CORRESPONDENCE. THE ELECTIONS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1722, 27 August 1879, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE ELECTIONS.

To the Editor of the Glooe. , Sie, —Now that we are engaged m a general , election, perhaps it would be as well R we ] considered the ticket which is put before the ( country. I must confess that it is difficult ] to understand. Liberalism ! What is it in i contra-distinction to ? Who and where are j the conservatives ? I am not aware if any , exist in the colony. Conservatism was left ; behind in the old country. When we came , to this country in its infancy, what were the ; institutions to conserve ? I eay we had none, i but the watchwords with which we started , were “ Onward” and « Progress.’ We left ; the old country not to conserve, but to strike ( out a new course, and, Sir, after a quarter of ] a century or a little more, what is our posi- ] tion? Look at our institutions. Are they , not on a par with those in any part of the \ world, and, as to our laws, are they not just i and equal to all men. Are we then Coneor- | vatives, for did we not even give up the j oldest and most cherished institution we ( <Lad, namely, Provincialism, when it was 'thought good for the country ? We have heard lately, and only lately, that the land laws of the ■ country are not liberal. I shall not go into i them all, but just make a remark or two , about that we know most of, namely, the Canterbury Land Regulations. They have i been in force for about a quarter of a cen- , tnry, and during provincialism were the pride 1 of the people, rich and poor, and fair alike to , each, notwithstanding the imputations of Sir i °it rg wa? r no’ fault of the Regulations that ; cxi throning was practised in one or two in- I stances, nor was it any fault in them 'which prevented every man from purchasing land, i The difficulty lay in the want of money, and i it extended to many other things beside lands. You may depend upon [it, Sir, that if it had not been for the importation of money years ago to expend in land the colony would have remained almost unknown to the present time, and thousands of the working class, who are now enjoying comfort and plenty here (the result of that expenditure) might Btill have been dragging out a miserable existence at Home. The land speculator has merely had ;his day. Ho simply wants, and baa a right to, the reward of his forethought, nnd in some oases deprivations. All tno largo landed estates can be hurst up by the ordinary course of progress, and every man with money can purchase, or every man with energy and industry, without much money, can do so on terms. And i am inclined to think, Sir, that he who purchases land now at its value (and not above it) wm bs and is, as well off as those who oought it at its value years ago, for the purchaser of to-day has immediate advantages which did not formerly exist, and has had the use of money for other while the purchaser of years ago has had his money locked up, and, therefore, could not use it for other PU ThO e poor and rich have a good time to come, if they will only work together. It is impossible to separate them and succeed. Capital is ono thing, labor is another. VVituout both there is no market for either. I trust the cry now raised, called “ Liberalism, _ will not lead any away from the question at issue, for if it means to endeavor to raise one up and lower down the other (which I believe it does), then capital must depart and_ leave labor alone. I have endeavoured to point out that we must all pull together, and hope that wo will not suffer ourselves to fall into any trap, oven should it bo set by the Premier of tho colony. Wo are all Liberal in the real acceptation of tho term, and as such let us remain. I will not say that I pity the working man, for I am sick of such claptrap, but to the working men I will say that pity is poor relief, and would advise them to think for and help themselves by placing such men in power as they think will honestly administer their affairs, rather than simply talk to tho country about all sorts of fancy theories. Bo far as policy is concerned, we are all agreed, but administration is now and has been the serious blot for a long while past. Yours, &c., LIVE AND LEI LITE. THE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION’S SECRETARY. To tho Editor of the Globe. Sib,— ln reference to a few words in your leading article of last night, it which it is atated that the “ indefatigable secretary ’ of the above association is an employe of the “Lyttelton Times,” permit me to state that by some means you have fallen into a most extraordinary error. I am not in the employ of the "Lyttelton times,” or have I any connection with that or any other journal in Canterbury, nor do I owe my appointment to tho association to tho influence of any gentleman connected with the above-named Siurnal. * Yours, &c., PHINEAS SEIIG. [We, of course, accept Mr Selig’a statement that ho is not at present permanently employed by tho "Lyttelton Times.” We think he will admit, however, that he has been recently employed in tho office of that journal.— Ed. Globe. - ] The following letters appeared in this morning’s issue of the “ Press” : SIR GEORGE GREY AT LYTTELTON. TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sib, —I was present at tho meeting in Lyttelton on Monday night last, and I may say that I was deceived as to tho manner of tho Lytteltonians, and a people who profess to keep order at any meetings too. I am sure that the way in which they (the Groyitea) behaved to Mr Saunders (a gentleman who has always been acknowledged to bo a man of good sterling qualities) is a lasting disgrace to the Portonians —people who clamour for fair play, and are the very first to abuse it. There is not tho slightest doubt left in tho electors’ minds of Lyttelton that it was a packed meeting. They were plainly .picked out. Ono individual in particular at ■every given chance would hoot, hiss, and incite an infuriated few around him, in order 'to give the idea of disapprobation when any .gentleman of the opposition attempted to speak. Why, sir, it oven came under my notice that some of the opposition gentlemen ,gavo their assistance to quell any disturbance

while Sir Q-eorgo spoke. And yet when Mr Saunders is called for, the utmost confusion prevailed. . I can assure Messrs Rolleston and Saunders that they would have been (and still would be) gladly listened to, only for the behaviour of a few incited individuals. This must surely injure the Grey interests when such conduct is recognised. In concluding, sir, 1 say let the Greyites have their fling, for it will not last long, their days are numbered, at least as far as Lyttelton is concerned. Wbllingtoniah. THE MEETING ON SATURDAY NIGHT. TO THE EDITOE OF THE PRESS. Sib, —Bein’ as how I’m quite disgusted (wot about of cos you’ll guess) I wish to give a little comment, “ thro’ the columns of the Press.” Saturday hevoning I were present, has a member of the force, at the Greyite demunstrashun. I thinks on it with much remorse. Such goins on ; such dreadful language. Why, things is getting wus and wus. I tell you, though you may’nt believe it, for me they didn’t care a cuss. Shovin’, pushin’, swearin’, chafßn’, treadin’ on each other’s toes, wile Sir George in eggspeotashun waited till the curtain rose ; then the rag it slowly lifted, disclosed to us his Worship stout; a potentate, I’ve often thought, sir, knows precious well what he’s about. Who’d asked his friends to old Jack Coker’s to ’avo some lunch with with him and Grey. In liberal style he fed the Premier (for which the citizens have to pay). Then hup arose the great Pro-Consul, mid cheers and yells and shouts and hoots ; and then the wily Cowi (Kawau) chieftain went to kid the poor galoots. He first began by telling of ’m a very interesting story, that neither hero or in hold Hingland that ho had ever been a Tory. Then again the row beginning, with stamps and shrieks and sweet catwalling ; and here I missed some precious gammon, all through their blessed blooming squalling. Here’s wot I mean, says gay Sir Georgy, in accents sweet and highly polished, vou can’t elect your Governors, yure rights are surely all abolished; the hupper ton lives on the poorer, and still adds ever to their riches ; their wealth they draws from working coveys, from the pockets of their breeches. And then he went for Mr Richmond, for Johnny Hall and ’eke for Bowen, and many more atrocius busters who in the tother boat were rowing. Here wicked men arose and yalloped to hear their friends so badly painted, and one poor tender hearted chicken let out a d—n, and straightway fainted. With this the rowdies made a movement and danced forthwith upon the table. The crushed reporters hooked it swiftly with all the pace that they were able. Quick upstarted lok the ' chairman. Sez he, gents, the time is fleeting, : if you don’t stop this palaver I must ajurn , this blooming meeting. Indeed I think I’d ] better hook it to the shed for volunteering, . and finish there this lively meeting. Oh, cuss your noisy chaffing, cheering. Then , pallid grew the face of Icky. Says he, Sir George, you’r noble nabs, I think we’d better , leave the mansion and vamoose in our friendly \ cabs. On this the rowdies cleared out straightway, giving place to better men, ] whose loyal lungs and liberal jabber would rather suit Sir George’s ‘ ben. ’ He raised is j and above is ed, and thus ho spoke—My frens, I say, I never run when I am safe, and shant do so to-day. But to resume. The earth, I ( say, is one flat senseless mass, a sentiment you’ve heard before from your respected j Cass. The other half of capital is beeps of human creeturcs. All facts that in my policy are most consistent features. Look at Great Britain, now, I say—at Federalism, too. I’d squash an incubus like these. And so I feel would you. I’m on for cutting up the land, and let him buy who axes j using the money thus obtained in paying off the ‘ taxes. What’t that I hear! The Landed ( Fund ? You’ll have to wait a bit, my honey. We’U give you credit for the sum and pay ( when we have money. Oh, Conyers ; I’ve spoke of him to Mao. Ho can stay here till I get in, and then Otago gets him back. Who’s that behind that ever jaws of free trade and Proteoshun ? Long as I’ve lived I 1 can’t tell which I hold in most objectshun. ' “ The good men do lives after them ; the bad .j goes with their bones.” So will it bo with me, I say—so let it be with Jones, And now ' I think I’ve talked enough. Thanks, friends ; ' you do me proud. I’ve done you once or twice before, and will now—if allowed. Then the people yelled and bellowed, till my spirit they did vex. Drat such howling mad electors slowly mutters Pleashah X. THE THIRD MAN. TO THE EDITOE OF THE PEEB3. Sib, —The meeting on Saturday night must have convinced the friends of constitutional Government that the working man is not so easily humbugged as it is the fashion to think. “Oh Grey ’ll talk them over," was the universal cry last week. But sir, such croakers reckoned without their host._ The working men of Christchurch are as intelligent as the members of any other class, and are not likely to be led by the nose by either Sir George Grey, or the members of the socalled Liberal Reform Association. Fully one half of the meeting on Saturday were opposed to Sir George. Contrast his reception last year with that of Saturday, and judge of the change in the public mind.in that short space. Now, sir, what about the third man ? Every one is asking the question, who is to be the third man ? and urging that one should be brought forward without loss of time, A third man should bo at once placed on the platform, and the three seats secured. If this is not done, I fear we shall lose, not only one seat, but that wo may lose two; for numbers of electors, after voting for Messrs Stevens and Richardson, will give their third vote for the local man to keep out Grey. And so Andrews will come in. I have no objection to Mr Andrews’ platform if ho will separate himself from “promising George,” Mr Andrews has not stated that ho is a Greyite. If ho is not ho will do. Let him be interviewed at once, if another man is not to be run, and let us know tho result. lam confident that the good sense of tho electors of Christchurch will enable us to put in three good men and true, and oust Sir George Grey. Only let there be no more delay. Let it be known to-morrow who is this third man, and we will put him in with Messrs Richardson and Stevens. Yours, &0., A Oheibxchhech Electob.