CITY ELECTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1374, 23 July 1872, Page 3

CITY ELECTION.

The nomination of candidates for the ■ Christen urch Beat in the Provincial Council, rendered by the resignation of Mr . J. Gh Hawkes, took place yesterday in front -of the Old Town Hall. The EeJurriug Officer (Dr Donald), together -with, the intended proposers and seconders of cancHdateß, took up their position m the gallery overlooking the street, and the public assembled on the roadway below. Strange to say, no provision whatever had been made for the reporters, and it was therefore difficult to obtain a report of the proceedings. Altogether, there were about two hundred and fifty per- . sons present. The Retckning Officeb proceeded to read the writ as soon as the appointed hour — twelve o'clock noon — had struck, and then . called on the electors to nominate their candidates. Mr J. Ok. Hawkes, who was received with -applause, then stepped forward. He said it was nearly ten years since he first stood before them on that platform es a candidate for their votes on his own behalf. They gave them to him, and he had been their representative from that time until a few days ago, when he found it incumbent upon bun to resign his trust. He begged to thank the electors for the universal kindness he had received at their hands during his term of office. He could assure them that he felt deeply sensible of it. (Cheers.) On the present occasion he did not come before them in the same character as when he last addressed them. He did not intend to ask their support for himself, but for a gentleman whom he had to propose for the vacant seat. That gentleman was Sir John Cracrof t Wilson, a man of large political experience, both provincial and colonial ; with a very largo stake in the province j of well known independence and unblemished character, and whose position removed him from temptation, and was likely to render him proof against any temptation ia the direction of office or personal aggrandisement of any kind — a class of men particularly required in the Provincial Council at the present time, to oppose the log-rolling wb r cli was so prevalent during the last session. He (Mr Hawkes) had no desire whatever to say one word in disparagement of Mr Andrews, who he believed to be a thoroughly intelligent and sincere man, but at the tame time h# believed

that if Mr 1 ldrews was returned it would be a great mistake, because bis want of influence in the Council would be highly detrimental to him as a representative. In conclusion, he begged to warn the working men of Canterbury not to trust as friends those who simply assert that they are such. Let them prove themselves to be working men in reality before they were accepted in that character. He would now propose Sir John Cracroft Wilson as a fit and proper person to represent the city of Chri3tchurch 5n the Provincial Connc' 1 . Mr J. G. Rctddenklatj said he had much pleasure in seconding the nomination of Ssr John Cracroft Wilson. Mr Wtsn Williams, who was received with loud cheers, said he had a candidate to propose, but first wished to refer to a reir-.rk that had fallen from Mr Hawkes in proposing Sir J. C. Wilson. Mr Hawke 3, in a very solemn tone of voice, had warned the working men of Cantei'bury against being led by the speeches made by persons who made a great profession of being the working man's friend. Now, he (Mr Williams) must express great surprise at this, because it amounted almost to saying that those who were not the friends of working men, must be their enemies. It | was upon principle that he came foiivard to j propose a working man as a candidate, for he considered when there was a chance of returning a respectable and intelligent member of that clas3, the opportunity ought not to be lost. ; (Cheers.) There conld be no doubt that every other ela3s in the country was fa<rly represented in the Provincial Council, and it was therefore nothing but right that the operative classes should also have a fair share of representatives. (Cheers.) He accordingly begged to propose Mr S. P. Andrews as a candidate for the seat vacated by Mr Hawkes. He (Mr Willipnis), in 'doing so, was satisfied that he was doing a right thing, because Mr Andrews was not only a respectable and intelligent man, but j was as upright and honourable as any of the present members of the Provincial Council. (Loud chcera.) He had much pleasure in proposing Mr S. P. Andrews as a fit aud proper per3on to represent Christchurch in the Provincial Counc n . (Cneers.) Mr John Caygill seconded the nomination of Mr Andrews. Alluding to what Mr Hawkes had said with reference to log-rolling during the last session of the Council, he said he hoped the working men of Christchurch would do their duty, and attempt to put a stop to it. The way to do this was to send representatives of their own class, and though Mr Andrews might not be able to accomplish all they desired in checking the existing evils, still he had sufficient ability to gain the respect and attention of the Council, and no doubt he would in time bring about some improvements. (Cheers.) Ho hoped the working men would do their duty to themselves on this occasion, and he was satisfied they would never have cause to regret it. (Cheers.) The Retubning Officee inquired if any one else had a candidate to propose, and receiving no response ho called upon those who had been nominated to address the electors if they felt so inclined. Sir J. C. Wilson, X.5.1..C.8., said, hav.ng been asked by several electors to offer L: inself as a candidate he had promised to do so, and as he never broke his word he now came before them to ask their suppoi't. Before referring to general matters he would }fko to make a short explanation respecting his absence from the meeting held a few evenings ago. He saw the advertisement calV.ng the meeting, and asked his friends whether ho should attend, but they pointed out that there was no signature to the advertisement, and advised him not to do so. (Laughter.) As in duty bound he accepted the advice of those who had requested him to come forward, and the result was that he kept away from the meeting. (Laughter ; and a voice : That's a poor excuse.) To bis astonishment, however, he saw by next morr : ng's papers that the Mayor presided at the meeting. (Laughter.) Of course the Mayor did not know the unpleasant position which the fact of his tal- : ng the chair without announcing it in the advertisement placed him (the speaker) in, but it would have supplied the very deficiency which kept him away. No doubt the Mayor c i: d not intend to put t : .m (the speaker) in that position, but still it had laid bun open to the charge of being too proud to attend. Now, he would give them Irs word of honour that he was nothing of the kind, but that he simply and purely acted on his friends' advice. If lie had called a meeting, ho would have sent a notieo of it to his opponent ; for that, he must say, would have been the true English and open way of acting. He did j not at all like the way the meeting had been called, and made that protest in order that it might be clearly understood that he was not too proud or haughty to attend it. Eeferrng next to the speeches made at the meeting, and that day, he said there were a great many fallacies in them, more especially as to who was the best man to represent them in the Provincial Council. It had been said that there was a great deal of log ro"ing in the Provincial Council last session. Now, lie defied anyone to say that he had ever been guilty of such a practice. Mr Williams : Oh, oh. Sir J. C. Wilson : I say no. Mr Williams : And I say oh. (Great laughter.) Sir J. C. Wilson said, well, ho would be happy to hear Mr Williams bring such a ckarge against him, for he could emphatically refute it. AU he could say was that ho hoped they would send the best man to stop this log-rolling. (A Voice: We v.'", and that won't be you. (Laughter.) They undoubtedly wanted the best man they could get. (A Voice : We don't want you.) Ho hoped they would let him speak. (Hear, hear,) Well, they wanted the best man they could get (A Voice : We don't want you) for a work of a particular nature, and he would ask ' which was the best. (A Voice : Not you.) He had nothing whatever to Bay against . Mr Andrews' honesty, for no doubt it

was a3 good as bis (the speakers.) but he had not the same expei-ience as himself. Mr Andrews might also be as brave but he doubted if ho would tackle abuses as he (the speaker) would. (Oh, oh.) He repeated this, for there wa3 not an abuse during b ; s tb' ■■by years' experience in Incba, or during rv's twelve years' residence in Canterbury, that he had not tackled, so far as they came with ; u h : s scope. -If they wanted Mr Andrews to bivld a wall for them, then it would no doubt be jud'cious to elect b ; m — (A voice, "We will," and cheers) — but if they wanted to put a stop to log-rolling or any other abuses in the Council, then they should elect the man having the most experience v.i such matters. Let them elect the best man, and that was all he wished for. Adverting to the matter of land on deferred payments, lie said a great den! had been said by persons in favour of it, but he asserted that they were all ignorant on the matter, that they had had no practical experience. Let them look at Canada, Queensland, and Otago, the latter of which, he believed, had been swindled out of a large sum of money by the complications arising out of the system of deferred payments. He had imported a great many servants into this province, and all those who had stopped with him until they had saved sufficient money with which to buy plant, had invariably succeeded, but those who commenced on their own account before they had done so had invariably failed. (A voice : What about the "Masters and Servants Act?") He had always treated his servants well, and he defied anyoue to prove to the contrary. (Interruption.) He had seen with regret that it was proposed for the members of the Provincial Council to elect the Superintendent. Such a radical change should not, in hisopinion, be made, unless the electors of the whole province hal been consulted and approved it. (Heir, hear.) He was opposed to such a measure, and ho would not submit to it being made, unless the people first gave their consent. His desire was to do that which was the best for the province as a whole, and it had always been so. (Interruption.) He repeated that bis sole wish was- for the good of the community at large, for he loved Canterbury, and would do all ho could to advance its int3rests. As a proof of' his attachment to tbeprovluce, he might te?l them that, Lwelve years ago, he was told that if ho remained here he would never get the honours he bad won in India, and a ll , tho time he remained here lie fa ; led to do so. Illness,, however, came upon lr.ni; Irs medical adviser ordered him to tak/j a sea voyage, which ho did, by going to England, and no sooner had ho returned than he received news that his honours had been bestawed upon lrm. They would see, therefore, that his lovo for Canterbury had kept him out of lr's honours for a space of twelve years. Mr Avdkews on stepping forward wa3 received with loud cheers. He said that knowing it to be tho dinner-time of many of them present, aid 113 ho would take future opportunities to address the electors, he would be very brief with his remarks. His opponent had expressed a cci Loin respect for b<m, and ho fully reciprocated the feeing, for, as a working-man, he felt that tb's should be granted whenever due, no matter whether to friend or opponent. (Cheers.) He also hoped to retain the respect of all throughout the contest. (Hea w , heai\) It was upon that groundwork that ho had formed his basis of action, and if anyono not having a respectable chaiiicter had put him forward anywhere he was aorsy for it, because he would not like his cause to be asiisted : i such a way for the reason that he hoped it -would be free from regrets, and fr n?iy believed that Hs return was certain without any such help. (Cheers.) He coed orly say if the electors did return b ; *n, he wou'd do the best he possibly oould in the ; '* interests. He had not come forward with the remotest retention, rs some imputed to him, of setting class against class, but purely to remedy on existing evil. The squatters were we? 1 , represented, and it was ovldent to a ll , that the working men were not, therefore it was but just that pi effort should be made to secure more equolrepresontation. (Cneers.) It was the first law of nature fov men r \ <? : scu3,.ing a particular question, to aek first — " How w'H it affect me ?" and thea, when that was settled, to say " Now, how w ; ' it affect other classes ?" Sh J. C. Wi'son, in looting at a question in the Provincial Cour.V^wouM then first consider how it would affect r'"» financial position, and how woi^d that agree with tho interests of tho wor!" lg men ? (Cheers.) If, therefore, he (Mr Andrews) wa3 not a proper man fr) be retvned, then let them get some one else rather than accept bis opponent. There were plenty i~i tho cil/ fit r> fiU tho vacancy, and such be ; ug the case, he should be sorry ? iderd : f . the electors had to go to tho foot of tho h'^s to got a squatter to represent them. (Cheers.) If they would not have a worl-'ng roan, let them at least have something nearer to a worl M 'ng mon than Ivs opponent. There were plenty of merchants of ability in the city, and it would be much better to take one of those thon a squatter. (Cheers.) S : ice he last addressed the electors he had given further thought to the subject of compulsory secular education. He had boen asked to withdraw his formerly expressed opinions in favour of a measure of this !""nd, but he could not do so, for he was satisfied that education would never be so f ;*mly established as it ought to bo until thoy adopted •uch a system. (Cheers.) £<* to deferred payments for land, he must say he did not hold with the arguments advanced aga : ist it, for he be i: eved that it was possible to get a thoroughly practicable scheme. (Cheers.) Messrs Fitzgerald and Travors had told them that the proposal was beautiful in theory, but would be bad ? 1 practice, because workmen would take xip land, become tho great power of the State, and then alter the Jaws to avoid payment ; but he had better exoerience of the irork'ng men than to imagine ior a moment that they would do anytlrng of the k:nd. (Cheers.) Mr Hawkes had referred to the subject of the working mana friend, but he must tell them that they did not »ue, for tkej

believed" that they had only to put forward any question; themselves m a fair nnirier, and it would be attended to. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) If he were returned he would do his best to make their wants known in tHs way, but if they did not consider h ; m the best man, he had no hesitation iv saying that they need not elect him. (Cheers.) : The Returning Officer then called for a show of hands, when three were held up for Sir J. C. Wilson, and about two hundred for Mr Andrews. Sir J. C. Wilson demanded a poll, which the Returning Officer said would take place by ballot, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on: Monday next. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, moved by Sir J. C. Wilson and seconded by Mr Andrews* then terminated the proceedings.