FEATURES OF THE ELECTION.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9594, 8 December 1896, Page 4

FEATURES OF THE ELECTION.

One feature of the election which was satisfactory was that, on the whole, the fight was a very good humoured one. As far as can be judged from the newspapers in other parts of the colony, candidates of all colours, as a rule, got a fair hearing. This was certainly the case in Canterbury. There may have been a little interruption at a few meetings, but, on the whole, the proceedings were orderly, and candidates treated each other with courtesy. On polling day, too, proceedings seem to have been conducted very quietly. Teetotalers, no doubt, will say that this was mainly owing to the fact that the hotels were not allowed to sell strong drink between twelve and seven. Others will claim for the ladies that their presence at the polling booths had a refining and soothing influence. However, we need not quarrel as to the cause if the fact be admitted that the whole conduct of the campaign from start to finish was very creditable to the public and to the public men engaged in it. It was noticeable also that the vote-splitting candidates on either side got comparatively little support. This was especially true of the Avon contest. It is to be hoped that Miv George Swarm is convinced now that the electors of Avon do not require his services. It is evident that but for Mr. Swarm's selfishness, which led him to insist on gratifying his desire for revenge on Mr. Mcln'jjtre, there was a very good chance indeed of Mr. Tanner's defeat by Mr. Mclntyre. Had the votes given, to Mr. Swarm been to Mr. Mclntyre's the difference between Mr. Tannee's and the latter would have been very much smaller. But not only this, it is quite certain that many persons who were opposed to Mr. Tanner were so disgusted with Mr. Swarm's conduct, and so convinced that neither could possibly win against Mr. Tanneb with both Messrs. Swarm and Molntyre in thi field that they did not trouble to vote. The full strength of the Opposition vote in the Avon electorate was therefore not recorded at the election. That Mr. Tanner's popularity has greatly diminished was also made manifest. The Opposition would have fared better in several electorates in various parts of th@ colony had they been able to get better candidates. It would be ungenerous to specify any cases where the Opposition candidates were not as strong as might be desired, for those gentlemen, as a rule, only came forward because nobody better could be induced to come out and it would be ungrateful to complain of those who did their best for us. But it is to be hoped that the reault of the election, showing, as it does, that there has been a marked change of opinion on the part of the great mass of the electors will encourage the best men to come forward next time. This election has also been characterised by a commendable weeding out of one-idead men. There is a. considerable gap in the ranks of the prohibitionists; Mr. E. M. Smith with iron sand on the brain, Mr. Carneli. with his crusade against the totalisator, are gone, and several others like

them. The reputation and usefulness of theHouSe will thereby be considerably increased.