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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5670, 31 October 1889, Page 2

In the midst of a politici il calm, at a time when the administrators of public affairs are quietly working out the decree of tho colony aa promulgated two years ago at tha general elections, Mr Balliinco has seized tho opportunity to endoav. r to galvanise into lifo the corpse of '•Liberalism" in Napier. Fortunately for tli. destinies of this town and district,, the spurious Liberalism _f Sir Robert Stout and Mr Ballance ha/, always been a puny aud .iokly plant in Ne pier. To its ro.intaken efforts in the cause of humanity Now Zealand owes nothing tut retrogression, and Hawke's Bay woul d have none of it. It has had its revivals, its Hashes in the pan, but it never had an;*/ hold on the peoplo at Large, and its inosic noisy advocates were birds of passage. The most fitting candidate for its repress -ntation iv Napier was Joe Ivess .' When that gentleman took himsslf off Liberai'ism became moribund, aud there was co pious weeping over the opoti grave whea the settlement of a blunder had so be made. But Napier has not, aud never will, forget the insult then .offered iW; and though .memory may be allowed' -to fado, it was not a politic proceeding tool *_» old wounds by inviting Mr Ballance hei"-_ His. invitation was nothing less than a distinct assertion that this community :'s divided into two political camps, and that it is not intended to lot harmony be more than armed neutrality. It is well that this should be recogui sed in its true significance. The party with whioh the progress and prosperity of Hawko's Bay are identified might, without some sign of opposition, havo sunk in the si umber of confidence, and havo had a rude aw akening. Mr Ballanco's visit will havo the effect of closing up th c ranks of the opponents of what is termed Liberalism, ancl cif keeping togother a party which refuse' i aa its representative -a man who had ha i no part or parcel in building up the fort unes of this part of tho colony. If Lib.rali sm had been the ruling principle hero, Napi :er might havo been to the East Coast what • Wanganui is to-d ay to the West Coant—silent and almost decayed, no sign of• progression, no evideu co of prosperity.