The Lyttelton Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1883.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6872, 9 March 1883, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1883.

The friends of the present Government end of Mr Lee, their Selwjn candidate, will be very glud to hear that Mr M'Lach* lan has determined to come forward lor that district. Two, we are told by the proverb, make company, three none. Messrs Lee and Richardson made, if not exactly goed company, at all events an excellent pair of candi> dates. Mr Lee is the model of what a Conservative country member should be. Neither overburdened with information nor political ideas, but with a strong notion of fidelity to his party, and witha, perhaps, stronger hatred for that party’s opponents in general, and bis own in particular, he might be trusted to give a silent and unfailing vote in the House, and to make up for his silence there by the vigour of his abuse elsewhere. Mr Richardson is exactly the sort of man whom everyone who wishes to strengthen the Opposition would like to see in the House of Representatives. The candidates were fairly matched in so far as the local advantages of the one might be thought to counterbalance the reputation and experience of the other. To them enters Mr M'Lachlan, to the infinite delight of the Ministerialists and the disgust of the other side. The new candidate has not yet announced his views, nor does it greatly matter what these may be. The public is concerned not so much with what Mr M‘Laohlan msy think as with what he will do. If his coming forward has any effect whatever on the present election it will be to damage Mr Richardson’s chances, and improve Mr Lee’s. We daresay Mr M'Lachlan would grow very indignant if ho were told that he had come forward to produce this effect; yet this is exactly what he will do if he does anything at all. Certain of the Ministerialists may afleot to sympathise with him, but their party will take good care to lose very few votes by their sympathy. His following will be drawn almost exclusively from those who might have voted for Mr Richardson. As his own return is out of the question Mr M'Laohkn eon do nothing except put Mr Lee in. Nobody, then, who is not determined on doing what he can to keep tho present Ministry in, will vote for Mr M'Laohlan. As these will vote for Mr Lee, it follows that the new candidate ought to get no votes at all. But whether his friends will be logical enough to see the certain outcome of supporting him, or self-denying enough to put personal considerations into tho background, is another matter. It may possibly happen that some electors will persist in supporting him, only to wake up after the polling day and find they have been instrumental in returning Mr Lee. Such things happen every day, and unfortunately more often happen at the expense of the Opposition than of the Government. Alter eaoh fresh fiam onlookers remark on the incredible lolly shown. But human nature is certainly weak. No sooner is it oared of one lolly than it hasten* to break out again in a fresh direction. Not only does it do this, but there are some follies of whioh it never does get cured, and ol repeating whioh It never seems to tire. The election platform has long been a stage oa whioh the exceeding foolishness of human nature has loved to put itself on exhibition, Amongst the hundred points of election time whioh have given the satirist food for laughter, the mania for unreasonable candidature has always been conspicuous, and of this the Seiwyn election has shown tho latest example,