EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 7691, 7 December 1899, Page 1

EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The people of the colony have given an unmistakable answer to the question remitted to them yesterday—whether the Liberal Ministry should be contiued in office tor another term with instructions to continue the policy of progress which was initiated nine years ago, or whether the Conservatives should be recalled to power to stem the tide of reform.. As we confidently anticipated, the reply is an emphatic re-offirmation of the Liberal faith. The Ministerial victory is complete all along the line, and from Auckland to the Bluff the people have with no uncertain sound declared that they require some more substantial reason for transferring their allegiance to the Conservatives than trumped-up scanda's and the reiteration of empty charges that have been refuted over and over again. They have, indeed, by their votes given the Opposition to understand that slander is no substitute for policy, and that if they would successfully woo the electors they must submit an acceptable policy. One of the most striking features of the resu't of the election is the almost entire extinction of the Left Wing. Of the small body of malcontents who were ranged under the banner of that party, Mr Pirani and Mr John Hutcheson only have secured seats in the new House, and both of these as a preliminary step to the contest renounced their independence and joined the Opposition camp. Messrs Kelly, G. J. Smith, and T. E. Taylor have been rejected, and so. too, has been Mr Montgomery, who showed at times a disposition to break away from his party allegiance. This may he accepted as an indication that the people view pirty organisation a<s espential to the proper working of the legislative machine. It is true Mr Ell, who is classed as an Independent Liberal, has secured one of the Christehurch seats, bub he may be almost counted upon a3 a Ministerial supporter. The greatesb victory for the Ministry has undoubtedly been scored in Dunedin, where the Liberal ticket has been triumphantly returned, and two seats have been wrested from the Opposition, despite the strong personalty of Mr Scobie Mackenzie, the brilliant Opposition critic, who, with Mr Sligo, has been rejected in favor of two untried men. The merit of the victory is all the greater because of the fact that both the city newspapers were against the Liberal candidates, and that the Otago Daily Times exerted every influence and resorted to every device and every description of misrepresention in order to secure the return of the Opposition trio. All the powerful influences were also ranged upon the side of the Conservatives ; but it was all of no avail, for the people were as well educated politically as their would-be mentors, and refused to be led astray by those who sought to shake their allegiance to the Liberal 1-arty by the circulation of false stories. All parts of the colony have helped to swell the Liberal triumph, and the result is that the Conservatives, who claimed that the days of the Ministry were numbered and the hour of their own triumph was at hand, have been driven back to the position they occupied after the rout at the general election of 1596. The whole of the seats have not yet been determined, but it is sife to say that the Opposition in the new House wi!l not number more than 17 or IS, and that the Government will havo an assured majority of about 35. That is the answer that the people have given at lhe polls—that is the verdict with which the people have rebuffed the scandal-mongering and politically-barren Conservatives.

Tub bulk of the returns of the voting on the liquor question have nob yeb come to hand. Bub it may be asumed that the Prohibition vote has not in any district been sufficient bo carry the abolition of the trade. As to the vote for Reduction, which has been sufficiently large here to be effective, we care but little, though it might in time lead to the diminution of licenses, including bottle licenses, to three in any community, provided there was a Committee favorable to temperance ; and let it be remembered bhab a Committee may effect the legal percentage of reduction (which may be 25 per cent., bub mi-s tnob be less than two in the Oamaru dis ... ;C 1 'in any pare of a district, and that, on the last occasion, the Oamaru Committee, guided by the voting as to the reduction of licenses at the licensing poll, withheld a license at Enfield. The next fight here will be the election of a Committee, for the Temperance party will insisb that reduction shall be effected on lines that will accord with the public sentiment There seems to be some doubt as to how yesterday's poll is counted. Each issue is dealt with entirely on its own merits. If there is a bare majority for reduction it' is carried—if a three-fifths majority for abolibion it is carried. There is no counting of the total abolition vote with the reduation vote in order to secure re« duction, as some persons appear to think. The Act of 1893 permitted the counting of the votes on these two questions together to secure reduction, but this procedure was amended by the Act of 1895. Now, as to issue of yesterday's poll: Those who are opposed to the drink traffic have every reason to feel gratified at the evidences which it affords of the increasing popularity of their cause. The figures, which we have quoted elsewhere, are encouraging, as they prove that the achievement of total abolition of the drink traffic is not far distant. As to by exactly how many it was lost yesterday cannob be ascerbained bill bhe precise number of vobers who voted has come bo hand.