THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1881. ELECTION AFFAIRS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2361, 27 October 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1881. ELECTION AFFAIRS.

We imagine that by the time the elections are over the public will be pretty well satiated with the kaleidoscope of opinions that will have been presented to it. Already almost every imaginable view on almost every imaginable subject has been placed before audiences composed of such various material that even those candidates most anxious to please have been somewhat uncertain as to what may be expected of them. One gentleman may cut bis political cloth in a manner which he thinks may suit what he hopes may soon become his constituency, and immediately another gentleman wooing that same constituency comes in with a more extended programme with the manifest intention of underselling number one. It would seem as if the bulk of the candidates are of opinion that the Christchurch public has degenerated into the condition of the Athenians in the days when the glory had departed from their city, and their one wish was to " hear something new." Hence the transparent efforts of otherwise intelligent men to pose as beings dissatisfied with everything on this earth, and prepared to cure all evils with panaceas for which they themselves have carried out the sole patent. These gentlemen are not prepared to back up their pretensions fay sound arguments in favour of their views, but the fact that certain things exist seems to be enough to induce them to cry out that they should be destroyed. And as in respect to institutions in general, so in regard to the existing Government. How many candidates have declared in Christ-

church that they are generally in favour of the present Ministry ? And, on the other hand, how many candidates have proved that the said Ministry has been unworthy of its trust ? The bulk of the candidates in Christchnrch and its neighbourhood have at once claimod an independent platform, or ono in which hostility to the present Government is very palpable. There appears to bo a certain nervous disinclination to say too much in favor of tho present regime. And yet, if the various spoeches are oxamined, do we find a well made out case against the politicians in power? Wo say unhesitatingly No. And do we find that the candidates suggest any other combination of politicians who can at once be trusted and|are capable of ruling the country satisfactorily? Again we say unhesitatingly No. Tho views of the said candidates are purely destructive, they offer no modus Vivendi for the new state of things which they propose. We firmly believe that many of these candidates are so very chary of saying anything in favor ef a Government that has done a great deal for Canterbury from a misapprehension of popular feeling. A few caustic romarks against the powers that bo will always draw a cheer at a public meeting. If the present Ministry were composed of angels a little cheap popularity might be temporarily gained by running them down. Wo do not say that the Hall Government have not made mistakes, but we confess to feeling surprised that a more candid confession of the largo amount of good they have done is not more frequently met with in late electioneering speeches. We hold, as we have said, that this is mainly due to an idea which has seized on the minds of candidates that to do so would, to a certain extent, be unpalatable to the miscellaneous audiences which they have to address, and that those audiences crave above everything for startling novelties. In doing so we think they undervalue the intelligence of the public. Audiences see through the manoeuvre, although they may think fit to cheer particular sentixnents. The Christchnrch public has luckily not yet arrived at that stage in ■which St. Paul found tho public of Athens. It has yet to be proved that an intelligent appreciation of the undoubted services performed by the present Ministry would be a bad card to play. We would by no means wish to see any candidate bind himself hand and foot to the Hall Government. We should think little of any member who, if ho f onnd any combination of politicians more suitable for carrying out his particular views, and more capable of governing the country satisfactory, would, from a mistaken sense of loyalty, hesitate to join that combination. Hut this is not the point, because no scheme for any sort of reconstruction has been propounded by even the most rabid anti-ministerial candidate. Our supply of capable men is not unlimited; the present Ministry have done their duty honestly and well; and, what is more, the Christchnrch public recognise that fact. Most of our candidates are new to the game of politics, and possibly overrate the value of ringing cheers that can easily be extorted from a public meeting by a slashing attack on things in general.