The Wanganui Chronicle, AND TURAKINA AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER Wanganui, April 29, 1865.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 9, Issue 503, 29 April 1865, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle, AND TURAKINA AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER Wanganui, April 29, 1865.

There is to be a contest here for seats i?i the Provincial Council—a drawu battle with equal forces on each side, but although the one side has stolen a march on its rivals and lias been'canvassing since Wednesday, we believe that they wage an unequal contest. On one side as out and. out supporters of Dr. Featherston and his policy, stand Dr. Allison and Messrs Cameron and Watt ; on the other side as men who will choose 'the right and throw their weight into any measures which they believe beneficial to the Province and the district, irrespective of what Dr. Featherston’s opinion may be, stand Messrs. Bryce, T. Kells, and Morgan. The Featherston party have chosen their best-and most popular men—men, whom for many reasons, the district has reason to respect, but yet men whom tlxe district if it act consistently with, its recently recorded opinion at the election of the Superintendent, cannot return as its representatives in the council. There i« no man in the district, whom we ghoul cl prefer to see at our bedside in a case of accident or disease to Dr. Allison, whom, altho’ ho docs not turn his skill in medicine to pecuniary account, we believe to be a most judicious and able medical adviser ; but we question his ability jjas a state physician, and would not be inclined to record our vote for him at the poll. He has been in the council a warm supporter of the late Government’s measures, and lias /too dared to call in question anything it or iiff head has done, unless we except the Government procedure in the matter of the re-adjustment of the representation. His motto is, “the Superintendent canfdo do wrong,” and ho has attempted to justify all his Honor’s actions in reference to separation. The mental obliquity or eccentricity which this attempt shows would of itself be a sufficient reason against the election of Dr. Allison. He is a most respectable and very conseientsous man ; but his party feelings warp his judgment, and at their command he is ready to call black white. For these reasons his election would be a most acceptable tiling to Dr. Featherston, but greatly to be objected to by the electors. The next of the trio on that side is Mr. Cameron, who represents the run-hold-ing interest. Hio Honor the Supeviutentendonb represents himself and is believed by many, to have great influence with the Hgatiraukawa and th* Ngatiapa who are at the present moment getting rather troublesome to their tenants, of whom Mr. Cameron is said to be one ; and in this little fact, we are told, is to be found the key both to Mr. Cameron’s present offer of hiiaself hi a candidate, and to his opposition to separation, of which it may be remembered he was a friend, until he saw that it was possible a new Provincial Government might be less favourable to runholding thanthepresent superintendent. As the Superintendent is the only barrier against the extortionate and increasing demands of the Maori land owners, Mr. Cameron goes in as a staunch supporter of the Superintendent. We are quite aware that he will

have another war cry. The bridge will be brought forward as the object of liis political existence. Pie will have come forward in th« conviction that unless the friends of the Superinfcendenfcare returned, the bridge, which the C«mi’uitfcee have ordered, and for which they are advertising for a loan, will not be built. If the Committee were anxious to damn the project, "they could not take a more effectual way, than this reference of the construction of the bridge to the whims of the Superintendent ; nor could this cry which Mr. Cameron will probably raise, be substituted for another which would more effectually demonstrate |tbat. the Superintendent’s aim is not the good of the district, but his own aggrandisement. If Mr. Catner*n try to step into the Council by the Wanganui bridge he will inflict a most blow on the parity with which he at present identifies himself. Mr. Watt, the third candidate, has long sat in the Council. As a practical navigator, he knows by bin own observation, that "the Wanganui Fiver is susceptible of great improvement. But wh.nt has he done in this matter, which might have been supposed to belong peculiarly to himself? The only thing that has been done for the improvement of the navigation of the river is the placing of a few buoys in the channel. A vote of Jt'soo for the raising of snags was indeed proposed in the Council and carried ; but the money has uofc been expended. Now we are far from saying that Mr. Watt has not been of use to the district, for we believe the contrary. To secure his influence, the Superintendent has to a certain extent consulted his wishes ; but if 'Mr. Watt with all his influence, has accomplished t *so little, can it be believed that he has done as much as in his position and with his opportunities he might and ought to have done? We have instanced the improvement of the river as a matter in which he was interested personally as well as in the character of a representative ; and if vve may judge Jjfrom it as representing the public good his return to the Council ’has effected, we say it has been vastly less than his position and influence euabled him to do. Mr. Watt has been all along bound hand and foot to the Superintendent ; and if he go to the Council, he goes to encourage him in his despotic and arbitrary sway. If this constituency think it proper that the Superintendent should disregard the votes of the Council, treat its members as nonentities, and make the construction of roads and bridges dependentjon his autocraticjwil] influenced by the servility or independence of his subjects, in that case they will return Mr. Watt. The three Candidates on the other card are men prett}' well known in the district. Mr. Bryce has already been in the Provincial Council,and,having been tried has not been found wanting. His knowledge of all matters connected with the district is thorough, and his desire to see improvement made is sincere ; and with respect to general provincial matters he is equally well informed. Mr. Kells is well known for his coolness of judgment and consistency. Fie has formed his political opinions gradually from observation of men and events, and every day is showing that his conclusions have not been too hastily arrived at. But he is known, and will stand high on the poll. Then there is Mr. Morgan, who is well known as a very intelligent and earnest politicau, as honest as Andrew Marvell, and as plain spoken as William Cobbett. We believe indeed that three men in the district will not be found more versed m the politics of the Provinoe and more disinterestedly determined to do their best for this particular district of it. There is only one fault sve find to this card, and that ia one comparatively trivial. It does not inclade a member belonging to the town. Thfe other card does ; but then the country names on it are those of gentlemen whose properties border on each other or are in close neighbourhood ; and so on it the different country districts do not scud their own representative men. In this respect, then, the two sets of names are much on a par ; and in other respects we believe the second trio to be greatly superior. Next Saturday will show whether the Electors are of the same opinion.

The nows from Taranaki to day by tbe Rangatira is important. On Sunday morning last, one of the mounted corps named Joseph Hawke, and a private of tlio 43rd, belonging to a party of eight men, out unarmed for tlieir amusement, from the camp at Stonoy Creek, were killed by the Maoris, who came down upon the party to the number of twenty on horseback. The men fled, and six reached the camp. The body of Hawke was almost riddled with bullets. The body of the soldier has not been found. On the same day the people in New Plymouth were alarmed by the intelligence that a largo force of Waikatos was coming clown to attack the town. On the following morning 200 soldiers and 62 bushrangers, under Col. Mulock’s command, were sent off in the

Phoebe to the White Cliffs, in order to intercept the expected “ tan a” there ; bub owing to the heavy surf, only 63 soldiers and 49 bushrangers succeeded in landing, with merely the ammunition in their boxes, and without provisions. The Phcebe steamed bade to Taranaki, where the heavy weather prevented her from landing her men, and then slie proceeded to Manakau. On the same day a force of 100 friendly natives started overland for the White Cliffs, ami it was reported that sixteen of Wra. King’s natives had joined the party there, or surrendered to them On Sunday a party of the mounted corps was dispatched to the Stoney Creek, and on Monday morning a company of the regulars followed. Yesterday the Wanganui took down 200 men of the Military settlers to Te Namu. This place is abouthalf-way between Stoney Creek and Waingongoro. The White Cliffs are 35 miles to the North of New Plymouth These movements, in connection with those that have been begun here, show that what we hinted at on the 12tli inst. is likely to be realised, and that Lieut .-General Cameron may be shown before the winter is over the colonists’ idea of conducting a war. We are for the above intelligence chiefly to the ‘ Taranaki News’ of the 27th, which reports the loss on Monday last of the Black ‘Diamond’from Havelock with timber, part of which has been saved. She drifted ashore nearly opposite the bonded stores, and broke up in a few hours.