A SUGGESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3562, 23 July 1874, Page 3

A SUGGESTION.

To the Editor. Sir, —A very bad’practice has crept into our system of contesting elections, tis gaining ground every year, and the sooner it is done away with the better. It wou d seem almost a necessary evil for a candidate, wishing to he successful, to have recourse to professional toutera (or, about as correctly, “shouters”). These parties are admirable adepts at bleeding the purses of candidates, and do many things in their name which I am sure they would feel heartily ashamed of, were they known, Ihe electors are blind to their own interests if they encourage expensive contests. It opens the door to bribery and corruption. It also encourages a numerous class of men who are simply a nuisance at election meetings, They show their zsal for their empoyer’s interest by asking stupid 4nd foolish questions, and hissing and howling at the meetings of the other candidates. For these reasons the advantages of the ballot are quite unknown here. It should be sufficient for candidates to explain fully their views, and then leave the matter in the hands of the electors It is unreasonable to expect men to spend much mosey for the honor of representing us. When they give their valuable time for the public service, we ought to be ve y well satisfied. I beg to suggest to those gentlemen who will be nominated to-morrow tor City Councillors, the propriety of "their having a meeting amongst themselves to arrange a common course of action for the conduct of the elections. They will deserve the thanks of the community if they resolutely set their faces against the pernicious system mentioned shove. If this were done, I hesitate not to say that ,we would get a better class of representatives in future. •-I am, &c., _ David 11. Hay. Dunedin, July 23.