THE ELECTION FOR SOUTH CHRISTCHURCH.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2396, 7 December 1881, Page 3

THE ELECTION FOR SOUTH CHRISTCHURCH.

To the Editor of the Globe.

Sir, —An assembly of grnbbs mast be very interesting. This leads me to the belief that too many so-called grnbbs had seats in the House of .Assembly for the past three years. It was intended, if not introdnced last session, a Law Practitioners’ Bill, which was intended to simplify and make cheaper the charges on deeds, bills of sale, reorganisation of the bankruptcy laws, and other good measures that might be passed in the absence of lawyers. At present there is a solicitor nominated for nearly half the constituencies throughout New Zealand. But I say, countrymen, be warned in time, and do not return those pests of society, because, if returned to Parliament, they no doubt will often be chosen on committees to frame laws that they will afterwards be employed to advise their clients on, and they will no doubt make them heavy and cumbersome, and the more so they are the more of our cash goes to their credit. Allow me to quote one case out of many :—An estate in Christchurch was vested in trustees; their solicitors’ charges were £180; the trustees objected ; afterwards the solicitors agreed to take £BO ; the trustees were not agreeable to pay even this amount, they got their account taxed, and the taxing master reduced the full amount £2O, leaving the trust to pay £l6O. So much for taxing lawyers’ accounts. The trustees were only too glad to pay the £BO and take a receipt in full. Surely sound, honest legislation is required in the Law Practitioners Bill ? but, men of Christchurch, do not expect it at the hands of lawyers. I know there are some conscientious solicitors, but they are the fewest number. But, sir, speaking of lawyers as a whole, brings me to one in particular, that one is nominated to contest South Christchurch. He tells the Orangemen that he is an Irishman (he does not need to do so—when he speaks it is too palpable), that his father, his grandfather, and all belonging to him, of male issue, were Orangemen. He tells the Catholics that he is a true-born son of Granuaile, through whose veins is coursing the blood of princes, of patriots, and of saints. He says, “ Have I not the proud boast and the immortal glory of being able this day to raise my head and say to you my father was a Protestant and my mother a Catholic ? and faith it’s myself that is sorry I was not always of my mother’s way of thinking. Then there is the publicans’ and brewers’ interest, that’s mine, and, as for Gray and his Good Templars, pshaw, I don’t fear them ; I will take the tax off the poor man’s beer, I will have all large blocks of land cut into small parcels and given to the working man, Except the Good Templars, I have given all a sop in the pan. Well, Hulbert, my boy, what do you think! But, to be serious, old boy, when I give the people the fruits of my toil in the Land League interest they will be joyful in singing with me, in the words of the old song, slightly altered—- “ This is the song we’ll sing. I’ll own with confiscation ; That’s the rent we’ll pay — Holmes’s valuation. Leaguers, one and all, Prom hill and dale foregather. Hear your Holmes’s call, Band yourselves together.” SOBUTATOB.