CHRISTCHURCH ELECTION.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8651, 28 November 1893, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH ELECTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —In Wednesday's issue yon very justly divided the candidates for Parliamentary honours into three groups. Leaving the odd man out, we have the three Moderates, together with Hoban, the Liberal pledged to destroy our national system of education, of which system we may well be proud. It is almost needless, then, to point out to the electors, more especially the women, not to vote for these caudidates. Then there are the three Liberals under W. P. Reeves. Now these candidates have promised to close the retail shops on a certain afternoon in each wetk, aud if elected will endeavour to pass a Bill to that effect by a bare majority. They must know that large sums of money are invested in stores throughout tho length aud breadth of the colony, and that compulsory closing means loss, and perhaps ruin, to some of the small stores; yet they are actuated by a desire to .benefit the employees whoso hours of labour are too long, and quite rig.t. When, however, they are askeu to give the people the power to vote on the licensing question by a bare majority, they show their Conservatism and say '^No; you must be governed by a three-fifth majority." We are therefore compelled to pass thi3 trio by in silence, and see what the remaining three have to say for themselves. On the education question they are as sound as a bell, whilst on tho licensing question are prepared to give the people the power to vote at the ballot box by a bare majority for an increase, decrease, or total suppression of the hotel bars. O'Bryeh Hoare, Bradbury, and Smith 1 are then the candidates to choose. They are prepared to trust the people, and the people should be prepared to trust them.—YourS, &c, An Elector.