ELECTORAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1033, 12 August 1879, Page 2

ELECTORAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE O AMARU MAIL. Sir, —Many correspondents of the local papers have been wasting useful columnswith their views and definitions of Liberalism. Many of our citizens have taken the cue, and accordingly indulge in gratuitous prating on the same subject, with as much confidence as if they had had twenty years experience in the British House of Commons. Political squibs in the so-called Liberal interest, bearing no signature, and not even having the appearance of advertisements to be paid for by their authors, having lately appeared, it is high time for some one to ask a few pertinent questions. Will you, therefore, kindly, for the information of electors, state, if you can, the names of those members who voted on the honorarium question at the late sitting of Parliament ; also the names of those members who left the House immediately before the division. We may then be able to see how many disinterested men were in the House, and possibly obtain some guide as to the liberal principles both of the Opposition and the supporters of Sir George Grey and his sham Liberalism. — I am, &c., Elector. [The evil of which our correspondent complains is a serious one, and should bo put down by Act of Parliament. People have no right to write to the papers and calk politics unless they have been in the British—or New Zealand Parliament. The information desired by our correspondent shall be published in the Mail immediately on receipt of the Hansard containing it. But the actions of tho members with reference to the question of the honorarium lias no political significance, and will bo of no use for election purposes, either as showing magnanimity and patriotism in those who wished it to be reduced, or selfishness and unpatriotism in those who objected to reduction. Our correspondent will not, by the means he is adopting, convince the electors that the actions of members in reference to the honorarium should bo viewed as a correct test of their fitness as representatives of the people—that those who were willing to forego a portion in consideration of tho shortness of the session should be chosen, and that those who demanded the full amount should be rejected. If the new Parliament were composed of those who favored reduction, it would contain elements of discord that would render it infinitely worse than the Parliament that lias been dissolved.—Ed. P.M.]