The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, MAY 21, 1883. A Defeated Candidate.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 948, 21 May 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, MAY 21, 1883. A Defeated Candidate.

The account of the triumphant journey from Reefton to Greymouth of the defeated candidate for the Inangahua seat, which we published in Friday’s issue, shows that a very strong feeling has been roused on the West Coast concerning the election. We may mention here that we were in error in attributing that report to the Press Association : it was in reality a special message to a Christchurch paper, but although it is a partisan and somewhat extravagantly worded account of what took place, the main facts may be considered trustworthy. When we find an unsuccessful candidate receiving an enthusiastic reception such as a popular Governor might envy, crowds meeting him at every stopping-place, and a County Council adjourning that they might express sympathy for his illfortune, we naturally begin to wonder what it all means. And this wonder is increased tenfold when it is taken into account that a few short weeks ago Mr Wakefield and the majority of the West Coast electors were unknown to each other, so that we must dismiss as unlikely the idea that all this demonstration was due to the late candidate’s personal popularity. We are told, though it is not easy to see upon what data the calculation is based, that out of the seven hundred and eighty votes obtained by Mr Wakefield, seven hundred were those of miners. These figures may or may not be correct, but we presume that it can be taken for granted that the mining population did not support Mr Shaw. Miners probably have not very clear or very strong opinions upon abstract political questions, but they possess an Englishman’s love of fairplay, and we have a shrewd suspicion that all this enthusiasm is the outcome of a belief that the battle between the candidates was not fought on its merits. Nor, if all we hear concerning the manner in which the election was carried on be true, can it be said that this view of the question is not justified. It is reported, with a considerable show of reason, that Mr Shaw, who was avowedly a Ministerial nominee, came down to the constituency with lavish promises of what would be done for the district if he were elected. He appears to have said in effect; Return me to the House as your representative, and I am in a position to promise that your local wants will be attended to, but if my opponent, whom the Government will not recognise as a supporter, is elected, you may rely on very little public money being spent on the West Coast. If these were the tactics resorted to by the Ministry, we have no hesitation in declaring them unworthy, to use no stronger terra. Scarcely any comstituency would be strong enough to resist a temptation of this kind, and the wonder is that Mr Wakefield was not defeated by a far greater majority. Whether the accusation is well founded or not, it is sufficiently evident what is the opinion of the Inangahua electors on the subject, and we trust that for the credit of the Government the charge of having used what cannot be termed otherwise than undue influence to secure the return of Mr Shaw will be controverted. So far as having obtained •a safe vote those now in power have gained a victory, but, if all that is alleged is true, the strongest supporters of the Government will condemn their

action. The colony has shown that it has confidence in the present Ministry, but thaLconfidence will be shakeb," if not shattered, should it be proved that 1 they are not above using such means as have been referred to for the purpose of obtaining the return of a candidate favorable to their views. The charge is at any rate a very serious one, and it is to be hoped that it will be as boldly met as it has been clearly formulated.