The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, JULY 19. 1887. POLITICAL REFORM ASSOCIATIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1613, 19 July 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, JULY 19. 1887. POLITICAL REFORM ASSOCIATIONS.

That the establishment of Political Reform Associations throughout the colony would be of great value to the electors goes without asking, provided r they could be divested of party feeling or bias, or have other than party aims and objects m view. But this is almost an impossibility, and hence the danger of their doing more harm than good. We have a notable instance of this m the Christchurch Political Reform Association. When it was started its promoters professed that it had not been originated with the view ofsu-,-poitiug any political party, but simply for the redress of political wrongs and grievances under which the electors were suffering. Doubts were expressed, owing to the appearance of so many names only too well known as opponents of the present Government, of the sincerity of these professions, and at last it was admitted that the Association had been started m the interest of the Alkin--sonian patty. Such, we fear, will prove the case with the Ashburton Political Association. The very fact of its being started on the occasion of a general election engenders the suspicion that the promoters have some political axe to gnnd~some party purpose to serve. The suspicion acquires strength as m perusing the report of the proceedings at the meeting last night. One speaker adversley criticises the adminstration of the present Government m unmeasured terms, and brings out the alleged missdoings or shortcomings of the Srout-Vogel Government m strong relief, while at the same time the more flagrant delinquencies ot the preceding Government are studiously, kept m the back ground —never even once alluded to. It is all very well well for the gentleman who moved the foundation of the local Association and explained its objects, to declare that it was "independent of party," but when his subsequent utterances which, however, were to some j extent set off by those of others taking part m the proceedings, were so onesided — so dead against the Government •—there aie very few, we 'think, whose political gullets are wide enough or whose political stomachs are strong enough to swallow the assertion except cum grano salt's.