The Gisborne Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1908. THE BAY OF PLENTY SEAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2362, 1 December 1908, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1908. THE BAY OF PLENTY SEAT.

To-day the electors of the Bay of Plenty district are called upon to record their votes for the selection of a representative in the next Parliament, and it is to bo hoped that there will bo even a heavier polling than was the case on the first ballot. In regard to tho -choice to be made, an attempt- has been made by our evening contemporary, in its desperate endeavor to bolster up tho cause of the Government nominee, to disparage Ali-. Gow on the ground that his residence is at the other end of the district. In doing this the evening journal is introducing into the political campaign that miserable, petty, parochial spirit which it should he the aim of everyone to keep out. Tho voters >are given a privilege to-day to select a gentleman who can go to Wellington and in the noble work of lawmaking and law administration lake a national view of all things. If it is only desired that the G-isbornc-Roto-rua railway shall be pushed on, and better roads made to the Alotu, then we grant that Mr. MacDonald would make an excellent representative. But there am other railways, as there are also other roads, than ours to be considered. Moreover, there are numberless other topics more important than all the roads and railways in the Dominion which come up for consideration by our legislators, and the voters for the Bay of Plenty seat today arc in duty hound to take tho wider conception of their representative’s duties. Save us from the roads and bridges member, of which .species we already have more than enough! According to the attitude of our contemporary, all that is necessary is to elect the hall-marked candidato of the Government, and he will walk arm-in-arm with the Hon. J-as. Carroll into the lobby whenever the Government whip desires their respective votes, the reward for which sub. servience is to he a substantial voto for the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty districts. Truly a brilliant inspiration for ail electoral campaign, and what a superb conception of legislative duties! Tho fact of the matter is that, as wo have pointed out from tho commencement, Mr. MacDonald would probably make an excellent district -representative, but bo has not displayed anything more than the most cursory acquaintance with the broader political issues of the country, and it is -apparently in recognition of this handicap that the Ministerial journal lias at the eleventh hour discovered that Air. Gow’s claims must bo disallowed because he lives at Opotiki whilst Mr. AlacDonald lives sometimes at Rakauroa and sometimes in Gisborno. Tho truth is that the interests of tho northern portion of the electorate arc identical with those in the south. It is just as urgent for the settlers in the vicinity of Opotiki and Rotorua that the Gisborne railway shall be speedily extended as it- is for those in the Alotu, and similarly the Opotiki settlors badly want better communication by road with Gisborne and -all intermediate .localities. 1 These are facts well ‘known to Air. Gow, and no one who knows him will believe for a moment that if elected he would ho neglectful of the interests of any portion of the electorate. But, as already stated, our chief advocacy of Mr Gow’s claims rests upon a" much broader, basis than the -disposition to work hand in glove with the Horn Air. Carroll as -a district representative. He is a gentle*

man with exceptional energy and with i discerning knowledge of the requirements of the Dominion. If elected Jus vote will go always, for the measure that -appears to him to be in the interests of the Dominion and not, as iri the case of Air. AlaeDonald, according t-o the dictates of a party leader. Air. AlaeDonald has accepted tho position of Government nomineo, in return for which he gave the necessary pledges to the Premier. If elected, lie does not go to Wellington with a free hand, but simply as one more to swell tho Government majority. He believes in tho fi’eehold, but dare not vote for it unless the Premier says lie may, and this instance is surely sufficient to indicate in what manner to-day’s votes should be cast. The people in the other part of tho Dominion have already shown that they have had enough of the voting machine type of politician, by selecting for tho new Parliament men with views of their own, who will not bo afraid to criticise and back up their criticism by their votes, and it is to be hoped the electors of the Bay of Plenty will follow tlie excellent lead thus given.