WANGANUI ELECTION NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5747, 30 August 1879, Page 3

WANGANUI ELECTION NOTES.

(VBOM A CORRESPONDENT.) The election is likely to be a very closely contested one here, and the chances are difficult to estimate. Mr. Ballance is very warmly supported by the working classes, and is promising to give everything to everybody. An Agricultural State Bank, to lend money to the struggling and weary farmer, is the last novelty promised. Land on deferred payments, and a small farm settlement on the Waimate Plains, are among the good things coming if Mr. Ballance is returned. He forgot to tell the electors why these matters were not attended to when he was in office. Of course extension of the franchise was included, but on the subject of finance Mr. Ballance is very vague. He will oppose the withdrawal of subsidies from local bodies and 20 per cent, of the land fund from county councils ; but he does not attempt to show where the money is to come from for these subsidies and to continue the expenditure on education, besides providing for the interest on the new loan. At the same time, he trusts every effort will be made to reduce expenditure, &c. Mr. Ballance is supported chiefly by the storekeepers and working classes, though many of the latter are in favor of Sir William Fox.

Mr. Bryce has very much injured his chance of return by running on the Ballance ticket. I think he may well say “ Save me from my friends.” Many of the principal landholders, who have hitherto supported him, will now plump for Sir W. Fox, as they consider that Mr. Bryce’s conduct is inconsistent, after voting with the Opposition on the no-confidence question, now to join Mr. Ballance again in opposing Sir W. Fox's return. Sir William Fox has a very influential committee, and will receive great support in town and country. Many country electors will plump for Sir William Fox, as the policy of the late Government has been much condemned in this district, especially their incapacity in native affairs. Even Mr. Bryce denounced the Government before the session, and voted against them, and now he is running on the same ticket as the late Treasurer. It would take a clever man to say which side he now belongs to. If he had stood on his own merits, instead of Mr. Ballance'b and the Herald’s, his return would have been assured.

As it is, his chance is the worst of the three, as the electors may be said to be pretty equally divided into two camps, and if Sir William Fox’s supporters withdraw their aid from Mr. Bryce, on account of his connection with Mr. Ballauce, which seems likely in a measure, he will be at the bottom of the poll. Mr. Bryce will address the electors on Wednesday, the other candidates having had their say. The reports of meetings in the Herald are, to put it mildly, highly colored. This paper is getting an unenviable notoriety lately for abuse and personalities.