POUT CHALMERS ELECTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1698, 10 June 1867, Page 5

POUT CHALMERS ELECTION.

THE NOMINATION.

The nomination of candidates to represent tho electoral district of Port -Chalmers in the House of Representatives, took place on Saturday, at the Port Chalmers School-house. Mr W. Reid, the Returning Officer, presided.

Mr James Malcolm was proposed by Mrßolfe, seconded hy Mr D. Miller.

Mr D. F. Main was proposed by Mr Dyason, seconded by Mr Thomas Jones.

Mr Jas. M'tndoe was proposed by Mr Thos. Kingston, seconded by Mr John Thomson, jun. Mr Hugh M'Deraid was proposed by Mr James Styles, seconded by Mr A. Cameron.

Mr John Graham was proposed by Mr H.jgh M'Kinky, seconded by Mr John Shanks.

_ Capt. Malcolm said that, in considera tion of the fact that he was locally resident, and was consequently well known to the electors of tho district, he did not mean to occupy the time of the other candidate?, and of those assembled, by supplementing what he had already expressed at meetings at the Port and at Biueskin, unless it was in reply to questions which might be put to him by electors. His interests were identical with the interests of the electors, and it was with-no other object than to represent these interests that he solicited the suffrages of the eiectors. In answer to questions, he said he thought the Volunteers of\ the Province were rather badly used, and he considered that there should be some better recognition of their services, The General Government seemed to have a desire to make revenue even out of them. If we had not "Volunteers, we should xcqnire to have MiEtia, andit waanoi fair to v duiiteers to demand of them, any expenditure for uniform and ammunition. He was moat distinctly in favor of Separation, for, without it, there was no saying where

would end the responsibilities and erabarrassaient^of the Middle Isknd. \li irisu* lar Separation .could not be obtained, he would bCfitt favor of financial Separation, or of each Province contributing according to ita acreage' or its. population, including the natives. He would oppose the action of the Stafford Ministry in interfering with Provincial institutions, or of any Ministry which might follow in their footsteps, He was in favor of the transfer of land being made as easy and simple as the transfer of any other description of property. There was no reason why apiece of Luid should not be as. easily transferred as a ship, and for ahalf-a-erewn one might effect the transfer of a ship worth thousands of pounds. Mr Mai* said it would certainly be the fault, of the electors if out of the four candidates presented to them—for he considered that only four had, in good faith, been proposed—they failed to make a satisfactory selection. At this particular times it was for them to send to the House of Representatives a man who would occupy a position creditable to himself and to Ms constituency— not a man who would be usually found in the lobbies, or other parts of the House, until necessity arose for his vote being recorded ; but a man who wassomethingof a political economist, and who had experience or ability sufficient to enable him to give expression' to. his views. The other Provinces were represented by men of ability and education, and at this particular juncture, it was essential tliat Otago should be represented by men of something like equal calibre. It was a time at which Otago's representatives should speak out; anS if he were a "blower," as he had been called by the proposer of one of the candidates, it was not more than he should be—it was not more than the duty of their representatives to blow Otago's trumpet, and to sound forth its grievances until they were redress* d. He believed, however, that anything which might be said on this occasion would not, in the slightest degree, affect the election.; He was sorry it was so, but it could not be gainsaid that the result of the election >'Quld be altogether dependent upon private friendship. It was too often so in elections, and in this instance it was especially bo. They all knew Capi Malcolm, and were his friends ; the very appearance of the man would induce people to become his friends, and he was undoubtedly, what everybody recognised him to be, a "jolly skipper." Tho other candidates liad their private friends, and the election would, there was not a doubt, be decided by them, regardless of any' political principles. A few neutral votes, might be obtained, by talented speeches, or by the exer+ions of ardent politicians like Mr David Millar, who boasted he carried the representation of Port Chalmers in his breeches pocket; but otherwise the election would bo essentially dependent upon the question of personal friendship. It was to bo regretted that this should be the case. The suffrage had been granted to them, to exercise for themselves and for others who had not the power of voting, and the member for jPort Chalmers was to represent, not l only tho district, but the Province as a whole; and they should exercise/their suffrages as if "they had an important private interest to serve, choosing, as they would, in private business, tho most able delegate they could select. But for the present crisis in the affairs of the Province, he would not have come forward as a candidate. Had he merely sought the honor of election, he might have been elected elsewhere with less trouble ; but the present was a time when men having a stake in the country should be up and doing, and that consideration alone brought him before them as a candidate. Mean as they were, his talents had been referred to as a fault; all that his opponents said against liim was that he was too clover by half. He felt the compliment, but he really hoped that such an excuse was not one upon which they would act. Irs matters of business, it was not their best freind, but their best adviser, whom they consulted ; and whether he was the best man or not, he hoped that other considerations titan those of mere friendship would have weight with the electors. He had been objected to, also, because lie was a lawyer, and because, as was said, there were already too many lawyers in the House. Ttto fact was that, except Mr Moorhouse, there was not now a single lawyer in the House, and he could never understand how the circumstance of a man being a lawyer could militate against hia usefulness as a member ; the argument seemed.to be all the other way. It was for them to send to the House of Representatives not a man who could merely say that he would answer any questions that were put to him,, tut a man who was good in debate, and who would have some chance of taking his place in debate against the class of men by. whom the Northern Provinces had hitherto been represented, to the disadvantage and discredit of the South. Honesty in politics was another necessity ; and he asked if any one could say that he was dishonest, politically or otherwise. As a politician he was a mere " sucker," but ho would learn ; and he prayed that, in seeking the position of representative of Port Chalmers, they would not attribute other than honest motives to him or any other candidate. To be in a position to represent Port Chalmers-and the Province at the present time was a sufficient inducement to any man. Ho asked to be returned for one object. Personally he would lose much by being returned, but his object was to advocate Provincialism and Otago's interests, and, with that object gained, he would be content, and would be ready to place lus resignation in their hands.

In answer to questions from Mr John Graham; and other*, Mr Main said he was present in Farley's Hall when'Mr Macandvew was proposed as Superintendent, and he was the only dissentient, ljut he denied that he was hooted out of the place. He supported Mr Maeandrew now on the grounds that he was all hut unanimously elected to be Chief Magistrate of the Province,' ahdthat he wks amaii who was able to do for the Province what it required. He had not assumed* those principles for the sionce. ) He hud? given his support to all Mr Macandrew's; mesk snres for the benefit of the oquntry, and, although he was opposed to him as a "candidate; would continue to support^him He c6nsidered th© suffice in New Zealand id Tbie' as plose an approach fo universal Suffice He didn^tapjprbv^of tho Matonprm*

ciple, although it might bo desirable, as a matter of expediency ; and ho hoped that some change would be introduced by which voting would either be by ballot or thoroughly opeiL He was opposed to any suffrage without registration ; but lie had supported the vote as to the Provincial administration of the Goldfields, believing ifc to be a perfectly fair one, and a mode of voting which could net bo cavilled at by the Geueral Government, He considered tlwt the miners had given a start of fifty years to the Province, and that they deserved to have all the privileges of voting which they now pewsesscd. His run was situated in the very centre of tiie Goldfields; and he objected to its its being under the administration of ihu General Government. He would rather trust Mr Macandrew tlum trust IVIr Bnuishaw, any day. Mr M ihntt>K s:\id lie stood before- the electors oa a better vantage ground than Mr Main,, for he was an old politician, having long given much of his attention to politics; and hu expected a vote from no one on the grounds of private friendship. Ho had been referred to by the proposer of Mr M'Dcnnid (Mr Styles) im a candidate who would probably seek a situation, such as that of nurseryman, under tho. General Government. Had his object been to hunt for a situation, he might have got one, for ho was offered a good position in the Provincial Council, but he had too great confidence in 'the men who formed the Government to seek to turn them out on a trifling question. He would however, have no objection to take the situation of nurseryman to the Stafford Government. His pruning knife would be seldom in his pocket, for there was not an ugly branch which he would not be the first to cnt off, nor a single tree the robbing roots of which he would not raise. His first object would be to turn out the Stafford Ministry. The Government had had a perfect right to refuse to confirm the election of Superintendent, but instead of doing bo, or of taking a straight-forward course, they had chosen a'courso which was discreditable to themselves and- disastrous to the Proviiice. They had a covert plan of putting an end altogether to Provincial Institutions, and for these Institutions he had a strong love. The were a new idea in connect turn with colonizing, and he believed the history of New Zealand would prove that the experiment was one which had fulfilled the design of its originators. In their attack upon these institutions, the Staf-" ford Ministry had repeated mistake after mistake until they had brought affairs into the present state of confusion, and, if returned, he would go to the Assembly with the earnest desire, and determined resolution to turn them out of office. Subordinate to that chief source of complaint, there were other complaints against flw General Government which he desired should be represented, and which he would represent if returned. The General Government had obtained the control of lighting the const, but hud given indifferent attention to the matter, and to that indifference wore to be attributed some very serious losses In the lighting of the const, and in the erection of docks and piers, and in harbor ari rarigeinents generally, he would advocate more of Provincial than General administration. Ho considered the present franS chiso was almost tantamount to manhood sufTrage. He approved of the ballot, not upon principle, but on the grounds of expediency, and he was-con firmed in hh opinion as to its expediency by what he had been told by an elector in Port Chalmers who had suffered from the vote which he had given at the last election. Neither did he approve of Bj]>:iration as a principle; but Separation had become a necessity, and he would, first, in the Assembly, endeavor to obtain an equitable distribution of revenue; and, failing a financial adjustment, there was no alternative but to apply to the Imperial Parliament for insular separation. He did not, considering the question of the Panama terminus to lie definitely decided, and considering thy Province of Otago to be the wealthiest and must settled. Ife thought that, in providing proper facilities for the repairs of shipping, the importance of the Province demanded that Port Chalmers should be either the port of arrival or departure for the Panama steamers.

In answer to questions, Mr M'lndoe* said he v/onlcl not go to the Assembly a<* a delegate, to speak or vote according to t!i2 dictation of his constituents ; but if he found that his votes or proceedings did not give satisfaction, he would not wait for a requisition to resign. Rather than disgrace himself, as he would do if he misrepresented his constituency, he would resign at once. Mr M'Dkrmid did not think it necessary to address the electors at r'.ny length, as his opinions were already generally known. He did not agree with Mr M'lndoe on the subject of Separation, Mr M'lndoe seemed to think that another attempt should be made to obtain some 'financial adjustment before seeking insular Separation ; but he considered that sufficient attempt had been made in that direction, and if lie were returned he would go in for insular Separation the day after lie would arrive in Wellington. The North Island seemed determined to live on us as long as it could, and, believing that to be the case, he saw no alternative but insular Separation in the meantime. When he referred to this subject previously, lie had been slightly misreportud. What he had said was, that Mr Macandrew, two years ago, was in favor of curtailing the powers of the General Government, and of giving a further. trial to the present union of the islands, but he had seen reason now to be a thorough Separatiouist. He (Mr M'Dermid) thought there were most substantial reasons for Separation. The thwe million loan, although partially intended for other purposes, had been exclusively expended on the Native War, and he believed the revenue of the Province would foe misappropriated in the same way as long as they could find a single Maori who would figlit. Mr Main had j urged that the constituency should i select j a man of ability rather than any local \ men who had como forward, biit ho ) thought that, in point of ability, a much wider difference between the local mea | and Mr r Main was necessary before he cpnM claim a preference. Local men "kn&vir the necessities of tlie district, and ! the "wishes of thje cohstitnency^ infinitely ' "better than such a \ candi"clate a» J fMr Main could : doj Mr M^ would /be mudi ;furtiie^ away

from them than Mr Dick; and Mr Dick had never visited them except on the occasion of tlie election. Ho believed the best representative to be a man living among a community, acquainted with their wishes and wants, and having a desire to see their wishes carried out and their grievances redressed. He conceived that he possessed these qualifications, and, although he might not be able to make a speech lialf as lengthy or talented as any speech made by Mr Main, he believed that what it wanted in len^h it would have in breadth and tliickneas. He imagined he knew what the Province wanted, and he knew that so- long as the country was governed as at present rfc would never go ahead. WitE load selfgovernment, and the expenditure of our own revenue, work* could be undertaken which would advance the settlement and prosperity of the Province at a. rate iniimtely greater than could bo expected under the present system of Government. iUr .foitx Guauam also addressed iha electors.

At the conclusion o£ the addresses a show of hands was taken, with the- following results :—M»lcolin, V.); Main, 3Hindoo, 2 ; M'Dernud, 4 ; and Graham,'

A poll was demanded by Mr M'Bermid, and the Returning Officer intimated that the poll would be taken at the. schoolhouses, Port Chalmers and Ulucskin, on Saturday next, and that he would, if possible, intimate the result of the poll at the Port Chalmers school-house at seven o'clock on that evening.