ELECTION NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7927, 19 July 1887, Page 3

ELECTION NOTES.

In consequence of a bereavement in the family, Mr John Elmer hrs decided to withdraw from the contest for the Port Chalmers seat.

Dr Fitchett's friends and supporters meet to' morrow evening.

Our Waimate coirespondent writes : — Matters political are being warmly canvassed

in Waimate, and we have now thr~e candidates iv the field. Mr John Manchester and Mr O. V. Clark will oppose Major Steward. Mr Clark is well-l>iown as a local poUtic'in. 4s a speaker he is intensely and uninteutiona"y comici'l. Mr Manchester is most in favour here, and is strong on retrenchment and opposed to any increase

in the taxes. His chanc-s look very favourable. He wi'l oppose the present Government. The contest will be between Major Steward and Mr Manchester, and it is doubtful if Mr Clark wi'l poll suffick it votes to £ive his £10 deposit. A public meelHg to consider the po'itical situation wl'l Le held on Thursday, and it is

likely that the major wi'l put in an'appearance at it. He has not yet commenced canvarsing, but next week ill see all the candidates hard at work."

The North Otago Times states, but does not vouch for the report, that Mr C. Hayues has determined to retire from the contest for Waihemo as his views are the same as those of Mr Buckland.

Mr Baldey has definitely decided to run against Mr Cowan for the Hokonui seat. At a meeting of the Oamaru Farmers' Club, resolutions were carried in favour of abolishing the honorarium to members of tho Upper House and reducing the number to 40 (to be elected

under the Hare system), in favour of reducing the Governor's salary by one-third, and the number of members of the Lower House to 71; that secondary education depend wholly on the endowments and school fers, pud that no cash grants be made to it; that primary schools be carried on by a capitation allowance of twothirds of the cost of such education, and that the other third be made up in school fees from the parents.

A deputation waited on Mr Wynn Williams to ask him to contest the Lyotelton election. Mr Williams declined the request.

Major Atkinson addressed a meeting at Manaia on Saturday night, the proceedings lasting till midnight. A vote of thanks was carried against one of confidence.

We have received the reprinted repoits of Mr Aitken Counell's speeches in Auckland to the Eden electors. At the end of tho second speech is a letter from Mr Connell apologising for the use of a strong and improper expression. Mr Council tays: —" At tho particular moment the expression was used the position had reached

the point of being almost a pitched battle between one section of the audience and myself, and I can only account for the uncontrollable impulse I felt to use the expression on the ground of old habit, which I had imagined was long ago overcome, and which I think I am safe iv saying had not been indulged in, at least to the extent of outward expression, for at least 20 years." Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs

that Mr Menteath (late M.rf.R. for Inangahua) and Mr Edwards, the two lawyer candidates for Te Aro and South Wellington resp?etively, have taken their preliminary canters, both having addressed the electors. Mr Menteath spoke in the Opera House, which was fairly filled. He declared dead against the present Government, and explained that he had only supported them to the end of last session because ho saw no prospect of any other stable ministry being formed in the late Parliament ps parties then were, but he took credit for assisting to "keep their measures out" though he helped to " keep the men in." He a'so proclaimed himself a staunch Freetrader. He obtained not only a vote of thanks but also one of confidence in a rather odd way. The vote of thanks was proposed and carried, when the chairman suddenly remarked: " I think it ought to have been one of confidence. All those who are in favour of a vote of confidence hold up their hands." And so, as a number of hands were held up for it but apparently none against it, Mr Menteath thus got a vote of confidence in the very heart of his opponent's (Mr Fraser) stronghold. Mr Fraser, however, is still regarded as safe. Mr Edwards, in South Wellington, also declared against the Government. He said he would oppose any ministry of which Sir Ju'ius Vogel wns a member. He virtually advocated Protection, and also supported a graduated property tax and reduction in the educational tx-

penditure. He received a vote of Ihnuks. In

his caso, too, it is anticipated tbat bis exertions will be " love's labour lost," for Mr Izard is looked on as certain to win. On tbu other band I find a few who believe that Councillor Coombo, who has just announced himself for the same district, ami who has won much popularity among1, local ratepayers by getting asphalt made to everybody's doors, may possibly run Mr Izanl close, or even beat. him. Mr Edwards' candidature too is a disturbing item,

Mr H. Dodsou addressed a crowded meeting at Blenheim last night, and received a vote of thanks aud confidence as future member. Sir W Fox, though not yet a candidate, addressed a mating at Ponsonby of the electors lastniL'ht on political matters. He expressed himself a« out-and-out Freetrader, and attributed the depression in the colony t-j the fall iv corn, wool, timber, Mid in the quantity of gold produced. He advocated rigid retrenchment.