Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 1896. What May be Said.

Manawatu Herald, 29 October 1896, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 1896. What May be Said.

We have no wish to hurry other men's cattle, but undoubtedly there ia a Lot to be siid to a number of people and there Will be very little time to s»iy it in, unless action is at once taken. The announced candidates for the representation of this district in Parliament are very backward in coming f jrWard, and though delay on their part may be very diplomatic, it appears much lite an attempt to handicap the electors in their choice. Pressure of time will be alleged,. and fairly too, very aoon, by caudidates as an excuse to make bub flying visits to the centres of the electorate* and thus electors " who want to know, you know," their opiuion3 on favourite public questions wiil go unenlightened. This is unfair, and as far as we can see, unnecessary, as from the time they have announced their intention to seek election they have had ample time to have given one address in each principal centre. We may note to that even the published addresses are very bald, and there is too much reticiettce shown. We are not an advocate for extravagant advertising, but we are an advocate for each candidate standing entirely cleat before the electors, so that they should thoroughly understand the position he takes up on the chief political questions of the day, and we fairly put it to the electors how can this possibly be done by a single speech to ao audience which may in no way be representative or numerous from a variety of causes, We have at present three candidates who think they have sufficiently made their claim to the support of the electors by the simple announcement that they support the Government, oppose the Government, or are independent. Such statements implies that the electors have no thought b«yond these points, but we know that tho fact is vastly different, and as Governments oorae and go, we desire to understand the views of the men themselves, as may be, in the whirligig of time the candidate may become a member of some Government. We notice one or two candidates announce a platform, and, call it what you will, it is the platform of the candidates we require. Thß Government does nob eeem a very stable thing for any mass of electors to approve of alone, as even Mr Seddon's Government has undergone many changes in membership and views. We want more than the Government, we want the Platform of the Liberal Party, and the ques* tion is, havo they one ? We find as much fault with the Government opponent;, as though, likely enough, v would ba an advantage to ba quit of those holding power, stiil, unless we know what the Opposition purdoses doing, we might fly further and fare qven worse. What is the Opposition platform ? Tho Independent candidate musi of necessity approve partly of the Government actions, and of these we should know us well as of those he does cot approve ; but whioh are which ? Pemdvcnture he has built a platform for himself, and if so we want to number the planks. It is so oasy to suggest the grave inconvenience electors are put to in waiting the pleasure of the candidates in taking them into their confidence that we think it will be admitted that we have shown just cause for our dissatisfaction at the delay they have shown in holding meetings, and in the very bare announcement in their advertisements stating the fact of their seeking election.