THE GENERL ELECTION. PRESS COMMENTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 292, 10 December 1896, Page 4

THE GENERL ELECTION. PRESS COMMENTS.

The more the election returns are, examined, _says the Christchurch " Press " the .more canse there is for thankfulness. Mr Seddon undoubtedly iB left in office and starts with a working majority. It is a very Bmall majority, however, oompared with his majority in the last Farliament. Allowing -when the Native members are returned that the Government have have a nominal majority ot sixteen, of theae five at least are very independent ihembers, who may he relied on, to give tbe Government a great deal of t-ouble. The majority, then, for the purposes of jobs aud,misdeeds will be reduced, to six. We anticipate also that we Bhall see some Government supporters breaking away from them before long. For instance it is difficult to imagine Mr George Fisher being for long a Government follower. No one will be

surprised to find that gentleman ere long in violent opposition. .Not * only is the Opposition numerically stronger, it is in every way more powerful. It has at its command more debating power, more ex-

perience ot publio life, and more

capacity iv all. respects. ' An excellenc moral effeot will be prouuced on Parliament by, ihe largeness of the minorities who voted against mauy of the Govern meat.- members. Mea like Mr Meredith, Mr Joyce, Mr Montgom.iy, Mr ' auuer, Mr Flatmaii, aud otUcrs must have beeu convinced by the large polling for their oppouenis that though they have won the battle on this occasion there is a very large number of their constituents who disapprove of their oondnot. The majorities of the Ministers themselves have been very /muoh reduced, and we hope they may profit by the broad hint thus administered to ihem.. lt is still more, satisfactory to observe the signs which have been visible of the diminution of that feeling of hostility between different classes whioh Ministers have done so much to foster, fhe fact that a man has large possessions is no reason for electing him, any more than the faot that a man lives by the labour of his hands is of itself any recommendation. Men should he ohoaen for what they are, not for what they have or have not. j Still, considering how Ministers have endeavoured to teach the people that no man of property is deserving of public trust, it is gratifying to hnd that the people do not agree with them, and have chosen a fair sprinkling of men of property, as well as tr fair number of the direot representatives of labour. Altogether, the General Election has greatly improved the outlook for the colony. If Mr Bedden is to remain in power he will have to behave himself, and when he does anything he ought not to do there is an infinitely better chanoe of calling hits to aooount than there hasheen for Beveral years past. Recognising, as we have always done, MrSeddoh'a numerous good qualities, wetrnst ihathe^will profit* by the very distinot warning given to him that the people of the oolony expect the great, powers he has been entrusted with to be uaed for the benefit of the whole community, ana not merely for the. benefit of himself and his slavish followers. It has been oonolusively proved by the malt of ihe Ashburton, Kaiapoi, Dunedin, and other elections that Mr Beddon's interference in the ei.otions has generally been fatal to those on. whose behalf he has interfered. ,As Mr Seddon a oratory is generally remarkable for his reckless disregard of facte, it will be a good thing for hun if it is brought home to him hat the publio have a Btrong prejudice in favour of truthfulness, ana that in the long run it payß beßt to acquire and deserve a reputation for that virtue.