The Nelson Eveening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1875.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 290, 1 November 1875, Page 2

The Nelson Eveening Mail. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1875.

It is stated so freely and openly as to leave bo room for doubt in the matter that the City of Kelson is to be sufficiently fortunate to have three excellent men from whom to choose its two representatives in the next Parliament. The names mentioned are those of Sir Julius Vogel, Mr Curtis, and Mr Sharp. The first of these without doubt takes rank as the foremost and ablest of New Zealand politicians. He has been honored by his country and honored by his Sovereign, and men do not as a rule receive these marks of distinction without having done something to deserve them. Considering the high position that Sir Julius holds, there may be some who would argue that Nelson should jump at the opportunity offered to her of selecting him as one of her representatives, but we would rather see the electors guided in their choice by the consideration that the candidates to whom they give their votes are the best men to represent them than by a mere desire to secure the services of a prominent and, at present, popular politician. With regard to Sir Julius, we must confess that we have not yefc forgotten the sneers bestowed by him on the people of Nelson in his after dinner speech here some two yeara ago, from which it appeared that those who are now perhaps to become his constituents occupied no very high place in his estimation, r -«a<i— ifc-io for tho ©lectors to consider whether full justice will be done to them by one who so short a time ago affected to despise them. In considering the respective claims of the candidates, one question must naturally arise, namely, will Sir Julius use his undoubted influence with the Parliament to secure for Nelson, not more than she is entitled to, but her fair share of the benefits accruing from the Public Works policy ? What is really due to Nelson in the way of railroad communication has been most clearly and distinctly laid down by Sir J. Vogel in a letter addressed by him to his colleagues with regard to Mr Handyside's proposals for the construction of a railway between here and the We3t Coast. "We are certainly bound to the Nelson people," he sayg, "to give them railway communication through to the West Coast, but I think the works should be proceeded with very slowly." This is an important admission, yefc the electors must not regard it as a distinct pledge, but merely as an expression of opinion, and unfortunately Sir Julius will not be here before the election to answer any questions that might be put to him upon this subject. . There is plenty of time for each individual to think these matters over seriously, and we sincerely hope that they will do so before arriving at any conclusion. That; Sir Julius Vogel will make a worthy member of our colonial Parliament is beyond all question, but what we have to consider is whether he will be the best representative we can secure for Nelson. We now come to Mr Curtis, and we at once admit that we should be exceedingly sorry to see him out of the House. As a Superintendent he has not been popular, but this, we believe, is principally the result of a want of personal activity. Had he moved about more, and looked into matters for himself instead of leaving them to others, he would have stood higher in the public estimation than he does at present, but this particular feature that is wanting in his character is not of so much importance in the member of Parliament as in the Superintendent of the Province. Mr Curtis has always m Wellington done all that lay in his power to advance the interests of the province, and from the position that is generally accorded to him in the House he has possessed, and always will possess, considerable influence with the Ministry of the day. He is not, like some members ot the Parliament whom we could mention, given to " blowing," but he does his work well, and, as a rule, thoroughly. We believe that we may safely assert that both by his political opponents and colleagues Mr Curtis': absence from the House would be sincerely regretted. The third candidate is Mr Sharp, who as a member of the Provincial Council has won golden opinions from all who have

had the opportunityof closely watching his proceeding*. He is not a man of many words, but when be has anything to say he usually speaks to the point. He has a good ; knowledge of business, and would, .we feel sure, be an earnest advocate of the claims of Nelson. The name of Mr Luckie has also been mentioned, and it has been said that " Vogel and Luckie " ia to be the cry. For Mr Luckie this would perhaps be the wisest course if he were allowed to adopt it, for, judging by what we hear outside, it is only by hanging on to the skirts of the great man that he can possibly pass through the ordeal of an election in Nelson "into the Parliament tary haven he desires. But then it might be handicapping the great man too heavily to make him carry such weight.