GERALDINE ELECTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 173, 6 September 1879, Page 2

GERALDINE ELECTION.

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES

The nomination of candidates took place at the Courthouse, Teinuka, on Thursday last. There were from 150 to 200 persons present, and great interest appeared to be taken by the electors present.

The Returning Officer, Mr. Beetham, after reading the writ requiring the election to take plac l , called upon the electors to nominate any candidates they thought proper. Mr. Alfred Cox, a well-known resident of the Geraldine district, addressed the electors, saying he had pleasure in proposing Mr Wake Held as a lit and proper person to represent the Geraldine district in the General Assembly. He said there was a time when he : had a better right to do this—a time when he knew and was known by almost every elector in the district—a time when he used to take a part in almost every political movement that took place in the district. He said Mr Wakefield was a man that had been tried by the district already, and was not found wanting. He thought that the least the district could do was to have him again as its representative. He said it was needless for him to point out Mr Wakefield's good-qualities, as they must already be as well aware of them as he himself. He had known him in Parliament and out of Parliament, and spoke in very high and flattering tones of the good impression he had formed of him, and felt sure in his own mind that he was a gentleman well qualified to fill the post, and one who was never afraid to speak his mind. (A Voice : It's a hard job to tell what that is,) I say again Mr Wakefield speaks his mind, and knows how to-speak it too. He came to this colony a youngster, and has worked ' himself up without assistance to the proud position he now holds. If they elected him, and he felt certain they would, he feltsuie he would continue to work, both in Parliament and out of it, for the district he represented. What the country wanted was men who were young, and had the full possession of all their faculties. Mr Wakefield had these qualifications, and in addition to that, came of a family who had been devoted to politics for generations. Electors should not say they wculd vote for a man who says he will support this one or that one. What was wanted was men who would state their own unbiased views and stick to them, let the consequences be what they might. We want consistency, and men who will not deceive us. Mr Wakefield has proved himself to be an able man and a consistent one, and therefore we should not hesitate a moment in re-electing him as our rer resentative. We have read a great deal about Greyism, Liberalism, and a_ great many other isms, but it was not right to take a man at his own valuation. So many different interpretations may be'put on a man's speech that it was necessary to give a clear expression of their views in order that they may be properly interpreted. He said he had been in Par'iament with Mr Wakefield, and often differed from him in his views, but had never an occasion for quarrelling with him. If the Government have not fulfilled their promises they do not deserve your support. Look at the opportunities they have missed for doing things which they had the power to do. and ought to h-ave done, and see whether, they deserve your confidence, and he was sure they would send a man to represent them pledged to oppose their leader, Sir George Grey. Mr Wakefield has expressed himself to. you very plainly upon this point, and deserves groat credit for it. If you send up men pledged to support Sir'G. Grey, your interests are not in their keeping, but in someone else's. You must not be contented with a nominee, of another man, but send up a man of your own choice, or else you will have to look out for your local matters, yourselves. In the North Island there was nothing gave me more pride or pleasure than hearing the people there always speak with great admiration of the people of Canterbury, but now the reverse is the order of the day ; and why? because someone holds up to ridicule Canterbury, its rulers and its institutions. He spoke at considerable length of Sir Geo. Grey's first, arrival in the colony, when he visited the South Island, and spoke of the prosperity he saw all round, and contrasted it with tile present state of matters here now. He also eulogised the late Mr Godley as one of'the best and truest men in the Liberal cause that ever came to the colony. Someyp-ars back it was the business of Sir G. Grey to draft a constitution for New Zealand. We-have heard a good deal about that lately. It made a very strong impression on the people then—so strong .that when it was proclaimed there arose a cry of dissatisfaction that called forth an association called the Constitution Association, which had the proper ring about it. There were no two parties in those days. That association was presided over by the same Mr Fox who is now so prominent in the colony. Sir G. Grey represented the Imperial Government on the one hand, fighting for the principal of nomination in which he was brought up, and Mr Fox battling for free government on the- other. Mr Fox was too strong for Sir George, and the result was our having free institutions and liberfy of speech, and we are going to exercise that liberty."' Mr Cox went into the history of the Canterbury Association it considerable length, and denounced Sir George-Grey as a man not safe to follow. With regard to separation he said it would be the worst thing that could happen to New Zealand to be cut in twain. He had asked Mr Wakefield if he was opposed to separation, and he said, " Yes ; most j decidedly." (Hear, hear.) He once again proposed Mr Edward Wakefield as a fit and proper person to represent Geraldine in the' coming Parliament. (Applause.) Mr Quinn : I have great pleasure in seconding the motio \ I am not about to make a long speech, but I might say that it was only on Wednesday morning that I learned from the_Temuka Leader that Mr Feldwick was coming into the field. Tl at was the first we heard of him, and I thought that if that gentleman really had the interests of the district at heart he would have been here before. It was open for him to come forward these weeks a»o, as Mr Wakefield had done, immediately after the dissolution of Parliament. His coming runinds me of an old country saying about the haws that grow on the hedges. It is a common saying, " When all fruit fails, welcome haws." Mr Feldwick had no doubt tried hard to get fruit down in Inver'cargill, and failing to get any he has now come to Geraldine to seek for haws. It is said that Mr Wakefield

has no interest in "this distri- t. What interest Imd Mr Fehlwi-k, an Invercargill in l . in. ic ? I ' ! nnbt whether, he k'niAs Waitohi frunvKsikdui, or Pleasant Valley from Waihi, Bush. I am certain ' Mr Wakefield will serve us wel! and honestly, and I hope .nou will nil the pol l , miul leturn three times three. (Anplaus' l .) Mr K. F. Gray, in coming forward, said it was now four years since he had the pleasure of proposing a fit person to represent the district in Parliament liad not been obliterated from his l'tUjgC. that the candidate just proposed liiSMiot fairly and truthfully represented the district. He said they must all be as well aware as he was himself that a person living in Timaru, and go much tied up with Timaru, and whose interests were to a great extent opposed to ours, could not fairly and honestly represent the district. (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") He said Mr Oox had referred to the state of tho colony some yeais back, and compared us to the present state of affairs. He could not see why that should influence the minds of the people with the candidates.

The gentleman he Was about to propose was not a stranger as stated by Mr Quinn. He had watched the proceedings in lasK Parliament, and saicUthe electors need not v fear to trust their . interests in his 'ands, as hischaracter was'untainted and unblemished. He was a. well-educated man, and of Liberal views. * We had been represented by Mr Wakefield, but it was like o-iving Timaru an extra member, who had not served you when he had an opportunity of doing so. The speaker thought a man from a distance, would better serve our interests than Mr Wakedeld had done. He accused'the late member of saying at the Wash dyke thut the county system was an obnoxious one, and accused him of getting up a petition to split the county into three parts. Mr. Waketie d had, in a letter to a gentleman at Geiaidine, said he thought tho Milford Harbor scheme was a monstrous job, and hoped it would fall through. (Mr Wakefield, I denyjt ;it is not tiue.)~ Mr Gray said he felt strongly on the matter, and thought one who could' \ betray them on small matters could not be ' trusted. He hoped they would-return Mr Feldwick, as by doing so they would be returning a man really worthy to be their member, and he hoped they would rally round, and place him at the top of the poll by a large majority. He had much pleasure in proposing Mr. Feldwick as a fit and proper person to represent Geraldine district in Parliament. He concluded by calling upon them not to pledge their votes until they.had heard Mr Feldwick. Mr. Harrop'said he had much pleasure in seconding the motion. On the showing of hands 27 were for Wakefield, and 21 for Feldwick. A poll was demanded for Mr. Feldwick, to be taken on 9th inst • Mr Wakefield was the first to come forward,, and was received with applause. He sai" 3 : I shall not say much to you today, because I have already spoken very fuljy. I will say a few words in order to refiiove a false impression made by Mr ' Gray. (Mr Gray.: No false impression.) He said I wrote a letter to a gentleman in Geraldine in which I said, " That mon- : strous job, the Milford Harbor, shorn* <U| not be gone on with. I have seen statement before in print—in the town of Temuka, f think —and 1 tell him to his face that wherever it appears it is a falsehood. Mr Grey has been entirely misinformed. Mr Ostler wrote the letter. I never wrote a line of it. Mr Postletliwaas?~ received the lett-T. (Mr Postlethwaite : Hear, hear.) Mr;; Gray ought now to admit that he did'wrong in attributing that letter me. Mr Ostler had always opposed the Milford Harbor Scheme, beause his district was opposed to it. If it had not been for me your Milford Harbor Bill would scarcelv have been heard of. I carried the Bill through Parliament in spite of opposition—in spite of great opposition—and there are members here who can bear witness -to the difficulties I encountered (Mr Rolleston : Hear, hear) in getting that Bill passed. I told those Avho deprecated it that they could not tell, until Sir J. Coode's report was received, whether the scheme was sound or not. I think Mr Gray will admit that he was wrong, and withdraw his statement. (Mr Gray": I admit I was wrong. I was in-" formed-on the very best authority that such was the case.) - (A Voice : Who was your- authority'?) (Mr. Gray :Mr Acton was my authority, and I have no hesitation in saving so.) ' * (Mr Quinn : You ought to apologia-.) Mr Wakefield : I do' not want one. (Mr Gray : If Mr Wakefield did not writethe letter, and the receiver corroboraf-s his statement, I can only say that I did. not fabricate the charge iriys?lf. But he did his best to split" our county up into three.) _ Mr Wakefield hoped the electors were satisfied that Mr Gray's accusations were without foundation. He said because he had not pandered to the wishes of a small clique, they had tried to injure him, and he was preoared to meet them and fight it oiit, as he had sturdy friends in all parts of the district. We might have had the three planks of the Liberal platform long ago if it had not been for the men who are now making such a fuss about them. He would always stand out against the Maori dual vote. Redistribution of votes has been urged on the Government for years past and Mr Wason moved a resolution in favor of it in 1978, but the Government would not have anything to do with it, He would not say anything against his opponent, as it was very bad form to do so. If a man is not good enough to be elected on his merPs, he ought not to he elected on the defects of his opponent. He had a very great respect fordttr feldwick. If they returned Mr Feldwick he would cheerfully bow to their decision, and assist him in every way lie could. Mr Feldwick, who was received loud cheers, said he did not intend to make. a'lbnw seeech, as he would take other opportunities of addressing them. -He then referred t» a remark made by Mr Wakewho said Mr Wakefield had s.-rved the district well during last Parliament and that he would not be the nominee of anyone, p Now he had himself served a district in the last Parliament. He denied that became at the invitation of the Premier, and said he had had no communication with tae Premier since being in Invercargill. I have no love towards Sir George Grey, excepo this I desire to uphold Libel al pnuciples. Mr Cox recommended you to chose a man young and able. lam young as well as my opponent, and I shall leave it to tha electors to say which is the most able The electors of L.vorc.-'Tgill decided that 1 behaved with honesty and consistency with regard to mv «luii»e to the", wi.t-n m Parliament and would Have h.i.i a majo-

rity, if. my friends had not been so confide' t of success. Intimidation, ••. Inch I shall probably mention more publicly :lv.n Ido now,, was largely resorted to. ilv Ministry has been charged with many things. Well, as I have said, I intend to address you at meetings, where you can listen to me in comfort, and shall then endeavour to shov/ you that the Govern-

men have done the best they could. Mr Cox spoke of the past. Neither myself nor Mr Wakefield have to deal with the past. If we are to go into the past history

of land legislation, a friend of mine here can show a beautiful plan showing how gridironing was done under those same land laws of Mr Cox. Mr Feldwick said he had come here at the invitation of a number of influential residents in the district. Mr Quinn said I did not Inow the

district. He knows very well that I know it as well as Mr Wakefield does. I contested the Invercargill election against a gentlemen who holds similar views to Mr Wakefield, and it is only just and fair to give the people an opportunity of judging for themselves. I heve spent several years

in North Canterbury, ai d was connected with the Lyttelton Times. lam an elector under three constituencies in Canterbury, therefore I claim to be a Canterbury man. I came to Canterbury in 1859, and I have only been 3 years out of it, and prior to starting journalism I spent 10 years in farming. I therefore understand a farmer's grievances, and know the requirements of an agricultural district. I promise you if returned I will support the Milford Harbor, should Sir John Coode's report prove favorable. Until that is received the matter must lie in abeyance. As to making myself a local man, I pledge myself to reside here all hut permanently. Between the sessions of Parliament I am in a position to do so, my arrangements being such that it matters bttle where I reside. (A voice, Take the Leader over.) Well, that of course depends on the price. In reply to Mr Gray, Mr Feldwick expressed himself very strongly against the introduction of Chinese.

Mr Rolleston said : I am an old settler in Canterbury, and I feel great interest i: this election. There is a very great ques-

tion before you at the present time. We are told, as far as lean understand, by the ■» Inst speaker that this is a question of measures not men. It is a question of men not measures. I will be honest and frank with you, and tell you that men are in power who will disregard any measures whatever, It is folly to talk about measures not men. Mr has appealed to me with regard to the Milford Harbour. I say there is no man who ever worked harder for that scheme. We are told that

he will give two votes for Timaru and one

for the district. I refuse to believe that the interests of the town and country are not the same. We are all likely to go to

the wall, and that is why I feel an interest in this election. I say come up to the poll and I do not doubt that we shall poll for ■the right man, and that the right man will be returned. No other elector wishing to address the meeting, Mr Eeldwick proposed, and Mr Wakefield seconded, a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer. The meeting then separated.

MR FELDWICK AT GER A lODINE.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.

[By Telegraph.]

We received the following telegram at an early hour this morning : Gebaldine, Sept. 5, 11.30 p.m. MrFeldwick addressed a good meeting here to-night, and received a vote of confidence, Seventeen handa for, fifteen against.