The Evening Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 14, 1875.

It is announced that Mr F. McGuire, of Carlyle, a member of the Tar an aki Provincial Coiincil,lias decided upon contesting the Egmont constituency with Major Atkinson. Mr McGuire is well '.known in the district, anil there are probably few residents who are more respected than he is. But we cannot.help! thinking, that he has made a ; mistake in consenting to stand. We are not aware that there is any great dissatisfaction with the present member, Major Atkinson, and what there is might easily be 'explained.-.' -The dfe trict of Egmont, particularly that .pait situated to the; South East of the mountain, has labored under some disadvantages ; but they are of such a nature that no member could have removed them. If any member or any department is" to blame for it, it is the Native Office, and we have no hesitation, in expressing. our > opinion.... that had more*^firmness , !been'.! shown there would.have.been.less .trouble, and settlement would have made more: progress. Then we are told that.some-dissatisfac-tion exists because Major Atkinson did not address the electors before this. This looksiilce fault-finding; -Numbers of representatives have not yet addressed their constituents, and nothinghas been said about it. There is no rule that can be made to apply to'this.! Members are representatives no longer, and will address the electors at; such times and places as may appear to them most fitting, and in a manner -differing but little from the tactics adopted by new candidates, In the case of aMm

ister of the. Grown it is ungenerous in the extreme to attach blame even if .there is apparent carelessness. in this respect, for a Cabinet Minister cannot leave the seat of Government just .whenever ho pleases without neglecting hi.s duties ; .and especially' does this apply at the time of a general election, when all members wish-to see as much of their district as possible. Major Atkinson has worked hard for his district, and we doubt whether any other reprcsenfativ.e could have done as much, and it but a poor acknowledgment of his services, wore .another elected to take his place. As a .member of.the ColoriiarExccutivclfo has proved himself possessed of'not a little ability and tact, and we need only point to the ablt manner in which he administers the finances of the Colony as a proof. Mr McGuire has not shown any sign of being possessed of more than average ability. He has been a member of the Provincial Council, but cannot show that he has done more for the district in his way than has Major Atkinson in the House of Representatives. Moreover, the change would certainly not be for the better in another and most important respect. Major Atkinson has made for himself a position in the House which Mr McGuire, as he must admit, would never reach. He occupies a position from which, even were he not a member of the Ministry, he commands attention at all times. Mr McGuire would occupy a different position, and although he might speak both well and often, it would require many.a session before he would have the'car of the House as has Major Atkinson. Major Atkinson, will address his constituents in a few.. days, ; and we trust that the electors will not take any lur,thcr .step until then, when they will have before them the programme of both candidates.

Some verdant individual who has constituted himself Wanganui correspondent of the Evening Post sent that journal the following telegram on-Saturday :—''The Stormbird arrived yesterday evening, but the fresh in the river was so' strong.that it was altogether impossible to get within four miles of the wharf, aud she had to let go her anchor. She lay all night in the river with the passengers and English mail on board. : This morning a sum of money was offered by one or two business men to any one bringino-the mail ashore. About 11 o'clock, the Postmaster, with four men,, proceeded iv a boat to the steamer, and succeeded in bringing the mail to the wharf in a very short time. The boat wished to bring passengers also, but Captain Doile frightened: anj from going, except one Captain Halcom, who was anxious to get on board his own vessel, the Saucy Lass. Now, in the stream thereds a strong KW. wind, which would bring the steamer up without > steam,-' as the schooner; Duhediu sailed up and passed the Stormbird. Surprise is expressed at Captain Doile keeping so large a number of passengers on board when it had: been "proved practicable to land them." In justice to Captain Doile, who is as able 'and: judicious a commander as ever visited Wanganui, we .must further refer to the message. The .steamer came within a few chains of the wharves, where the wind failed aud she had to let go her anchor. During the night, both anchors dragged for over a mile. Here the main oue got foul of a snag, and could not be got up. Captain Doile did not feel.iustilied iv leaving ;it behind, as the other was not strong enough to hold the vessel, and therefore remained where he was until the fresh had to some extent subsided. We are not aware that money, was offered for bringing the Bullish mail ashore; nor are we aware .of .pore than one passenger having an inclination to s>-o ashore during the highest of the fresh. Had an attempt been made to laud passengers, and some of them been drowned, Captain Doile would | undoubtedly have been blamed for his I careles&ness. A respected and. middle, aged resident in the district has been the victim of faithlessness in woman, and his case appears hard. He had been a kind and helpiug.Mend to the young lady in an hour of need, and when his proposal of marriage was accepted probably little dreamt of such a finale. The arrangements for the wedding had been completed when a night or * two before the day fixed upon;the bride quietly married an old admirer, nothing being known to auyoue except a select few until the next day. ■'•'■ Mr Moody, one of the candidates for Wellington City returns to the charge again in the columns of the Times, in the foflowing style :—« To the electors of the City of Wellington. Gentlemen—That pink of perfection iv scurrility, " Jock o' the Post," says I am a "contemptible candidate," aud his very reference to me proves he is daft. Men of sense never refer to any beneath their notice." But " Jock % : well knows that I shall: be at the head .of the poll, and to earn his • paltry pay endeavours to Mud a peg ou which to hang up his hatful of abuse. He would lead you to believe that I am put forward by Pearce andHuuter to split votes,' Then as a forlorn hope he thinks that: you will not throw away your votes ou a ' manlike Moody.' N6\v,Mooayis (iv his own estimation, of course) a manlike man, , such as " Jock " never will be. Moody never yet betrayed his order ; never yet asked a favor from any man; never will ; never yet cringed and todied to any Superintendent, Proviucial Secretary, newspaper proprietor, or any other" body politic or corporate." Moody fears no person's malice. He stands on his own merits, small though they are. He has

no private ends to serve, as " saw doctoring " pays better than politics ; but just now he is under the influence of a " commonplace and vulgar political agitation mania,1' which can ouly be eradicated by returning' him as M.11.R. for the City of Wellington." I am, Gentlemen, Yours obediently, C. Moody. Wanganui was not by any moans a pleasant place-yesterday (Monday) afternoon, lor the odours that were afloat were about the most disagreeable that could be imagined. 'The fresh left a deposit of soft mud of about six or eight inches on the foreshore, and as the breeze was blowing across it, t-ho effluvia spread all over the town. To-morrow (Wednesday) Mr Churton will give up the Mayoral Chair of Wanganui, and retire from the Council; and iv noticing the fact we cannot help expressing our regiet that he should have decided upon withdrawing. The office is a thankless oue, yet we think that Mr Churton experienced less of an unpleasant nature than Mayor's usually do. In looking back over the time he filled the office, it will be found that there has been a great deal of hard work during the time. There has been the water supply, drainage, loan, and other accounts, which all required a great deal of time. This has always been at the service of xhe Borough when occasion required it, and no one could point to a single instance in which neglect could be charged against him. It is only the more to be regretted that he should have determined upon retiring.- True, we have another Mayor, such as he is, to "take his place, bat he can never keep the affairs of the Borough sowed under his immediate supervision as did Mr Churton. He may make a good stoppage' and is always ready to act as such, but we fail to find any other commendable quality. There was a good attendance at Mr P. It. Jacksons land sale to-day, although there did not appear to be a very brisk demand for building sites. Six of the sections were sold atprices varying from £100 to £200, and the remainder were withdrawn.