NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 343, 1 February 1861, Page 2

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE

WAIMEA. The nomination of candidates for the Waimea districts took place at the School-Room, Richmond, on Tuesday last at noon, and, in consequence of wet weather preventing harvesting operations, the attendance was larger ttiau would have been the case otherwise.

Mr. Sharp having road the writ bearing dat> the third day of January, the following candi dates were nominated :—

Mr. Jos. Hammond proposed Mr. F Kelling as a fit and proper person, &c. ; which wat> seconded by Mr. W, Harkness. Mr. Kelling did not occupy the time of the electors. He said he had attended maoy meetings, and bad made his principles fully known on so many occasions that to do so again would be needless. With respect to the management of the gold-fields, he bad heard that it was contemplated to return it to the Provincial Government, and if so he should give his support to the step, as he thought it would be preferable to the existing system. •

Mr. Horn proposed Mr. Alfred Saunders, and in a speech of some length appeared to be generally appreciated for the vigour of his attack. With respect to Mr. Selling's Distillation Bill, he said that Mr. Stafford's expression which had been so often repeated by Mr. Kelling about the child being "born and only required nursing," led him to suppose that it was so essentially spirituous in its character and nature that it could only be stillborn.

Mr. Hubbard briefly seconded. In bringing forward Mr. Saunders they had proof in the long-tried services of that gentleman of the confidence that might be reposed in him for the future.

Mr. Creasy then proposed Mr. C. Elliott, and was ultimately seconded by Mr. Disheb. No comment from either followed.

Mr. Saunders, who wa3 laboring under a very severe attack of influenza, said he could do little more than apologize to the electors for being unable to speak to them in an audible voice. He briefly alluded to Borne subjects likely to occupy the attention of the peoples' representatives. He said he would endeavor to find out why the war had hitherto been^conducted with so little ability and so little success. Spoke in terms of indignation of the Arms and Ammunition Bill, which he said was of a character to condemn any ministry. Mr. Kelling was a gentleman for whom he entertained a sincere respect; he felt sure that he accepted a seat for this distriot with a sincere and honest intention of faithfully representing the people themselves; but Mr. Kelliug bad gone to Auckland in such bad company that he had evidently been made to believe that their interest was the interest of Mr. Stafford and his party. The strong recommendation Mr. Kelling. has received from Dr. Monro and the Nelson Examiner, would condemn any man in the estimation of the Waimea electors, and if Mr. Kelling lost his seat upon this occasion he would principally have to thank that person who had so officiously accompanied him in his numerous visitations to all the public-houses between Wakefield and Wakapuaka. As to the other oandidate who bad been proposed, they would at once see that his proposal was a mere ruse ; the figure Mr. C. Elliott would cut upon the poll is one that he would not like to see himself,' and one which he will certainly let ! none of us see ; it is only a natural movement on the part of a man who has long done that sort of work for a minister, whose, ministry Dr. Monro used to call " The Ministry of all the Dodges;" it was simply a "dodge" on the part of Mr. Charles Elliott to have the last speech at this meeting—a meeting at which he was not an elector, and had no right to speak; but Mr. Elliott could not now exist without having the last word. For at least two years he had abused him without any restraint or limit in the Nelson Examiner; he had told any amount of falsehoods about him without his having troubled himself to, reply to one of them; and he had lately been mean enough to run round the country, talking against htm at meetings where he was necessarily an absent man ; and yet, after all this, he seemed to think it unsafe to trust him in the hands of the Waimea electors without resorting to this mean I "dodge" to have the last word. He should, therefore, reserve to himself the right to reply to Mr. C. Elliott, if he felt able and thought it worth while to do so. Mr. C. Elliott next occupied the time of the meeting, but with so little encouragement, that having gone through his usual speech about the Land Fund, he appeared to be about to follow it with readings of the Blue books, when the meeting took the alarm and seemed to threaten a dispersal; a judicious cessation, however, restored patience, and the busiuess proceeded. Mr. Saunders said Mr. Elliott had said nothing thac would demand a reply; it was laughable to hear him talk as if the Stafford Ministry had really given us a large land fund out of their own pockets; as if we were to go down on our knees and thank them because they had not put quite all our land fund in the pockets of themselves and their very faithful supporters. Mr. Elliott said nothing about the debts they had bestowed on us and out children. (Mr.|Curtis—^The debts are less than when they came into office.) We have beard very different accounts from other sources, and sources he could believe; it was as easy for Mr. Curtis to make that assertion as it was for him and Mr. King to write those letters in the papers the other day, and which no doubt answered Mr. Curtis and his party's purpose for the town election, but which had been since so indignantly refuted by the press and at public meetings in Auckland (a voice—What has that to dp with this election ?) Nothing; but I hope it will have a great deal to do witb the Motueka election (hear hear), and I should think it would have a great deal to do in lessening Mr. Curtis' desire of ever going to Auckland again, or letting bis face be seen there.

Mr. Creasy next appeared to threaten a speech ; it, however, subsided into some inooherent complaints against Mr. Horn for asserting that the Assembly proceedings had been omitted in the Nelson Examiner, and ended with the unintelligible remark of " Why don't you find fault with your own paper?'' and asking the electors whether Mr. Kelling as an agriculturist, or Mr. Saunders as a miller, would be returned by them? The trade qualification or calling of candidates being too profound for most per sons present,

Mr. Keakns sententiouely advised Mr. Creasy to wait a solution from the Returning Officer.

Mr. Sharp then called for a show of hands, which resulted most unmistakably in favor of Mr. Saunders, five bands only being held up for Mr. Kelliug ha demanded a poll himself, which wiU take place this day,