THE ELECTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12557, 19 July 1901, Page 4

THE ELECTION.

The remarkable feature of yesterday’s election is the exceeding smallness of the poll. We have been told that the city was apathetic, that the absence of a definite issue of real importance caused the people to bo indifferent, but wo never expected that out of a city constituency of 17,555 electors only some 9800 would tak« the trouble to vote. Probably the weather had a good deal to do with this result, but we can hardly believe that, cold and miserable aa it was, it kept from the polling booths any person who really wished to take a part in the decision. Possibly the prohibition of canvassing prevented the candidates’ workers from stirring up the customary enthusiasm in some of the districts, and tha very vagueness of the law may have deterred the committees from adopting practices which were perfectly legal. But, allowing for the effect of the new law, we cannot congratulate any of the candidates on the excellence of his organisation. The lloman Catholic and publicans’ votes, of which we heard so* much during the campaign, seem to have been left uneserciscd, a further proof, if we needed one, that the country expects neither the education question nor the licensing question to be raised during the life of the present Parliament. The constituency is, at any rate, sound on both issues. The fact that all three candidates were Liberals, and that the Government was therefore safe, whatever happened. was, we believe, the consideration that causeu so many electors to abstain from voting, hut their indifference is not very creditable to the constituency. Wo do not think the proportions of votes recorded for the candidates would have been materially different if the polling had been heavier, because, as we said, Mr 'Smith was tha best qualified of the three gentlemen who offered their services to the city. That bis election will give universal satisfaction, is too much to hope, but the constituency Which has already tried him is nob likely to be disappointed' with his future work. He has been mentioned as the “ Opposition" candidate by irresponsible and ignorant outsiders, but he is pledged , to support the general policy of the present Government, and we know, therefore, on which side his vote will be cast in the House. So far as administration is concerned, a constituency is not always wise to bind its representative, and independence in this direction is a virtue rather than a vice when the Government has already so large a following. We must congratulate Mr Smith on his election and the constituency on its determination to support a progressive policy. The campaign, which has been Conducted in excellent spirit by the Candidatas, was fittingly concluded last night by Mr Turnbull’s felicitous little speech on the declaration of the poll. It was difficult to toll from tho remarks made on the occasion whether the result gave the greater satisfaction to the first or to the last candidate on the list.