THE GENERAL ELECTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 48, 30 November 1899, Page 4

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

The General Election takes place on Wednesday, December 6. Not for many years has there been so little interest taken in this political event as on the present occasion. The South African war or even the dredging boom in Otago has more interest for numbers of people than politics. The Colony is admitted to be in a very prosperous condition, and this may account in some measure for the apathy of the people. There are no burning questions to excite the enthusiasm of the electors, and the politicians at both sides have failed to put forward any programme which would appeal directly to the classes or the masses. The stalest item of war news has more interest for the average newspaper reader than the speeches of Mr. Seddon or Captain Russell. Notwithstanding the natural increase in population, and the increased facilities for enrolment, it is expected the number of votes o«Bt on this occasion will be less than in 1896. There is one aspect of the present electoral campaign which ought to be highly gratifying to the people of this Colony, and it is this that despite the fact that we have sent away over two hundred of the flower of our manhood to fight the Boers, still there is I no lack of good men and true ready to place their services at the disposal of the constituencies for the next three years, and fight the battles of the people in the more peaceful arena in Parliament House. As we cannot elect all our political aspirants the next best thing we can do is to select those whom we consider moflt worthy. There ought to be no great difficulty in making a selection, as the number of candidates for each constituency, except in a few instances, runs from two to ten. Several of these have only come forward at the earnest solicitation of friends to whom their worth is well known, but it must not be forgotten that this disinclination to woo the suffrages of the electors has not been due to any lack of patriotism but rather to that innate modesty which is a kind of hall mark of the average politician. Leaving out the Maori electorates there have been close on 1 90 candidates ' feeling ' their way during the past few months. ' Captain Russell, Mr. John McKe> zie, Mr. Ward, and Major Steward are the only candidates who are not opposed. There are seven ' candidates for Dunedin City, ten for Christchurch, eleven for Wellington, and twelve for Auckland, three members being required I in each case. Of the constituencies requiring one member ! Ohinemuri seems to be the most popular with ten candidates, whilst Selwyn comes next with six. There are four candidates each for Manukau, Palmerston North, Wellington Suburbs, Lyttelton, Ashburton, and Clutha. There have been about 90 Ministerialists, 65 Oppositionists, and the balance composed of Left Wingers and Independents offering their cervices to the electors, but it is not likely this number will go to the Polls. The following were the candidates announced up to the beginning of the week :— O indicating Opposition, M Ministerial, I Independent, L W Left Wing, L Labour.

AUCKLAND

Eden.— J. Bollard (O), M. Niccol (M). Ohm« muri — J. M. Shera (M), E. B. Moss (I). J. Palmer (M), W. Deeble (0), L. De Bakker (M),M. J. Stewart (M), W.M'Cullough QM), — Robb, — Drumm, Colclougb. Waiapu— J. Carroll (M), J. C. Dunlop (M), H. J. Finn (I). Auckland City.— W; Crowther (O), R. Hobbs (O), J. J. Holland (M), W. J. Napier (M), F. E. Baume (M), J. Regan (M), A. Rosser (M), P. Quinlan (M), G. Fowlds (I), R. French (I), W. Peacock (O), S. Vaile (O). Bay of Plenty.— W. H. Herries (O), J. Lundon (M)Bay of Ifelands. R. M. Houston (M), N. M'Leod (O). Waikato.— F. W. Lang (O), Rev. Dr. Hocking (M). Parnell.— F. Lnwry (M), H. Campbell (0). J. C. Allen (O). Thames.— J. M'Gowan (M), E. H. Taylor (I), H J. Greenelode (M). Franklin— W. E. Maseey (O), W. F. Wilson (M). Waitemata— R. Monk (O), C. Newman (M), E. Ford (M). Manukau.— Sir G. M. O'Rorke (M), F. Hull (O), W.F. Buckland (0),. T. E.Taylor (I). Marsden.— R. Thompson (M), H. Simeon (O), G. E. Alderton (M).

TARANAKI.

Taranaki.— H. Brown (0), E. M. Smith (M). H,awera.— F. M'Guire (0), C. E. Major (M), D. L. Abtbury (M). Egtnont — W. Symes (M), W. Monkhouee (0).

HAWKE'S BAY.

Waipawa.— G. Hunter (O), C. Hall (M). Napier— R. D. D. M'Leah (O), A.L. D. Fraser (M). Hawke's Bay.— W. XI. Russell (0). WELLINGTON. ™ Wairarapa.— W. C. Buchanan (0), C. Phillips (I), J. T. M. Hornsby (M). Wanganui.— G. Carson (0), A. D. Willis (M), J, M. Murphy (M). Wellington City.— G. Fisher (M), J. Hutoheson (0), A. R. Atkinson (O), T. K. Macdonald (M), E. G. Jellicoe (M), W. H. Stewart (M), W. Earnshaw (I), T. W. Hislop (O), C. M. Luke (M), R. E. Hornblow (M), T. Carmichael. Otaki.— H. A. Field (M), C. B. Morison (O). Masterton.— A W. Hogg (M), T. Parsons (0). Patea.— G. Hutohison (0), A. E. Remington (M). Rangitikei.— F. Lethbridge (O), T. R. Taylor (M). Pahiatua.— J. O'Meara (M), G. H. Smith (O), J. Vile (I). Palmerston.— F. Pirani (L W), D. Grant (M), D. Buiok (O), W. Wood(M>. Manawatu. — J Stevens (M), R. C. Bruce (O). Wellington Suburbs.— A. K. Newman (O), T. M. Wilford (M), R. C. Kirk (M), R. G. Knight (I).

NELSON.

Nelson City.— J. Graham (M), R. Hursthouse (O) Motueka.— R. M'Kenzie CM), W. J. Moffatt (O). Buller— P. J. O'Regan (M), J. Colvin (M). Wairau.— C. H. Mills (M), W. Clifford (O).

CANTERBURY.

Geraldine.— F. R. Flatman (M), C. N. Macintosh (I), S. Buxton (M), J. Fraser (0).. Timaru.— W. Hall- Jones (M), F. H. Smith (O). Lyttelton. — J. Joyce (M), — Jackson (O), G. Laurenson (M) W. Jacques (O). Christchuroh City.— C. Lewis (0), G. J. Smith (L W), T. B. Taylor (L W). W. W. Collins (M), J. Greig (O), E. Green (O>, H. G. Ell (M), Charles Taylor (L), A. H. TurnbuU (M), M. Donnelly (0). Ashley.— R. Meredith (M), T. H. Caverbjll (O). Elleamere.— W. H. Montgomery (M), B. H. Rhodes (O). Kaiapoi.— R. Moore (O), D. Buddo (M), J. M. Verrall (I). Riccarton.— W. Rolleston (O), G. W. Russell (M). Waitaki.— W. J. Steward (M). Avon.— W. W. Tanner (M), A. E. G. Rhodes (0). Selwyn.-^-J. Barrett (M), J. Rennie (I), — Holmes (O), Kenneth Wilson (M), C. A. O. Hardy (O), J. Woodward (M) Ashburton.— J. M'Lauohlan (M), W. Maslin (I), J. M'Keague (M), C. J. Harper (O). WESTLAND. Grey.— A. B. Guinness (M), M. Hannen (M). Westland — R. J. Seddon (M), L. Northoroft (0). OTAGO. Oamaru. — T. Y. Duncan (M), J. A. Maopherson (M). Waikouaiti.— E. G. Allen (M), J. White (O). Taieri.— W. C. F. Carncross (M), A. C. Begg (O). Wakatipu.— W. Fraser (O), J. Kelly (M). Wallace.— M. Gilfedder (M), A. Oarmiohael (O). Invercargill.— J. W. Kelly (L W), J. A. Hanan (M). Dunedin City.— M. J. S. Mackenzie (O). J. A Millar (M), A. Sligo (0). A. R. Barclay (M), J. b\ Arnold (M), C. R. Chapman (I), C. Hayn<>B (O). Caversham. — A. Morrison (M), W. H. Warren (I). Waihemo. — J. M'Kenzie (M) Bruce.— J. Allen (0), J. C. Anderson (M). Tnapeka — C. C. Rawlins (O), J. Bennett (M), A. Fraser (M). Clutha.— J. W. Thomson (O), J. M'Neil (0), Finlay MLeod (M), A. S. Malcolm (I). Awarua.— J. G. Ward (M).