The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 894, 8 October 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1881.

The vague and undefined rumors which have, latterly floated about to the effect that Mr George Beethoi will not have a walk over for Wairarapa North have had their origin from two sources. First, the natural desire for a contested election which is apparent in many manly bosoms. Elections are healthy—they are even sometimes profitable—therefore it is urged, even by Mr Beetham's friends find supporters, that someone must come forward to be beaten for their gratification and improvement. In the second place, there is a feeling among many settlers in County East that Mr Beetham, having been the companion and friend of the Ministry, might, when he asked for a vote for that district, have opened his mouth wider and got a bigger one. The test of merit of any representative is the number of pounds he can procure from the Treasury to bo spent in his own district. By this he stands or falls! ft is not contended .that Mr Beetham has not got a slice, but that he might, had he been persistent, obtained a bigger one. Yet, even among those constituents of County East who hold this view, the feeling of opposition to Mr Beetham is a rather weak one. They recognise that Mr Bee'ham has for a number of years spared neither time or trouble to servo them, aud they have little or no intention of throwing him over. They feel that they have a grievance on this head, and they would like Mr Beetham to know that he has disappointed them in his role as a beggar at the door of the Treasury, We are glad that this is the case, because it would be a bad, thing for the colony at large if the capacity of a member to grab public, money, were the only test of his fitness' for political life, Thoughtful electors] will admit that good legislation for the whole" colony is in the long run more beneficial to any particular district'th'an the direct advantage derived from a. local subsidy. New Zealand will never be well governed until the interests of the colony are allowed to be para-J mount over those of. any particular/ section of it., If New Zealand be werf |ovenied, : the Wairarapa. must thrij/l HHi^HßHll^&EHfiHi^niiie.CrJ

lands, die Counties got a rateable subsidy of 10s in the £ ; the Highway; Boards get 10s in the £^and.the ; Boroughs 7s 6d in the j£. MpßEthaji by no means comes back to his. constituents with empty pockets, whether more might have been got without killing the goose that lays the golden egg it is hard to say.