THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

West Coast Times, Issue 1660, 25 January 1871, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

To the Editor of the West Coast Times

and Observer.

Sir — Before the votes are taken which will decide who shall represent us in the Assembly, Mr Barff or Mr White, allow me to remind my old mining acquaintances that when I was working about two years ago, Mr White, in n series of letters, thought fit to blackguard the miners of the Hau Ilau because they protested against his impertinence. On the 22nd January, 1860, a letter appeared in the West Coast Times, signed by .128 miners, protesting against John White's remarks, at an indignation meeting in Hokitika. It is wellknjwn that indignation is Mr White's peculiar weakness, and he in certainly never so amusing as when he is in his " tantrums." This is a very homely phrase, but I know of no other that so thoroughly conveys anything like a correct idea of the peculiarly delightful frame of mind in which Mr White thinks proper to indulge when opportunity at any time presents itself. I cannot say th;it I am acquainted with Parliamentary usage, but it occurs to me, that if "honest John" should ever have the opportunity to conduct himself in the House of Representatives in the same style for which he became celebrated in the County Council, that ne would immediately find himself in custody of the sergeant-at-arms, and be ignominiously expelled the Hou*e. Sir, Mr White is now asking the miners for their votes, but we do not forget his past sneers at our class, neither do we h s private remarks among his cla«s, with regard to the ort of " bunkum" with which he said he was at any time prepared to " gull" the miner. Now is the time for the miner to show his sympathy with or again »t such a style. Work like men and register every vote in favor of Mr Barff— -a man whose only fault with the Hokitiks aristocracy is that he is one of ourselves— his sympathies the same as ours, since he is poor like us, a miner like v«, therefore of very low cas e. Kemember t io-e things on polling day, and see that all vote who have tne light.

In conclusion I would quote from Mr White's letters, but the remarks made in them are still so fresh in the minds of the miners, that I deem it unnecessary to do more than simply refer to them at prtsent. Hoping th y are neither forgotten nor other than duly appreciated, I am, &c.,

POSSUM.

Greek's Gully, Jan. 20.