The Telephone. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1884.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 92, 25 March 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1884.

The fact that we are on the eve of an election must be evident to all, and a few short weeks will, in all probability, see us in the throes of political strife. Who the candidates may be, and what their line of policy, is a matter of pure conjecture and speculation at the present moment ; but nevertheless it behoves all those who are interested in the welfare and prosperity of this district, to seriously weigh, and consider, the line of policy it is their intention to support—whether Government, Opposition, or Tndependant —with a view of electing a candidate, who meets the wishes of the majority of the constituents. One of the' most serious drawbacks to this district-, in the pa=t, has undoubtedly been its mi-fortune to have alwavs ranked with the Opposition, a state of affairs more attributable to party feeling, than to a sense of what might be conducive to the interests of the district, and the consequent well-being and prosperity of its people, the majority of whom have all along been on the Government side, while their Representative has been in opposition. In politics nothing can be more damaging than such a position, as a Representative is undoubtedly assumed to represent the views of the majority, and not the minority. That Mr. McDoxalh has held this anomalous position is incontrovertible ; and, as a consequence, the prestige and advancement of thedistrict has proportionately suffered. We have now to face two elections, one immediately prior to the ensuing session and another following the dissolution. Our present wants point clearly to the necessity of returning a Government candidate ; and it is quite clear that whatever may be the shortcomings of the present Government their actions have been honest and straightforward ; and at no time in her history has New Zealand held a higher position in the

estimation of the outside world than it has under the present Ministry. The result of the forthcoming session may, to a certain extent, alter the present political aspect of affairs, when it may be deemed advisable to leave our representative independent in view of a probable reconstruction after dissolution.