Outside Opinion on the Election

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 155, 28 June 1892, Page 3

Outside Opinion on the Election

♦ As we published an article from the Manawatu Daily Times on the Kangitikei election, in common fairness we reproduce the following reply made by. the Standard :— Our local contemporary says that ii the election contest was a personal one and "if the result depejnds on fitness and qualifications " there can be no question that Mr Bruce would win the Eangitikei seat. Now, where are Mr Bruce's qualifications. He has a pleasant voice, or as the late Mr Macarthur would say, he is a pleasant, plausible, not to say glib speaker. He is capable of learning off a speech fully besprinkled with worn-out platitudes, and delivering it with considerable unction to his audiences, but personally he bears out the adage " Unstable as water thou shalt not excel." A man who starts his political career by supporting denominational education, and at the bidding of a little clique, two days later denounces it, who seriously proposes in the House to run the railways free, and make the farmers pay the piper out of extra taxation to the tune of another £1,000,000 ; who actually defends the introduction of stoats and weasels on the ground that they are harmless little pets; who pretends to throw off his allegiance to Sir Harry Atkinson because he brings in a Protectionist tariff, and next moment throws himself into the Major's arms ; and who is opposed to women suffrage, but obedient to his party's call, would vote for it if the landsharks and monopolists found it would help them into power again. Fitness, forsooth 1 There is no greater 'dreamer, no more extraordinary :visionary, no more deplorable instance jof talent and learning and ability 'wasted than in the person of Mr E. " Xj, Bruce, for the want of some little quality to leayen the whole.