The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAT 11, 1991. THE PATEA SEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 99, 11 May 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAT 11, 1991. THE PATEA SEAT.

The disfranchisement of the electors of thi Pat-a electorate has long bean a public scandal. The cool manner in I whir h Mr. George Hutchison left the colony for South. Africa, leaving the electorate without representation durling the whole of last session without in ■anyway consisting the wishes of the pFople of the electorate is, we believe, wi'hcut parallel. The most extraordinary feature of the affair is the electors rabmitting to the indignity so loDg ; All sort of absurd rumours have been abroad regarding the reasons of Mr. Hutchison's conduct, and generally it has been put down to political motives. It has, on more than one occasion, been asserted that Mr. Hutchison's resignation was withheld to prevpnfc the seat being won by a supporter of the Government. That does not appear to be the case as far as the leaders of th« Opposition are . concerned, but rather from a desire on Mr Hutchison's pirt to secure that notoriety which appears to have influenced his public conduct throughout his career. The matter cannot be allowed to go on much longer, and if the hw does not provide for such a case the law must be altered. The Wellington Post, in a recent issue, says : Just indignation hue b?en aroused by the fxbaordinary behaviour of Mr. George towards the Patea e'ectonl district. Whatever that gentleman may have done for his constituency in the past his recent conduct is sufficie t to outweigh all former benefits. Patea has, for what is now a considerable period, be?n virtually deprived of Parliamentary representation. Mr. Hutchison has aVnnmred his final intention of leaving New Ze*1 >nd and sett'ing in S juth Africa. He has been absent in South Aftici and in Europe under circumstances which render it impossible fer bim to fulfil his-duties to his constituents, and yet he has nrt tendered his resignation. This suggests a eelfish disregard for ronßti'utional principles, and so far as Mr. Hutchison himself is coucernsd justifies to the full the severe strictures that have appeared in the preßS of the | colony. Unfortunately there is a disposition in crtain quarters to blame others besides Mr. Hutchison. We have, however, excellent reason to believe that the leaders of the Opposition know nothing whatever of the reasons that have actuated Mr. Hutchison in temporarily disfranchising the Patea electorate. Tbey do not hold his resignation and they have no control or influence over him. Mr. Hutchison, we believe, has a'leged that his resignation is in the hands of a private person, but the individual charged with that; important trust cannot, it seems, be difcoered. The Oppo-ition, we are I assured, disapproves and repents the lac'ion of Mr. Hutchison as strongly es does the Government.