GENERAL NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10480, 9 December 1896, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

Mr George Hunter, on his return home, wan presented by the Poraagahau station employe's with an address congratulating him upon his election bb the member for Walp.iwa, and expressing the pleasure the; felt ab having him as their repres "motive. The place was decorated with Chinese lttnternß. The address was read to him In the Oddfellows' Hall, where a large number of people, including ladles, had assembled. Mr Hunter modestly disclaimed many oi the excellencies attributed to him In the address, bat assnred the audience that he .would do his very utmost to promote good legislation, striving to represent not) alone those who had voted for him, but also his opponents. The audience was very enthußiastlo, and cheered Mr Hunter repeatedly. The new member ' for Pahlatna, Mr John O'Mearo, was born in Melbourne in ISSS, and came to New ZealaacHa 1808. In 1871 be entered the Poßt and Telegraph Department, and remained In the servloe nntil he entered into business at Qaeenstown. He was for some time onalrman of the Lake County Council, and he waa also a member of the Queens* town Borongh Council. In 1893 he unsuccessfully contested the Wakatlpn Beat with Mr W. Fraeer and the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach. At Moawhanga (In Captain Rusßell's district ab the previous election) 98 voted for Mr Bailey and 27 for Mr Lethbridge, leaving the latter with 254 of a majority. Probably the moat conspicuous illustration of the mischievous tootles of the Prohibitionists in importing tho liquor question into the selection of candidates waa that ot Parnell. Mr Valla fulfilled all the conditions required by the Prohlbltlonlßts themselves, In maintaining the absolute rights of the people to control the liquor traffic by a three-fifths majority, not ouly in local optioD, bnt in national option by referendum, of which he was a cordial supporter. That, however, was nob sufficient, and a section ot the Prohibitionists, with wilful obstinacy, persisted in pressing the candidature of a callow youth, as void of oapaclty ob ho was of prudence, and whose wild and predatory prindpfis of land taxation were calculated to frighten away nil tbe sober-minded of tho electorate.— N.Z. Herald.

In debating power the strength of tho now Opposition, by compatluon with the feebleness of the Government, h Indeed extraordinary (says the Post). Of the new members, moat of whom will revlalt tbe sceno of former triumphs und conspicuous pnbllc service, (iho oonntry could not have Bent to Parliament a

stronger group of men than Messrs Kolleston, Richardson, Soobie Mackenzie, Fish, Wright, Waaon, and Thomson (Clntha). Thooo are men pi the Btamp who will have constitutional practice observed and Paillamoubary usage maintained, or stop the business of the country until the law has been observed. To the autooraey of one man, backed by servile numbers, they will oppose snob, an array of reaton and preoedenb as will convince the people oi the justice of their' cause, and make the readiest mode of opposition that (he forma of the Honse will permit an imperative dnty. It will then follow, however relnotantly, that Minister* must disclose the truth as to the affairs of tbe oonntry, and oiioe that la known the end of Seddonlsm will be at hand. As to the relative strength of parties, there is of oonrse the usual difference of opinion that always exists in the days immediately following a general eleotion. The Premier olalms a working majority of twelve, bnt the wish mneo largely influence the thought, For our part, we cannot discern more than half the number, and in face of such a compact and capable Opposition the Premier will soon come to learn the unpalatable but wholesome lesson that he Is the servant and nob the master of the Parliament of the country. Wrttintr of tbe contest for, the Pahlatna seat the Examiner says i— " But while we thus acknowledge Mr O'Meara as out member, we would point out to him that there is great dissatisfaction In Woodvllle, Pahlatna, and Mangatalnoka, the threu oentres of tho electorate, over the fact (hat they have practically had no say In the eleotion. Indeed, this feeling rnns not only through the centres, but through a very large part of the settlements besides. Tbe electors In these places feel that they fought the matter out, and that their decision has been overthrown by tho vote of three or jour camps of co-operatlvo laborers, who have no intmreto in the district; who have boon In it barely long enough to qualify, If so lone ; aud who will very likely be away from the district in a couple of months. The feeling \e very strong tuat it is bard to be beaten, not by onr residents, bnt by utter strangers. And I we would tell Mr O'Meara, In all friend liness, that he must bo prepared for any bard things that may be said abont this, and they will be m&uy." Mr Kdmnnd G, Allen, who has been elooted to represent WalkouaUl, wbb born in 1844 In Lancashire, and 10 years later oame to Tasmania, where he acquired a knowledga of agricultural and paotorc! pursnlts. In 1863 he removed to New and euecged (n contracting, carrying out railway works in Canterbury, Wellington, Bawke'a Bay, Rnd Otago.

Sines 1879 he bns devoted himself principally to developing (he stone trade in Port Chalmers. Elected Mayor of that borough in 1884, he retained the position oontinnonßly until 1893, when he contested tbe Chalmers scat agalnßt Mr J A. Miller, bat suffered defeat. He was last year again elected Mayor of Port Chalmers. Mr Allen has served as chairman of the Ofcago Dock Tru«t, and has taken much interest iv social and athletlo organisations. He was formerly a follower of the late Me Miicandrew. and described himself as a Moderate Liberal, 'out gn this occasion ho Btood as au out-and-out supporter of the Seddon Government. '

Xbe National Association haa reason to be highly gratified at the result of its efforts to awaken public opinion. All the men who have stood in opposition to the

ptOßent Administration have not been elected, but c ulrong body of members— strong not only tv ntjrabera but In character and ability— -hau been returned. There will no longer be the hopeless task before the Opposition of endeavoring with a handful of men to restran tbe Government. Parties will bo more evenly balanoed and the benefit to the colony shonld be great, New Zealand owes a real debt) of gratitude to the National Association that has worked very hard and persistently to that end.— Christchurch Truth.

I/nder the beading " Kivlngs of an Jofutiatsd tioser," tbe New Zealand Times winds np sn article on Mr Earnshaw's final words to the Dnnedln eleotoia tbns : — '■ Thiß vulgar display of coßtermonger irate eloquence amply lustlJjeß .the conclnslon that (q tbe rjonse whloh wjll know hint no tnoro Mr Earnßhaw never will be mlaaed, and may be safely left to the Gehenna of bis own thoughts."