POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9907, 28 November 1893, Page 2

POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails close at the Chief Post Office, Dunedin subject to any necessary alterations), as under :— For Northern Ports, overland, daily, at 10.30 a.m., C.P.O. Late letters, mail van, north train, at 11 a.mi This Day (Tuesday), November 28. For Northern Ports of New Zealand, per Flora, at 2.20 p.m. Late letters, C.P.0., at 230 p.m. Wednesday, November 29. For Northern Ports of New Zealand and Sydney (specially addressed), per Wakatipu, at 11.30 a.m. Money orders at 10.30 a.m. late letters, guard's van, Port train, at 12.10 p.m. _ SANJFRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE. For Northern Ports of New Zealand, Samoa, HMid-wlch Islands, United States of America, South America, West Indies. United Kingdom, and Continent of Europe, at 10 a m Money orders at 9.15 a.m. on Wednesday, 29th. j KeJ£st;ered correspondence at 5 p.m. on Tuesdsy, 28th. lißook packets and newspapers at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 29th. Late letters, bearing an additional single rate of postage (2Jd) as a late fee, can be pasted in the mail van attached to North train, leaving Dunedin railway station at 11 a.m. on the 29th. The above mail will close at the branch post offices, North Dunedin and South Dunedin for m°^ y ool erßi !? d »tf?ter«l letters at 6 p.m. on the 28th; letters at 9.30 a.m. and newspapers at 5 a.m. on the 29th mst. At the Port Chalmers omce at 8.15-a.m. on the 29th., money orders and registered letters at 5 p.m. on the 28th. The above mail will be due in London on the 3rd January. Thursday, November 30. _Sor Southland, Australian Colonies, India, tihma, Japan, Mediterranean ports. Straits Settlements, Continent of Europe, United Kingdom, <Skc. per Waihora, at 2.60 p.m. Money orders, registered letters, books, and newspapers at 1.50 p.m. Late letters, guard's van, Port train, at 3.35 p.m. Parcels post mails jor the Australian colonies ■will close at 3.30 p.m. on the 29th. (Signed) Edm. Cook, Chief Postmaster. Chief Post Office, November 25,1893. ABSTRACT OF SALEB BY AUCTION. THIS DAT. John Solomon, on the Premises (lately occupied by Messrs Ross and Glendinirig as a clothing factory)— Drapery, crockery, glassware, guns, cutlery, &c.

TO-DAY'S TEIAL OF STRENGTH. Out of 193 candidates the men and women of New Zealand will to-day select the 70 members of the eleventh Parliament, excepting, of course, the few fortunate members who have been returned unopposed. Hitherto the selection has been made by man, proud man, alone; but this creature's monopoly has been triumphantly attacked, and the enrolment of many thousands of more or less gentle electors gives an entirely newuncertainty to the business of to-day. Granted that the bulk of "womankind is as yet not sufficiently emancipated to thwart the will of the perennial tyrant, and that multitudes of women will vote with their husbands and fathers and brothers and sweethearts: still, there must be a large number of unattached femmes-sole, and, perchance, a V small transfigured band." of recalcitrant wives. The women who are in thrall to the behests of franchise leagues form, it may be conjectured, but a fraction of the New Zealand sisterhood, and, as a matter of fact, there are few reliable data upon which to found fc^asonable forecast o£ woman's work iliiily-. The general uncertainty is increased by the complexity of the issues. In 1890 the electors had to consider a fairly simple question—whether or not Sir Habrx Atkis'son's party should continue to be the dominant political factor. Moved in part, by the industrial wave of that year, they answered the question in the negative, and for nearly three years they have had full opportunities of estimating the value of a neo-Liberal sway. No doubt, then, in a more or less confused way the country is now asked, as it was in 1890, to pronounce Yea or Nay as to the continuance of a Ministry; but the confusion is there all the same. Take a local instance: • The three Ministerial candidates for JDunedin— we suppose Mr Eabitshaw must be regarded as shrived and at peace—are all sworn to the mutilation of one of the most important Acts which the Ministry have passed: what is to be done by an elector who believes in the Ministry and also strongly deprecates any interference with the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Bill ? Or vice versa, what course is open to the anti-" Liberal" who is also a ProhibitionistY Well, it may be guessed what the Prohibitionist would do, because his lack of the sense of proportion makes him subordinate everything to his fad; but his action in voting, albeit an anti-" Liberal," for the Ministerial trio affords as clear an instance of the existing muddle as could well_ be desired. Again, take the disturbing, though not necessarily deplorable, effect produced by, that large looming of Sir Kobeet Stout. Heaps of people will vote for Ministerial candidates in the hope that Sir Eobebt will eventually captain the party, while not a few will support Opposition or Independent men in the kindred hope that Sir' Robert will find himself at the head of a coalition or a reorganised Opposition. In fact, the peculiarity of the situation lies .in the fact that not only are the results incalculable, but that when they become calculable to-night or to-morrow, the inferences to be deducted will still be doubtful. Let us suppose that the "Liberal"-Labour trio are returned ] for Dunedin: what will such a result ! imply? It will imply, unless the majority^ should be overwhelming, that ■ Ministerial candidates . have been returned by the instrumentality of a party .whose main interest is their violent opposition to the most salient of the Ministerial measures; it will mean that Mr Sbddon has got three general supporters owing to the dislike of Mr Seddon's favourite bit of legislation. No doubt, if the ticket should be wholly or partially defeated, : the inference would be more easily drawn; in saying which we do not . think that we take an unfair advantage of the circumstances. Defeat of the : Liberal-Labour-Prohibitionist candi- ' dates would certainly indicate a re- ' action against the movement of 1890, : against the pseudo-socialistic schemes : of the Ministry, and against un- ' warrantable interference with mdi- ! vidual rights. It is right to note, ; however, that a certain number of i " Liberals " who are also supporters of ] the Liquor Act may vote against the ■ " Liberal" trio. The complexity of ] the situation in Dunedin is repeated, ] though in a minor degree, at other ' places, and in none of the four larger ( towns will a direct vote—Government j verms Opposition—be forthcoming. In ; Christchurch and "Wellington the ad- i vanced Temperance party are opposing i the "Liberal" candidates, who take a different line from that of Messrs Pikkeeiok, Hutchison, and Earn- ' shaw. Not to put too fine a point ! upon it, the situation is a jumble. * This complexity of issue, taken in ] conjunction with the unprecedented J number of independent candidates, has ( a special significance which must not , be lost sight of. It marks the growth t of a deep dissatisfaction with the i existing methods of parliamentary i government. Not improbably the * political historian will look back to : to-day as the beginning of the end i of the New Zealand party system. Sir Eobbbt Stout's pronouncement ! upon this question is of momentous import, for that Sir Eobebt (in the I almost certain event of his election for i h

Wellington) is destined to play a very i conspicuous part in the politics of the lext few years it would be idle to loubt. Many men—Ministerialists, Dppositionists, and Independents—will be returned to-day in whose minds party bondage, as hitherto understood, will hold a secondary place; and Ministerial insistence upon ancient shibboleths will only serve to hasten the day of liberation. Indeed, circumstances are very likely to force! the question to the front whether it be welcomed or not. A Stout party, a Seddon party, a Eoiaeston party, and an unattached party—these are phenomena which may make the old form of party government impossible. It may be that Mr Sbddox hopes to get a majority whose loyalty to himself will outweigh the combined force of Stoutites, Eollestonites, and Independents, but if so he is pretty certain to be disappointed. A parliamentary deadlock will not be without its advantages, and it may be that ere long New Zealand will possess a Government, strong in sound Liberalism, strong in wise Conservatism —a Government which shall not depend for its stability on party watchwords and traditions, but on "the common sense of most." So mote it be ! We do not propose to treat our, readers to a homily upon to-day's duty: minds are pretty well made up by this time, and our recommendations, if we thought well to offer any, would wear a belated air. Our opinions on the principal questions of the day are well known, and the merits and shortcomings of the various candidates have been, indicated with sufficient clearness 'during the last week or two. It may be taken for granted that the electors have weighed well the history of the last three years, and have done their best to find themselves a way in the mazy situation which the number of the candidates and the mixedness of the issues present; and we can only trust that to-day's work may finally make for the welfare of the country as a whole.