The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, DEC. 2, 1990.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2869, 2 December 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, DEC. 2, 1990.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

Now that the election for Waikato has terminated so satisfactorily to the thinking section of the electors, it, is natural that attention ahould be directed to that which is pending in the metropolis of the district For the iirst time the city electorates have been amalgamated. Those who supported and carried the amalgamation did so on the grounds that better men would be forthcoming as aspirants to the three seats. The natural outcome of !inaalgam,ation was that larger committees ahould bu formed to secure the return of candidates of the two political shades. There is uo disguising the f;iut that eujh of theae eomiuititet's have made a dreadful mesa of the business- they had in hiind. The party which ioppnned to those who are for despoiling tho owners ! of land have two ■strings to their bow in the jjcrsons of Dr. Wallace and Mr A. Porter. The formor is unquestionably f>. strong man in the seme thut he htiH given much .study to political questions, and has arrived at correct opinions on most of those which are agitating tho public mind, but it in impossible to: ignore the fact, having past experience in view, that he is not a niita to command much weight in the House, or by the remotest possibility to secure a following which would justify hia promotion to ♦

position of responsibility beyond that which attaches to passing the Speaker's chair on the one side or the other. Mr Adam Porter, who has been brought out at the last moment, although a keen man of business, is not ualulated to make a brilliant representative. He lacks the dopth and training which are necessary to (it a man for the position. Those who are politically opposed to the land tax party are much to blamu that thoy have not mnt combination by combination, put better men iu the field, and been at equal pains and expense as their opponents to make the question " understood of the people." It appears to us that they have made the mistake of believing that the one-man-one-vote principle destroyed to a great extent the chance of securing the return of members, opposed to the opinions of the noisy and assertive crusaders on the other side. In this we believe they have erred, and if they meet with a defeat by means of the ballot box, they have to blame their apathy and indifference rather than the want of intellectuality on the part of the electors. Notwithstanding tha errors we have pointed out, there appears to be every probability of Dr. Wallace, who is the exponent of their views, although rather an eccentric one, being placed as one of the winning candidate!).

The Liberal Central Committee cousisted for the most part of representatives of the labour party and one or two political associations or debating clubs. They have taken upon themselves 10 select candidates and impress upon the electors that the salvation of the j liberal cause depends upon their following blindfold the advice which thay have given. The selection is a most extraordinary one, two lawyers, and an unsuccessful business man. It would be hardly fair to the party not to explain that one lawyer and tho unsuccessful one were selected after the tactics of the labour party on the committee had so disgusted the other delegates that they had retired from any active part in tho proceedings. Messrs Napior and Shera are in fact the nominees ot the labour party only, and we should fancy that tho electors after the late experience of the absurdities of that party, more particularly the victims of misplaced confidence the Unionists, will attach littlo weight to the opinions of those who led them like blind sheep into tho wilderness and there left them. Mr Thompson, who refuses to swallow tho baits which have been presented to him by the deceivers of the labour party is ignored by the Liberal Committee, and Mr Farnal!, who has been associated with the labour movement for years, has been ignored by its delegates, for no other reason apparently than that he had the candour to tell the instigators of the strike, that if they placed any reliance upon the Maritime Council, disaster to their cause must follow. Events proved that he was right, and the instigators of the mischief in the colony are angry and vindictive. There appears to be a very strong feeling in his favour, on the part of the unionists dupes and many of their votes are likely to be recarded in his favour. The aspect of affairs is most discouraging, and calculated to make men wish that there was no such an institution as representative government. How the matter will end it appears to be impossible to calculate, but it is to be sincerely hoped that the three candidates selected by the Trades ITuieuists' delegates will be defeated. This much is clear, there is not a singlo candidate in tho field who is not unfitted iu a greater or less degree to represent an important constituency. The best men havo not come forward, they naturally object to passing through the mire which stands between them and a seat in the House for Auckland City.