The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1901. THE PATEA ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 262, 6 November 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1901. THE PATEA ELECTION.

Tea voting for the Patea constituency takes place to-day. Electors at this end of the electorate will be wise to bo cast their votes bo as to secure some representation in the councils of the colony. For several saesioDs they have practically been disfranchised. The electors may fairly judge of the interest taken in their welfare by the Conservative party when its leaders allowed them to lemain in this position without protest. The facts that have come to light since Mr. Hutchison's resignation prove beyond a doubt that the electors were robbed of their rights to prevent the seat falling into the hands of the Liberals. This shows in a very marked manner how little the party, led by Captain Kussell, really cares for the welfare of the individual elector. We venture to say tbat a more selfish neglect and base desertion of a constituency was never seen than the one in question, and if the electors of Patsa have any spirit at all they will resent the treatment which they have, received by returning Mr Heslop by a very substantial majority. Although the position of the Government is so strong that the result will have very little effect one way or the other, still, if the electors are wise, they will show their confidence in the administration which has brought about so much prosperity. In spite of assertions to the contrary the colony never was so prosperous as at Ihe ptesont time, and the Opposition have to admit that if they assumed office to-morrow they dare not interfere with the measures passed by the present administration. Outside New Zealand, where party interests do not blind people to the true facts, the prosperity of the colony is recognised, although the Opposition leave no stone unturned to injure the fair reputation of the colony in every possible way. A case in point is the following:—Eeplying to a Wanganui correspondent, the Sydney Bulletin says: Received your ignorant howl ; about how Democratic government has driven capital out of Maoriland, smashed the farmers, and shut up the factories. Seeing that the employees in Maoriland factories have increased from 29,877 in 1895 to 48,938 in 1900 —the biggest increase in Maoriland history; that it produces far more value of goods annually per inhabitant than New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, or Victoria; that it produces more value in crops than any other State in Australasia; that it has the two best-paying banks in Australasia (though one of them has a lot of old losses left over from the old Tory days to pay off); that it bas more savings-bank deposits per head than any other State in Australasia, gave South Australia; tbat itsbmkdeposits have increased five millions in the last ten years, while those of Australia have ! diminished considering the?e and other things, you evidently don'c know when you are well off.