THE VERDICT OF THE POLLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12983, 26 November 1902, Page 6

THE VERDICT OF THE POLLS.

The Q-oyerniniciivb has Idft its oppcuKnfls soa,roely the mpty coirnsolation of a. mwni victory, lb hiais submiil'tod iltstilf to the) judgment; of the electors, air.d the- etedtbrs, by an avenv f lieil'mjitag maijoirity, IWartei fle'nowed its lease; of power fo'r ancthsi- threa jx-ara. It will meet tho new Parliament nest; ye'ar with a majority of sbinia twentythree or twenty-four, quite strong enough to .warrant it in proceeding with every Radical measure on its programme. This is tho colony's r'oply to all ths v.tupcira'.tfconi that has hdeini helped, upon) Mr Seddlon andi his coMewlgueia, to the wild den imoiat ions amd jemniiads of the) Opposition. Th® result was, of course, exphetied. The Opposition had nothing but a record of impotent and often ummsorting defiance, and of legislative 'and adimufeirative failure to fall back upon, while the) Goyernmelnb relied upon its djewen years of progressiJvei logisbiticm; andl successful adtalniistratioti. Thei-e is no mistaking the temper of the) cMStitueaKaics. They may not endorse ovary act of the Gove'i'n'mcffiiti, but' they certainly will nob tolerate the return to power of the Party which ai’JiO'Wed; the: affairs of tho colony to drift into) almost hopeleM oonfuyiian. Of course, the result' that will l olilefly intcreist our renders is that for Christchurch City. We db net regard Mr T. E. Taylor's return as a calamity. His mental vision has undoubUidiy broadened during the* past three years, and Ihc* qualities tlkutl g'alnicid hian the coufidciuce of so laugc A Section of the ooiKrt’jtrK'aioy enable liinv to do l useful work f«r tike new! Paaiiamient. Mr Ell s aohoevcmsiit isi really the triumph of the election, for it no® against hiim lhafi tilte an«ni«B of progress) brought their heaviest guns. It is a Wei:l--deserved tributie; to* hrs ccus'.'S'l'Cirt' diovo-tloui to diut.v wn'd to his earnesfc aidv'ooaicy of prqgressivei legislation!. Mr T. 11. Davcy, too, has achieved a remarkable, victory, a. proof that the dl-ecflow give soma weight: to a, candidate's record in load politics, aaid value stralg'liit'l'o'r'wted.n'Eiys affiidi lionesty in a nmn. We ca.nnrJt:, we 'Qomfess, sob the login of an election: which leaves ttedj sorvan'ta lakei Mr Oolliu'S a'ird rir Smith in fiK, cold, but 'Christchurch sieiems to havci a. fc'iid'i’Je.ys for flbiei “ Klcie-saw prin c.ip.c of reipi'EWnit'atiicin. The Dunedin' rcisult lo ob.s renuirbaibb at first sight, because, of the heavy polling of <1 ho eiaUC'.idates elected, bub tho ficild was a very ;:iuall one), hit H. D. B-t'dlibi'A’s position is «asUy explaiinotj. Tlte “ idicl elf Dunedin ” is young,, gucd-loioking, ate, eaiowt, cmiergetlc and highly attractive as a speaker, flnid hfe) appearance) in, the conteisit at the (javor'ibiami bv-election served to bulling him be-, ioirct film public. It is nob unusual to a gsUcral election to find the ciatastropbe's wf) least as striking as the victories. Attention will imtalsdiatiely centre on th® rejectiw <>l Sir Maurice O’Eurke by tlbe) electors' of hla'niukau. Mem'beirs who have) under him in the Ho,us® Of Eepresien-tath-os, and, incJeed, everyone who hau watoheid 'Una career of thia old.and bonouie.d politicimr.' —practically the last of the!

“ old soh‘ffo9 ” in Hi® New Zealand Parlia*meaiit—will ddeply clopWi'ft Ms diraappaarance from the House, with which lira has iiUeh so long and so honourably assoolaticd. We are tn.a'fc among those' whoi find) aio sugi goatiou of doubt, no notio of diisaient this great victory for the G-overnanenit. M'k&t.aih., of caitri-l®, haa-e 1 retained tlM'r seats withorth ainy ciclnii'dieirabk' difficulty,, but th,ci Bon James Oatrfioill and the Hou O. H. Mills have baan plainly reminded: of soimia diftkirOnioo Of opinion, 'among fiber® ccaistitumt'S. Then, in many 'constituencies hha Government candidaltas have hadj hiard flights, and! (have) been re/tum'ed by very narrow niajoiitiiea. W*e are glau to find Mr M’Nftb, whode seat was generally regalrdiad! m i’hitecuiiu, sbH retaining the ccmfid'etoe of M'2/tau.ra*. Itl is true that,, bad, hils system- of aibsoluba majority votiiigj been adopted l by the lafcW Parliament, thla Giovcramcmt Party Would havci boon cousidearibly stronger than it is m the inicw PaTHament, bub the Government must midt on that account ignore the very sharp) opposition tihafl isoimo of its most consistenti supporters have) encoumte.rcd. H& ev ideril) fchaib tihfl electors arc) disposeid! .to cri'bicislti the Ministry even at tho ballot-box, and unless we are mueb mistaken tho Party in the) how Hitfuiio of Bepresonitafives will be cXtreanjely franlc and in dependant! in its attitude on questions Of adlminilstTa-c-iam. Theso hoots may modify tho mere vindication of the Ministry and its work, but they in no way detract from tho triumph Of the prinicipl'os of Lab'sraiism.