West Coast Times. AND WESTLAND OBSERVER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1872.

West Coast Times, Issue 2239, 3 December 1872, Page 2

West Coast Times. AND WESTLAND OBSERVER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1872.

The commencement of the several battles to be fought for the representation of the constituencies returning members to the County Council, may now be considered to have fairly opened. The nominations have been goue through at the Arahura, Kanieri, Totara, and Okarito, but we have returns only from the first two named districts. At the Kanieri Mr H. L. Robinson is opposed "by Mr James Reynolds, a gentleman hitherto unknown to fame in political circles, though possibly very well qualified to occupy worthily the position he, aspires to hold. Still, we should think that his chance is so infinitesimally small against Mr Robinson, that it is somewhat surprising he should put himself to the trouble, and the County' to the expense of contesting the election. The Kauieri Electoral District is Mr Robinson's stronghold ; he has made it particularly his own in many ways, and it is sheer waste of ammunition to fight against him. Nor do we believe that the fight is earnest, and we should not be surprised to learn, at a very early date, that Mr Reynolds has withdrawn from the battle, preferring to retain the comfortable, and, no doubt, pleasant obscurity he has hitherto enjoyed, leaving to Mr Robinson all the honor and the hardship attaching to the position of a member of the County Council of Westland. But whether Mr .Reynolds marches himself off forthwith, or continues in his daring; attempt to unsaddle the present occupant of the Kanieri seat* the result will be the same ; Robinson and the Kanieri are synonomous terms ; and we may set it down as a fact, certain though not yet proved, that Mr Henry Lee Robinson is virtually a member of the incoming Council. Sincerely we consider this a matter for congratulation, however much we may be disposed to deprecate the exclusiveness of the Kanieri constituency. Mr Robinson has taken a very active part for some time in the work' of the County Council, and in the major part that activity was most manifest in adverse criticisms upon the proceedings of that body. It is therefore a very favorable sign. when we find him willing to take again a part in what he at one time seemed to deem a play played out. There is hope yet for the County, or Mr Robinson would not have come to the front' The Arahura is blessed with four aspirants for the honor of occupying the one seat allotted to that district. Two of these are gentlemen of whom we have hitherto known nothing, except in connection with Road Board matters. One of them, Mr Byrne, has been for some time secretary to the Arahura Road Board, and the only speciality for which he is remarkable is a general condition of fogginess, in which he gets himself so overwhelmed occasionally, that he sets down in his minutes conclusions the very reverse to those arrived at. This, at al] events, is our experience of Mr Byrne in connection with the Road Board Conference. Probably he is a very good surveyor, and quite good enough for secretary to the Arahura Road Board, but judging' from certain scriptory productions of his in our possession, we should not be inclined to felicitate purselves upon his return as a member of the Council. Next we have Mr Sed|don, the Chairman of the same Road Board, the servant of which contests with him the privilege of adding M.C-.C. to his name. Mr Seddon is a candidate altogether of a different stamp to Mr Byrne, though both are connected witli the same Road Board, and we should be very glad to see him persevering in his very laudable endeavor to represent his own district in the County Council. Of Mr White and Mr Barff we can have but little to say. Both have been . before the public so prominently that ir, would be a superfluity of criticism to scan their merits

or delineate their faults. The choice rests with the electors, and we can only hope that it wijl be such as will conduce to their interests and to those of the County generally.