TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3227, 2 November 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1881.

Shearing operations have somewhat dulled the interest ia the forthcoming elections, but naturally matters political form the topic of much of the general conversation in the coiiutry. If however, the interest in the coming electioneering events is not quite so noisy, it seems to be a ;jreat deal deeper, ,as though the e'ee ore had settled dawn to a calm con viction after tbe agitation tbat has been caused by pant discussions. Perhape tbie agreeable quiet if* partially due to the work of the canva«sere being nearly finished, and to the agents having; completed their labore of registering tbe names of persons qualified to vote. Be tais as it may there is not anything like the excitemeat that there was * a few week* ago, and it would seem that tbe merits of candidates have become an almost worn out and tiresome subject. Tbe great body of electors little desire to resuscitate a conversation tbat after all ia not particularly conducive to profit. And this is especially the case in the Hawke's Bay district, where the rival- candidates belong to the same groove of politics, and to the same political party. There is therefore no great qnestion of colonial import as between them to be taken bold of and argued out by theijf respective supand in the absence of a bone of contention silence, if not absolute agreement, must come sooner or later. The j-eculiar prejudices entertained by electors in relation to the two Hawke's Bay candidates offer nothing for discussion, nor do who now make up tbe great bulk of the electoral roll care, as a rule, to make known too freely their likes and. dislikes respecting candidates who have never done them any harm, and who my have it in their power to do them some day a very great deal of gooil. This feeling carried out to any large extent would undoubtedly keep many from recording their votes at net election ; nor would it be surprising if a large proportion of those who have upver yet exercised the privilege of the suffrage refrained from going to the poll. It will be a great pity if this should prove the case, but, in spite of anything that can be said, a not uncommon impression prevails that the ballot is not so completely secret as it purports to be. And wherever thia erroneous impression does prevail a man is not likely to risk, as he would think, retaliation by voting against the wishes of those to whom he has to look for employment or a means of living. Iβ is of course very much to be regretted this falee notion concerning tbe ballot should exist, but it is a factor that cannot be altogether ignored in calculating the chances of a candidate at an election. It is consequently impossible to predicate the result of (he Hawke's Bay contest: it is impossible to say which way the " nonpropertied" electors will vote when tbe large majority refrain from expressing an opinion, and when tbe only interest in tbe contest lies in tbe personal popularity of the two candidates. The only difference to be found between them is that one is more peculiarly the nominee and representative of the large land owners, and who, apparently,' rests satisfied with that qualification; while tbe other has bad to fight his way up step by step, and prove bis qualification for a member of Parliament by the quality of the work he has performed. As a candidate for the representation of a country constituency, Mr Sutton should be able, to hold his own, for no one in his County has taken such a leading part in the administration of its affairs. We should think that tbe smaller landed proprietors will be found in the ranks of Mr Sutton's supporters, while the owners of the big estates will do their best for Oaptain Russell. In Waipawa fhe contest will lie between Mr Orniond and Mr Smith, Mr Johnston's chances being considered very small. As in Hawke'a Bay the candidates represent to a great extent the two divisions into which the electors may be divided, tbe propertied and the non-propertied classes. But Mr Smith, unlike Mr Sutton, possesee no claim to the support of tbe small farmer. He has done nothing for tbat class, and does not belong to it. Mr Ormond, on the other band, though one of the largest landed proprietors in tbis province, has done more for the establishment and encouragement of small farms and small farmers than any one member of Parliament. We think there c*n be little doubt as to the result of the election. In Napier, it is true, there are two announced candidates, but only one will receive any support, there being as wide a difference between Mr Buchanan and Mr M'Sweeney as there is between Mr Ormond and Mr Smith—tbat is to say, there ia no comparison to be drawn between them.

Mr W. Routledge will sell on Friday next, at the Spit, prime Canterbury potatoes. Messrs Banner and Liddle will sell on Friday next, flour, &c. The usual meeting of the Napier Temperance Mutual Improvement Society will be held to-morrow night. The monthly meeting of the Scinde Lodge will be held to-morrow evening. Messrs Miller and Potts will sell on the Bth instant, at Waipawa, household furniture, &c.

A summoned meeting of Wicliffe Lodge, Protestant Alliance Society, will be held this evening at 8 o'clock. A general meeting of the Gaiety Amatenr Dramatic Club will be held at the Theatre Royal this evening afc 8 o'clock. A number of new advertisements will be found in our " Wanted " column.