The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCOPORATED The Evening News,Morning News, and Echo. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1887.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 226, 27 September 1887, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCOPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1887.

«, For the csuae that la„s assistance, For the wrong that nee_3 resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that -we can do.

We ought to be well satisfied with the results of the elections for Auckland city and suburbs yesterday. In alj the electorates, except Newton, the whole of the candidates named by. the Stab as the best men were returned at the head of the poll, and Mr Tole's defeat, a? we predicted, was brought about through the split among the Protectionists^ which drew away sufficient votes to deieat Mr £$ew*%s makieg ey^

a presentable appearance for Mr Garratt. A return of 171 votes, whil the winning number was 704 and his other opponent polled.6l2,cannot afford any particular solace to Mr Garratt or those who supported hira for. the rupture whioh his persistence in going to the poll when everyone saw he had not a ghost of a chance of election caused. However, " there is no use crying over ' spilt milk." We have never doubted that, except with respect to this one question upon which we dissent from Mr Withy's views, he will make a very creditable and able representative from Auckland, and we sincerely trust that the revelation which the election must have made to his mind of the prevailing feeling among his constituents in favour of making large sacrifices to aid our local industries, will have full weight in shaping his course in Parliament. On general political questions Mr Withy's views appear to be thoroughly Liberal, and although we have contributed nothing towards his election, none of his supporters will watch his political career with a more sincere desire that he may become a power for good in the politics of New Zealand, and that his abilities may be of service to Auckland, where he has made his home.

Of the changes in the new House, however, next to the rejection of Sir Robert Stout, none will cause more genuine regret than the retirement of Mr Tole from public life. Mr Tole has been a faithful member for Auckland for twelve years, unswerving in his Liberalism, and active to promote Auckland's interests. In the biographies of Otago members, which wo give to-day, and which were written by a prominent New Zealaud journalist, special mention is made incidentally of the work done by Mr Tole in simplifying the Patent Laws, one of the most valuable practical reforms that has emanated from the New Zealand Parliament. However, it is the fortune of war, and there is no use grumbling. Mr Tole's political career has been conspicuous for some remarkable successes, and a reverse such as he sustained yesterday is without dishonour. There are five other changes in the Auckland representatives : Mr Dargaville gives place to Mr Thompson; Mr Lake (retired) is superseded by Major Jackson ; Mr Buckland by Mr F. Lawry; Mr Kelly succeeds Mr Grace, and Mr Graham takes the place of Mr Locke. Mr Goldie is also a new man, making seven representatives from Auckland who were not in the last Parliament.

The defeat of Sir Robert Stout will, we believe, produce a feeling of almost universal regret throughout the colony, and his rejection for one Dunedin seat, while Mr Fish was returned for another, has been sufficient to decide us in favour of an amalgamation of city constituencies. Such an occurrence would have been impossible if the verdict had been inthehands of the entire city. His opponent, as will be seen by the biographical sketch published elsewhere, seems to be a man of good ability. The constitutional effect of the Premier's defeat is, of. course, the destruction of his Ministry. It will be the duty of His Excellency the Governor the moment the results of the elections are finally known, to summon someone to form a new Cabinet. In making his decision, His Excellency will be bound to consider whether the elections have been, on the whole, for or against the Government. With two Ministers rejected, it might appear that His Excellency's task was by no means a difficult one. but a closer examination of the results shows the fact to be otherwise. Although the elections have gone so disastrously against the Government in Auckland, the block vote of this Provincial District is counterpoised by an all but block vota in favour of Ministers in Canterbury, Nelson, and Westland. These districts have not been ungrateful to Sir Julius Vogel for the East and West Coast railway. The votes of Sir John Hall and Mr Pearson are the only ones in Canterbury which can be unreservedly set down for the Opposition. Otago is pretty equally divided between Ministerialists and Opposition. In the return, published elsewhere, we have endeavoured, from a careful comparison of the returns published by the local papers, to show without partiality the.exact position of parties after the elections. Of course, readers will understand, however, what a complete revolution must result from the defeat of the Radical element in the Ministry, and the triumph all along the line of its Conservative members. It is almost impossible to classify members even approximately under such conditions. The classification we have made, how-, ever, shows that the Ministry which appealed to the country have been decisively beaten, although-the members who would vote against them if in office when Parliament meets will not work together very harmoniously in new harness. The Opposition have also sustained great losses—the defeats of Messrs Bryce and Garrick are specially notable. The Premier is already ofl'ered a seat, Mr Keri', of Motueka, having expressed his willingness to resign in his favour. If Sir Robert Stout, however, should recall his threat to retire into private life if defeated, he would still have no chance of re-election until after parliament has met and Mr Kerr's election and resignation can pass through the usual forms. If His Excellency, on consideration, should decide that the Voice of the country, on the appeal, is favourable to the Cabinet—wfiich is most improbable—he will be constitutionally compelled to summon Sir Julius Vogel to re-form it. If, on the other hand, he considers that the Ministers Inave been beaten, he is bound to send for Major AtfriMpii ujjon tttop motion tijg

Cabinets was defeated kit session, Hia Excellency- decision will hardly be known before the eleojked Ministers, have officially informed him of the result of the elections, and Sir Robert Stout has already started for Wellington to confer with hia ex-col-leagues on this matter.