MR BRYCE'S CANDIDATURE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2695, 19 October 1889, Page 2

MR BRYCE'S CANDIDATURE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin,—l think it would be wise for the electors of Waipa, before signing the requisition now being carried about by a certain few for signatures on behalf of Mr Bryce, to ask the following questions before signing:—lst. Will Mr Bryce pledge himself to use every honest means t> abolish the Property-tax. 2nd. Will he use his best endeavours to disfranchise the Civil Servants. 3rd. Will he pledge himself to go in for rigid retrenchment. 4th. Will he do his best to modify local government, so as to make it less expensive and more efficient. Reasons for asking the above Ist. Property-tax: Is a tax on thrift nnd industry, and it is therefore a bad tax. 2nd. Civil Servants' vote : The Government must either rule the servants or the servants rule the Government, and 1 think the latter is the case just now. A very good reason for disfranchisement, you will admit. 3rd. Retrenchment: Salaries are nearly double what they could earn if they were not under the wing of a paternal Government. 4th. Local government : I think there is far too much of the ratepayers' money fritted away on elections, advertisements and legal quibbles. Hoping you will inseit this, I remain, yours &c. Elector. Alexandra, October 18th, 188!). to the editor. Sir, —I agree with your Alexandra correspondent, the electors should hear Mr Bryce's views on political subjects before pledging themselves to support him. While in Te A.vamutu to-d.iy I was asked to sign the requisition, bnt declined to do so until 1 knew his opinions on the great questious of the day, viz., the Property-tax and Retrenchment. 1 don't think we ought to vote blindfolded. I believe Mr Bryce to bo a pood man, but he is only mortal, and I for one will not be led by the nose and forced to bow down to the golden image, t shall certainly support him if I approve of his views, but I must know what they are first. As for local wants, they are in my opinion of secondary consideration compared with the broad questions of colonial reform ; therefore I approve of your leader on that subject. Give us fair play, Mr Editor ; let us hear the man before we'are asked to bow down and woisliip him. From what I have heard to-day, people don't seem to be so very enthusiastic as it would appear, and a reaction may set in for which I would be sorry, as I believe he is a man of ability. What we want is a few radical reformers that would upset the whole fabrication, root and branch, turning out those thieves and who have cursed the colony with their pernicious Acts of Parliament.—Yours, &e. H. Roche. Ngaroto, October Kith, 1889. TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —I would like to lay before your readers my impression of the word local man. At the present time some writers advocate a local man to represent us for a short time in Parliament. Now, I would like to ask, What locality shall furnish him! Shall we say Waikato Heads or Tuakau? Oh ! no, I hear a free and independent elector from the extreme South cry out; we might as well go to Auckland for one at once.' Or shall we get one from Pukerimu ? Here, again, the same ery is raised from another locality, who in their turn have a good local man to bring forward. Another suggests a local man from Te Awarautu or Alexandra, when the up north retaliate by remarking we might as well get a man from Wellington at once to represent us. Then some one in a most meek and timid manner suggest! Hamilton, when a chorus of voices bawl out, "hospital swindle," &c. Now, suppose we set aside all local jealousies, and select a local man to represent us. We have so dinned this matter into his head that ho begins to ask himself what it inean% and who is he to represent? Why, his own district. He begins to narrow the citcle, raises up his chin, sticks out his stomach, and exclaim, "I have it! I will represent my- [ solf and most nearly connected triends and supporters and takes for his motto, " God helps them who help themselves and we (the electors) say, "God help you if you do." At the present time I think this local qualification is a mistake. There is nothing to grab, and the man who represents us best in a collective senso does so individually. With regard to Mr Bryce's fitness, let every intelligent elector who has read his past history, judge for himself whether he is a uian to be trusted with the welfare of the colony, or to vindicate its honour, if necessary. A correspondent wants to know the names of those leading settlers who presumed to start this matter: I, though not presuming to call myself a leading settler, did take a pleasure in offering a mark of respect to John Bryce ; I would rather be styled one of the rank and file of Waikato settlers ; anyhow, I am here, and have been for some time, and what is more, I mean to stop here and never yet shirked my fair share of the public burden. I have not spoken to a single elector on tho matter who has not expressed his pleasure at Mr Bryce's probable candidature. —I remain, Tours truly, Sam. Steele.