The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1887. WIRE PULLING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2652, 20 July 1887, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1887. WIRE PULLING.

If in the present election there is a wire pull&, we fancy that Mr Meredith of Llandaff can fairly claim the office. It-will bo remembered that at the last general election -Mr Metwlith was a [irorciuent supporter of Mr MoOardle and when on the present occasion it wiiß found that ho was Chairman of Mr Hawkins' election Committee, many people askeO wby lie had dropped Mr McCardlo and tabu tip Mr Hawkins, or if be bad not, dropped Mr MoOardle ifi taking up Mr Hawkins, why he should have two strings to his bow. . It may we think be fairly assumed that Mr Meredith's primary object is thfldefait of Mr G, Beetliaw, and possibly Ms ultiimito one uiay be to roigu iu his stead as representative for this district, Atanv rate wo think that itisMrMeredith's primary object to unseat Mr Bcethaui, aud that to accomplish this object it is immaterial to Lira whether hifi iuslnpeut be .Mr McCardlo, Mr Hawkins, or Mr Hogg. When B - prominent electioneering: agent like Mr Meredithwithdraws hi? .support froij) one candidate, anil: extends it to another, without publicly avowing any reason for such a change, we have we imagine dome ground for aurtuisg. Mr Meredith had a shot (ir'Mr Beetbam with Mr. McUardle three years he is now taking another with Mf Hawkins, and poßsibly before the election is over he may try ft third with Mr Hogg. It is evident now that Mr Hawkins 1 chances of success ia the present election are very incopßiaemble. The expression of pub--

lio of fact,, fatal to his hopes. Our,, owa opinion is- that he never had'a reason-, able chance, [Eighteen ■ months agoj he publicly invited us to: express it and m in voply said, "we do not advise him to stand." It would almost appear as if Mr been deluded into a false idea as to his chances in the present contest, and. •that he Inw simply been a 'cool for'tlle .a'ccomplishraent of a specificobject,, viz,,"the defeat of Mr Beetham. On two occasions iti 1881 and 1884 single champions were brought forward against' Mr Bsetham, but in vain. Mr Beetham was not to be beaten in single combat, and so on the present j occasion there .is, it would alm'ftst seem, a combination', and the leading vriro puller' has two strings to his bow. One of the . original, strings, Mr McCardle, was to take away one sectioti of Mr Beetharii's friends, and the other string, Mr Hawkins, was to operato upon another section. There ' was to bo a double attack, and the transfer of Mr McCardle to Woodville does not alter the scheme. Mr Hogg: simply takes the place of Mr McOardio, and wo;slwll not be surprised if the.tactician,who is pulling the wires does not run the pair against Mr Beetham till tho close of the,poll. All is fair iii elections as well as : in love and war," and we do not fear the issue, Mr G. Beetham is abjo to hold his own against any singlo r political champion, or against a pair, as in tlie present iustance. He has. to ■ faco a r somewhat peculiar combination, but ho will, we feel assured, stand his ground, and hold his own. We'do not for one moment presume to say that we have guaged with absolute accuracy the strategy of so profound a political tactician as Mr Meredith, but wo do not, on the other hand, beliovo that we arc viry wido of the murk. It is important that Mr Beetham's friends should know that lie has. to face two opponents, who are, there is reason to believe, being dexterously manoeuvred against him by one exceedingly able genorul.