To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.'

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 206, 1 September 1879, Page 2

To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.'

Sir, —Well you allow me a short space to say a few words about the coaiing election. We, the working men of this City, have at last the opportunity of sending to Parliament a man from our own rank and station in life to look after our own interests and piead our own cause in the House of Representatives. What I want to ask my fellow workmen is, have they fully considered what rests upon this election. Are we, the so-called lower classes of society, to go on entirely unrepresented (or misrepresented) or are we to have personally a voice in the Government of our country? Are we not all born free and equal, and have we not every one a right to take part in the management of our public affairs, in the making of our laws, and in the administration of our funds? In this age of intelligence are we not as competent to perform these functions as any other class in society. If we put in a working man's candidate we shall be the first constituency in New Zealand who have done so, and it will be something for Nelson to be proud of. I am not saying a word against the other three candidates. They are all doubtless good men and true, but they represent a different class and will assuredly work more or less for self interests, therefore I say that, whoever else we vote for, we are traitors to our own cause if we do not support Mr John Graham. —l am, &c, Workman.