The Globe. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER. 1, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 457, 1 December 1875, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER. 1, 1875.

Candidates for the honour of a seat in the House of Representatives are having a busy time ol it. Address after address to the electors of the different districts is reported in the dail) papers, and the amount of talking power exhibited by sou.e of the would-be members is truly wonderful. On Monday evening, Messrs Stevens and Bluett addressed meetings in the respective districts which they propose to contest;, and yesterday evening Sir

J. C. Wilson met the electors of Heathcote. In the case of Mr Stevens, the usual vote of confidence in tho candidate was not even put, as the meeting was suddenly broken up; and, with regard to Sir J. C. Wilson and Mr Biuett, it would appear that they have not satisfied those who returned them to the House of Kepresentatives.

Mr Saunders would seem to be the leading spirit amongst the malcontents with the stewardship of the two last-named gentlemen. He is ever to the fore with certain questions, and with what has been termed the " Ashburton programme." We learn from a letter, addressed by Mr Saunders to the Peess, that he is not prepared to admit that members are, or ought to be returned, pledged to the carrying out of, or determined opposition to the policy which has agitated New Zealand so much lately; but he is of opinion that the representatives should be selected for " their public opinions and qualifications," and not for various other reasons which include " the re- " tention of lawyers, public houses, " and special trains, the unscrupulous " use of wealth and the criminal dis- " tribution of grog." What a catalogue of crimes to bring against any unfortunate candidate who has fallen under the displeasure of the framer of the now celebrated resolutions. It may, however, be taken for granted that the electors will think more of the political opinions of the gentlemen that come before them, than they will of the fact of whether one candidate has retained a professional man to assist him, and another has, at some time or other, invited an elector to partake of a glass of grog. Thirty-four years experience of New Zealand politics can have taught Mr Saunders very little, if he imagines that the question as to abolition will not decide the elections in the greater number of districts. Here and there, there may be a candidate who has attained such personal popularity in the district which he represents that any opposition to him would be useless, but these cases are very rare. The statement that "we " never before had so little public " spirit, ability, and integrity engaged " on either side," is simply an assertion which no one conversant with the members of the House of Eepresentatives will believe. In that House there are always to be found a few members who are no credit to the House in which they sit, and still less to the constituencies which return them, but the average ability and public spirit of members is at least as high as that of the members of any other Colonial Legislature. This is a well-known fact which cannot be contradicted. We are inclined to think that a House, the members of which were returned under the auspices of Mr Saunders and his clique, would hardly deserve the same favourable notice, which the New Zealand Parliament has up to this time obtained from all who have taken the trouble to watch the conduct of the business of the House.