Original Correspondence.

Otago Witness, Issue 492, 4 May 1861, Page 5

Original Correspondence.

THE SUPERINTENDENCY

(Per favour of the. WitnkssJ To the Electors of Otaoo. Gentmsmen, — As an old settler — called upon to exercise the highest political privilege, the election namely, of a Governor or Superintendent — I take the liberty of addressing my fellowelectors as to the qualifications of the respective candidates now in the field. Idobo on the double ground that there is a large number of new-comers among you who cannot -be so conversant with the past history of men and things in the Province as myself ; and that I am desirous that we should exercise the trust reposed in us by the Constitution, for the public benefit.

As regards Major Richardson, I can discover nothing in his past career in the Province, either good, bad, or. indifferent, excepting his conduct as Speaker of the present Provincial Council (his first appearance in public lite), in which I thins he has exhibited more feeling than judgment.

As to Mr. M'Master, I have no means of judging of him, excepting from his address to the electors, which is certainly an able one. and indicates 11 man of talent as a writer ; at all events, whatever he may be in action, aa a public man he is unknown, and I am therefore totally in the dark as to his abilities practically. I must say, Gentlemen, that it speaks volumes as to the nakedness of the land, if instead of electing a Superintendent, who has, as it were, served an apprenticeship in the public affairs of the Province, we are shut up to choose one who has taken no part in public affairs-— who has done nothing for the benefit of the Province, and whose aptitude for the position remains to be tried — and yet such suems to be the state of the case, if we return either the one or the other of the gentlemen named.

I now come to Mr. Macandrew, who to a great extent bore the heat and burden of the day in thilt struggle which we maintained years ago, in order to procure the very privilege which you are now called upon to exercise. Many of you must remember the good service which he rendered in the conflict wit h a despotic Government. Through Mr. Macandrew 's efforts mainly the Province lias how attained that growth when individual effort can never stand out so prominently, or have the same influence as it had in early days ; but I am sure that all who remember the early and struggling days of the settlement will admit that Mr. Macandrew was to a great extent almost singlehanded, the main-stay of the place. He induced and encouraged our farmers to grow for exportation, by guaranteeing to the agriculturist a minimum price for the produce of the succeeding year, and very often advancing the means to put it into the ground, shipping it on growers' account, and handing then the proceeds realised over and .above the guarantee price if any. and pocketing the loss if any, which the latter I believe was most frequently the case.

I am somewhat surprised that our farmers have never taken any steps to acknowledge Mr. Macandrew's past services, or to indemnify him for the losses, which were their gain. His was a style of business which none but an eminently unselfish man could have adopted.

To early settlers I feel assured that the task to which I have now sat myself is unnecessary, and it is only for the information of more recent comers that I deem it proper to allude to these things :—: —

Who chartered the first wool ship from the Province to Britain, and lost a large sum of money by it ? James Macandrew.

Who was the originator and principal promoter of our Flour Mills, Saw Mills, Mechanics' Institution, Athenaeum, and almost every public movement from first to last, tending to promote the progress of the settlement ? James Macandrew.

Who led to the settlement of Invercargill and the Southern District, by first establishing regular communication by sea with the Clutha and Invercargill district ? James Macandrew.

Who started regular communication with Melbourne by sailing vessels in the first instance, and subsequently by steam ? James Macandrew.

Who set agoing Immigration from Melbourne, and subsequently from Britain on the large scale on which it has been carried of late years ? James Maciuidrew.

What has led to the whole of the internal improvements so visible throughout the Province ? Immigration and Steam. Jiunes Mucandrew was the promoter of these. Gentlemen — Considering all these things, I must say that he is the man above all others who has made the Province — who, as a member of the Provincial Council, successfully commended his views to the adoption of the Government, and in the midst of good report and bud report, stuck to his policy of going ahead. There are many ether claims which Mr. Macandrew has upon our suffrages. I shall mention only one — that of ably and honourably representing the town of Dunedin in the General Assembly of New Zealand during its first session, involving a personal sacrifice greater perhaps than any other member of Assembly. So far us I know, 'the public has never acknowledged any of these services even by n dinner.

I think 1 have said enough to show that of the three candidates there can be no doubt as to which has the greatest claim on your suffrages, and who has shewn himself in every way qualified to lead the Province forward. That he has ruined himself very much by his devotion to the interest of the Province, no man can regret more than I do. and I think I have read of the British public before now paying the debts of public men whose services on behalf of the State were not to be compared with those of Mr. Macnndrcw on behalf of the Province.

The Provincial Council would only be doing its duty and taking a leaf out of the book of the British Parliament were it to indemnify Mr. Macandrew by a handsome vote either" of money or land.

For my own part I quite agree with that part of his address, in which he states that "justice 1o him demands, and tlie honour of the Province abroad, can be vindicated only by his re-elec-tion" — a sentiment on which I mean to act, and which I trust will commend itself to the great majority of my fellow-colonists. Let us return Mr. Macaudrew by a triumphant majority. By so doing we shall be best serving ourselves, and removing the disgrace which his enemies have succeeded in fixing upon him. — I am. Gentlemen, One of your old friends, Peter Lindsay. North-oast Valby, 2ml May 18S1. MR. MACANDREVV. To the Editor of the Otago Witness. Sm, — I have hitherto refrained from taking notice of various remarks, or rather strictmes, upon my conduct in imprisoning Mr. Macandrew in the public gaol, which have appeared from time to time in your paper. As knowing my own aflairs best, it i 3 a matter of the most profound indifference to me what other people may think who are ignorant of them. But, I cannot consent that that portion of Mr. Macandrew's address to the people (.which appeared in last week's paper), and which contains 1111 attack upon my friend, Mr. T. B. Gillies, should pass unnoticed by me. Mr. Maoandrew, in his address, asserts that he was " deprived of liberty to gratify the vengeful spirit, and to promote {he political ends of this public-spirited individual and his party," &c, the " political attorney," of the previous lines. I have also been informed on the most undoubted authority, that a certain farmer in the Taieri, whose name I am in possession of, has asserted everyAvhere that I had personally informed him " that it was not my doing, and that, had it not been for Mr. T. B. Gillies lie would never have been incarcerated." In answer to Mr. Macandrew 's statement alluded to in the first part of my letter, 1 can give it the most unqualified contradiction. Mr. Gillies acted solely upon my instructions to him, which were plain enough, and left him no alternative, and were it not for the well-known capabilities of Mr. Macandrew for making statements (on any subject) utterly without foundation, I must appear by his assertion to have been either too inexperienced to act for myself, or a mere tool in Mr. Gillies' hands. To the latter statement of the Taieri settler, I have no other answer, for him and those who, for their own ends, choose to believe him, than that the whole is a downright deliberate falsehood. I have never seen him for 12 months, and if I had, am not so well acquainted with him as to volunteer that information to him. I feel it only an act of the strictest justice to Mr. T. B. Gillies that the above should be contradicted . Politically speaking, these falsehoods might damage a man who has deserved well of the Province, but I am inclined to think with all right-minded people, that such slanderous and unfounded assertions only tend at the end to damage the cause they are intended to promote. ' I am, Sir, &c, Nathaniel Chalmers. Dunedin, 2nd May, ia6l. To the Editor of the Oxago Witness. Sir, — Mr. Burns, while seconding my nomination yesterday, stated that I had been sub-editor of the Melbourne Argus newspaper. In case you may fully report Mr. Burns' speech» allow me to correot this {statement, I was never sub-editor of the Argus 1 never connected with it in any way affecting its liteiary reputation. Mr. Burns has been misinfonijed on this matter connected with my Victorian career. Yours faithfully, Alex. M'Master. the Club, Wednesday.