The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1887. THE POLITICAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1624, 23 August 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1887. THE POLITICAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Mr W. Upton Slack’s notice of withdrawal from the contest for the representation of Gladstone in Parliament is both interesting an! instructive. Compared with the conduct of Mr A. B. Smith, Mr Slack’s action is manly and straightforward. Mr Smith was never a legitimate candidate. He entered the campaign as a canvasser for Mr Kerr, and on the latter retiring a cloak was necessary to hide away certain things and to lull suspicion as to the candidate the Political Association was going to support. It was feared that if the number of candidates were limited to two or three, awkward questions would be asked, and as it was desirable that all classes and shades of political opinions should be brought within the pure fold of Political Reformation, with the view of thus securing an immense block vote, it was deemed necessary to have a large number of candidates, Mr Bmith consented to fill up the space lefi vacant by Mr Kerr, and be went on with the canvass. As he went along be put in two words for himself, one for Mr Rhodes, and three against Mr Twomey, The object of bis canvass appeared to be to “ run down ” Mr Twomey more than to “ run op ” himself and when he retired be announced be bad done so because he believed be could serve the interests of the electors best by withdrawing from the contest. Mr Smith no doubt believed in what he said. He believed he would serve the interests of the squatters, moropolists, and moneyrings best by making Mr Rhodes’ pathway into Parliament smoother, and he, being a sqnatter himself, cared little for other interests. Mr Slack took a different view of things when he found it necessary to retire, Mr Slack was a member of the Political Reform Association, and he would have been kept in the field only that it was discovered he would do far more harm to the “re formed ” candidate than the “ unreformed ” one. He wasdhen compelledto withdraw from the contest, and it is of this coercion he very justly complains. He points out that the Reformers aim at inaugurating a system of terrorism, under, the influence of which they would drive the electors before them to the polling booth like dumb cattle, and he protests against this, as he very justly remarks that it destroys the liberty ofj the subject and nullities vote by ballot, Mr Slack’s manly and independent action has torn the mask off the Political Reform Association, and they now stand in the glare of the new light which has been thrown on them, and which exposes them to the gaze of the i electors, as an organisation for securing the return of a certain candidate. Have they selected him for his talents ? No ! Do they hope to see him become ihe great leader whom they expect ? No ! Is he to be the saviour whom they say will arise and redeem this unfortunate colony from the depressed condition to which the perfidious legislation of the sain* cla-s has reduced it ? No ! He fa rich, and they know he will vote for the* conservation of the interests of the rich, and that is all they think of nr care. They are anxious to rep ! ace in power Sir John Hall and Major Aikinson, and that is all they care, for i hey know that then their interests will be looked after. Seeing this—seeing the rich forming themselves into an Association to secure the block vote of their class for a certain candidate—need the working men and the farmer, who are ground down by taxation and a villainously high rate of interest, hesitate as to Ih“ line of action they ought to take Up, What can they do when they see the wealthy classes org-nising so industriously but put forward determined

efforts to counteract their influence? It is all very well to talk about raising class cries, but who has raised them ? Is it not the Political Reform Association who have begun it by trying to secure a block vote far the Hall-Atkin-son party ? It appears, however, they have a pecial license to raise any cry they like, and if anybody differs from them he is talking “ claptrap ” and raising class cries. In this election, however, they have over-reached themselves, as they will find as soon as the result of the polliug is made kaown.

THE WINCHESTER MEETING. Thb determined and organised opposition offered to Mr Twomey at Winchester last Saturday evening resu’ted in a complete victory for the Liberal party. Not content with the attempt made to disturb the meeting, the Political Reform Association endeavored to put the candidate off with the vote of thanks only. Just as at Pleasant Point, before the people had been given sufficient time to ask questions, Mr Guild proposed a vote of thanks and made an attack on the Ministry. The motion was hardly seconded when Mr Kelman moved as an amendment a vote of thanks and confidence, and this was carried by 39 to 4 votes. The action of the Political Reform Association would have been quite justifiable and legitimate had not the meeting been previously disturbed, but considering the annoyance to which the candidate had been subjected they might very well have allowed his friends to deal with him. The Political Reform Association protested very strongly against the supposition that the opposition offered had any polbical significance, and, considering the desire they manifested to make the candidate believe that it was purely the work of small boys, they might very well have desisted from taking any antagonistic action themselves. The fact that they followed up opposition tactics to the bitter end does not harmonise with their protestations. However, we fully believe that, as an Association, the Political Reformers had nothing to do with it. What we blame them for was their subsequent conduct; but they were as completely defeated as they were at Pleasant Point, and as they will be al the polling booths,

VILLAGE SETTLEMENT.

At the Winchester meeting last Saturday night Mr Twomey produced a private letter in which the following sentence referring to the village settlmment ia the Bay of Islands district appeared : You can take my word for it, the village settlement up this way is a great success—et those who do not live amongst them say what they like. I have spoken to lots and lots of the settlers themselves, and they all say the best day’s work they ever did in their lives was to take up a section. They all appear contented, and wall satisfied with their bargain. Mr Twomey said he could not publish the name of the writer, but most of (hem knew him well. He bad no interest in politics, and was in a position that he could not interfere in political matters. He then showed the letter to the Chairman, who certified that it was genuine and came from an exceedingly trustworthy and disinterested source. Now this is the village settlement scheme for the carrying out of which Mr John London was paid bis travelling expenses, and on account of which all the noise has been made. Mr London is now a candidate lor the representation of the district against Mr Hobbs, the author of all the noise, and the letter says that be is likely to be returned by an immense majority. The Opposition represents this settlement as a failure in order to raise an election cry, and because they did not want to settle the people on the land. Major Atkinson stumped the country in 1884, and said the unemployed would not go on the land, but Mr Balance’s action has proved the contrary. What the Opposition want is a large number of idle men so that they shall have cheap labour, and that ia the reason they never liked to see people settled on the land. Now their schemes have been defeated, and will be further frustrated, for without a doubt the present Ministry will be reinstated in power, and they will prosecute land settlement more vigorously than ever. The mean trickeries of the Opposition are being exposed daily.