ELECTION OF MEMBERS FOR THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF WELLINGTON.

Wellington Independent, Volume VIII, Issue 817, 10 August 1853, Page 2

ELECTION OF MEMBERS FOR THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF WELLINGTON.

The Nomination of Candidates for the return of seven Members to represent the City of Wellington in the first Provincial, Council took place on Monday last, the Bth inst., at Mr. James Smith's Auction Room, Plimmer's Wharf. A terndorary hustings had been erected outside the Ark for the accommodation of the various candidates, their proposers and their seconders, aud every arrangement necessary for the occasion had been made by Henry St Hill, Esq., lhe Sheriff and Returning Ollicer, for the convenience of the public also. The weather was any thing but propitious, the morning dull, cold, & gloomy with slight drizzling rain. Had it been more favourable the attendance of electors would in all probability have been much gtcater than it was. As the. day advauced the weather became still more unpropitious, and during the afterooon it rained very heavily. Precisely at 12 o'clock the cannon in front of the Custom House announced by its discharge that the hour of noon hud arrived, aud shortly after that the business of the day commenced. As there were no less than 16 candidates in the field, and as it was the first election of members to a Legislative Council since the foundation of the Settlement, and there might be some little difficulty and trouble as to the right of precedence in the nomination, H. St Hill, Esq., the Returning Officer, in order to obviate any dispute that might possibly arise upon such a point, very prudently directed that the order of nomination of .the several candidates should be according to the dates when their respective addresses were published. This arrangement, inasmuch as it was fair and impartial to all, was reatlilv acquiesed in by every candidate. H. St Hill, Esq., the Sheriff and Returning Officer, for the Province of Wellington, in opening the proceedings of the day, said, Gentlemen, a few weeks only have passed by, since it was my good fortune to congratulate you upon the introduction of the Constitutional measure, that once again claims your consideration. Tho first act of that measure has been completed scene by scene; and you are now on the threshold of the succeeding one. If, Gentlemen, the proceedings on the former occasion wete of un important character, the duties you are about to be called upon to exercise are equally so. Indeed, I conceive that in each progressive step that is required of you, until the enlire machinery has been perfected and practically brought into operation, your responsibilities become more and more onerous. It must be evident to you all that not only is the Mother country looking with tho greatest anxiety on this effort of its offspring, but the sister colonies, to whom this boon has not yet been conceded, are awaiting with much concern the result of the experiment about to be hazarded. In your hands then, Gentlemen, is placed a trust of a most serious, weighty, and responsible nature. You cannot imagine that although 1 am not a Candidate for the honor so many of my fellosv-settlers are solicitous of acquiring at your hands, that I am not, nevertheless, deeply interested in this matter. Even had I not tho stake in the Province which I possess, and had I not been one of its earliest settlers, I should still experience the liveliest in • t'erestin the success of your exertions in carrying out this measure of Constitutional Self-government, which has been meted out to you by the Imperial Parliament. Gentlemen, J shall detain you no longer; the number of Candidates and their able friends will occupy so much time, that I mnstsetan example of brevity on this occasion. I am here to-day to call upon the Electors of Wellington to nominate seven of their body to represent them in the Council of this Province. To-morrow the duty required of you will be to register faithfully/ and honestly, the votes you shall desire to have recorded for those candidates you each approve. I must now request you will have the goodness to ensure a patient heating to those gentlemen who are desirous to enlist you suffrages. The merit of each candidate will doubtless be dilated upon by his supporters ; the result of your appreciation of those merits will be testified at the close of to-mor-row's poll. At the termination of Mr. St Hill's address, ho enquired whether there was any geullemaa prcscut to propose Mr.

Fitzherbert, when Mr. W. W. Taylor came forward and briefly proposed Mr. Fitzherbert as, a fit and proper person to represent the Electors of Wellington in the first Provincial Couueil. Mr. Curler, in seconding the nomination of Mr. Fitzherbert, said he seconded Mr. Fitzherbert because of his political consistency and his great ability, and he sincerely believed that he would fairly and [ honourably carry out those great public measures which were necessary for the welfare of the country. It was unnecessary for him to allude to those measures as the public wore in possession of the opinions and principles of the candidate ; let the best man win—to-morrow was the day of judgment; he need not to remind them that the vote of each Elector would help to decide whether the Constitution was to havo a fair trial in New Zealand, was to realize those groat and grand expectations that had been formed of it; he believed it would _ but to accomplish that we.must have " Equal rights and equal laws, Hands and hearts in common cause." Mr. James Smith said that he came forward most cheerfully as the nominator of Dr. Dorset—Dr. Dorset was. on old and a tried colonist—his conduct and his character had been before the public

for the last 13 years, and was, therefore,

_ so well and so publicly known to all, as to _ require but little commendation. He (Mr. Smith) trusted that,in exercisiug for the first time the privileges conferred ' upon them by Representative Institutions, the Electors of Wellington would , do their duty by returning fit and proper s men to represent them, j Mr. Francis Jones seconded the nomi- _ nation of Dr. Dorset. , Mr. G. Crawford said, that in nominaI ting Mr. John Wallace to represent Welp ling in the Provincial Council, he was , presenting to his fellow electors a man who was well versed in political matters, who had while in England acted in cou- _ cert with most of the leading reformers , of the day—who was conversant with . political science, and who therefore was, | he thought, entitled to their suffrages. \ Mr. Wallace came before them free nnd unfettered—he identified himsolf _ with no parly whatever, aud the electors , would only be doing their duty by placing him to-mo:i'ow at the head of the poll. j Mr. John M'Beth begged to second , the nomination of Mr. Wallace, and although he felt pleasure in doing so, ' regretted that it hud not been placed in , better and more able hunds. [ Mr. John Gibson proposed Charles . Clifford, Esq., as one of the members to represent the City of Wellington in the first Provincial Council. Mr. Clifford, he was quite sure, would do his duty to [ lhe constituency if returned. He was a , man that would at all limes act freely, ' honestly and independently, and was not . to be bought by the prospect of place, _ nor seduced from the path of duty by the , allurements of office, or Government 3 patronage. Mr. Wm. Allen seconded the nomination of Mr, Clifford. Mr. Schultze very briefly proposed, C and Mr. P. M. Hervey seconded the n'o--3 initiation of Mr. James Kelham. ] Mr. Mackay, in proposing Mr- Joseph Masters, called upon the electors not to flinch from their duty, but to exercise the ' privileges conferred upon them in a fear- _ iess and independent way by electing ] men of honesty and integrity. Let measures and not men be their motto. Mr. James M'Beth seconded the nof ruination of Mr. Masters as the repre- _ seutative of the working classes, and , culled upon the electors to return one \ man at least who would sympathise with i a class, which was for the most part but j inadequately represented. Mr. Sellara came forward no nominate '. Mr. Wm. Lyon, merchant, of Wellington, to represent the interests of the '. electors of Wellington in the first Pro- ■ vinoial Council. Mr. Lyon had been ■ before them for upwards of 12 years, and '' his political character was therefore well - known to them. His course had at all [ times been honest, straightforward, and . consistent, and ought to secure for him a, high position on the poll. ' Mr. J- Blyth seconded the nomination of Mr. Lyon. '. Mr. G. Hunter said that it was well , known he was not a public speaker, and he would content himself therefore with simply proposing to their notice his friend , Mr. G. Moore as a fit and proper person , to represent them iv the Provincial Council. Mr. 11. J. Duncan seconded the nomi-. , nation of Mr. Moore. Mr, W. Allen proposed, and Mr Wm. ! Bowler seconded, the nomination of Capt . W. B. Rhodes. _■ Mr. E. A. Hargreaves said he came , forward for the purpose of nominating Mr. John King as a Candidate for the . Provincial Council. Mr. Wm. Adieu seconded the nomination. Mr. R. Waitt felt much pleasure in nominating Mr. Robert Hart, which was • seconded by Mr. G. Hunter. Mr. J. H. Wallace said he felt much pride in the nomination of Mr. Kenneth Betliuue as a candidate for a seat in the. Provincial Council. On behalf of Mr. Bethune, he would ask for a fair field antl no favour, and he felt assured that , nothing he could say would tend to raise, . Mr. Bethune in the estimation of. the electors, as bis political character bad been before them so long as to be too well known, and appreciated to call for any comment. Mr. R. Waitt seconded the nomination , of Mr. Beihune. Mr. D. Maun proposed, and Mr. F.

Murch seconded, tho nomination nf iv James May. ' Ba " Captain W. B. Rhodes proposed, and Mr. Luxford, Sen. seconded, 'the nomi nation of Mr. Francis Bradey, Sen; Mr. George Packman proposed, and Mr. Monaghan seobnded, the nbmhiarin,. of-Mr. William Fawcitt. /"° tt

Mr. St. Hill asked if any person had any other candidate to propose, and after the lapse of a few-minutes, Mr. Fitzherbert, came forward. We. might" as well state here, that in consequence of the length of the proceedings, press of time and various other matters and want of room, our teport of the addresses (loln vered by the respective candidates most necessarily be brief, and per* haps imperfect, but we trust that Htosi if not all of them, will contain the most'im> portant and essential parts of each'addressi ' ' '■

Mr. Fitzherbert said he had riot oomo beforo them for the purpose of making a set speech. He had come there on,that occasion to offer to the electors*-xif 'Wellington, his services- a» one of their"representatives in the provincial council, to present to them the rough and not 'the smooth side. He did not requirei otio elector to record a vote iv his favour, unless he had the utmost confidence and reliance iv his integrity and political consistency. He did not think it necessary at that tithe to advert to his political opinions, as they were all fully stated and set forth iv his address, and had now tor a long time been before them. He would however, speak-to one or ttfo points. Ist. With regard to the pledge, which he had refused to take, and which he still even at the eleventh hour refused to take, and would do so should it even cost him his election. 2ndly. With regard to parties, The idea of faction or political parties was now almost exploded m England, and but very little of it remain* ed there. Here, in New Zealand, however, in consequence of the kind of Government that had been hitherto pursued it was necessary that there should be a distinction, and a party feeling. He was not ashamed, in fact he was proud to boast, that here he was a party man, and was opposed, and ever would be opposed to the other party, the nominees. and their supporters. It appeared to him that there were no less than .three parties here, whom he-would compare to tho three genders, the masculine, the feminine, and Tiieuter. Pie considered that he belonged to the feminine gender, because he had been told that both himself and the party with whom he acted, must be ruled and governed with a rod of iron. The masculine gender represented the nominees, who had boasted that they had done all the good that'had hitherto been done for the colony, whilst the <nciiter.;geutler represented 1 the riiusb'--room' politicians, who bad sprung up all at once. The third and last point to which he would speak-was on the subject of a coalition which they had heard so ranch about. He denied the existence' of such a.coalition as that with which his* party had been taxed, but he could tell them where a coalition really did exist.' He had that morning seen and read a bill, wherein it was stated that Mr. Hart's, voting papers, could bcr'obtained and filled up at Mr. Moore's Committee' Room, and if that was not a -coalition, really and literally, he did not' know what the term meant. He hoped his friends and supporters would be early at the poll, and, if they had any confidence"in ' him, that they would by their votes place 1 him in the position he aspired to, as one of their representatives;'* • ■"-".

Dr. Dorset said he bad refused to take the pledge, and would always refuse it. He trusted that he had not resided for the last thirteen years in New' Zealand for nothing,- and without his political character being too well known within that period' for them to require him to take a pledge which implied a want of confidence in his honor and integrity. He was proud a to acknowledge that ho belonged to the liberal party, he had through life always advocated liberal interests and principles, and he should always continue to do so. He denied in the strongest terms that his party was a coalition party, he repudiated the aoeusation. They professed the. same poli-' lical principles it was trtte, but that did not constitute a coalition. -The nominee party consisted of nominees, political renegades and .crawlers, and therefore unworthy of the support of the electors. He trusted they would rally round him on the day of election, and if they re-' turned him-as a member' to the council, he would do his duty, and endeavour to remove all abuses. ■

Mr. John Wallace said ho had coma forward to offer his services to the electors of Wellington to represent their interests in the first provincial council."' His political principles were already published in the address he had issued. Those opinions, whether right or wrong, he would not retract nor alter, nor would he indeed at any time «ver eat his own j' words for any one. He'stood before tbem , f upon his own ground,—lre stood aloof from any and every party. He hadalways been a consistent and honest liberal, aud still continued to be one. A grtsat and vety important charter had been conferred upon the electors of Wellington by the new Constitution, '_ and it would rest with them and the men they returned, whether that charter would be fairly worked. Not only were their own interests concerned in the struggle for political power in which they were now engaged, but the interests also of. their gfamilios, upon the-result of this election, the future welfaro and prosperity of this province were deponding, and it

therefore behoved them to look well into the'merits of the various Candidates, more especially so, since under the act granting the Constitution, members were elected for four years. Tho Act, however, placed it in the power of the gover-nor-to dissolve that council at anytime, when he found it was no longer legisla 'ting for the good of the province it represented. He would now beg to leave his case in the,,hands of the electors, und hoped to see them early at the poll as his friends and supporters. Mr. .Clifford said that it was not without some degree of nervousness that he before them to solicit their suffrages,,in his favour. Tho duties of a member were of the most responsible "character, and he feared lest he should fail in the discharge of them if returned, and lest any. act -of his as a member of the Council should in any way damage ■ the cause he had so long advocated. He trusted that no act of his would give to the opposite; party room to say that the "iWectors would wish e'er long to return to the old nominee system. The nervousness he felt proceeded-from the diffidence which he entertained as to his ability to discharge his duties if elected, and this feeling would; operate very materially and jmake hira very watchful over his political •conduct. It had been said that he was a large fiockowner, and that therefore he '; 'had. peculiar interests to gratify. This -he denied. ;His interests were also the the interests of the community and were 'identical with- the industrious and agri/cultural interests. He was-a strong advocate Tor. the small farm system, and -although he-would.wish to see tho hills covered with sheep, he would at the same time also wish to see tho valleys and ...plains dotted with homesteads and agricultural cultivations. He also-advocated the necessity of opening up tho country by. means of roads &c. so that the poor -and industrious settler might obtain land .in small Quantities, and at a.low price, which he could not do without means of 'communication. He was sorry to observe 'Xh at religious matters had been brought forward and mixed up with the elections. It had even been said that on account of his religious tenets he was unfit to legislate for them. He would ask them merely to refer to history and they would find that, in the earlier periods of the English history, not only-kings but also some of •the best and wisest statesmen that England could boast of belonged to the reli- , gioti he professed. Ho would not detain v *hem longer, aud would merely say that .if.they returned him to the Council, be .;would never become a party man, but •would act for the public weal, and for that wily.. ■ Mr. Kelham,begged lo thank'tho electtOrs generally ibr the kind and numerous jjramises .of .support, he-had during his -canvass •received; and this from parties of mil political opinious. A man's political character could not be properly estimated ■antil iiis -public acts and the principles ■deduced from them were fully and fairly tested. It was not by professions only ttliat they should be guided, but by a man's past political conduct, and he trusted that his hail been sufficiently straightibr'wurd, consistent and liberal as to entitle h'itn to their -Support,. His political cha►riicter had been before them for many years now, and he thought it would bear She soveresttest and scrutiny. He should feel extremely sorry to say any thing that -could in any way injure or affect the character of any of the Candidates. Elections ivete not to he gained by abuse ; -and vituperation,.-and. if in the few observations he intended to make, tho character of any-.candidate ■should seem to ' he attacked, it -would not proceed from ' any wish on his part to attack it. Mr. ' Moore had been aslted whether if he was '< returned, and while holding bis seat, he ' should be -accepted as a Government i Contractor, he would resign. The answer ' which Mr. Moore gave to this question '■ on a former occasion appeared to him I wncandid and inexplicit. It was a prin- < ciple in parliamentary matters that no ( government contractor could retain his I seat as a representative. He must either ' throw up the contract or resign hissent. ' Mr. .Moore's..opinion upon the subject. ■ appeared however to be different, and therefore his answer was uncandid but Mr. -Moore would fiud that which he (Mr, Kelham) had stated was the parliamentary law ou the subject. An attempt had been made by Mr. King another of the candidates, in & speech he made tb the electors the other evening at the Britannia, Saloon to connect Dr. Dorset aud the other candidates belonging to the Constitutional Association with the recent proceedings instituted in the Supreme Court for, an injunction against Sir G. Grey's land proclamation of the 4th March last, The, way in which Mr. King endeavoured to conneot the Constitutional Association with this subject was because Mr. W. Dorsett, who was ' merely the nominal plaintiff in the cause, ' was not only the.brother of Dr. Dorset, but also a loading member of the Association. It was auecessary however for : him (Mr. X.) to tell therathat Mr. Wm. Dorset as.a nominal plaintiff had really no more to do with the proceedings, than , John Doe and Richard Roo would have in an action of ejectment. This Mr. King as a lawyer must have kuown, aud therefore it was an unwortby attempt on his part to conneot for the sake of party purposes tho Constitutional Association or any of its members with those proceedings, and more especially, indeed sinoe Mr. King acted himself as Solicitor for the Crown in the cause. Gn the land question he was anxious that every person however poor or humble should be a free holder, if "at least ho could afford tp par-

, chase only a single acre of ground. Hi r I should mt however ever wish to see th< _ colony in a state of pauperism. Ht i objected entirely to the system of lease . holds and would do 'all in his power tc rid the colony of such a pernicious system. He was in favour of cheap laud and small farms, so that a person howevet small the quantity he possessed might be able to say with pride this is my freehold and I have paid for it. He would notgc ; into the Couucil as a delegate, but as n free and independent represent!'tive and, if they were kind enough to elect.him, would always endeavour to discharge his duties to their satisfaction. Mr. Masters said that he supposed he belonged to the neuter gentler of politicians, and that he was either a mushroom or a new born politician. Ho trust- • ed nowever that he was at least consistent, and if elected would endeavour to give satisfaction to his constituents by his votes and conduct. With regard lo the questions of the day, it was well known he was in favour of small farms —also a tax upon land, from the proceeds of which to make roads, bridges, &c. He should also like to see a good public wharf, and good markets, but above all a large district of small farmers. He would advocate the strictest economy iv the Government expenditure, and considered in the present infant state of the colony £500 a year at present quite a sufficient salary for the Superintendent. Dr. Featherston, the Superintendent elect, was a man of very great ability he admitted, but the colony was not -in a position to afford him a greater stipend, he thought, than £500 a year In a young colony it is always better to begin stoutly and gradually at first, and afterwards increase as the revenue became greater, and its resources more developed. Mr. William Lyon said that he came forward to solicit the suffrages of his fellow electors as a candidate to represent them in tho first Province Council His political conduct had been before them for so many years, and was now so well known to them, that there was no occasion for him, he thought, to enter into an explanation of it. He would wish to see good laws and good order throughout the colony, and would advocate and support all measures tendingtosueha consummation. He. was not a party num.—if he-had a-,party at all, it was the people, and the people only. He stood now before the tribunal of public opinion, aud should go to tlie poll confident of his election. Mr. G. Moore congratulated the electors that one of the largest and" most liberal forms of government that hail ever been granted by the [inperi.il Parliament to any colony, had been recently conferred upon this, tho youngest, though he trusted not the least important of the British colonies. It was under this liberal measure of self-government that they were now about to exercise one of the most important privileges conferred up»u them by free aud representative institutions, viz., the election of seven fit and proper persons to represent them in their first provincial council. In the choice of their mem hers he trusted they would be careful and return tho most able and the most worthy. He had suffered a great deal, and had been severely reproached, for his past political conduct, but he thought that he should prove by bis future conduct if returned as one of their members, that he was undeserving of such reproaches. The principal charge brought against him by his opponents was that of nomineeism, or having accepted a seat as a nominee in Sir Geo. Grey's council. He had explained his conduct on this point at several previous meetings, and he would only repeat now, that he acted throughout conscientiously, and as he then, and still considered, f<tithe good of the colony. There were several more able and influential men in this settlement than himself, who ought to have supported the government of Sir G. Grey) but who did every thinu; in their power to thwart it, and as they termed it, to bring it to ti_dead lock. It was because thoso men refused to come forward and assist the government, that he - had, though reluctantly, consented to become a nominee, and he did not regret it for two reasons,—-first, because the government of the colony was thereby enabled to be carried ou, and secondly, because during the whole time he sat as a nomiuoe he conscientiously and fearlessly did his duty. But he had not only suffered in his political, but also, in his social character The opposition against him had not been merely confined to political matters, but had followed him oven into social circles. He had been voted oh" horse racing committees, and the Jockey club. The Horticultural society, of which he had once been a firm supporter, had rejected him from their committees, and the savings' bank committee had adopted the same conduct towards him. Notwithstanding, however, all 'these little vexations and annoyances he was consoled by the fact and the thought that lie had on every occasion acted fearlessly, conscientiously, and, to the best of his judgment he considered, for the benefit of. the colony. With regard to tho Nominee Council, their measures, and the Government of Sir George Grey, he would simply ask them whether the conduct of his Excellenoy the Governor had been right or wrong, detrimental or beneficial—had it conduced to tho prosperity aud good of the colony or had it uot ? Sir George Grey on his arrival here as Governor nearly eight years ago, found us at war with the natives,and has given us now peaco and security. He found the trade and commerce of the

Fe colony depressed and suffering from the ioJ very worst description of paper currency, [c vte.j Fitzroy's debentures and shin plas- -- ters; but now we have plenty of gold o and silver currency, and au excellent >- Government Bank of Issue. He found d us without any title to tho laud of the if colony, or to tlie purchases of laud we c had made froni lhe New Zealand Cotnd pany; but before Sir George leaves these 0 shores, we shall hare all our titles cona firmed, and the native title, as regarded I, the greatest part of the colony al least, i, extinguished ; and it was for supporting s such a Government as this and such a Governor that he had been stigmatized I c with political crime. The opposition did - not originate with him—he was fond of - peaco and quietness—ho did not like to - see party feeling, and would not en- - courage it in his own breast. A violent 3 party spirit and feeling had been got up X against him and several of the other t Candidates, and there had been a coali--1 tion of several of the Committees for 3 the purpose of ensuring the election of 7 ■> liberal candidates, but he trustedtbat the . electors would by their voles teach these 3 coalitionists that they were not to dictate 1 who should be their members. Mr. Fitz- } herhert had said something about himself l being of the feminine gender of politicians, and a very nice respectable old nurse/he (Mr. M.) had no doubt Mr. t F. would make ; but he for one should . not wish to be nursed by him, or fed with I his political pap. With regard to the s grounds upon which he had come fort ward to solicit their suffrages, he would , first observe that his votes while in the , Nominee Council were recorded, and he would with pride refer the electors to • them for his political character. He approved of the recent laud regulations of ■ Sir G. Grey as a wise aud liberal measure—He was in favour of a land tax i for roads, bridges, &c, also of an . extensive system of education/and would wish lo see a large portion of the revenue devoted to that purpose;'but such was the state of religious feelings in the colony at present, that in his opinion it would he almost impossible to establish a system of religions education upon a uniform or general principle. As regarded the New Zealand Company's debt, he did not altogether repudiate it, but he would vote .for the strictest enquiry into it. Something had boon said by oue of the candidates who had preceded him, about a coalition between himself aud Mr. Hart, but such was nut the case he could assure them. Mr. Hart had not been able to obtain a room for his Committee, and he had placed his Committee Room at Mr. Hurl's service ; but so fur from their being any coalition between them on this account, he could only say thut his Committee Room was ulso at the service of every other candidate, who might require the use of it. He would now thank them for the kind and patient hearing they had given him, and hoped for their support on the day of election. Captain Rhodes said, he appeared before them as a Candidate for a Seat in the Provincial Council. So much had ' been said by the other Candidates, that it left hira but little to say. He was known as oue of he oldest colonists, and his conduct both political and social had ■ been before I hem ft>r nearly 14 years. Be, therefore, thought that it must be well known to them, and that there was no occasion for him to say anything upon that subject. He had ever done his duty '.conscientiously. He bad formerly belonged to the Settlers' Constitutional Association, but it had now censed to exist, and he now belonged to no party or class He had always been the friend of the poor, and of the labouring and workingclass, and iv the worst times of the colony when money was scarce, war at its height, and provisions difficult to be obtained, he hal nevt'i- even iv such times discharged a single servant or labourer, but had kept them on at work at the sumo liberal wages. 11 n would wish to see every man a freeholder—he would advocate an extensive system of religi.ius education, as well for the native as the European children. He would vote for the immediate erection, of a lighthouse. He had been twilled about the importation of Chinese labour into the colony, but he preferred having lahnurci-s imported from his own country. It was necessary in his opinion for the welfare of the colony that we should have labour, and he thought that even Chinese labour was better than no labour at all, or that the colony should be ruined for want of labour of some kind. He trusted that they would support him on the day of election. Mr. King appeared before them to ' solicit their suffrages at the approaching : election. It had been said that he was ' seeking for pluce and preferment, and that that was the sole Object of his coming forward as a Candidate. This however he denied, but he would at the same time say that if he should be appointed Crown Solicitor either by his Honor the Superintendent or by the Council, he would,, if returned now by them, place his seat at their disposal aud solicit a renewal of their confidence, aud if reelected would discharge his duties honestly and fearlessly. His political opinions and principles were set forth in the card he had issued. Now with respect to tho Constitutional Association. The object of that association had been to obtain free institutions f>r the colony. These had been now obtained & therefore the association no longer existed, but out of that association had sprung a faction and a coalition which oould could not be denounced iv terms 100 strong. What is this coalition asking at your hands> |but irresponsible power. They refuse to take the pledge, thereby!

: shewing that political and irresponsible , power is their sole aim and object/and should they obtain it, mark my word they will keep it. They one and all repudiate the charge of combination, but what do yon cull it, gentlemen, when, in tho Bill out forward by them, they say that it is to secure the return of the six members mentioned in it. With respect to the election of the seventh mail put forwardby them, it is all a fudge. It is said that he had come forward to represent the working class. Now he (Mr. King) contended that tho interests of the working class were the interests of the whole community, and were identical. He belonged to no party himself, except the party of the people. With regard to the pledge they had a right to demand each candidate to take it, and every one that refused it, they would know how to deal with him. Ho would not say more, but would simply ask them, if thoy would havo him as one of their representatives in the Provincial Council. Mr. Hart said he had come forward upon a requisition numerously signed by his fellow Colonist 3. He would refer them to his character, which was well known to them, and hoped for their support. ■ ' ■ Mr. Carpenter read his address, and contended that every elector had a right to offer himself as a Cundidate. If the electors should bo pleased to return him, he would do his best to advocate the interests of that class he came forward to represent, viz. tho working class. Mr. Bethune said he would not detain them long. His political career and conduct was, hs thought, well known to them ; it was liberal and he hoped consistent, and would "always be the same. If returned, he would support every measure that would promote the prosperity of the colony. Mr. May said he had come forward to offer the electors of Wellington his services to represent them in their first provincial council. He had explained his principles and political opinions to them so fully at a public meeting lust Friday evening, that it was unnecessary after so short a lapse of time to recapitulate them. He objected very strongly to the same person having a seat iv both councils, viz , the Representative and Provincial. It would in his opinion be attended with danger to the constitution, and would place almost unlimited power in the hands of a few. He thought that there should be no concentration of power, no class legislation, and that every interest should be fairly represented. If they returned him, he would endeavour to discharge his duties I'aithlully ami honestly. Mr. i3rttdey, Sun., stood before them as a Candidate for their suffrages, and if they returned him he would do his best to advance their very best interests, and would vote as the majority of his constituents should dictate. He thought that they hud better make a tool of him, than be made tools of themselves by others, j Mr. Fawcett said they had heard a great deal about a working man, and a really hard-wot king one had at last come forward, in the person of himself, to solicit their votes. The Constitutional Act states that if a man is au elector, he can also be a Candidate, and he had come forward at the solicitation and requestofhis fellow working men. He had neither education nor laarniug to boast of, but he could boast of sterling honesty, common sense, and strict integrity, and he hoped that when they were filling up their voting papers, they would not forget the working man. H. St. Hill, Esq , the returning officer, then read the names of each candidate separately, aud called for a show of hands after each name. The followiug was the result of the shew. For Dr. Dorset and Messrs. Clifford, Wallace, Moore, Hart, King, Bethune, May, Musters and Lyon, the shew was good aud in tiiauy iustancps very nearly equal, while for lhe other Candidates/Messrs. Fitzherbert, Kelham, Rhodes, Carpenter, Bradey aud Fawcett, the shew was meagre and small. The Sheriff then declared the shew of hands to be in favour of the seven following Candidates, Dr. Dorset, Messrs. Clifford Masters, Moore, King, Hart, and ''May, whereupon Mr. Fitzherbert came forward and demanded a poll. • Tuesday, August 9. The polling commenced at 9,a.m., and for some lime was carried on,with great hustle and activity, but towards the close it began ta hg. until within the last hour when those who reserved their votes to the last came up and revived the polling. Tlie following is the state of the poll as returned .every hour and at the close of it. Aboiu|-120 Electors polled : — 10 o'clock ll 12 1 2,8-1 Clifford"' '(i'O m J 00" 213 240 252 281 Dorset 03 I' 3 J™ •'-'» 2-J2 2-1.1 272 Fitzherbert ■" 17 101 150 182 20S 223 255 Moore 33 8 4 lso ls2 2l(i 210 253 Wallace 47 101 111 17(1 20') 211 2:111 Ta'oo - - 41 SO las Hft I «4 m 203 nitliuue 40 79 lIS 131 101 108 19:. -Kelliu.il 33 07 104 121 113 Jsß jfav »* 5!) U:i 33 ° 5;,:1 ]W) Hart 28 08 114 140 107 171 Kin" 24 40 07 117 134 1-15 Fiuvcett 24 30 45 411 47 19 Masters" 10 . r "l. 105 122 140 154 Rhodes 12 21 30 43 4; 18 Carpenter 5 .. 0 25 25 28 33 Bradey 0 ° l * 1 ' 1« . Aliout five o'clock or soon after the Returning Officer came forward to an* nounce '.he state of the poll, and declared the seven highest on it as having been duly elected to represent the electors of Wellington in the first Provincial Council. Kuch candidate then briefly addressed the electors, ami a vote of thanks with three cheers having been given to H. Si. Hill Esq. the returning officer, the elec tioii terminated, and we cannot but con* gratulato our fellow electors at the peace*

3 able, quiet, and orderly manner in which 1 all throughout, this, 'the first contested f Election of members for Wellington ) passed off-and was conducted. ) I' ■ , —!!—!.. »1 > I From the Government Gazette, Afis. 4. ' Civil Secretary's Office, 1 Wellington, 29th July 1853. 'A His Excellency the Governor directs it; lo be notified for general information that from and after the Ist day-of August next, the heads of the undermentioned Departments of the Establish- ' meuts of the late Province of New Mun- [ .iter will receive their instructions from ,- aud make all their Reports to his Honor tho Superintendent of the Province of ' Wellington :— The Officers in the Colonial Secretary's , Department. . The Officers in the Provincial Council's . Department . The pflicers in lhe Sheriffs Department. , The Officers in the Resident Magistrate's Department in the Town of Wellington. , The Officers in the Police Department. The Officers in the Medical Department. The Officers in the Public works and I Roads. The Inspector of Sheep and slaughter Houses. By his Excellency's vommand, Alfrkd Domett, Civil Secretary. Civil Secretary's Office) Wellington, 29th* July, 1853. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Oliver Barker D'Arcy, Esquirk, A Captain in H.M. 65th Regiment, and Acting-Major of Brigade, S.D., to be a Justice of the Poace of the Province of Wellington, the appointment to date from the 15th instant-. By HU Excellency's command, Alfrkd Domett, Civil Secretary. ♦—