The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 206, 11 September 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1879.

We learn from our telegrams to-day that Mr Feldwick, who ran for Invereargill and was beaten by Mr Bain, the Opposition candidate, and wbo on Tuesday made another try for a seat at Geraldine, but was defeated by Mr Wakefield, is now to be the Govern ment nominee for the Thames. Most constituencies would resent such an impertinent interference with their rights as electors, but, after what Sir George Grey has done for them in the matter of the Thames-Waikato railway, it would be ingratitude on their part to reject even a chimney sweep it the Premier bade them elect him. So.no doubt, Mr Feldwick will appear in the House of Representatives as the honorable member for Sir George Grey, having been sent there in that capacity by the do-as-tbey're-told electors of the Thames. It will not be the first instance of tbe persuasive Premier inducing a constitueucy to return a nominee of his, Hokitika having been the first to accept the honorable position of declining to exercise its own will, hut acting on Sir George's instead. This was at the time when that gentleman sent his nephew, Mr Seymour George, down to the Coast with orders to the Hokitika electors to return him. This they did, and the nephew of his uncle went back to Wellington a full fledged M.H.R. But to return to Mr Feldwick. In the very improbable event of the Thames people insisting upon having a voice in the election of their representative, the Premier has determined (so it is Baid) that talents so great as those possessed by the rejected of Invereargill and Geraldine shall uot be lost to the country, but that Mr Feldwick shall have an opportunity of displaying tbem in the Upper House. Under these circumstances it is as well that the public should know what manner of man this youthful politician is, and after seeing for themselves how willing he has been to be ordered about by Sir George from one constituency to another during the present elections, our readers will be quite disposed to believe that the Christchurch Preu, from a leader in which the following is an extract, has formed a pretty correct estimate of his character. Our contemporary wrote last week, prior to Mr Feldwick b defeat for Geraldine : — "Mr Feldwick no doubt has not been one of the prominent men upon the Parliamentary benches. He was not one of those who would burst iuto the front ranks of debate and sway votes by the force of his eloquence. But he had other recommendations of a more substantial, if of a less brilliant order. He could always be siieut when he was bidden, and vote as he was told. Still better than this, he always knew his master. His political creed, some said his political knowledge, was summed up in one item—to do whatever Sir George Grey bade him. He was just one of those decent fellows who, having no ideas whatever of their own, could always be infallibly counted upon to obey the word ot' command. This class of men is of rare merit in a political campaign. Sir George has a few of such followers, and he knows their value. He did something more than speak at Invercar- \ gill for his friend Mr Feldwick. He showed himself constantly with him in the streets. We hear that he let himself dine with him. He shook hands with everybody to whom Mr Feldwick introduced him. He made it appear to all and sundry that Mr Feldwick was one of those whom Sir George Grey delighteth to honor. And all this was very well conceived. It put Mr Feldwick exactly on his right footing. If he could do nothing, say nothing, and get nothing for his constituents as a mere M.H.R., he could do everything for them as the great man's valet, and the chances were that the electors might he hoodwinked into continuing their confidence in him upon that basis. But all would not do. The contest was close, no doubt, for the Opposition had to unseat a member personally inoffensive, and whose deficiencies were better known elsewhere than to the constituent body. But, though close, the result was a defeat. Sir George's lavish display of his personal graces, and still more reckless expenditure of the public money in forwarding his own electioneering tactics, went for nothing, and the seat for Invereargill heads the list of victories won by the Opposition."