MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1896

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 235, 5 October 1896, Page 2

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1896

Tte . nfcercst Jjejng already taken in the Motueka electorate iir tjjo pa r udidates for Parliament at the coining general election is a good augury that the people will excrciso a wise discretion in choosing tho man who |$ to reprosenfc them. It is a pity a, similar interest in political matters }s hot disipl'ayed if\ Nel?.Q!i, It may ibe ,tji<it tne sitting number satisfies jtjie .'•io l iji>'e.m,epts' of tho majority, and that jjo Jias doi). his' duty sufficiently well jj> their opinion ' to merit re-election. But if must bi admitted that there is at least a respectable minority who disapprove of Mr Graham's political shiftiness, sjfl.d ijiese are not taking any steps gjtb£j. to secure' a change t or tp pbtajn from Mr Graham' a definite .exposition of his intended attitude tpwards Seddonism. Motueka may be in more favourable circumstancos than Nelson to make a choice, as it is practically a now electorate; but whatever the peasQn ip.q,y be the people* arc determined that .there _haj} be no lack of discrimination wjibn jthe tjrrtp for electing a roemW arrives." Mi* Hursthouso seems to bay o made ijp his mind definitely to stand, ufifj there is every reason to believo that as an out-and-out opponent of the .Government he will win. Mi' Roderiak McKenzie has merely thrust himself, or beeij thrust, on tho residents. Ho has nothing iii comppn wi,th ,-he district beyond Takaka, a«4 k° .8 merely a Ministerial sup porter \v Jjo, ,(jlrij r e*> put of his own (BJcctorajto by the change of W*.nd-! aries and fttbci parses, is holped by his friends to rim for another seat. It is unjust and anomalous that Takaka should be mado the chief electoral centre of Motueka, not because Jakaka lacks importance, but because it is ne,yty* .Collingwood, and because till lately its' political j*itp**ests were all with Golden Bay and the northern portions of tho Buller It may be U§a^mpd that south of Takaka Mr McKenzie is hardly known, and it seems that' Tiikaka lias beeu m/jdo tho chief polling placo bftlioMottiel.il' electorate purely and simply to improve Mi* tyeKcnzic's chances in tho new constituency'. S^icji au-.tion very much resembles a job, and oven tho supporters of tho Government around Motueka fgj.l that thoy have boon slighted. It scorns too that while Motueka should give the electorate jts name find 'ho in its yeiy jieart, an .outgjfjl't, Takaka, $ j_o"u.ld b.e its nominaj political .capital. The s . rijcjojg feajtjjro of the .coming contest in Motuefcr is the d jstrj. st of those who profess to be " Independent Liberals." The opinion has been expressed in these columns that in /iie tutors the unmeaning terms and ca-ch^ot-f-s, ." Liberals " and "Conservatives " will 'go 'Oil. of HBP a$ j-tyey have done in tho other Australasian colonies, and that presently the socalled "Independent Liberals" or

"Left Wing" of tho House of Representatives will form a party in ' revolt against Soddonism and in : coalition with the Opposition. But nt present the "Left Wing," with one or two notable exceptions among ' the members, is merely the "Zouave" ; or insubordinate and irrepressible regiment of the Seddonian army. It breaks out of barracks, goes on the rampage," hits out with its belts : but it forms lino when ordered by the colonel, and marches in step when it is wanted. It has never yet actually mutinied. Changing tho simile, the Left Wingers are the dogs of the pack who, having a tendency to run wild and give tongue, tire allowed a certain license ; but they come to heel if called sharply enough. Unless there be a sufficient number of these to form a separate pack with a new M.F.H., after the general election they will still be mustered as of the Scddonism Hunt Cluo. Major Franl_lyn poses as an " Independent Liberal," but to what extent will his independence go . Will he "come to heel "should ho bo elected when he finds that the party ho espouses is not strong enough to stand alone . Or will ho speak against and vote with the Government, as the " Left Wingers " invariably do ? As an independent paper, the Mail would like to ece tho creation of a really independent majority in the House — sufficient to overthrow Soddonism — and to include in tho new Government the best political elements among the representatives of the people. There is much in tho side Captain Russell espouses which is exploded and out of date. This may be conceded by the most violont opponent of tho Government. In fact, it is not '' Liberalism " to which the thinkers of the community are hostile, but to the abuses which have crept into our political life under the guise of " Liberalism " known of late years as *' Soddonism." Hence, if Major Franklyn hopes lo convince the electors that he is no longer a Scddonite, tho mere disapproval of certain actions by the Seddon Ministry will not bo sufficient, Ero ho can expect tho support of tho Motueka electors ho must declaro that he will attempt to achieve their chief aim— tho downfall of Soddonism; and if a candidate will pledge himself to that, his general views may bo accepted within a largo compass of tolerance. Mr Hursthouse, on the other hand, is in strong contrast with Major Franklyn as a man who has never varied in his political views. He has always been an Oppositionist and a follower of Captain Russell, and hpweyer sonie of the electors may differ from him, they must admit that he has ever been consistent. If elected he will not chop and change chango, and he will not trim his sails if ho finds that Sedd.onism is still triumphant when the general election is over, That dependence cannot be placed in Major I'ranklyn or in Mr Graham, and hence there is opposition to both those politicians. For the rest, great latitude may be allowed to individual opinions. Some men may go all the length of " Liberalism " as it is now understood in the colonies, drawing tho lino nt Hie abuse of it for which Mr Seddon and his colleagues have been notorious. Others may adhere to tho policy of the lace Sir Harry Atkinson and yet admit that it cannot bo carried out in its entirety. Both these extremes may, and will, meet in tho furtheraiip.e pf a common cause— the purification of tljie SjU\lq, iiijd tho choice of good men to administer ji. The platform flf the regnant party of flip futuro is bro,'|,d ejioijgh tb permit all peoplo to stand oh ib. Its chief planks are tho well-being of the colony, and the removal of those class hatreds on which Soddonism has lived and nourished by fostering. Me.ting at this point of agreement beyon.rit all men may afford to agree diner ; and herein may !<a .Q'jnd tji£ J*',ue coalition of political parties and the .ending of party strife — a consummation ' on which the future good of Now Zealand depends,