Page 2 Advertisements Column 5

Otago Daily Times, Issue 362, 17 February 1863, Page 2

TO THE ELECTORS'OF. THE PEOVINCJi-GF , OTAGO. , !f\ ENTLKMEN,—The '■time lias now arrived for. \ VJT me to decide,cither to come unreservedry.beiorc you as a candidate for the Supcrintendency of tlie Province,'or to. decidedly decline the honor of being placed in nomination for the office. After having been at some pains to ascertain my duty, I have decided to place myself at your disposal. In doing so, it is cue, both to yourselves and to me, that I should explain the circumstances which have lc< to. the adoption of the steps 1 now take. For move than a yf.nr past and especially during the short time that I filled the portion of Deputy Superintendent in the absstice. of tfsjor Richardson", many solicitations were addressed to trie from representatives of every class in .the lrovince to embrace the first opportunity of becoming a candidate for the Superintendence. My reply to one and all was that I had no desire for office, and that possibly Major Richardson might again become a candidate, in which case I had no intention to oppose him Subsequently, it was unequivocally announced that Mnjor Richardson intended to retire. ahe general impression on the public mind (produced in a great measure by statements made by Mcjoir Richardson- himself on vaiious occasions) seems to have been that he would not again consent to be placed in uomuiatinn. This impression received confirmation by Major Richardson's public announcement at the Dunstan of his determination to reth'e for a time at least from public life. Sueb. a declaration might well be considered conclusive, and, acting upon the good faith of its author, a number of my friends sent me a requisition expressly founded upon that declaration. Having the fullest confidence in Major Richardson s sincerity, I at once signified my compliance with the wishes of the requisitionists. Shortly afterwards a report of a deputation to Major Richardson appeared, from which I gathered thai that gentleman had assumed a position with regard to the election of his successor, winch practically amounted to a right of nomination, as Well as of a conscious power of dictation to the electors. I also gathered that before Major ' Richardson would decide finally whether, he would present himself for re-election, he expected candidates to submit their claims to him, and thus seek election under the shadow of his patronage. Neither on public nor on private grounds could I consent to such an implied dictatorship on the part of an elected Superintendent; and fearing that I might be supposed to be deferring to such authority, I purposely postponed the pubh . cation of an address to the electors, winch m my reply to their requisition, 1 had promised at an early date On many grounds it is well that I did so, .as alew days only elapsed before the appearance of an address from Major Richardson to the electors, which if not remarkable for its general clearness, left no doubt on the minds of those who raA it, that the writer, instead of being desirous of retiring from office, was both willing and anxious to retain it. Such being. undoubtedly the case, one course only, was . left to me: viz., that of giving my requisitionists the opportunity of- withdrawing from their iiivitation In reply, they decline to do so, and to their promises of "support additional names are added. I j therefore feel that the time for decision on my i part has come, and I have no hesitation i:i expressing my determination to abide the issue of the election, leaving it to you to do what you consider ri"ht and best calculated to promote the interests of the Province. I have not sought a contest with Major Richardson—on the contrary, I have endeavored to avoid it; but both on my own account, and on that of the electors, I cannot submit to be a sanctioning party to the capricious influences which Major Richardson lias endeavored to assert in the appointment of his successor. Before proceeding to detail to you my views on some of the important public questions which are naiuvally enough uppermost in men's minds, I should define to you my ideas of the nature of the office to which you have led me to aspire. A Superintendent's duties, I conceive, are of an administrative and executive, rather than of a legislate 'Character, if a Superintendent permits himself to be governed by extreme political views, he cease* to hold proper relations towards the Provincial Council and his Executive advisers. It is for him, as a rule, to gi.ve effect to the wishes of the, people as expressed through their representatives' in the Provincial Council, not to control or render nugatory the pro- j ceedings of that Council. At the same time, as it is | often- necessary for him to iniiiate Legislation, and as undoubtedly his actions are colored by his political views, it h right tliafc you should bs made acquainted with. ;the political tenets of him you may elect for .your Superintendent. As far as lam concerned, it is right that I should tell you, I am not a partisan of the extreme political views supposed to be held by any party or class; and I thirilc^tewtwld be 'mischievous to forget that there are othert-lque^tionß besides political ones that should be taken into' consideration inaheselection of a Superintendent. For example, I hold that' the power to exercise a calm and unbiassed judgment, and the freedom from the prejudices of partisanship in every cause, are "as necessary qualifications in the Superintendent who would distribute even justice to tall, irrespective of whether they supported or opposed him, as are the assertions of any purely political views. It is not my purpose 1o disguise my political views or opinions from you. On the contrary, I wish to be as open and candid as possible, and if. as almost unavoidably must be thecase, in addressing you at the shortest possible notice, I leave any point unsatisfied, I solicit further enquiry. ■ As I have spoken of equal justice to all.-1 urn reminded that during the" last ,18 months there have been vas-t accessions to the population of the Province. At first there were possibly some little jealousies between those who had permanently fixer! tlieir residence in the country, |and the new arrivals. It is gratifying to think that these jealousies scarcely now exist. The old awl the 'new are mingling together, and I believe afuelinarof c.ordialitv is growing between them. If elected,' it will be my object to carefully promote a kindly feeling between all classes, and to <kal impartially and without prejudice with the interests of each I need scarcely say that to the Gfyld Fields is duethe immense increase of population to which I have alluded. Seeing, as I do.'., the results which have mlready sprung from these sources, —the population trebled, new industries called into existence, the pror riueing wealth of the country vastly augmented, colonization promoted, and the interior of the Province becoming gradually prepared for permanent settlement, I'cannot be blind to the benefits which have spruns: from the gold fields, nor to the wise policy of still further developing them. What other countries are bidding large sums" to obtain ha<= corneto us as a gilt. It is not too much to say that the Province of Otago' is the most yisibly'Remunerative gold country ppnsiderjng the extent of labor expended on if, of any in the world, and I sincsrely congratulate my old fellow settlers on so valuable' an accessory to their early efforts at'colonization. What could be done to fully devilope the mineral wealth of the Provinos, I would, do-.j^l would lo«e no time in making the gold fields as easy of access as the physical features of the country would, permit, by the" formation of efficient roads, tjnd the improvement of river and lake navieation. Tlje facility of felagraphio communication ought also to be placed within theirroach. In sliqrt I would leave nothing undone to aid the miners in profitably exercising the spirit of enterprise which has brought them amongst"us.. . • I have.already referred to roads, rivers, and telegraphs, in connection with the gold fields, but I wish it to be understood tiiat I do not propose to limit tlidevelopment of the country to the mining districts. It would be an' object with me to open.it up by' roads in every direction in which any quantity o: available aaricultural land can ho found, and thus prepare the way as the gold becomes extracted, or as population increases, for other pursuits than mining. These considerations lead trie to the Land Question, ab'mt which to much has lately been said and written. Before laying before you my views on this question, I. must candidly.tell you that I shall .not be prepared to come forward every session with a number of new ideas and' suggestions with regard to it. It appears to me to be a matter of too much importance to 'be trifled with by the continual application of experiments unsanctionel by. previous experience. I have on a previous occimon stated that my Land belief is the same in all its main features, as it was when our present Land Regulations were framed. I now repeat that statement, but in doing so I pray that you will not misunderstand mo." I here speak of principles, not, of those details of administration of Crown Jands whiph must unavoidably vary with changing circumstanoes. I trust you will not cive me credit for being the man -to ignore the palpible fact, that material ■ changes have occurred duriig the last five yeare, and must occur again, and that as intelligent and responsible men our procedure must be regulated in a great degree by those changes. The principles which, I believe, guided those, ■who framed and passed our present Land Regulations,'and thos: which I held, and; still hold,-are simply these: — Ist That the Waste Lands of the Crown within the .Province are a trust estate. The Provincial 'Government, under the General Government of the country, being the trustees. SJnd. That the objects of the trust are to promote ;tbe oceupatioa and settlement of the-land. In'such a manner as to unsure beneficial results to the greatest, possible num >er of human families. Although' I hold that our present. Land Regulationswere intended to enable everyone who required land for-cultivation to obtain it, and at to. same time to check the rapacity of the pure "speculator,