PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Saturday, November 12, 1881.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 998, 12 November 1881, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Saturday, November 12, 1881.

The election, or rather selection, of a candidate to represent this district, may now be considered as having fairly begun. For the past two months a great deal of “ laying off and on,” was observable among some of the candidates now seeking Parliamentary honors. This apparent vacillation was owing, doubtless, to the uncertainty existing as to the turn Ministerial affairs might take, while the Damoclitian sword, in the form of the Parihaka difficulty remained suspended over the heads of the Cabinet. All danger of hostilities with the Na tives having been averted, the political warfare begins in earnest, preceded by the issue of the writs. Our local men quickly announced themselves prepared for the fight, that will be fought with uncompromising vigor for the next month. On Monday next the speech-making will commence, Capt. Porter leading off, to be followed by Mr. Gannon on Tuesday, Mr. Samuel Locke bringing up the rear on Thursday night. When the district is again to receive an oratorical display from Mr. Allan McDonald, has not yet been announced. So far Mr. Allan McDonald has recounted his past action in Parliament, as the representative of the old electorate of the East Coast." He- enumerated at the time his many failures in endeavoring to get things done for the district, and wound up a remarkable peroration by assuring the electors he “ did his level best.” Whether he will be content to refrain from enunciating his political views as to the future, and stake his chances of re-election upon the bald statement that he will “ do his level best,” again, remains to be seen. The other candidates in the field are yet untried men. It is a healthy indication of public opinion in this district, to see so many candidates contest the honor of being its representative. We do not doubt for a moment that each candidate, unfettered and untrammelled by promises and pledges which are illegal, will do “ his level best ” to head the poll. But the fight will be a hard wrought one for the victor.

Our political gladiators are well known to the community at large. Mr. Samuel Locke for many years past, and at the present time, is a resident of Hawke’s Bay, although holding large landed property in this district. In the early days he was very useful to the Government of the day, in whose employ he was, in contributing in a large degree to the successful opening up of the Taupo country. His reputation as a land purchaser was fairly established through the satisfactory manner in which he carried on negotiations in relation to about half a million of acres in the Seventy-Mile Bush, and other parts of the Colony.

Captain Porter is well known to the electors of the district in which he has lived many years. He has held important offices in the management of local affairs, and has, the same as his opponent, Mr. Locke, signalized himself in purchasing Native lands, having successfully carried out 4he negotiations entered into by his predecessors. Mr. Gannon is a resident in the district of some dozen of years. He has always taken a lively interest in the land question, which affects to such a material extent, the advancement and prosperity of the East Coast. For several Sessions past in Wellington he has devoted his time to journalism, and attending the House in the capacity of Parliamentary reporter, for which his accurate knowledge of shorthand so well qualified him ; and his other Parliamentary experience, theoretical though it be, will, doubtless, stand him in good stead.

We believe that whichever one of the three gentlemen named be returned to Parliament to represent this district, he will by no means rank below the average class of members found there during late years.

The electors of the East Coast have now an onerous duty devolving upon them. Upon their choice of a representative at this important crisis, depends the future prosperity of the district. There can be no doubt in the mind of any one acquainted with the wants and requirements of this part of the Colony, that the future progress and settlement of the Bay will be based upon the satisfactory adjustment of the difficulties, that hang like some dreaded phantom around our land tenure. Never before have the electors been called upon to exercise greater discrimination, and cooler judgment, in the choice of one into whose hands they are to confide the important trust of representing them in the Council of the country. They will have a month to deliberate before making up their minds. None of the candidates have yet spoken, with regard to the future—Mr. McDonald’s address being but an iteration of what we all knew. None have yet made known from the public platform the the political views they entertain, the policy they desire to pursue. After they have expounded their views then the electors will be in a position, unbiassed and unfettered by any one, to select the man of their choice. We confidently hope and trust that no demonstration of a noisy* character will prevail at the meetings shortly to take place. Let every candidate have a fair and impartial hearing. They are all more or less men new in the arena of politics. What they each and all have to say, let it be listened to without interruption. It is from their public utterances we all have to judge of the ability of the candidates to take partin the Parliamentary Government of the country. They should, therefore, have the same freedom of speech on the platform as they would in Parliament itself. “Parliamentary Government,” says Macauley, “ is Gov- “ ernment by speaking. In such a “ Government the power of speaking “ is the most highly prized of all the “ qualities a politican can possess ; and “ that power may exist in the highest “ degree, without judgment, without “ fortitude, without skill, in reading “ the characters of men, and the signs “ of the times, without any knowledge “ of the principles of legislation, or of “ political economy and without skill “ in diplomacy, or in the administra- “ tion of war.”