CURTIS’S BILL

Temuka Leader, Issue 174, 10 September 1879, Page 3

CURTIS’S BILL

Mr Quinn, on Thursday, seconded the nomination of Mr Wakefield, a’ course we imagine he hardly would have taken if he knew Mr Wakefield’s action upon Mr Curtis’s bill, and bow neatly in this respect be (Mr Quinn) and other electors in Geraldine constistnency, who look forward to the passing of that bill had been hoodwinked. We will Inicfly enumerate the facts. In consequence of Mr Pyke, by mistake, moving the adjournments of the House instead of the adjournment of The debate, the motion for the second reading of Mr Curtis’s bill fell through. To have mattei-s placed upon a proper footing, a deputation of members interested in the question, waited upon the Minister for Immigration and upon the Speaker, the result being that the question was allowed to be brought on again, but with the tacit understanding that it .should not be debated, simply that a division should be taken. The hour was also fixed at which the division should take place, and, need it be mentioned, the trimming Mr Wakefield was wanting Mr Wakefield was not in his place, but Mr Feld wick was there to vote, for the bill and did vote for the bill. This is the more to Mr Feld wick’s credit as, strong party man that he is, he separated himself in this matter ; frora Mr Stout, Mr Ballance, and others, and voted with the knowledge that he would raise op-positibn-tu -himself in; a; constituency: in which extreme secularist opinions run very high. Ho, in accordance with his honest convictions of fail play and justice, was in his place and voted for the bill, when Mr. Wakefield, of course by inadvertence, was absent. As some ingenious manoeuvres have been worked to get the support of a large section of the Geraldine electorate on account of this bill, it is just as well they should know the different lines of action taken by the candidates. We feel really pained when we find an open hearted honest man like Mr Quinn, whose error..has been to think that every, one is as well intentioned as himself, played upon by the oily Mr Wake-field. However, Mr Wakefield’s conduct is only another instance of how hereditary genuis—we had almost said- hereditary duplicity—will manifest itself.— £ Evening Telegraph.