ROXBURGH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 143, 3 November 1870, Page 6

ROXBURGH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

There has been very little in the shape of anything new taking place in this district this some time back. The river has risen, and all the claims have stopped work, and the men left for the different gullies over the range.

The Wesleyan annual tea meeting was held at the Wesleyan Chapel, Coal Creek Flat, on Monday, the 18th October, when the handsome sum of £50 was realised.

On Saturday evening, the 22nd Oct., according to announcement, Mr. D. H. Mervyn, M.H.R., met a large number of his constituents in the Schoolhonse, Roxburgh. The meeting was convened for eight o'clock, but, owing to some difficulty being experienced in finding a chairman, the proceedings did not commence until nine o'clock, when Mr. Robert Low, of Dunedin, was prevailed upon to occupy the chair. Mr»_ Mervyn commenced by furnishing his audience with a long account of the political professions of the provincialist and the centralist parties, and announced himself as an adherent to the latter party. He then dwelt upon the diverse matters which had been brought before the Assembly during the last session, and strongly advocated the introduction of immigrants from the North of Ireland, the Lowlands of Scotland, and the South of England as being the best settled for colonisation. Mr. Mervyn claimed credit of being instrumental in getting the district of Mount Benger divided — the river being the boundary line — thus placing one half of the district in the Switzers or Waikaia district, and the other half in the Dunstan district, in order, as he asserted, to equalise the number of residents in each district, and stated he was solely actuated in so doing by a desire to benefit the goldfields at large. Mr. Mervyn also intimated his opinion that all members of the House of Representatives ought to hold seats in the Provincial Council, and closed his address by stating his intention to come forward for the Waikaia district in the Assembly, and the Mount Benger district in the Council. A motion, affirming the thanks of the meeting to, and their confidence in, Mr. Mervyn, was moved by Mr. Tamblyn. The chairman intimated that before the motion was put, he would wish parties to ask any questions of Mr. Mervyn. In accordance with such intimation Mr. Beighton asked Mr. Mervyn for further information relative to the dividing, of the district, which he asserted to be one of the most injurious acts which had been done towards the district by Mr. Macandrew, . and regretted Mr. Mervyn should have? the assurance to claim credit for being instrumental in assisting in bringiug about such an act. Mr. Beighton also asserted that the reason assigned by Mr. Mervyn was totally at variance with the reason stated to him by Mr. Mervyn on his return from Wellington. When he stated that he had procured the divison of the district for the express purpose of enabling him to say " that he was a resident in the district for which he held a seat in the House," as he intended to come forward for the Dunstan district, and that by attaching the east portion of the Benger district to the Dunstan would enable him to effect his

object. Mr. Beighton condemned such, a proceeding, as also Mr. Mervyn's. action with reference to the petition from this district to the House ofRepresentatives. Mr. Mervyn then rose and complained that Mr. Beigbjfeon was taking an unfair advantage ornim. by making use of statements which had been imparted to him in private, con** versation, and declared that no member, of the House of Representatives was to be held responsible for anything stated by him in private. Mr. Beighton then, declared he was not surprised at Mr. Mervyn informing the meeting that the conversation referred to was private, although, he denied such being the case, and reminded the meeting that Mr. Mervyn on a previous occasion, about two years since, made use of a similar pretext, and regretted that a gentleman whose word, although, given in private, could not be relied on, trusted that the meeting would refrain from voting for any one whose word could not be trusted. Mr. C. J. Smith then immediately proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was seconded and carried. The meeting broke up without any resolution in favour of Mr. Mervyn. being put.