Christchurch North.

This bye-election does not seem to excite very much attention. Between Mr John ; Ollivier and his competitors there is no j enthusiasm whatever on the part of the electors. The candidates are keen enough, because the successful man will face tho -general election, now not far off, with all j the prestige which belongs to the man in possession — it there is anything in that curiously variable commodity. Sometimes the fact of possession is the best qualification for defeat. But candidates never think of that. For the present two out of the three have spoken, Messrs Eden George and Jolly. What Mr Jolly said to the constituency does not matter in face of' what the constituency said to Mr Jolly. The constituency said " No "in every form of groan that is known to public meetings. Mr George fared better, for he had the 1 Mayor of Christchurch to chair .his meeting. The Chairmanship was not the only definite thing about Mr George's meeting. Mr George very definitely declared for the Hare system, and against narrow gauge railways. But the Hare system has about aa much chance of being established among ua as our narrow guage system has of being disestablished. There remains to Mr George then the single advantage . of having had the Mayor for his Chairman. But that is not a reason strong enough for electing any man to a seat in Parliament. Mr John Ollivier has to be heard yet, and there is a rumour out (well founded) that a requisition is being got up to be given to a fourth man— a dark horse, new to politics, of old standing in the country, honest, high-minded, and well instructed in the things he ought to know.