(tamtjg past. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1905. _ ELECTION DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 136, 6 December 1905, Page 4

(tamtjg past. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1905. _ ELECTION DAY.

The crisis of the triennial fever which has vexed the body politic during the last few weeks is upon us to-day, and in course of a day or two the patient will be able to resume work and attend to ordinary business, nono the worse, but we trust decidedly the better, for the trying experience. Dropping metaphor, we may say that, taking the colony as a whole, tho campaign has been conducted with remarkable spirit and with a very wholesome indication of a deeper and more widespread interest in the proceedings than usual. Two of the divisions of this city — the Northern and the Eastern — have proved unfortunate exceptions to the gene, ml rule, and we trust that the confidence which has led the Opposition to regard these two seats as almost too safe to be } worth working for will not prove to have been misplaced. In other parts of tho colony the increased activity of the party has been very manifest, and it is to b© mainly ascribed to their enjoying the novel experience of a* loader who has thrown some energy into the work and propounded a positive programme. The party have been like sheep without a shepherd long enough, and are taking heart again after a very long period of chill depression. Another hopeful sign for them is the number of young New Zealanders who are included among their candidates ; more than thirty of them, according to Mr. Mussey, answers this description. It is absolutely certain that if the Opposition is ever to gain the complete confidence of the country, it can only bo by completely forsaking tho old ruts ; and just to the extent to which that departure takes place will that confidence grow. Mr. Massey has already done something in that direction, but there are old stagers in the party who are not anxious for a new road or a faster pace, and tho infusion of new blood is the only thing that can give it the now lease of life it co sorely needs. But it is not only under the banner of tho Opposition that young New Zealand is coming to the rescue of the colony. Even move significant than the Opposi- , tion revival is the number of New Libe-

rals and other Independents of one kind or another in tlie field, and it is natural that a movement declaring as clearly against Conservatism as against Seddonism should appeal strongly to the sanguine spirit of youth. Some of the most promising of the new candidates have accordingly declined to take the oath of allegiance to either of the regular political parties, and though there are only two lobbies in the House, and the French and German system of Parliamentary groups does not square with British constitutional practice so well as the time-honoured struggle between the Government and Opposition Parties, we are satisfied that the presence in the House at the present time of a phalanx of keen and active supporters of a genuine Independent Liberalism is well calculated to render a valuable service to the country. It is likely that in a few cases the division of the anti-Seddon vote between the Opposition and the Independent candidates may result in a victory for the "Boss" whom they are both opposing from different standpoints ; but we do not think that Mr. Seddon is going to get much profit from this contingency, and the embarrassing profusion of competitors seeking to represent the Government, and thrusting their friendship upon the "Boss" in spite of his modest disclaimers, will probably prove a more than equivalent sel-off. The increase of the genuine Independents in the House —of those who are such from conviction and not mere trimmers or malcontentswill, we are sure, have a good effect under present conditions, and the popular approval extended to the work done on these lines by. a handful of men. last session proves that on the principle of proportional representation they could confidently rely upon a great access of strength. The principal reason why the country needs an increase in this abnormal element, which so much perturbs the managers of the normal party machines, is that both the old parties need watching. For the mere work of ■ destructive criticism the Independents might, for most purposes, be as well enrolled in the ranks of 'the Opposition, though their detached position enables them often to deliver attacks from a more democratic standpoint than can command the approval of the old leaven of the Opposition. But on the land' question, which, apart from the question of administration, is undoubtedly the most important issue awaiting the decision of the .electors to-day, the Opposition needs watching just as much as the Government; or, to put it more accurately, the Opposition needs fighting just as much as the Government needs watching. The Opposition stands unequivocally and uncompromisingly to a policy of open spoliation. If Mr. Massey has his way the people are to be stripped of their land, and on terms to which no private owner would ever consent, and no intending purchaser in his senses would ever ask him to consent. The Government, through shuffles and equivocations in- j numerable, is feeling its tortuous way in the same direction ; how far it will go Mr. Seddon will be better able to tell us after he has counted.,the returns which are in process of manufacture to-day, and pricked his card. The New Liberals and the Labour organisations alone are absolutely sound on this point, and if they are given a strong fighting quorum in the new House, Mr. Seddon may prudently trace his way back towards the paths of Liberalism. That he can be ejected from office as the result of today's polling is unfortunately beyond hope. The loaves and the fishes, the carrots, and the other "humanities" for all fcorts and conditions, exercise too potent an influence to be suddenly displaced ; but we trust that a> sufficient number of men of principle and backbone may be returned to-day to put some check upon the autocratic power which no man in the world could exercise for tht long period' of Mr. Seddon's reign without injury both to his own character and to his country's welfare.