LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 209, 20 September 1860, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

; .'Sir, —Presuming that you are pretty well posted up with a knowledge of what’is going on iii our district in general, but more particularly in the political line, may I request you to inform the electors if it is true that a private canvass is going on for Major Trafford, . to , succeed Mr. Fox as our • member for the General Assembly. I consider a' matter- of such importance should be made known publicly as soon as possible, end while for one' I can scarcely credit it, yet there is no denying !the fact that' a great deal of disaffection is spreading,; in the town at least, with our representatives as a body for the viewa they are holding respecting the war which is at present annihilating our sister province. . Now, sir, as war has such a general effect •‘bn our whole country, it does at first seem, Estrange that there should even be room for two opinions as to the justness of it and I believe, with regard to any of our former wars,, there was not the least difference amongst the Europeans in the matter from one end of the island to the other; but with regard to the present I regret to say it is very different, and although both parties appear to, make out a good [case, yet I am afraid, when it is put in 'the balance, we shall be found wanting; at all events, it has been . clearly shown that the /war.might have been deferred; .and if so, why . not until at least we were prepared to enter into it without having to. make the fearful sacrifices that have been made in life as well as property. One would have supposed, that froitt our former experience in blundering we would have learned wisdom,, and that by this time any outbreak would be attended with very trifling loss on our part; but, alas ! the very -reverse has been the case, and the waste of life and property* even within the range of our guhsj is fearful to-contemplate*, and people now begin to see the folly of provoking the natives into the present quarrel, about, to say • the least of it* a very trifling affair—namely, 600 acres of land. For, notwithstanding all that has been said of William, King being at thfe head of the. land league, if it is true that the Waikatos have abandoned him it shows plainly there is no league, and. thatbe has been fighting solely for what he-considered his just and legitimate rights.

But I am travelling- from the object I have in view in addressing you, which, is, to endeavour to find out in what way, or for what reason, Mr. Fox and Br. Featherston have forfeited the confidence of, any, of their constituents. Is. it for fearlessly and honestly expressing their opinions in the house of representatives,, as to whether the Governor and hiV ministry .were justified in plunging the country, so ill prepared, into a war with the natives about 600 acres of land ? If so, what do we send them there for at all ? Why not allow the ,Governor to carry on, and send him a few more memorials endorsing his acts, without knowing anything about them ? No, sir, we ought to be proud of the privilege, and that we can send such men, who are able to aid him by their counsel, and at the same time

enlighten their; constituents- by their able and , masterly review of-the whole of the incidents and transactions connected with it from the beginning. This is what they have done, and ,yet some people are not satisfied, and all sorts of excuses-are trumped up, to vindicate themselves, for hot approving, of a. policy, the wisdom of which is unquestionable, had our representatives; studied to please, instead of adopting a- course which, they believed would be. the only one that would-preserve the re--raainder of the country and their constituents from utter ruin* their task would have been comparatively an easy one.. And now, , sir, for the sake of illustration, I will give you

one of the very general, and 1 common excuses

put forth, by soma-few of, our. electors for objecting to. the Superintendent. 7l is generally well known that -the Yen. Archdeacon Had* field and he have for a long time been at variance, and have differed in opinion on the ■smallest trifles, and the . good of. the province . has Rented to. be a secondary consideration so long as ? each could carry out his opposition to the other j and little notice.has been taken of it* as they were supposed,to be irreconcilable, .and thafc.it. was only party, spirit that prevented them to pulling together.., 3\ T qw&V admitting.

that to have been, the state of the case during the do matters .stand'"at present ? NVfiy, when fhe : country is fromiend to end, and .the safety of their %own.province endangered from the effects of' mismanagement, they both lay their animosities aside, and, sinking all minor and trifling disputes, like true patriots, make common cause for their country’s good, -'ami agree oh one of the most momentous questions that has ever come before the legislature. Is this.a crime ? Surely, the sober calculating constituency of Wanganui and Rangitikei will never let-It-go - to the world that they even ever "thought so. No, the fact is there are only a few who are of such opinions, and they are trying to. make the most of it, and doing all -they can' to raise a cry in favour of their thirst for military glory and appointments ; and no doubt would prefer sending some one wild would not dare to express an opinion contrary to that, of his Excellency* or venture to dissent from him in any way whatever; but they are. wqfully deceived if they think the electors of this district have so. far forgotten their duty to, themselves and their country as to exchange a democrat f ah. aristocrat,' or even to lose sight of the fact, that it is dangerous to entrust the work*: ing of democratic institutions to an aristocracy. Hoping you will be able, to answer, my request, and apologising for trespassing so much on your columns’ I remain, yours,

Watchman,

[We believe that' Major' Trafford' has expressed his willingness to , come forward, provided a numerously enough signed requisition is presented to him. Those whose signature is asked to such a requisition should, bear in mind, that their signing commits them to a support of the candidate before having ftpublic expression, of his opinions.}

Sir,—l am not much inclined to newspaper scribbling, but I would ask you to insert a few lines with reference to a statement which appeared Jn your last issue. I do admire the assurance of the gentleman who imparted, the information therein given,— l namely,, that “ Mr. Nicholls bad been'appointed as.minister of the parish of Christchurch, fFanganui. by five nominators out of the six.” Now, sir, it is pretty well known, that at the parish meeting which was held here the other day, six vestrymen were appointed, whose duty it was. to appoint three nominators to act in : conjunction with the three, nominators chosen by the-Diocesan synod. Three out of the six vestrymen were opposed to appointing nominators who were likely to be favourable, to Mr. Nicholls’ return, the other three were gentlemen who,.professed to be fiivour-. able to Mr.. Nicholls. Their numbers being equal, they, were unable to- arrive at any decision on the, subject, ami the appointment of parisli nominators consequently rested with the bishop. It will at once be seen, therefore, that the nomination was left in the hands of the Bishop of /Wellington and the Diocesan nominators-—which is pretty generally understood to be one and the same thing. The purport of the paragraph in your last seemed evidently to imply, that Mr. Nicholls has been almost ..unanimously returned here, whereas there has been, and is now, a very strong opposition to him, and the few friends, of; Mr. Nicholls were not able to get a single nominator appointed in his favour. It, is rather singular, too, that one of the nominators selected by the Bishop of Wellington was a gentleman who could not get returned at the parish meeting either as churchwarden or vestryman, although the attempt was made. I am, sir, your obdt. servant, Veritas.

//uckland,. 24th Aug., 1860.' Sir,—/fs it is not improbable that niany of the horses and cattle taken from New Plymouth by the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui natives may be offered for sale in Wanganui and Wellington, great care should be taken by the inhabitants of those places in purchasing stock from natives, unless sufficient proof can be offered that they are really native property. I feel sure that the neighbourly feeling of the people of Wanganui and Wellington will lead them to act upon this information, and to do their utmost to spare the inhabitants of Taranaki from any loss through the indirect agency of their fellow-settlers. In confident reliance on that good feeling, I remain, sir, your obdt. servant, G. Outfield.

[Major Cooper, when at Taranaki, suggested that a person acquainted with the stock should be sent , down to identify any of it offered for sale, a simple and effective method of preventing what Mr. Cutfield is so anxious to avoid.] ' \