THE PELORUS GUARDIAN TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1890 The Coming Elections.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 57, 12 August 1890, Page 2

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1890 The Coming Elections.

At the elections which are to take place in a few months time every man in New Zealand will be called upon to perform a duty to him and to his country, and it may not be out of place to forshadow how it can be best carried into effect. The whole representative machinery has been so altered sineb the last election contest as to make it impossible to foraee the result of the next; and the peculiar circumstance consequent on this alteration will give a novelty to the proceedings which has never previously been experienced. There is the “one man one vote” principle, which will prevent property-owners in different districts from having two or three votes, and which, on previous occasions, very often turned the scale in an election. Then we. have larger electoral districts and fewer, representatives,, which necessitate a candidate being t more cosmopolitan in character, and should give to the new Parliament a higher tone in its deliberations. Again, the four large centres are each an electorate. in themselves, and not divided into three or four divisions ; this in itself will make the results very uncertain, especially . when we ■ take into consideration the part that trades-unions are likely to play in the light for senatorial honours. There is also a chance of the franchise being extended to women. An entire change of thought has also taken place since the last elections on social and fiscal questions, which will likewise make a great difference in the choice of a representative. Taking all things into consideration, and also the fact that over twenty, of the present representatives, are bound to retire owing to . the lesser number of electorates, there is every probability that not more than thirty or forty of the present members will be returned. This causes one to reflect as to how parties will stand when the elections are over—because it is not a dissolution, and an appeal to the country on some question of policy, and the electors called upon to vote for one side or the other; it is practically a fresh start on a new basis, and greater discrimination will have to be exercised in the choice of a representative, and localfeelings and jealousies will have to be cast on one side. Coming, then, to the point at which we started, it will he the electors’ duty to vote for the man who they think will do them the most practical good, and possess that busi-ness-like ability as will enable them to assist to tide the country over its present difficulties. We do not want great orators who devote all their time to an oratorical and wordy display of their powers to gratify their own selfesteem, but men of action and energy, who say as little as possible, but do a great deal. For a'man to talk, in high-flown ; language about the ills from which the country is ‘suffering without doing anything to rectify them is about as satisfactory to thfe over-burdened people of New Zealand as reading a cookery book is to a hungry man. We urge upon the struggling settlers and \torkihg-men of New Zealand to seriously consider what they are doing, ami take an interest in the future of the country by choosing men of the right stamp to represent them—men who will work for the people, and not ayamt the people. Too often have we seen men sell their birth-right for a pot of beer, which they had to dearly pay for by : extra’ taxation being placed on their shoulders, and taken off those who

thus deluded them. We are glad to see that a change is coming over the struggling and hard-working men of the country, and that they now recognise the strength there is in unity and concerted action in a common cause. All legislation in the past has been in favour of the large land-owner and capitalist, and the scheming and contriving which has been done to' carry it into effect, is enough to make one blush to think to what base uses men have made of the power granted to them by a too confiding people. While the electors continue to send men to Parliament who represent the interests, of capita) and larger-landed properties, so long may they expect to have the burdens placed on the shoulders of those least able to bear them. There will no doubt be a good choice of candidates, at the coming elections, and there can be no excuse for electing men who are not in accord with the feelings of those they seek to represent. The present Parliament has been a failure, and after three years of trial members have been found wanting in that ability which is necessary to overcome the difficulties which retard the progress of the country; their ideas of statesmanship have degenerated .so low that they have had recourse to the expedient of showing their vast ability (?) by reducing the salaries of public servants by a few thousand pounds. Was there ever such a sad spectacle witnessed, and a want, of skill and ability shown as that of a number of men priding themselves on their intellectual calibre not being able to devise any other means of saving the ship of State than by throwing the State ship’s.officers overboard. Seeing the wretched results from the Present Parliament it is our duty to send men to the House who are likely to. give a much better account of themselves'than the majority who represent us at the present time.