THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 519, 28 November 1899, Page 3

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

TO THIi EDITOR. Sir,—The election is close at hind, and all who are of age will have an opportunity to speak through the ballot-box. There are two candidates in the field For Waika'o, the number is small, and there should be all the less difficulty ! « selecting the better n.aii. There is an old and wise sayircr, "Let well alone." If a chingeismade in our representative it will not bo an improvement. The largest body of the el-ctors »re farmer-, they are the chief stay of th: comniunity. Take away the farming class and every industry would at t-nca collapse. That being the case, they should hive the piincipal say as to who should govern them. Mr Lang was opposed some years ago by Mr Piacoeke. Last e'tc'ion Vr Walker stood for the teat, and at the present time Dr. Hosking is in the field. It would he a disgiaoe to us as settlers, seeing that there are so tunny young men sons of farmers who are cupihle of reprcenting up, if we a'dowed the honour of representing us to fall into the han'ls of an outsi lor. If Dr. Hosking had any claim on our votes on the grounds of be ng an old so»tler, his case would ap pear >n quite another light. The Doctor has no claim on on;' support. Atoue time he was the local head of a religious body ; lie has deliberately left that body in a worse state than form; Hy. The position he stauds in at present is not an enviable one, and he shou'd command our sympathy, but not our support to gain a scat in Parliament. Turning to our old and tred frit ml Mr Lang, who-e history we arc acquainted with as a settler of standing and as our Parlia ment.ry representative. It haH been said Mr Lang is no business ma: 1 , has no push or go in him. Well, he was not sent to Parliament to increase the epe;d ; but was fent to steady these who were tiding tro fast, and light well helms fulfilled that mission. If it were not for such men as Mr Lang, and the Opposition with which he has worked, the couutry would no'v. be in much deeper debt. Of all things to be avoided in this world, it is that nasty little word " debt." It is the nightmare of our exigence and remains a constant companion. The interest has to be met. This is the principal point on which the Opposition is at variance with the Government. It is not only the large sums which are lorrowed, but it is the in inner in which they have been spent that forms the bone of contention. Everybody wants to see good measures brought forward,all to receive high p*»y and the aged ptovided with a pension. But the portmu of the community who ate honest to themselves and to the generations which are to come after them can but look upon the increasing burden of debt with dissitisfrction. It does not present a bright prospect to those who have to stay in the country and work it out in £.s.d. I admit that it has quite a different appearance to those who have no stake in the country and can put their worldly coods inside a cirpet bag and rctiie from the scene, debt to those who are in that position is of little consequence. In concluding this letter, I would say, vote for the best man, one who has proved by his actions to come up to a high standard.—l am, etc., John Gibson. To Awamutu.