TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3200, 30 September 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1881.

Mr. Sutton addresses the electors on Monday evening, and Captain Russell follows him on Tuesday night. The split between the two representatives of this district is complete. Their quarrel does not appear to be a political one ; it seer_3 to be the result of pride and anxiety to reenter Parliament by the only door left open to them. If either of them had felt that he had the confidence of the electors of this town, we imagine that neither would have deserted the field to a mutual opponent. It is no compliment to those who fought hard at the last elections to secure the return of Mr Sutton and Captain Russell to be now told that they must look for their representative in the enemy's quarters. In the action that the two members have taken the acknowledgment is made that neither would have been returned by the borough. They have no* waited to see whether their old supporters would rally round tbem 5 they have simply thrown down their colors, and bolted in front of the enemy. The only anxiety that they have displayed was as to who should be first to declare hia cowardice, and in this there was a dead-heat. Why did not they come boldly before the electors and say, "Gentlemen, At the last elections the couo ,'y setters placed us at the head of the poll; ... the town we were beaten by abou. thirty votes. Now that the electorate has br-cu divided we both .oar defeat at che hands of" the borough, and as we are anxious to retain the initials M.H.R. after our names we shall fight each other over the only _o'n<. that is left us." But they have preferred excuses to an open confession of weakness. Mr Sutton, as senior member—senior by virtue of twelve votes —conceived the idea that, on the division of the constituency, his colleague should have offered him the choice of either half to stand for ; that as chairman of the County Council his duty was to the country, and he should have looked to the country to have returned him. Captain Russell's view of the question is that he is purely a country settler, and having no interest in the borough whatever did not see that he was a fit and proper person for the representation of a town. Such are the excuses that will be made for exhibition of cowardice. The electors are not likely to be told by Captain Russell and Mr Sutton that they were afraid to meet Mr Buchanan on the old battle field, but that is what we take it to be, and those who fought out the last contest have ceased to admire gentlemen who would, apparently, throw their friends overboard to save themselves. In the course they have taken the two old members have completely severed themselves from all sympathy with the town, and up to the present moment it is a matter of perfect indifference as to which one may succeed in defeating the other.