The Election.

Manawatu Herald, 13 October 1896, Page 2

The Election.

If Parliament finishes this week, which we trust it will before more money is frittered away, we shall be having the candidates visiting us quickly. Is it not possible even now to persuade some good local man to come forward as our representative ? If it is true, as has been asserted from time immemorial that the wise men oome from the east, oar outlook for a satisfactory representation it bad, as all our candidates hail from the north* There appears but very little publio spirit amoogat the leading men in this electorate, when no oce south of the Rangitikei Eiver will offer their services., In making this remark We exempt Mr Ransom, who showed most justifiable energy, but he allowed his friends to prohibit him from standing. There is a great difficulty made about the Prohibition Party, but to our mind they have destroyed their best chance of suocess, and will only interfere in the seleotion made by the rest of the eleotors. If they had stood by Mr Ransom as they should have done had they any pluck, their candidate would have stood a good chance, but throwing over a total abstainer to support a gentleman who is not even a Good Templar appears inexplioable. We are sure of one thing, and that is the electors desire a local re* presentative, and though they have one in Mr Stevens, still those who do not hold with his political views would much like to have the opportunity of voting for a local man holding views similar to their own We hope yet some patriotic settler will arise to fill the void, as there are many who could be named who would poll very close to the top if they stood.