THE TAITA PLACARDS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 226, 8 January 1876, Page 11

THE TAITA PLACARDS.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE NEW ZEALAND MAIL. Sir, —Having occasion to be early up on Wednesday morning I observed two placards on the gate leading from the road, about thirty feet from the school; but as the school would be used as the pollingplace, placards seemed to me a common mode of expression during electioneering times. One of my children tells me that on one of the placards was, — “ Electors ! who has grown fat on the money of a grateful country? Eitzherbert !” and on the other “Electors kill provincialism to-day thus—then follows Fitzherbert, William (scored out), and Hutchison, William (not scored).” Now, Mr. Fitzherbert appears to me to be a hale old gentleman, but not particularly “ fat;” and as for “ killing provincialism,” it has been “ lulled ” already by the voice of the people, the necessities of the country, and the course of colonial legislation. What we want is decently to bury the corpse that will never speak again ! I was surprised to see a stroke through Mr. Fitzherbert’s name in the second placard; and on going down the road shortly after I was much amused to see a placard on each telegraph pole, and whenever Mr. Fitzherbert’s name appeared it was stroked through by one or more lines. I came to the conclusion that most of the placards had been prepared by some youngster favorable to Mr. Fitzherbert, who had come down to attend his meeting on the previous evening; but after hearing his Honor had changed his mind, scored out Mr Fitzherbert’s name, and put down Mr. Hutchison s. On going up the road in the forenoon, I observed more placards on the telegraph poles, but L could not afford time to read them—and, having voted myself, the lines across Mr. Fitzherbert’s name were no longer a mystery. X enclose one of the placards picked up on the road by one of my pupils yesterday, and you will see at a glance how ridiculous it must appear to any person who, like me, had never previously voted by ballot. During the day of election, Mr. William Fitzherbert, jun., took one of the placards from the gate and handed it to Constable Stewart, with what comments I cannot say. —I am, &c., J. L. Sinclair. January 1, IS7G.