Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

Otago Witness, Issue 586, 21 February 1863, Page 4

Miscellaneous. GREEN ISLAND ROAD BOARD. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the Ratepayers under the '' ltoads Ordinance 1850," and tbe '• Roads Ordinance Amendment Ordinance, ]Bb'2," that the General Road Board have issued a Precept for the payment of the District Road Rate recently authorised to be levied over the Green Island District, to Mr David Andrew, or to Mr Peter M'Laren, the collectors of the said rate, which is payable at the respective houses of either of the collectors, on or befoie Saturday, tho Bth day of March, lSb'3, under penalty in case of failure so to pay of pi oceedings being taken for recovery under the 29th clause of the "Roads Ordinance, 18G2-." By order, JAMES A. CHEYNE, Clerk to the General Road Board. WANTED.— Tenders to Clear Flax and plough 25 Acres Land adjoining Town Belt, near the houses occupied by A. C. Stiode and H. P. Morse, Esqs. For particulars apply to J.T., care of Messrs. W. and Gr. Turnbnll and Co., Duneclin. NOTICE. A PUBLIC Meeting: of the Ratepayers of TokoXX tiairiro, will be held at the Schoolroom, on Friday, 20tU of March next, at 3 o'clock p.m., in order to hear objections against the proposed rate of assessment of sixpence per acre. By order of the Road Board, ROBERT M'KENZIE, Secretary. Tokomairiro, February 1563. TO THE ELECTORS OF THE PROVINCE OF OTAGO, /GENTLEMEN,— Mr Harris, in his address, VT chaiges me with having " assumed a position with regard to the election of my successor," which practically amounted to a light of nomination, as well as a conscious power of dictation to the electors ;" and further states that " he gathered from the report of a deputation which waited upon me that I expected candidates to submit their claims to me, and thus seek election under the shadow "of my pationage." Mr Harris then takes credit to himself for resisting this dictation. It was in the columns of the Daily Times tha.l l first noticed this strange perveision of my reply to the deputation. To the members of that deputation I confidently appeal in proof of its utter falsity, if such contradiction be needed. In a journal which has spared no «ftort and lost no chance, fair or unfair, of creating prejudice against my administration, I was not astonished to see this charge. That Mr Karris should hive allowed himself to be its echo, I see with pain and surprise. Without being deterred by this insinuation, I have carefully considered Mr Harris's address, and tpiven myself ample time to form a mature opinion. Twice Mr Harris obseives that he has "designedly concealed nothing ;" but I Jeel justified in saying that the character of his address is so vague, and its declarations are so involved, that I am still at a loss to know thoroughly that gentleman's views on what appears to me, and I doubt not will appear to you, one of the most important questions before us— the proper administration of the public lands, and the bebt mode of securing not only their sale, but profitable occupancy. In Mr Harris's address, 1 see, however, that he advocates "augmenting the price of the land and the imposition of a reasonable land tax." I see, too, that Mr Harris proposes "to keep the market constantly supplied v ith land, in suitably sized allotments ;"' but, ou the other hand, declares that the " Hundred system would be more valuable if the proclamation of Hundreds could be made to depend more upon the actual requirements of the people than upon the opinions of an individual." I concur heartily in the proposal "to keep the market constantly supplied with suitably sized allotments," but Mr Harris mu&t be well aware the difficulty has been to save these " suitably sized allotments'' from falling into tbe hands of the pure speculator, as fast as they are put into the market. The agricultural Lands of the piovince are of very limited extent ; and, to induce settlement, they were sold at a very low price, with conditions of improvement that, if enforced, would deter more speculators from having anything to do with them. They were purchased at this low price, subject to the improvement clauses, and I hold that the clauses should be enforced, if practicable ; and if not, that a tax on such lands should be levied, in order that the public might not be entirely deprived of the benefits they bad a right to expect from them. But I dissent in toio from MiHarris's proposition, that the lands should be sold at an increased price, and taxed in addition to that increase. This is a strange mode of encouraging settlement, in which I do not concur, and to which I feel bound to give my hearty and strenuous opposition. Putting aside Mr Harris's inconsistency in seeking to restrict the Hundreds, and yet " keep the market supplied with suitably-sized allotments," I am, gentlemen, as you are well aware, most strongly opposed to any restiiction of the Hundreds, either as to size or quantity. Who is to be the judge of what Mr Hairis calls " the actual requirements of the ppople T I look upon this as a vital question, full of tho deepest import in the future settlement of the country, and one which must have immediate effect when the reply of the Governor to the recent Unimproved Lands Bill is received from Auckland. The Land Sales temporarily suspended till that reply is received, will then be resumed ; and it may be necessary to consider the propriety ot selling land in parts of the interior, now being settled, and along the line of new roods, nnd possibly railroads or tramroads to connect that interior with the seaports of the Province. Gentlemen, my opinions on this subject are clear, and well knosvn to you all. It is needless to recapitulate them, but I bave said enough to show you the chief points on which Mr Harris and myself are at issue. To decide that issue, I shall again place myself before you as a Candidate, at the approaching election of Superintendent. Hitherto, my views and those of your representatives, as regards broad principles, have been in accord. In carrying them into effect I had, and have, a ripht to regard them as your opinions, and not " crotchets" of my own. Should you in course of further discussion see fit to modify or alter your opinion, ie would be the duty of your Superintendent to defer to the judgment of the Council, but he would be at liberty to decide for himself whether he could consistently or conscientiously remain in office to carry it into effect. In the meanwhile it is ivell and right in e'ecting a Superintendent, that his own opinion, which must always exercise a certain influence, should be clearly known. Gentlemen, I observe that Mr Harris " deplores the condition of our roads, bridges, ferries, and public buildings, and refrains from touching on them, because he cannot do so without implying censure upon the present Government, to an extent he would be glad to avoid." Herein, again, do I see with regret, other hands and other minds at work. Of Mr Harris I would ask, has not the Government done all that hard work, aud the limited funds at its disposal, coupled with the exigency of sudden demands of enormous relative amount would permit 1 Have we not shown ouv sense of the improvements needed, ami the deficiency of our means to provide them, by t'.ie Loan Ordinance passed in the last Council ? Did Mr Harris, may I ask, himself find the means so abundant that he could do all, or a small pirt of all, he would have wished during tho tenure of office as Deputy Superintendent, to which he refers, when the same means were at his disposal that I and the Government have had at ours ? I ask ihese questions with regret, but have a right to do so in vindication of my acts and official character which Mr Harris has thought fit giatuitously to attack. Gentlemen, allow me now to occupy your attention for a few moments with a matter personal to myself, but of which much political capital has been made. To those of you who know me, I need not say that I was bincere in my desire to retire from the honorable post to which you elected me by ahrsre majority in. a time of difficulty and trouble. I feel that I have endeavored in that post to do my duty — to avoid bias, or the undue influence of any mau, or set of men — and that I have at heart tbe progress of the Province, and development of its resources, and the welfare of its people of all classes, as deeply as any man among you. But I felt ako, a strong desire for rest, an*< remained firm in the determination to seek it, until induced to reconsider that determination by solicitation from many private quarters, and by a deputation which waited on me for the purpose ol asiertaining if I would consent again to place myself in your bauds. I^then resolved that it 1 saw reason to "believe my views of the public interest rendered it advisable to contest the election, I would do fo, and leave to you the final decision as to whether those views were right or wrong. In now placing myself before you as a candidate, I am impelled by a further feeling, that it is due to you and due to myself that I should do so. Due to you, because I consider Mr Harris's address is not dear or satisfact' ry on any pomt — but on the Laud Question particularly. Due to you, because it willgivo. you theopportunity of obtaining more complete knowledge of the views of your candidates than you have at present, or can have if one were "to walk the course"— and due to myself as a means of vindication from the charges of neglect and unconstitutional action made against me. For that vindication I appeal further if need be, to the Executive Council Amendment Ordinance passed last session of the Council at my de&ire— and to the whole course of my conduct since you honored me by election to the post 1 now hold. I must apologise for the length of this address and its controversial tone. They are necessities forced upon me by the tone of Mr Harris's address. That gentleman Las thought, or rather been persuaded to think, it becoming to assume in advance, an intention on my part of opposing him, and to make upon my motives and official character Gratuitous and unwarranted attacks on that assumption; Gentlemen,— l now place myself in your hands.