Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1890. To-night.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 11 October 1890, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1890. To-night.

Tin. ci i.iiiii campaign is but slowly nio\iiin' jilui^. the energetic " Fred " PiiTuii, \)v\u<z tlii' only candidate that kfpps tlu 1 alive. To-night he addresses tin.- electors at the Foxton Publir Hull when lie will deal more particularly with what he represents as Mr Wilson's " manifesto." We think, and have previously also said so, thnt Mr Wilson is making a great mistake in not endeavouring to ad-

dress the electors at any early date, or if that is impracticable, to expend more in printer's ink and boldly let the electors l<now all his views. This " manifesto " that Mr Pirani intends to criticise to-night is put forth a-9 only " a short sketch," but it must be remembered that it is all the electors have before them, and Mr Wilson must not object if he is "weighed" only by its contents. We sympathise with any one who is ill, but we do distinctly blame every candidate with-lulding his views from those from whom he is seeking support. Under these circumstances we can raise no objection to any criticism that may be made on Mr Wilson's candidature being based upon the views he chooses to sketch. Mr Pirani evidently courts criticism, and movement mid talk are life to him. Energy always commands a certain amount of respect and to those who do not desire his return we would sugest their pondering early upon his tactlics, and endeavour to infuse as much energy into his opponents. We find fault with Mr Pirani because of his studied desire to be considered, not as a candidate for the representation of his electorate in Parliament, but of only one portion of the constituency. When last speaking here, he asserted that the working classes in Palmerston j wanted direct representation, and had selected him. As yet we have | not heard why the labourers of Palmerston needed direct representation, and it would be as well to ascertain i why. This electoral district is chiefly composed of poor men but who are not labourers, men who have the progress of the Colony more at heart than the casual labourer, and have an earnest desire to see taxation lessened, it is to them of more importance to see a good man returned to Parliament than one of their own class, and thus it becomes of importance both to the '' Labour " candidate and the electors to understand why the return of one of the working class is of so much moment to them. Mr Pirani though representing li labour " is not in accord with those who also represent " labour " in Wellington, as he advocates an income tax, which they do not. As an opportunity is at hand to-night, it would be as well to find out how far he is prepared to go with the Wellington Unionist manifesto. He is prepared to reduce the Custom's duties on the necessaries of life, but has not yet pointed out how this lost revenue is to be made up, unless the one- per cent tax on unimproved laud is thought sufficient. As a practical man we would like his reading of clause F. in the mainfosto in which it is declared that no contract foreign labour be imported into the Colony. It has been stated by a Wellington paper that the Unionists mean much more than would lie generally understood, and that •• I'oreign " labour is to mean day labour outside of the Colony. We await Mr Pirani's interpretation before going further.