TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2798, 25 January 1871, Page 3

TO THE EDITOR.

Sna—Permit me to say that I wag rather startled to find that Mr B^thgate was so wanting in discretion as to come forward on Saturday and propose Mr Donald Reid for the Superintendence having, only the day before, been elected to represent Danedin in the {General Assembly : hundreds of voters having . recorded in Mr Bathgate's favour— myself among the number—who decidedly object to Mr Donald Reid for the Superintendency. Surely, an independent elector could have been found to propose Mr Reid, without a newly-elected member of Parliament adopting this irregular and undignified course. No wonder that he met with determined opposition; he richly deserved it. It is to be hoped that -Mr Bathgate ia not so elated by his success as to suppose that he can lead the people who voted for him to accept and swallow Mr Reid. I was gl&d to see Mr Bathgate returned, believing that in him we should find a valuable representative, and there cm scarcely be a doubt but that the enunciation of his principles found general acceptance, always fir myself excluding his extraordinary ideas on the Land Settlement question, as being both unsuitable and impracticable; and now that the ignorance so long prevailing in regard to the Hundreds Regulation Act is being gradually dispelled, and considerable credit ia due to Mr Reynolds for the pains he took at

the Masonic Hall^to'iexplain the Act—whicjb, unfortunately, was not reported—and, in my humble opinion, the provisions therein contained for bma-Jlde settlement are both ample and satisfactory. 1 again express my regret at the unusual course taken by Mr Bathgate, and I sincerely hope and believe that Mr Macandrew will be returned by an overwhelming majority. —lam, &c, * T. W. X.: