The New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1911. TO-DAY’S POLLING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7977, 7 December 1911, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1911. TO-DAY’S POLLING

To-day the electors have to make choice of their Parliamentary representatives, and wo should imagine aro quite ready to do so. There is no reason for thinking that tho public would be better informed if the campaign proceeded until tho end of tho year. The candidates in tho various electorates have shown unusual activity, the party leaders have expounded their policies from many platforms, the newspapers have been filled from day to day with reports of speeches and comment upon of cry relevant phase of tho contest. Everything that could bo said has been said, perhaps a score of times. Indeed during the past week it has been made rather painfully evident that many of tho combatants were running short of ammunition, for these have been driven to some quite transparent expedients to sustain tho public interest.' Controversy upon points of political difference has unfortunately for the community and a few personal reputations been regarded in certain quarters as of less moment than wrangling over scandals and improprieties of various kinds. This has been a really deplorable feature of tho campaign, though it has to some extent afforded the electors a useful guide to tho character of many aspirants for a place in tho Legislature. The evil example was set early in the proceedings, and it is now useless to look for any relief from the flood of personalities until tho second ballots are ovor. In many districts there will be still another week of uproar. It is, however, with the voting to-day that tho electors aro for the moment concerned. Stripped to bedrock, as it must ho by every elector—and indeed

as it has been by the majority of candidates —tho issue for the community to decide is tho simple one of whether the Parliament of Now Zealand shall have a Liberal or Conservative majority. That is the proposition upon which all tho disputation and wrangling of tho past few weeks has revolved —upon which each elector will express an opinion in marking his ballot paper today. Our Opposition friends are presenting a bold front to the world and professing confidence in their ability to sweep tho country. Tho supporters of Liberal policy profess equal confidence in thoir strength and, wo believe, with much greater reason. It seems to us almost impossible to seriously think that- tho electors of New Zealand who have at seven previous general elections affirmed their Liberalism so emphatically are prepared to now entrust the national affairs to the party rejected oh these occasions Despite assurances to the contrary, we do not believe the Opposition thinks so. It has relied during this campaign almost entirely upon charges of disgraceful conduct against Ministers, upon criticism purely destructive, upon a disingenuous request that the past should be forgotten and the future taken upon trust. These things are not sufficient. No political'party is entitled to ask the community to clean the slate. The request cannot' possibly be granted. To make it is a grave error in tactics. The records of both parties are up for judgment at the ballot, and if one side can claim that its achievements taken on the whole warrant the electors’ continued confidence it seems to us that the other side simply makes confession of long-continued incompetence by declining to justify its past. This is the view the majority ‘of the people must take, and would alone be sufficient to determine the . course of today’s polling. Whether the Opposition feels quite comfortable about the numerous scandals that were to assist the party in its designs we are, of course, unable to say, but the indications are that these have become rather embarrassing. At any rate, there appears to be an uneasy feeling among the rank and file that the bombs have missed fire. The electors, we should think, made up their minds long ago. It is not our purpose to attempt any detailed forecast of the manner in which the constituencies will to-day reply beyond repeating a previouslyexpressed opinion that the country will as in previous years reaffirm ita Liberal faith. This will be done for two reasons, one being that tho party of reform and progress best represents the sentiment of the people; the other that the campaign of calumny and misrepresentation pursued by the Opposition has deprived it of any measure of popular support. There is real and stern work ahead of next Parliament, particularly in regard to land. To expect this to be performed by the .nominees of tho great landowners would be folly of the worst kind.