Page 2 Advertisements Column 5

Otago Daily Times, Issue 365, 20 February 1863, Page 2

TO THE ELECTORS OF THJi PROVINCE Ul> OTAGO. «p(ENTLEMEN ( —The time has now arrived for \_C me to decide.either to come unreservedly before you as a candidate for "Hie Superintendency of the Province, or to decidedly decline the honor of being pla«ed in nomination for the office. ..Alter, having: been at some pains to ascertain my duty, I have decided to place myself at your disposal. In doing so, it is tine, both to yourselves siucl to me, that I should explain the circumstances which have le* to the adoption of the steps 1 now take. For more .than a year past and especially during the short time that I filled the position of Deputy Superintendent in the absence of Major Richardson, many solicitations were addressed to vie from representatives of every class in the_ Province to embrace the first opportunity of becoming a candidate for the Superintendency. My reply to one and all was that I had no desire for office, and that possibly Mnjor Richardson might again become a candidate, in which case I had no intention to oppose him. Subsequently, it was unequivocally announced that Major .Richardson intended to retire. The general impression on the public mind (produced in. a great measure by statements made by Mpjor Eichardson himself on various occasions) seems to have been that he would not again consent to be placed in nomination. This impression received confirmation by Major Richardson's public announcement at the Dunstan of his determination to retire for a time at least from public life. Such a declaration might well bo nonsidered 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 tile requisitionists. Shortly afterwards a repoi't of a deputation to Major Eichardson appeared, from which I gathered that that gentleman had assumed a position with regard to the election of his successor, _ which 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 sbadow 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 publi cation of an address to the electors, which in my reply to their requisition, 1 had promised at an early date. On many grounds it is well that I did so, as a tew 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 read it, that the writer, instead of being desirous of retiring from office, was both willing arid 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 invitation to me. In reply, they decline to do so, and to their promises of support additional names are added. I therefore feel that the time for decision on my part has come, and I have no hesitation in expressing my determination to abide the issue of the election, leaving it to you to do what you consider right 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 elector 1, I cannot submit to be a sanctioning party to the capricious influences which Major Richardson has 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 naUivaUy 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 legislative chnrnct er. If a Superintendent permits himself to be governed by extreme political views, he cease* to'hold proper relations towards tlie Provincial Council and his Executive advisers. It is tor him, as a rule, to give effect to the wishes of the people as expressed through their jreprasenlatives in the Provincial Council, not to control or rentier nugatory the proceedings of that Council. At the same time, as it is often necessary for him to initiate Legislation, and as undoubtedly his actions are colored by his political views, it. is right tliat you should be 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 think it would be mischievous to forget that there are other questions beside-? political ones that should be taken into consideration in the selection of. a Superintendent.. Vov example, I hold that the power to cxerciso 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 all, irrespective of whether they supported or opposed him, as are the assertions of any purely political views. It is not my purpose to disguise'my political view 3or opinions from you. On the contrary, I wish to be as open and canriid aspossible, and if. as almost unavoidably must be tlieeaso, in addressing you nt the shortest possible notice, I leave aiiy point unsatisfied, I solicit further enquiry. As I have spoken, of equal justice to all. I am reminded that during the last 18 months there have been va-t accessions to the population of the Province.. At first there were possibly some little jealousies between those who had permanently.fixed tlieir residence in the country, ;and ■ the new , arrivals. It is gratifying to think that these jealousies scarcely now exist. l'Jje old and the new are mingling together, and I believe a. feeling of cordiality is growing between them. If elected, it will be 'my object to carefully promote a kindly feeling between all classes, and to deal impartially and without prejudice with the interests of each and all. ' I need scarcely say that to the Gold Fields is due the immense increase of population to which I have alluded. Seeing, as. I do; the results whioh have -already sprung from these sources, —the population trebled, new industries called into existence, the pror ducing wealth of the country vastly augmented, colonization promoted, and the interior of the Province becoming graduallyprepared for perm anentsettlement, —I cannot be blind to the benefits which have sprung from the gold fi. Ids, nor to the wise policy of still further developing them. What other countries are bidding large sums to obtain has come to us as a gift. It is not too much' to say that the Provineo of Otago is the most.visibly remunerative gold country considering the extent "of labor expended on it, of any in the world, and I. sincerely congratulate my old fellow settlers on so valuable an accessory to their early efforts at colonization. What could bo done to fully develope the mineral wealth of the Province, I would do. -• I would lose 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, and the improvement of river and lake navigation. The facility of telegraphic communication ought also'to be plactd within their reach. In short I would leave nothing undone to aid the miners in profitably exercising the spirit of enterprize 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 that I do not propose to limit th» development 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 agricultural land can be found, and thus prepare the way as the gold becomes extracted, or as population increases, for other pursuits than mining. Tlicsp considerations }cad me to the Land Question, about which co much has lately been said and written.

, Before laying before you my views on this question, I must candidly tell you that I ehnll not bo prepared, to come forward every session with anumbftr 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 cOTitinu.il application of experiments uusanctioned by previous experience. I liave on a previous occasion stated that my Land belief is ' the same in all its main features, as it was when anr present Land Regulations were framed. I now repeat that statement, but/ in doing sol pray that you will nof., mi.su.ndpr: stand roe. I here speak of principles, not, of those details of administration of Crown lands which must unavoidably vary with ohangitiß circumstariccß. I trust you will not give me credit for being tho man to ignore the palpable fact, that material cliftiiaoa have occurred daring the last five years, and must occur o.ain, 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 Laud RoeulutioßS, and those which I held, and still hold, are simply these : — t 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. 2nd. That the, objects of the trust are to promote the occupation and settlement of the land, in such a manner as to ensure: beneficial results to the greatest possible number of human families.

.Although I-; hold.'that our present land Regulations wcpe intended to enable everyone who required land for cultivation to obtain it, and at the same tim« to cUesk the rapacity of the p«r« speculator