The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1879.

Kumara Times, Issue 914, 4 September 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1879.

To-morrow the electors of this district will be called on to exercise the privileges of the franchise in returning two members as their representatives to the House of Assembly. We have in the field as candidates five gentlemen, whose qualifications we shall briefly allude to in the order in which they first publicly announced their candidature in our colunts. The first, Mr R. C. Reid, founds his claims to the suffrages of the electors on the grounds that as proprietor of a journal—brought into existence by the members of the present Ministry, he, to .a certain extent, bathe power of forcibly bringing under their notice any matter affecting the Coast. To put it in Mr Reid’s own words, “he has the ear of the Government.” Now. as the Ministry

have appealed to the country, a.u

judging from the result of that appeal

by the members oieciod up to the present time, there is every pr bdulitv—in fact aliiiost certainty—of the defeat of the Grey Miuistiy when Parliament re-asse rubles, we call but naturally expect that the ear Of the Goverume.it next in power will be deaf to the entreaties or denunciations of the lato : Ministerial organ. This is a con- } tingency which the electors of this dis- ; trict should bear in mind, and however-j much Mr Reid may claim their support On other grounds, this is one which would have been far better never advanced. Mr Reid is a strong supporter of Sir George Grey and the Liberal policy, but bn this platform all the candidates are unanimous with the exception. of one who, though strongly advocating liberal measures, considers the present Ministry unable—or unwilling—to carry them out. This one» Mr Barfl, has been the representative of this district for a number of voa 1 s, and in voting on the Opposition side on the want of confidence, motion, we have little doubt that gentiumm acted, as he

considered, in the interests of his constituents in so doing, and should he be again returned —with the Opposition in power—the necessity- and advisability of his late action in regard to the Ministry would soon be thoroughly understood and appreciated by his constituents. The candidature of Mr Cuming can but be condemned on the “ trimming ” address he has enunciated in seeking the suffrages of the electors, as his policy is one tantamount to a

pledge of support to either secular or denominational education, Local Option Bill, or in fact any subject that would for the tune being—bias as it were—a few votes in his favor. One of the planks, and we might say the chief, on the platform of Mr Dunganis Educition, and however much we may differ with

the views of that candidate on this question, we can hut regard Mr Dungan’s political opinions as straightforward and honest of purpose. r i ho last Candidate to whom wo have to refer, Mr Seddon, is one whose public career for a number of years—marked as it has been throughout by an energy and spirit of resolution in giving effect to measmes Ueueficitvl—to the di-trict—can but justify his c'aim to the honor of now representing in Parliament the community for whom he has so assidously lahoied. As a large gold-mining district it behoves the electors to select a representative thoroughly acquainted with the requirements and practical

workings of a goldfield, and we look upon the return of Mr Seddon, if elected, as one of the members of this district in parliament to-morrow, as giving effect to this opinion. Having now dealt wiih the various candidates qualifications for the honors they are seeking at the hands of the electors, we trust to-morrow every elector in the district will exorc.se the privilege he enjoys in support of the two eaudidaies most fitted for our representatives in Parliament.