INANGAHUA ELECTION.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1276, 25 May 1883, Page 2

INANGAHUA ELECTION.

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS,

(From the Otago Daily Times.)

The gentleman, an utter novice in politics, who has fought and won the closely-contested campaign at Inangahua against so redoubtable an opponent, is Mr Edward Shaw, a practising' barrister in the Supreme Court, at Wellington, formerly District Judge and Warden on the West Coast, whore h*e resided for more than three years. He is thus thoroughly acquainted with the local requirements of the district he represents and with the working of the laws relating to the goldfields. A graduate of an English university, and a member of one of the oldlnnsof Court, he cannot but add to the cultured intelligence of the Legislature. The speeches of candidates are, as a rule, not much to be depended upon as giving assurances of the action they may take if elected -, but in the case of a new man we must take these political professions as the test, so far, of qualification. We have only seen one of Mr Shaw's addresses — the first, apparently, which he delivered, and from this we should judge that he is by no means a brilliant orator. * * * In stating his general approval of the policy and administrative conduct of Ministers, Mr Shaw referred to the Colonial Treasurer as being the "ablest man available " for that portfolio, and especially commended the further borrowing for public works and other remunerative purposes which was authorised by the legislation of last session. The necessities of his position as a candidate in a hotly-contested election no doubt obliged him to take rather a large view of the equitable claim of the Inangahua district to expenditure on public works out of the loan, and on this subject he talked the usual unmitigated nonsense, altogether ignoring the fact that the money has already been allocated to, and indeed beyond, the uttermost farthing. Upon the land question he expresses himself moderately and with good sense, agreeing generally with the leasing princidkr embodied in the Act of last ses&fn. He makes, however, for a lawy^f the ! curious mistake of alleging, as an objection to the details of the system, that in the event of the tenant not wishing to obtain a ranp.wal'at the end of his term he is not entitled to compensation for improvements ; whereas this is very fully provided for.

(West Const Times) The return of Mr Shaw for the Inangahua is naturally looked upon as a gn-at Ministerial triumph, and so it is. Ilis election, although !>y so small a majority, is a proof of how the " oracle am be workd." Once more,

lavish promising has done its work, and the unfortunate electors' of the district will only wake up after a session is over, to realise the condition of those who are represented by Government hacks, and who will never receive any more than hollow and specious promises. It is amusing to notice that some Government papers, which evidently have scarcely ever heard of Mr Shaw's name before his election, are seeking to exalt him at the expense of Mr Wakefield, who is certainly a colonial public man. We are told by one veracious and gullible paper that Mr Shaw's high private reputation in the district, was the chief reason for his return. This novel fact we commend to the electors of Inangahua.