THE WAIKAIA ELECTION.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 1004, 25 February 1871, Page 9

THE WAIKAIA ELECTION.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir— Permit me to correct some wilful mis* statements made by one who in your last Saturday's issue subscribed himself as a Switzers Miner.

The requisition and pledge to Mr Dean was, and is, only for the Provincial Council. It was not open for signature till after Mr Dean delivered his first address to the Switz* era electors, when numbers hastened to sign it with enthusiasm. Ergo : If Mr Dean's address was childish and silly, there must have been something catching in such qualities, especially as the Switzers Miner himself must have signed it after this exhibition of childishness and silliness whioh he is now so ready to discern. What a fool, to be oarried away by such folly.

Queries : 1. Tell the truth, now, and say, ifl the writer a miner at all ?

2. And who first opened his eyes to the aaid childishness and silliness ? Poor fellow i They want to cast dissension amongst the Switzers miners, who have so Unanimously supported Mr Dean, and they appear to have been playing npon the writers weak morality. I wonder who wrote the letter for him!

It appears to me that the bunplers in pofc tics who have so long held the power irj their hands, are soared at the prospect of a young man stepping into their shoes, and hence their maudlin cries in lieu of sounder arguments. Mr Dean is a young man, and this is his; first candidature, and therefore all our used up politicians and people in authority have endeavoured to throw cold water on the efforts of his Committee.

One shames to see a miserable wight allow himself to be so hoodwinked and made such' a tool by an autocratic few, and thus try td give Mr Dean a cowardly stroke in the dark; With a single exception, Mr Dean's Committee is composed oibonafide miners, and there! is wherein lies the great offence*

No newspaper correspondent has as yei ventured to confute Mr Dean's arguments but have meanly attempted to crash fcini with falsehoods. He is emphatically a man of the miners' own choice, and the miners intend to stick to him while they believe him true. His bell has the genuine ring, and we will try to secure its services* —I am, &c,

W. J. BRATrHWAITE* Switzers, February 18th, 1871.

A Southland paper states that the misuri» derstanding which has been, going on for a few days past between the Government and the contractors for possession of the Wintoit line, has resulted in an information being laid against certain employed of the former for "forcible entry and detainer." Tha charge aa laid involves the question of oommittal to the Supreme Court. Messrs Har. vey and W&do are retained for the plaintiff*, and Mr Mwdonajd. for tb& defendant |