The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 15, 1883. The Inangahua Election.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 943, 15 May 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 15, 1883. The Inangahua Election.

The result of the election for the Inangahua seat, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. Weston, will not only cause general surprise, but most people will also be puzzled to account for the reasons which governed the West Coast electors in rejecting a well-known and well-tried politician like Mr Wakefield in favor of Mr Shaw. When the late member for Geraldine first commenced the campaign we had such glowing accounts sent to us by telegraph as to the manner in which he was received, that the betting seemed to be the proverbial Lombard Street to a China orange on his gaining the day. ' An Italian opera chorus could not have been more unanimous than were Mr Wakefield’s •numerous'audiences in their expressions of approval of the candidate’s political views, and in every instance enthusiastic votes of confidence were passed. Later on, however, when the gentleman from Wellington appeared on the scene, precisely the same story was told concerning him, and the curious spectacle was presented to us of th^

same people approving of the views of two opposing candidates. Nobody has much faith in the value of these votes ot confidence, which are in most instances merely complimentary, but the enthusiasm that we were informed the Inangahua election called forth, seemed to show that in this instance the votes did, in the early stages of the campaign, give some indication of the feeling of the constituency. The event, however, has proved that this idea was a mistaken one, and the result of this election will be a lesson to any aspirant for parliamentary glory, who has an ambition to represent a West Coast electorate, not to put bis faith in promises of support received in that quarter. There is a story told of a certain dancing competition which took place many years ago in an English provincial music hall. The first competitor was facile ptinceps in the saltatory art, but, unluckily for his chances of obtaining the prize, a good many had to come after him, and by the time the competition was over, the judges had forgotten all that had gone before, and gave their verdict in favor of the last man, who was a very inferior artist. There is a moral attaching to this simple little fable, which we think is d tout propos of this election. The fact that Mr Wakefield was first in the field was generally considered to give him an advantage, but the truth is probably that it was this which contributed chiefly to his defeat. Mr Smaw, who had lived on the Coast and would know more of the people than would his opponent, acted advisedly in not making his appearance sooner on the scene, and no doubt trusted to the short political memory of the Inangahua electors as one of his chief weapons in the battle. The result has shown the wisdom of these tactics, and it is to them, combined with the Ministerial influence that was brought to bear in his favor, that Mr Shaw owes his success. As to the relative administrative abilities of the two candidates, there can, we imagine, be scarcely two opinions, and there were other considerations which should have induced the electors to return Mr Wakefield, Although not a local man, he at any rate belonged to the same island, and the interests of Westland and Canterbury are in the main identical. As it is, Inangahua has by its decision, given simply another vote to Wellington, and although the new member may busy himself about certain purely local matters, on questions of national policy his vote will naturally be in favor of the North Island. We confess that we should for many reasons have liked to have seen Mr Wakefield again in Parliament, but it is at any rate some consolation to us that the present Government have obtained another supporter. Anything that would prevent the Radical party from obtaining the power they so much covet is to be welcomed, and this in itself goes some way to reconcile us to the return of Mr Shaw.

An emergency meeting of the Ashburton Kilwinning Royal Arch Chapter is convened for this evening at the Masonic Hall.