von der Heyde, the man that had stood the brunt of the battle of progress in Auckland was the man that they must choose. There was no doubt but that the house of Henderson and Macfarlaue had done good for Auckland, but he would be bold in saying that it was done previous to Mr. Von der Hyde's connections with it. There was, however, one thing he could not overlook, which was the manner in which Mr. Henderson had retired. The session had been totally lost in consequence of the unfortunate position in which Mr. Von der Hyde had been placed ; and yet, if report was true, his position now would be the same as it was then. If Mr. Von der Hyde was elected, would lie be eligible to take his seat ? He was put on the roll before he was naturalised, and therefore was not a legal voter. If he was not a legal voter he was not a legal representative. Of course, the speaker said, he was not himself a legal authority • but he was stating what the highest legal authority had determined, and he did not want to see the electors again placed in the same position of not having a representative. There was one thing which Mr. Von der Hyde did while in the Assembly to which he must take exception. All knew that he (Mr. Lamb) was a Good Tomplar, and he must say that it was wrong of Mr. Von der Heyde to vote that the large house on the hill (the Northern Club) should not pay a licence to sell the "infernal" stuff. Had it not as good a right to pay a licence as the Thames Hotel, or tlie lowest grog-shop? If the " infernal" stuff was to be sold, the Club should pay a licence as well as the hotels. He had much pleasure in proposing Mr. Macfarlaue, and hoped the electors would rally round and sujjport his candidature.

Mr. Rowe seconded the nomination of Mr. Macfarlane. He said : I need not say more than to bear my testimony to what Mr. Lamb has said. I hive known Mr. Macfarlane for twenty-one years, andhave been associated with him in business transactions for that time, and I can say that he has not only done what Mr. Lamb has said, but more, in lending a helping hand to the development of the resources of the province. I only wish there were more like Mr. Macfarlane, and then not only would the province of Auckland but the whole colony go ahead in a different way to what it has done. I have therefore much pleasure in seconding his nomination. (Cheers.)

Mr. Von der Heyde was received cheers. He said that when he last had an opportunity of facing the electors in the hall in which they were assembled he did not think that he should be called upon again so soon to address them. He need not remind them of the objection that was made, after his return had been declared, to his holding a seat .in the Assembly. "When he was previously nominated, Mr. Leek did hi m the honor of proposing him, and Mr. Leek had also done him the honor of objecting to his taking the seat. He would leave them, and ereryone else, to judge whether Mr. Leek's conduct had been consistent. (Hisses.) However he would give Mr. Leek credit, if he thought that he was not justified in holding the seat in the Assembly, of taking the earliest opportunity of opening the door to let his favorite candidate in. However, he stood to again solicit their suffrages. It was but fair to tell them, and they would believe him when he said that then, as now, he considered that he was as thoroughly qualified for a seat in the Legislative Assembly, or any other honors in the country, as anyone born in England. He had no hesitation in acknowledging that he was born in Germany, and he felt proud of it; but at the same time he also felt proud of the country which he had adopted, and in

which his children had been born. Not for one moment would he have thought of jeopardising the franchise of those who supported him, had he thought there was the slightest objection to his holding his seat. The objection was a mere technical one. In 1857 he took the oath of allegiance in Australia, which was confirmed by Her Majesty. In 1860 he came to the colony of New Zealand. At that time the colony in which he had been naturalised had made application to extend the right of naturalisation throughout Her Majesty's dominions. With the impression that this would be done he came here, and took no further trouble about it; but it appeared that after he had arrived here, and some time after the application had been made, it was refused. From the date of his arrival here he had always been looked upon as a properly qualified person to hold positions of honor, and if the step which had been taken to invalidate his election had not been taken, by a very simple process the matter could have been rectified : tliero was no necessity to unseat him. He would not throw blame upon his opponents. They may have been actuated by straightforward motives, but he did not think that was the only way in which the seat could have been declared vacant. He would refer to a gentleman who was the representative for the district of Akaroa, who had been disqualified on his own application and went back to his constituents, and they one and all voted for him again, and the very man who opposed him before offered to propose him knowing that liis election had been declared void on a technical point. However much he might regret that this course had not been adopted towards himself, he had no remedy but to go to the electors and ask thern to do for him what they had done before, and he felt confident from the many expressions of sympathy he had received, that lie should be placed in as good if not a better position than before. With regard to the remarks of the proposer and seconder of Mr. San cater Macfarlane, they wero not worth replying to. His proposer and seconder knew that there was no necessity to blow his trumpet. They had let his career, quiet and unobtrusive as it had been, speak for itself, and he was quite as well pleased that they had done so. With regard to anothor remark, as to his exercising a certain vote in the House of Assembly under the Licensing Bill, he thought the matter so trivial that a very few words would set it at rest. When he voted against the licensing fee being imposed upon clubs, he did not single out any particular club. If the so-callsd rich men chose to form themselves into a society, not for the purpose of selling liquors outside, but for obtaining refreshments, he did notsee why so-called poor men may not also form clubs. Perhaps not to drink champagne, hock, and expensive wines, but clubs upon the same footing, at which to drinktheirbeer, which they enjoyed quite as well, and he would record the same vote again. A licence was not imposed upon private houses, and no more should it be upon clubs, where a number of gentlemen joined together, and did not engage in the sale of intoxicating liquors for the sake of profit.

The candidate then asked that questions might be put to him.

Mr. Staines asked if he voted against the clause introduced to regulate the hours of barmaids ?

Mr. Von deii Heyde said : I voted against it because I believe that barmaids just as well as anyone else know when their work is done.

Mr. Sta i -Vks : Does not the Legislature interfere with factories ?

Mr. Vox der Heyde : I have no doubt that the young women engaged in factories, &c., would work after hours if they were paid for it. Ido not think it is a question for Legisiative interference. There are domestic servants who receive 15s per week, and frequently work from six to twelve. Barmaids receive from 30s to .£2 per week, and work from 11 to 11, and if they chose to continue to do so, I do not see why we should interfere, if you do not desire to ask me, I will tell you what. I think of the Ministerial questions brought down to the House. I should preface my remarks by saying that on the very night the division took place, the question of whether I was entitled to hold my seat was in the hands of a Select Committee, and I thought if I consulted my own conscience I was right to abstain from voting on that or any other question. However, I kept my opinion not to myself, bnt made it pretty well known. There can be no question that these resolutions, as they were brought down, contained very incongruous elements. There were three clauses :—First, the abolition of the -Northern provinces; second, declaring Wellington to be the seat of Government, and the third, localising the land revenue and confirming the compact of 1856. As re.jards the first clause, there can be no doubt that Provincialism has been a good servant. In the past it has done its work well, perhaps not as economically as we could wish, but Provincial Institutions have always been on the spot, and have administered the government of the country where it was wanted. But the conditions of the country have changed, and I am of opinion that it would be well to adopt a different form of government, but at the same time I cannot reconcile myself to the idea that we should attack the Constitution of the country and let such grand changes as are now proposed afiect one portion of the country and not; the wliole of it. Everybody will agree that there is a vast difference betwee* the provinces of the North and of the South. We have been taunted with impecuniosity, and I am afraid it is only too true. We have no large resources upon which we can draw to endow our schools, build bridges, and complete other large works, but we have been obliged to borrow from the General Government. If it had been a matter of policy to abolish the provinces, it would have been a more simple plan, and quite as effective, if the Government had said, "Wo will lend you no more money." But now they propose to abolish us, without letting the same rule go thioughthe length and breadth of the country, and that I consider wrong. I would also like to be informed a little more fully as to what is proposed to be substituted for the present form of Provincial Government. The resolutions of course did not bind the representatives who voted for them to accept the bill that will be brought down ; but I doubt very much whether the bill be such as will bo suitable to the North Island and the South. There i» no doubt that the South Island is just as anxious to have or.o Government as the North Island. In connection with the change in our Constitution, I would have it urged upon the Government that a thorough revision of the representation of the colony should be made. The North Island is nothing like adequately represented in tlie Assembly. The members of the North Island are numerically weaker than the members of the South, and it is one of those questions I should like to have seen tacked to the resolutions. As regards Wellington being made the capital of the country, I do not see why Auckland should be asked to surrender the right given to it by the charter of the colony to be the capital of the country. If Wellington has been looked upon as the seat of Government, let it be a tacit understanding that it is to be the capital, but do not let us confirm it, — there is no necessity to do so. Let us continue to look upon the seat of Government established there, but there is no necessity for making it such by a statute of the country. As regards the localising of the land revenue and confirming of the compact of 1856 and ISSS, there is only one voice in the province, and all proclaim against it as unjust. What was thought right in 1856-5S if wrong now, I cannot see why it should not be remedied by sweeping away the Southern Island provinces. The Southern members are aware of this, and are making away with their land as rapidly as possible. The burden of their speeches last session was, "We will do anything, but do not touch our land revenue." But how is the country to be governed ? The law was not like the law of the Medes and Persians, and it must be altered to meet the necessity of the Government. I have now only to express the hope that you will by your votes and voices shew that you think no less of me now than you did a month ago.

Mr. Macfarlane : said that it was rather unfortunate that they should be called upon to go through the election a second time. A good deal had been said against his contesting it a second time, but he believed that anyone who woidd look upon it impartially would say he was doing right. If he had not done so, his opponents would say that he had Dutch courage. Another reason was that there was a new electoral roll. The old roll had four hundred votes struck off, and the new one oae hundred put on. This he considered in itself a sufficient reason for again coming forward as a candidate. He had been blamed in one of the journals with having kept back the write of the election. This was a falsehood, and Mr. Von der Heyde, in fair-play, might have corrected it, the Star being his supporter. He thought that if the same slander had been circulated against Mr. Von der Heyde, he would have seen it corrected. This was another reason why he opposed Mr. Von der Heyde, and his friends considered that he was justified in doing so. They had had Mr. Von der Heyde's reasons for his actions in the Assembly, but speaking as an elector he did not consider them at all satisfactory. He thought that had Mr. Von der Heyde gone down to Wellington and acknowledged himself a supporter of the Government, lie would have to understand the meaning of the questions, and he believed would never have voted as he did. A Voice : He did not vote. Mr. Macfarlane : Well, he never would have acted as he did. He was in Wellington at the time, and was told that Mr. Von der Heyde would not vote for the resolutions. That was scarcely fair, when he had gone down to support the Government. He cannot be a supporter of the Government if lie turns his back upon them, and he did not put himself in a position to know the merits of the case. If lie had done so he would have known the ultimate design of these resolutions. The way the Herald had stated the matter in the previous day's issue was the whole history of it. Suppose the land is settled ".vitli the Southern provinces, when the provinces were abolished it would recur to the colony. There was not the slightest doubt that this was the intention of the Government; and that no one in the Government was more anxious than Mr. Vogel that the land fund should recur to the colonj'. The Government could not undertake to fight ten Superintendents ; but there was no doubt, liad Mr. Von der Hyde chosen to ask the Government, they would have explained their views to him. He (Mr. Macfarlane) had confidence in the present Government, and believed it» members knew what they were about, and that the resolutions were part of a well-laid plan to bring about the dissolution of the w''ole of the provinces. He knew that the Government were anxious to have an education scheme for the whole country, and that the Road Boards should deal with them direct. These alterations would effect a great improvement, and therefore he felt annoyed at anyone opposing the resolutions, because he believed they were honest ones. He did not blame Messrs. Gillies and Swanson for opposing them, because they were the avowed and honest opponents of the Government, but as an elector he would say that Mr. Vo.i der Heyde had lowered his usefulness very much by his action, and that in the list he would find "not to be trusted" against his name. In reply to questions Mr. Macfarlane said that tho regulation of hours seemed to work well in factories, and lie did not know why it should not be; applied to barmaids. He did not think that there conlcl be any objection to licensing Clubs. Fair pi ay was very good play, and it would only be a small matter for a hundred gentlemen to subscribe the amount required as a licence fee. The Rktuk.n'i.mi Officer called for a show of hands, which resulted as follows :—

Air. Vou der Heyde, 24 ; Mr. J. S. Macfarlauo, 2S. A poll was demanded 011 behalf of Mr. Vou der Heyde. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer brought the proceedings to a close.