The Akaroa Mail TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1890 THE ELECTION.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XIX, Issue 1503, 9 December 1890, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1890 THE ELECTION.

The Election is now over, and the Peninsula is virtually disfranchised, for there is a member for Lyttelton, but no member for Akaroa. We are not saying a word in disparagement of Mr Joyce—no doubt he will do his bpst for Akaroa after Lyttelton has been attended to—,but we do say he will not be looked upon by the House and the Colony as the member for Akaroa. The result is, of course, in a great measure due to Mr Barnett's pitiable vanity. He would not realise that he was being fooled to the top of his bent by the Joyce party, and, we presume, never awoke from his dream till his exceeding minority was placed in black and white before him. Like many a mischievous child, he did not realise what putting a match into the magazine meant till he and his friends wpre blown to atoms. There were some 500 votes not polled, and allowing for seamen, Lyttelton nonvoters, and those absent, at least 250 or 800 Peninsula men did not exercise the privilege of the ballot.' This is muoh to bo regretted, for whether they would have voted for Barnett, McGregor, or Joyce, what all honest people want to know is the opinion of the majority. Wo sympathise with Mr McGregor in his defeat, but in his own district, apart from Lyttelton, ho polled iOO more than Mr Joyce, and 370 more than Mr Diirnett, so there can be no doubt of his being the Peninsula favorite. It is Mr Barnett who is most to be pitied, for he has been rejected alike by those amongst whom he has lived, and those whom he sought to propitiate for the first time. As we have said often before we believe him a good conscien-

tious man, and know that he has donemuch good in public matters in the County in the past, and we hope will again, hilt he has been deceived by so called friends, and it is this fault of credulity that is his worst error. However it is all over', so let us all be friends again, and try to work together for the good of the country in the future Let us hope Peninsula farmers have learnt that to have any power they must all stick to/ether: sink minor differences, and run the same coach. We congratulate Lyttelton and Mr Joyce on his return. There is not a shadow of a doubt that Lyttelton should be represented, and the people there by united action have gaiued the day, aud we applaud their pluck and persever inco Tho real root of all the evil is the idiotic obtuseness of the Representation Commissioners in uniting iv our electorate such opposite interests. Whatever else they do, we sincerely hope the new Parlia mmt will take the earliest possible steps to make some reforms in this muchneeded direction, and we are euro we shall have no warmer help iv the matter than that of Mr Joyce himself.