THE MEMBERS FOR WESTLAND AND THEIR HOKITIKA CONSTITUENTS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 364, 30 September 1868, Page 2

THE MEMBERS FOR WESTLAND AND THEIR HOKITIKA CONSTITUENTS.

A few days ago we mentioned the fact, that the Committee recently appointed at a public meeting held in Hokitika respecting the Government Financial Scheme, had deputed Mr Cassius to proceed 1o Wellington as a delegate " to strengthen the hands of Messrs BarfFand Harrison, and to place before the Government a correct view of the position of Westland in the contemplated financial arrangement." Not merely was this done, but as will be seen by the telegrams given underneath, the Committee appear to have been anxious to take upon themselves the responsibility of the sole control and management of the whole affair. In reference to this matter, the following remarks are made in the " Grey River Argus" of Saturday. " In spite of the assurances which have frequently been transmitted to them by their representative that the Government scheme of finance was the the best of the two for Westland, this committee of Hokitika politicians, in a most peremptory manner, ordered Mr Harrison to oppose the Government, and vote for Mr Fox. In proof of this statement, we subjoin the telegrams which passed between Mr Fox, Mr Harrison, and the Hokitika committee : TELEGRAM TO MR EOX. Resolutions not submit finance scheme fair to Westland; £BOOO interest, or from Government £300,000. Committee appointed to communicate with Government consist of Mayor, Cassius Mowatt, Bright, Mcßeth, Shaw, and myself. You may get more from Westland members. Give copy Harrison. (Signed) Klein, telegram to westland members. Great excitement about injustice to Westland. People require you to resist Government, unless concessions made in terms of telegrams to Fox. Departmental expenses will leave nothing for roads, &c. Unfair land

Bale to-day; increasing excitement. — (Signed) Prosser, Cassius, Shaw, Mowatt, Bright, Klein, Mcßeth (Committee). TELEGRAM TO HOKtTIKA COMMITTEE. Tour telegram received. You need be under no apprehension that I shall neglect Westland interests, but I decline to accept the position of a mere delegate, desired to be imposed upon me by persons who must necessarily possess but an imperfect knowledge of the question in its various phases. I consider that I have been unfairly dealt with. Tou ought not to have communicated with Fox except through myself. (Signed) Habbison. It is very satisfactory to leara that the result of the debate has shown that the Westland members were not to be Tioodwinked as to the real question at issue between them and their constituents, and have voted consistently in -accordance with their political opinions in defiance of the mandate of the committee. They have refused to become mere delegates, speaking and voting only in accordance with the instructions forwarded to them from any body of their constituents, having no minds whatever of their own. We are glad that the member for the Boroughs has in an open and manly manner resented the insult which has been offered to him, and we cannot do better than quote entire the letter which he has addressed to the Ilokitika Committee, and which we feel assured, will be accepted as a sufficient vindication of his conduct, by the great body of his constituents. It is as follows : House of Representatives, Wellington, Sept. 17,1868. Gentlemen —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a telegram from you informing me that "the people require" me to pursue a particular course of action with respect to my vote on the No-confidence motion of Mr Fox, and referring me for further information to another telegram forwarded by you to Mr Fox. I wish to assure the Committee that they, and the public of Westland generally, need be under no apprehension that the interests of the County are not receiving the utmost anxious care and watchfulness from myself and Mr Barff. At the same time, I must express my surprise that either the Committee' or public eould expect me to become the mere delegate of those who must necessarily possess but an imperfect knowledge of the various phases of a question involving many changes of public policy, and which •cannot be fairly considered from a purely local point of view. With all due respect to the Committee, I submit that the tone of their' message, and the fact that they have been, in communication with the leader of the Opposition, without making me aware of such being the case, have placed me in a position which, as the representative of the constitutiency, I ought not to occupy. I must at all times be glad to learn what are the views and opinions of my constituents, and be especially so if mine coincide with them ; but at the same time I claim to exercise my vote on all occasions, and shape my political action according to my own discretion, the responsibility of which I am perfectly prepared to sustain. I an, &c, W. H. Harbison. To Messrs Prosser, Klein Bright, and the other gentlemen forming the Committee.