AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1329, 19 May 1877, Page 6

AUCKLAND.

The election for City West has resulted in the return of Dr Wallis, who is now to be ranked among the legislators of the Colony. His opponent, Mr Robert Graham, is an old resident who has been foremost in all our enterprises, and is one of the best known men in the Province. He has been Superintendent, was the founder of Grahamstown, was one of the Auckland members of Assembly who voted against the "Compact" of 1856, and one of those who appealed to the Home Government against its being carried into effect. His claims to consideration were therefore numerous and clear, and his defeat caused a good deal of surprise. Dr Wallis has only lately come into note. He has always been regarded as a sincere preacher in the Presbyterian Church, and first came befoie the public as a strenuous opponent of the Education Rate, on the ground that he could not conscientiously pay towards the maintenance of a purely secular system. Execution was regularly levied every year on his goods and chattels, and there were always friends ready to buy them in, and return them to the Doctor when the day of sale came. Dr Wallis wanted the Bible read in schools. Hence his opposition, in which he was rivalled by Father Paul, of Onehunga, who represented the Roman Catholic side, and would have been the last to sanction the reading of the Bible at which Dr Wallis aimed. So little sympathy was there between them on other matters, that about 18 months ago Dr Wallis excited considerable comment by a series of very strong lectures against "Popery," delivered, if my memory serve me rightly, at his church on successive Sunday evenings. I mention this because it was expected these lectures would tell heavily against him, City Weat containing a large proportion of Roman Catholics among the 1750 voters on its rolls. Evidently the lectures did not influence the voting, as only 747 were polled altogether, and of these he received 479. Political were stronger than theological considerations, and the "Irish Party," as it is called, so far as they voted at all, have shown themselves as ttrongly as ever to be the firm upholders of self-government, and the supporters of its principles as laid down by Sir George Grey. Mr Graham went in for selling the railways to companies to work them, and for various other "material," or, as they are called, " practical" matters. He represented what is known here as "Whitakeriam," in opposition to the higher politics which are symbolised as "Greyism." Both candidates were avowed supporters of Sir George Grey on the whole, but the one appealed more directly than the other to the principles on which Sir Geoige has based his policy. Dr Wallis placed in the foreground the shortening of the duration of Parliament, equalisation of the representation, reform of the Legislative Council, reductions of the extreme powers of the Government by retrenchment and by bringing the Assembly more directly under control of the people. He saw no other way of achieving these ends than by separation. Mr Graham was also for separation, and both were for "colonialiiation" of the land revenue ; but Dr Wallis ■truck the key-note loudest and most firmly, and owes to it, I believe, very much of the support he received from those who would otherwise have been embarrassed in deciding how to cast their vote. He will add to the debating powsrof the Assembly, ia pretty sure to be an active member, and not very manageable as a party man until experience has taught him how useless for all good purposes a member must be who thinks he ought to have his own way in everything. In his election speeches he has shown both readiness and humour, and has always commanded attention from sympathetic audiences, who believe in his sincerity and zeaL

It is believed that Mr Dargaville will be called by Ministers to the Upper House. Reports to that effect have been sometime in circulation, but he has a large business, and it was thought he would scarcely care to spend six months in Wellington, in the quiet shades of the Council

A correspondent from Wellington writes to the Herald, that we are to have the Central Gaol in Auckland, instead of its being inTaranaki. He points to this as a proof that Auckland has a friend in the Ministry, but the day for that kind of thing has gone by, and the announcement has fallen perfectly flat^ The one great object in this line, on which people have set their minds, is to have one Treasury for the Colony, or separation. On that point, I can assure you there is no doubt whatever. They firmly believe that this is their right, and that they are defrauded so long as it is withheld, but they are sick of efforts to draw them after petty advantages to be obtained by mere force or trickery— by the mere fact of having a "friend in the Ministry" as the Wellington correspondent puts it. There is more elevation of sentiment in the political world in Auckland, than you in the South are willing to give it credit for. The old parties and old systems have lost nearly all influence and are pasting away, and much as he has b«en derided in the South, every one hwe feela that this is due in a very large degree to the teaching and example of Sir George Grey.