Outside Opinion on the Electioi

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 153, 23 June 1892, Page 3

Outside Opinion on the Electioi

: We have. now published fair re ports ot the speeches of boih th< candidates for the Rangitikei seat and thus enabled our readers & form tin opinion as to the merit! of each. At the same time it maj fee remarked That the contest vril not, and should not be a persona one. If it were, and the resuli depended on fitness and qualifications there can be no question that Mi Bruce would win with the utmosi ease. His record in the Hous hat been an excellent one, and his political creed is the same now as when - he occupied a seat. An able man, capable of .takirig* a. clear and unbiased iiew of any political question, and one who would exercise influence in ; the House, he would be a credit '" io any . constituency. His opponent, ■Mir'- Stevens, we regret to notice, does not abide by the platform he laid down' at last election. He was then, a vigorous and uncompromising supporter of the property tax, but is now, a " ; general supporter " of a Ministry which has abolished the property tax in favour of a direct tax on land, and the Premier of which has proclaim^ from almost 'every platform on this coast that 'Be is" a firrii •■. beliwer in land nationalisation, and will do his utmost .to obtain it. Mr Stevens plainly • states' that : he will give him "general support," and as a party politician ' Mr will have to vote for land nationalisation if it is made a Ministerial question, find if he -is returned. Mr Stevens is the Ministerial candidate for the seat, and this fact cannot be concealed. Mr Bruce is a pronounced supporter of "the Opposition, anH unless Mr Stevens is the Ministerial cinilioate there is nothing to justify his candidature. He would have been entitled to greater consideration and respect if he had openly avowed him self a thorough supporter of the Ministry.' As he claims that when a politician turns a somersault he is only f'f advancing" he might haye done 1 this with the greatest ease and without Btrainiijof his conscience. Knowing, however, that land nationalisation and the extinction oi the freehold title are abhorred by a majority in tLe electorate, he feebly endeavors ' to pose as an opponent of that main plank in the Ministerial platform/ wtii la giving them a #ene'raT' support." There will be few Among the electors who will not per- , Aei?.e r th»t Mr .Stevens is throwing, i siis'w'ihetr eyes, . and attempting to sidle in, on the old "independent" plan. The days when "sitting on a I'm?" paid in politics are, however, fortunately past, and party lines are becoming defined with greater t distinctness. The electors will take notice that as a Ministerial candidate Mr Stevens must support the Ministerial,palic.V; in its entirety, and at the ballot box. they should declare whether that, policy is favored by them or not — Palmerston Times.