The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Saturday, November 21, 1896. MR BUICK AS ALIBERAL.

+ One of Mr Buick's leading characteristics is his conscientiousness; and this is an excellent, albeit rare, quality for a Parliamentary representative to possess. In his public address the other day, he gave as honest and straightforward a statement of his political views as the most exacting elector could wish to hear. He was perfectly candid, resorting to no unfair devices to placate his political enemies, and expressing himself m the most intelligible terms. In all his campaigns Mr Buick has never descended to equivocation, or shirked the responsibilities of a candidate; and although we have opposed him m the past, we always gave him this credit — that he never willingly allowed the electors to remain under a false impression as to any of his views or actions, even if their publication were calculated to injure his interests. In respect to the question of party politics he is particularly plain, expressing himself with a directness which, we thought, could leave no doubt as to the attitude he had taken up, and his intentions for the future. It could not, therefore, be for the purpose of obtaining enlightenment on the subject, that a prominent supporter of Mr Mills wrote to Captain Russell a few days ago, and asked if Mr Buick was to be supported as a Conservative. Mr Buick, m his speech, laid special emphasis on the fact that he wished to be returned &s a member of the Liberal Party. What he said was that " if he were returned, he desired to be elected as a supporter of the Liberal party —a party that would legislate and administer the affairs of the country on the lines of Liberalism that he had laid down." He entirely disagreed with the notion that to be a Liberal one must invariably ?ote 'with the present Government. "Was independence," he asked, " a Conservative quality, and the blind following of one man Liberalism ?" These words were plain enough for anyone not altogether bereft of intelligence ; and we cannot resist a shrewd suspicion that the letter referred to was written with the object of using the reply, if suitable, to spoil the favor m which Mr Buick is held by the working men. The writer of the letter and his colleagues hoped perhaps to be enabled to attach the stigma of Conservatism to Mr Buick's name, and thought that if Captain Russell could be tempted to take advantage of the peculiar circumstances of the electoral contest and throw his regis over the present representation they would possess a weapon with which they could seriously compromise him. A miserable subterfuge! The reply that Captain Russell made was only what could be expected. "Mr Buick stands as an Independent Liberal, while Mr Mills is an undoubted thick-and-thin supporter of Mr Sed' don. Naturally, we prefer Mr Buick to Mr Mills, more especially as we believe Mr Buick to be opposed to much of the fantastic legislation introduced by the so-called Liberal Party, although the circumstances of his election prevented him separating himself from the Seddon Party. I have no doubt he will make his position perfectly clear when on the platform; and, if so, I hope ho will receive your support." A copy of this reply the honorable Captain forwarded to Mr. Buick. It is ridiculous to suppose that the correspondent did not know Captain Russell would prefer an Independent Liberal to a Government whip, just as he would prefer an Oppositionist, if one had been standing, to an Independent Liberal. And there is something suspicious m the fact of a partisan of the opposing candidate writing to such a quarter to know if he could vote for Mr Buick as a Conservative —especially when it is considered that his candidate holds the most pronounced anti-Conservative principles. If he did not know that an Independent Liberal approaches nearer than an ultra-Liberal to the desideratum, he apparently professes m his letter to the leader of the Opposition he is wonderfully innocent. And was it likely, too, that after actively supporting Mr Mills he would have turned over to the other side, ! whatever Captain Russell's reply might have been. Mr Buick is a Liberal —that truth should haye become well established by this time — and, furthermore, he is a Labor member of the right stamp. The electors of the Wairau would do well to again entrust their interests to his keeping.