The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal ami exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 23, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2710, 23 November 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal ami exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 23, 1889.

The election of tho Hon. John Bryce to the Waipa seat in the, Colonial Parliament is ati event of no little importance. It not only restores to the country a legislator and statesman who should never have been excluded from its councils, but it offers a splendid example of patriotism and national spirit; if indeed it does not practically illustrate the new birth of that spirit and the elimination of degrading localism. Though it might have been possible to single out one or more local men with sufficient public spirit and ability to qualify them to be representatives of the district, yet, the electors as a whole had become filled with the admirable sentiment that New Zealand requires men of large capacity to guide her national affairs. It was felt that it was time our Legislature was composed of men animated purely by a desire tr> serve the State and not their individual petty localities, like mere self-loving demagogues seeking evanescent popularity. Again, Mr Bryce's election may be regarded as a triumph by the advocates of the Hare system, as it is by a genuine application of the principle upon which the system is founded. No better incident could have taken place to inspire the supporters of a modified scheme of representation on the Hare principle with encouragement, and Mr Bryce's election will certainly strengthen the chances of the Bill providing for that system when introduced next session. Mr Bryce, himself, cannot fail to be one of its warmest allies. He has by a happy and appropriate term, in his address of thanks, given the true significance to to his election by a constituency to whom he is a stranger in person. He acknowledges his election as the polilMdl representative of Waipa ; that is, he is aware he is not a mere local delegate sent to scramble or log-roll for a share of plunder, but the man the Waipa electors, in the exercise of their political privilege, select to take an active part in a sacred trust, the careful custody of the comiuon-weal. Though we never doubted that the election of Mr John Bryce, backed as was his candidature by a requisition containing the signatures of over five hundred electors, was a foregone conclusion, it can fairly be assumed that his unopposed return is a | decided compliment to him. It ; will make his position in the House it .strong one, and free from the cavils of his detractors ; and it will be no surprise to us if Mr Bryce does not, early in the session, lind himself at the head of a formidable party, composed of the best men in the Assembly. The electorate of Waipa can fairly claim credit for having done the State a good service by their action, I which the colony will sooner or later be willing to admit. It is not a common thing in this or any other country to elect a man without first seeing or hearing him, even though his reputation is a wide one. This, however, has been the case in respect to Mr Bryce's election. There were a few reasons to account for Mr Bryce's absence. As a working settlor it would have caused serious inconvenience to him to leave his home at the present time. But, the greatest reason of ail was his sensitiveness. It is a fact that Mr Bryce has not the same estimate of himself as his admirers have, aud he has always been reluctant to offer himself as a candidate for any ollice. He was filled with the idea that he might seem to be intruding on the district and preventing men living in it, with stronger claims than his own, from coming forward. But this is generally found to be a characteristic of our best men, and is an indication of superiority. It is the blatant demagogue who lias no

shrinking modesty, but lacks tin: .strong will and unflinching determination to do what is right and just, which the other possesses as bis ruling spirit.