The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5274, 19 February 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1878.

The result of the polling yesterday was a surprise to most people, including many of Mr. Barton’s supporters. We are of opinion that Mr. Pearce would be far and away the best man to represent the constituency; but, failing his election, we have little hesitation in saying that Mr. Barton is preferable to Mr. Hutchison. Although Mr. Barton has been a member of a Legislative Assembly, he must be regarded as an untried man in these parts. Nothing in a political sense can be alleged against him, and that is more than can be said of the candidate who ran against him on the same ticket. Mr. Pearce’s defeat was solely owing to the apathy of his supporters. They were over-ooulideut that he would head the poll under any circumstances, considering the gentlemen who were opposed to him. Mr. Hutchison, by recently forsaking the party which he had zealously supported for years, forfeited the confidence of almost every intelligent man in the community. Mr. Barton has never identified himself with any public movement in Wellington, and his candidature was regarded up to the last as a mistake by the Grey party. That he had not a shadow of a chance of being elected was the general opinion of Ministerialists. On Saturday an influential deputation of Sir George Grey’s supporters waited on Mr. Barton and- urged him to resign in favor of Mr. Hutchison. But Mr. Barion was impervious to their blandishments, and stated his determination to go to the poll. Yesterday’s proceedings must impress on a gentleman of Mr. Barton’s turn of mind that the deputation were possessed of an astounding amount of assurance. Mr. Hutchison, the “staunch” Greyite, polled 264 votes, whilst Mr. Barton, tire “outsider” polled 506. The free and independent •lectors of Wellington flung polities aside, and went in for sympathy. Mr. Barton’s incarceration in her Majesty’s gaol, for contempt of Court, created an immense amount of sympathy on his behalf. In the eyes of a large number the punishment appeared out of proportion to the offence. A cry of persecution was raised where there was no persecution. People do not pause to consider that in the interest of all, the poor especially, it is highly necessary that confidence should not be shaken in the integrity of the administrators of the law. The parity of, our Courts has been and is one of the proudest boasts of Englishmen. If the fountain of justice is to ; remain undefiled, respect for those who wear the ermine should be main-1 tained, and all charges of unfairness,' open or implied, should be promptly and firmly suppressed. Judges no doubt are often guilty of tyrannical acts; but in our opinion no such charge can be made against the Supreme Court Judges who sentenced Mr. Barton to a mouth’s imprisonment. In the interest of the public: we now feel bound to aay that much.; When Mr. Barton was sentenced we refrained from comment, because we deemed: he had .been adequately punished. Dur-; ing the whole of the election contest we' did not say a single word in his disparagement. Our columns were open to his; friends to advocate his claims to a seat in the Legislature. As Mr. Barton was debarred from speaking himself, we reported every word the son said in the father’s favor; and Mr. Barton may thank his son for winning him the election. Almost everybody sympathised with the young fellow as he stepped forward on the hustings and spoke on behalf of his absent father. The position of the apeaker rendered every word eloquent. Now that Mr. Barton has been returned, we trust that he will represent the city more than his own grievances, although these grievances obtained for him a large proportion of votes. He has also to thank his large committee, who worked hard throughout the day, and brought every available man to the polling booth. Mr. Pearce's defeat can be put down solely to the apathy of his friends and the want of organisation. Ho was only some fortythroe votes behind the successful candidate, but had Mr. Pearce’s friends not been too confident several hundred additional votes could have been obtained for him. There are considerably over two thousand voters on the' rolls, and out of this number only 1233 voted. It will thus be easily seen that the canvass was not vigorously prosecuted. It is a matter for regret that Mr. Pbaroe has not been returned; but there is consolation in the fact that tho best of the other two candidates lias. Fiery Mr. Barton is more preferable than a political weathercock.