POLITICAL SUMMARY.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7719, 26 November 1890, Page 2

POLITICAL SUMMARY.

<__} election campaign has now commenced gx earnest. Under the amended law, the Bme-honored farce of open nonun-taons has been abolished, and written nffl-inatin_-*re sent in to tb» Returning Officer instead. Although speeches at the host. togs have thus been done away with —no loubt greatly to the relief of candidates— fche custom of addressing public meetings jjrior to the election so far from showing fcny signs of being discontinued seems to be in greater vogue than ever. in f_ct, aspirants for political honors have been having such a hard time of it lately* that in all probability they would gladly bail sfurther alteration in the law, absolutely prohibiting-ll public speeches prior *o an election. However, their troubles will be over ou the sth proximo, when the new Parliament is to be elected. A list of those already announced as candidates will be found in another column. On the whole a very good class of representative men have come forward, and the electors should have no difficulty in making a good Ehoice, more particularly as they now have only 74. seats (including four Native po___;t_encies), instead of 95 as pre*iott_ly.

Since we last wrote the Ministerial J-Wufesto has been issued in the form of Mi address by the Premier, Sir H. Atbxn/on, to h_s constituents. It is a distinc_y non-sensational document, but it shows in Very forcible and convincing fashion the valuable results which have been achieved by the present Ministry during tbeir term of office in reinstating the finances, fostering the settlement of the land, and generally placing the affairs of the country °n a sound and prosperous basis. One of the most satisfactory features is the fact that we have been able to largely contract the outlay o n public works in the anticipation of bringing the borrowing- policy to an end, and that we have been able to do without the loan expenditure with comparative ease. Daring the last two years and a half, the Premier tells us, we have actually re 7-itted to London for interest the sum of .£3,325,000. The fact that we have been B ble to do this without any great effort, o r indeed inconvenience, speaks volumes for the resources of the colony, and shows that it has largely recovered from its recent depression. The Premier was also able to point to the fact that during his term of office the land laws had been greatly simplified, and the result was seen in a steady growth of settlement. The Government propose to go on in the same •pTisflnaataonal but uaefol fashion, building v.p the prosperity of the colony by careful sdministration, sound finance, and encouraging- the settlement of the land aud development of the colonial industries. The Premier, in concluding his letter to his TOnstituents, says:— "1 have no .heroicpolicy to offer you; and, knowing xny opinions, yon will not expect it ot mc. With reliance upon oar tesources and upon ourselves, prudence in wir finance and faith in our ultimate destiny, I am convinced that onr tempo*: rary ___c_lties will disappear, and that this fair land of ours will become tbe home of milKoaa of happy, thriving people, who will emulate in these southern seas,the successes, but not the miseries, of the great country from trhkh we have epraag,"

All over the colony this clear, calm, b -siness-like address has created • good impression. It will be noticed from onr _£ft of candidates that an element of complication has bees introduced into the •present election, by the introduction of «* labor candidates," who have come farward in consequence of the recent "labctroubles." These, however, will have little effect on the broad general result of the election. The country has little stomach for Socialistic nostrums or the ♦* bursting-tip" policy of the Opposition, and there is little reason to _oubt that a* substantial majority will be returned to the new Parliament pledged to continue the policy of careful and economical administration. The new JOnistrymay differ in its composition from that which has just presented so honor, able a record, but it will be pledged t 0 Ttjhe tame principles, and we trust will carry them out with equal faithfulness aadt&bility.