PROGRESS OF THE ELECTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1001, 4 February 1871, Page 1

PROGRESS OF THE ELECTIONS.

Somewhat more than a third of the total number of members required to constitute the Lower House of the General Assembly has been returned ; and the result so far, together with the indications afforded ol the remaining elections, is satisfactory, inasmuch as it shows that a House is likely to be chosen with a majority of members opposed to the Financial Scheme being carried into effect without modification. Here and there a candidate is found to give an unqualified adherence to the scheme, bat the far greater number advocate such a revision aa will bring it within the resources of the colony, and provide for the better administration of the funds that may be raised. This result was anticipated by those who are conversant with the state of public feeling throughout the colony. The outcry raised against the Ministerial scheme was not because it proposed means for colonising the country. It had for some time previously been the current opinion among politicians that the hour was come when such a policy might be initiated •with propriety ; but while all concurred In the end to be attained, the prudent did not admit that, under the specious name of opening up and settling the country, it would be either wise or honest to incur a debt which would crush the colony to the earth, and perhaps compel it to declare its insolvency. Hence, Mr Vogel's project, when laid before the Assembly, met with general condemnation ; but, at the same time s it was perceived that it might be moulded into a measure that would bear good fruit ; and the House patriotically set about the work. ■ The task, however, was too difficult to be accomplished in one session. The original scheme was a crude production; and even after some of its roughest features had been polished into shape, until it could scarcely be recognised, it remained so radically unfair and unworkable that the public, more especially of the Middle Island, loudly condemned it, and insisted upon still further alterations, if it were brought into operation at all.

ThrSe of the Ministers have been elected — Messrs Fox, Gisborne, and M'Lean. Mr Gisborne is now the representative of a Taranaki constituency ; and it is certainly a little remarkable that the Taranaki people always provide at least one seat for the Cabinet,no matter whether Mr Stafford or Mr Fox be in office. Mr Gisborne's return also deserves notice as being an example of the vicious practice by whioh members of the Legislative Council resign their seats for the purpose of getting elected to the Lower House. Mr Fox has been again returned for Rangitikei, upon which constituency, indeed, he has great claims. Mr Vogel is seeking the suffrages of Auckland East, and is not threatened with dangerous opposition. The nomination takes place to-day. Among the candidates who have presented themselves ta the various, constituencies* none came more unexpectedly than Sir David, Monro, the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, whoy at the close of last session, definitely announced his retirement from public life, but hasnow, urged by a requisition,, consented to stand for Motuek*, Jfc is gom4w&&

awkward for a man who has received the testimonials usually given to public characters upon their retirement into private life, to - come forward a few months afterwards as a candidate for a seat in the Legislature ; nevertheless, Sir David's long Parliamentary experience, and general attainments, would make him a valuable acquisition to the new House, whether he filled the Speaker's chair, or occupied a seat on the private benches. He is, we believe, decidedly opposed to the Ministerial scheme in its present shape. A. hot contest is going on for the representation of the city of Nelson. Messrs Curtis, Shephard, Sclanders, and Lightband are in the field. The first-named gentleman is the only one of the four who is known out of Nelson ; and he has been so long before the public as Superintendent of that province, and member of the Assembly, that his principles and capacity are thoroughly understood. For the Nelson Suburbs Messrs Kelling and Richardson are candidates. The former gentleman is very much respected in the district, and was some years ago a member of the Assembly, since when he has busied himseli with local politics. He advocates a reduction of the sum proposed to be borrowed for public works and immigration to two millions. That distinguished patriot, Mr Barff, has been rejected by the Hokitika people for Mr John White, who has served both as a Borough and County Councillor. The defeated hero is trying his luck at the Totara, with a crowd of rivals. Mr W. H. Harrison has been re-elected fo r the Grey. He did not in the last Parliament, succeed in gaining a very high place among his fellow-members, but his return cannot be regretted when we find that the choice lay between him and Mr P. A. Buckley, a Wellington lawyer of indifferent ability, whose sole qualificatiou as a representative consisted in his being an Irishman.

Mr Reader Wood's vigorous and somewhat rash denunciation of the colonising scheme, immediately upon its being propounded, might be supposed, by certain persons, to have shaken the confidence of his Parnell constituents, but it has evidently not done so, for they have placed him at the head of the poll. His return is signi- ! ficant of public feeling, since if the present scheme be at all beneficial, it will advantage the North Island, and an Auckland constituency wo\ild hardly return an uncompromising opponent of their own interests ; while Mr Reader Wood also lies under the discredit of having been instrumental in removing the seat of Government to Wellington. Mr Creighton, the late memberforNewton, is a candidate for the district of Eden ; his former seat being filled by Mr W. Swakson, a member of the Auckland Provincial Council. A number of other old members — Messrs C. O'Neill, T. Henderson, J. Williamson, H. W. Fabnall, and H. Kerr— are likewise in the field. Mr John Williamson's lieutenant — Mr O'Rorke, who generally acts as Chairman of Committees when Mr Car^eton is out of the way — has again found a seat, together with Mr Clark. The latter and Mr Buckland, a new face, will represent the mercantile interest.

Conspicuous among the names ot candidates we find that of Mr 3. C. Richmond. Unmindful of his long se/vices, the Taranaki people have chosen to repine him by an amiable but silly old gentleman named Carrington, whose garrulous narratives about his own exploits made him the laughing-stock of the House last session. Mr Richmond has eonssequently been forced to cast about for a seat, and has pitched upon She city of Wellington, where he will be supported by a party which "desires to break up the fossilized «ltque that has so long ruled the ' capital of the colony.' He made a speech on the 17th, which, despite of bad retoortang, is evidently the ablest that has been delivered during the present eleotbions, and ought to be read by every one who desires to become thoroughly acquainted with the political questions of the day. Mr Richmond drew pointed uttejjtion to tb,e propi^nce which the.

land question^ assuming. ' Speaking of the Ministerial scheme, he said, * The real, the great difficulty . that would be shirked, but which would have to be encountered — the land question, the little cloud that was no bigger than a man's hand — that was what would have to be faced He knew that the pastoral interest was once the most important interest in the colony ; they were the pioneers of the country ; but he would ask them — Who now are the pastoral interest? They could not point to one in five of the old original squatters whose property had not passed into other hands. No, the real pastoral interest ef the country consisted of a few large houses at. home, and a number of merchant firms in the colony. Besides, he could tell them what he had been told by Sir Charles Clifford. He told him that he had been told by those large merchants at home that Mr Vogel's scheme suited them exactly, as they intended to realise; but he thought Mr Yogel's wind-bag was too badly pierced to ever admit of such an issue as that. . . . But he would remind them that the people of England were not in the habit of countenancing such recklessness in business as that scheme ; they would see that we paid our just debts. We should never enter upon such dishonest and diabolical speculation. It was better that land should be opened on convenient terms to immigrants than that any such scheme should be entered into.' These are the words of a deep thinker and eminently practical man. Owing to an unfortunate habit, when addressing the House, of looking a great deal at the sentimental side of things, Mr Richmond has acquired the reputation of being a visionary dreamer; but those who have studied his career know him to be one of most practical, as well as one of the ablest, politicians in the country. His colleague in . the present contest is Mr Travbrs ; their opponents, Messrs Hunter and Pearce. One would imagine that the electors could not hesitate in their choice for a moment ; but the mere fact of a man having resided for a long time in_ one place, seems to be an immense virtue in the eyes of some communities,