WEST COAST ELECTION.

West Coast Times, Issue 67, 7 November 1865, Page 2

WEST COAST ELECTION.

Monday, the 6th November,' should be long remembered by the inhabitants of the West Coast, for at noon tho nomination of candidates to represent them in the Canterbury Council took place in front of tho Police Court. The | day was most unfavorable ior the occasion, it ! being one of those wet ones so peculiar to the West Coast, and Hokitika and the neighborhood was in consequence in a most unmitigated state of mud, which no doubt tended to prevent a great number of electors from attending who would otherwise have certainly come forward Moreover, a considerable damper had been thrown upon the movement through the intelligence received by Mr Sale from the Provincial Solicitor, touching the qualification necessary to be possessed by those gemtlemen who intended to offer themselves as supplicants for the "sweet voices" of the people. At about noon yesterday Mr. Sale, as Returning Officer, appeared onthe platform in front of the court-house, and read the usual writ;, afterwards calling upon any gentleman who had a proposition to make to come forward and do so. Not much alacrity, however, was shewn in answering this appeal, quite ten minutes elapsing ere the ice was broken, and the scene was rapidly verging on the ludicrous when Mr. Prosser stepped forward and proposed Mr. G. E. FitzGerald as a fit and proper person to represent the West Coast in the Provincial Council. Mr. Denslow seconded this nomination, wLich was received in dead silence by the crowd. Mr. Denslow then proposed Mr. Crosbie Ward as a fit and proper person, &c, which nomination was in the promptest manner seconded by Mr. Frosser, and received by the assemblage with a silenco equally as profound as before ; men being thrown into a state of perplexity at such unexpected names being brought forward, evidently wondering whether they heard aright, or if they were not standing in front of a Christchurch hustings instead of the in centre of Hokitika. Mr. Beeves next proposed Mr. T. Ritchie as a representative for the West Coast, which nomination received the support of Mr. Ferguson, and although no demonstration was made by the gentlemen round the hustings either for or against it, they evidently by a spontaneous movement experienced a feeling of relief that something tangible had at last been submitted to them. Mr Gibson proposed Mr E. Barff as a man well qualified to act for them. This was seconded by Mr A. Cook, and was well received, (cries of ''Barff's the man/ "That's him," breaking forth.) Mr Bracken advancing to the edge of the platform, said he felt the greatest pleasure in proposing Mr E. Prosser. Everybody knew him in Hokitika ; and there were few, he felt certain, that did not place overy confidence in him as onewell qualified to uphold their cause in the Council of the Province. As for the necessary qualifications, he believed that when Mr FitzGerald introduced the bill, he intended that members should be chosen out of the constituency who returned them, and not froir. amongst Christchurch merchants and squatters. lie was sorry to see so few present, but he hoped when the polling-day arrived the brave men of Ireland, England, and Scotland would come forward and put his man and theirs at the head of the poll* (The Major's proposition was enthusiastically received.) Mr E. Hall seconded this nomination without comment. The next gentleman nominated was Mr E. M'Glasban, who was proposed by Mr Prosser, and seconded by Mr Denslow. After making the usual enquiry whether there was any other gentleman to bs nominated, Mr. Sale stated that he could not receive the nomination of Messrs. Ritchie, Barff, Prosser, and M'Glashan, they being disqualified. This decision was received with great dissatisfaction by the assemblage, and a perfect babel of sound prevailed, when Mr. South, who had hitherto kept in the back ground, now edged his way through the press, and as soon as he could make himself heard entered a protest against it on behalf of Mr. M'Gashan. • South saicl ne was surprised atthedeci- i sion of Mr. Sale, as that gentleman was usurping the authority vested in the Provincial Council alone. It was his duty to merely receive the nominations of those gentlemen brought forward by the electors, and not decide who were or who were not qualified to take a seat in the Council. ItJ was the practice, on the Council first assembling, to appoint an election committee to decide upon the qualifications of new menbers, and whether they had a right to take their seats or not. He should, therefore, most respectfully tender his protest, and expect that Mr. M'Glashan's name would be recorded as having been proposed and seconded. Whatever the private opinion of the Returning Officer may be, it was clearly his duty to return him should he poll the necessary number of votes. Mr. South declared he felt proud to champion the cause of Mr. 'M'Glashan, for he was a good man, possessing much experience, and well qualified to uphold the interests of ths West Coast community. He had lately joined a firm ia Hokitika; had the welfare of the place at -heart, and consequently in a mercantile sense must take an interest in it; and no better man for j their present pnrpose was to be found amongst ! them, i (shouts of applause, and "We'll have M'Glashau.") Mr South thanked the electors for their expiessions of good feeling, and trusted the Returaing Officer would reconsider the matter, Mr Shepherd, on behalf of Mr Prosser, entered his protest against the decision of the Returning Officer, and expressed his surprise such a decision should have been arrived at by him. Addressing Mr Sale, he said— Your functions, sir, are purely ministerial in this election ; you being here but to receive the names of those who are nominated by the electors, and ; n6t to decide upon their fitness to take seats in the Council should they be elected. Only in the case of a candidate not having possessed a business license or minei'r, right for the specified time can you, Mr, reins'* to record his name ; aud although Mr M'Glpshan on that account may be flisqualificd, yet I uniatoin Mr P.o s«r i; m T ; an.l if you icfiiao^ to acctH't him, y.m teko Mi.* Ki-poiiw-'iilioy^ ujio!> "o'lvell", and u.-ut p !'i n • •_• i .n« oi' [it;* Pn'v'ii«i,ii C miril f ' (■•!•■ liopr tint vfi-., i , '•!'! i-n-

sider this matter, and permit thoso names that have already been recorded to remain so . One of the fundamental principles of representation is that those who have the right to vote have also the right to stand. Look at the case of Mr. G. Brodie, at the Dunstan ; he possessed no other qualification than his business license, and yet he was returned, and unopposed took his seat in the House. With these feats before you, sir, I trust you will be cautious how you proceed, for errors will creep in, and even lawyers differ in opinion, and therefore it is just possible the Provincial Solicitor may be mistaken on this point. Loud expressions of approval greeted the speaker as he concluded. The Eeturning Officer, who had been some time intently perusing the writ, rose and stated that he believed he had been mistaken, for on again reading the writ, he saw the question of qualification did not lie with him. and that he was there to return, .and not to judge. sThis unexpected straight forward avowal was met by the universal approval of every one present. A show of hands was now called for, which resulted in the following numbers. For FitzGerald and Ward no hands were held up that we could see. For Mr, Ritchie 4, Mr. Barff 20, Mr. Prosser 33, and for Mr. M'Glashan 43 ; Me3sis. M'Glashan. and Prosser were therefore declared duly elected. Mr. Gibson, on beLalf of Mr. Barff, demanded a poll, which was appointed to take place on Saturday next, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4> p.m., at those places already advertised. A hearty vote of thanks being awarded to the Eeturning Officer, the crowd dispersed, and a meeting remarkable for its orderly nature, if we consider the occasion, ended.

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