THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3246, 25 November 1881, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

(by telegbaph.)

New Plymouth, November 25. Major Brown addressed the electors of the town last evening. He declared himself in favor of a land tax as iDtroduced by Sir George Grey, and of assistance being given to denominational schools. He wa9 in favor of a limited protection of local industries. A vote of confidence carried. Dunedin, November 25. Mr Larnach baa retired from the contest for Dunedin South.

The election in the Egmont district is beginning to be rather interesting. The Atkinsonites are organising and putting forth all their exertions. They have realised the fact that Mr Hutchison has obtained a hold on the electors which cannot be got rid of by a raid on Parihaka and a bombastic electioneering address, in which the war spirit is directly appealed to. For a week or two the Parihaka affair gave the Major a perceptible lift, which he sadly wanted ; but a reaction has set in, and Mr Hutchison has regained the ground he occupied after his jrplatform addresses. The Woolcock candidate a trick of the Atkinson party, which served, its turn ; as soon as Woolcock was bidden to retire he retired. Mr Hutchison now intends a second campaign, and his friends give him reason to expect an enthusiastic support- Major Atkinson relies principally on the money spent in the district, that is, on the way he has managed corruptly to divert the public funds, But he has so

exaggerated fclie picture that no one actually believes his self-accusation. In the Wairarapa South, Mr Bunny is certain to win in a canter. His opponents are too ridiculous to hope for support against the old veteran, "who has done more for the Wairarapa than a whole legion of the nobodies opposing him. In the Wairarapa North, the field is occupied by Mr Beetham and Mr Eonall. Mr Beetham is known only as the Government whip, and as a politician ho has a notion about rabbits. Nature has not endowed him with a largo stock of brains, and hence he does not shine except a3 a star of very inferior magnitude. Eis opponent, Mr Eenall, was many yeare ago a member of the Assembly, is a man of liberal sentiments, a vigorous speaker, and trusted by those who know him. This is fairly a battle between the squatter and the small farmer, each side putting forth _ its whole strength to return its representative. If Mr Renall should win, the blow to the Government will be severely felt, for the Wairarapa North men consider their pocket Borough belongs absolutely to theßeethams and their connection. The fight is therefore one of importance, and the issue will be awaited with much interest. Mr Murray, the well-known member, has resolved to stand again for his old district of Bruce. At one time he talked of going Home, but many of his constituents having requested him to come forward, he ha? complied with their wishes. Mr Murray is opposed by a thorough-going Tory, who is backed up by the Government organ in Dunedin, though he had himself given the Government considerable support during the last two sessions. We should be sorry to see Mr Murray out of the House. He is simply indefatigable in whatever lie undertakes, and he has contributed as much to the original thought of the House as most of the" prominent members. Of course, one who originates much, will not be always successful, but to be occasionally successful in originality is a very high kind of success indeed. Last session Mr Murray was Chairman of the Committee on Colonial Industries, and he managed to accomplish more through knowledge, patience, and determination than a Royal Commission and a former Committee combined. His determination to give practical encouragement to colonial industries took him across the boundary line between free trade and protection, as commonly understood, and the resolutions of his Committee were absolutely forced down the throats of the Ministry and their friends. The electors of Bruce are not likely to find a more active, influential, and conscientious member, and wo think they could not do better than renew their confidence. There are four candidates standing for the Hutt—Mr Mason, Mr Jackson, Mr Marks, and Mr Sinclair. We don't know Mr Sinclair. Mr Mason sat for the Hutt in the late Parliament, and earned the character of being a faithful and conscientious member. He seldom spoke, but when he did he seemed to be always practical and clear. He appeared to bo more Liberal than the party he voted with. Mr Jackson is the well-known surveyor, and was for a session in the House, when he won golden opinions. He voted consistently with the Liberal party. MiMarks is well-known in Wanganui, where he has many friends. He was at one time a member of the South Australian Legislature, and has a wide political experience. The Hutt, which at one time was looked uponas a Sleepy Hollow, has before it a large choice of candidates, most of them well-tried and of high character. The issue will probably be between Mr Mason and Mr Jackson, both residents, and each with a wide circle of personal friends. Mr J. C. Richmond, who was beaten a year ago for the City of Nelson by Mr Levestam, has declined to renew the combat in the same arena, and now stands for the district of Waimea against Mr Shepherd. Mr Richmond relies on his old reputation, which is much better than his recent essays. His address to the electors of Waimea the other day is the most dreamy specimen of noodledom we have ever come across. But it is worse. It is a piece of very palpable trimming. It will bo remembered that at the Nelson election Mr Richmond called himself a Socialist, and then when he found it would not do, ho hedged and backed out by resorting to verbal quibbling. He now wants to obtain the confidence of the constituency by declaring himself " a liberal of liberals," while at the same time he tries to discredit liberal principles- He knows, or ought to know, that every man who wanted to, could not obtain the franchise before the residental suffrage wos enacted. Mr Shepheard will have no difficulty surely in defecting this hesitating, trimming " Socialist," Conservative " liberal of liberals," and what not. Mr Shepherd is one of the ablest and most experienced men in tlio colony,_as his speeches conclusively show, and his prescience in forecasting the loss of representation to Nelson stamps him as a man whom Nelson cannot afford to put on the shelf. If all the members from the provincial district had followed his load, the Eepresentation Bill in its present form would not have been passed into law. From what we know of Nelson men one of their faults i 3 not ingratitude, and Mr Shepherd is safo.—Wanganui Herald.