The Coming Elections.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 856, 6 August 1879, Page 2

The Coming Elections.

The N.Z. Herald, in reviewing the political situation, thus speculates on the chances and probabilities of election in the coming contest : — There are eighteen European members to be returned for Auckland, namely — City West, 2 ; Thames, 2 ; Franklin, 2, and one for each of the following districts, viz. : Parnell, Eden, City Easb, Waitemata, Newton, Onehunga, Rodney, Marsden, Bay of Islands, Waipa, Waikato, and East Coast. In two or three districts there may possibly be no contest, but in the majority of instances there will be a { severe fight. In fairness the Speaker should be allowed a walk-over by both sides, because his position is one where precedent has established this rule, and, if adhered to in the present instance, Mr. O'Rorke will regain his seat for Onehunga without trouble. For Newton it will take a good mau to beat Mr. Swanson, and we shall not be surprised to see a walk-over there also. In City West there will be a contest, and several candidates are already spoken of, amongst them Mr. Hesketh and possibly .Mr. Peacock. A strong effort will be made by the secular education party to keep out Dr. Wallis, should he again come forward, and it is not improbable that it may prove successful. Mr. Goldie will, we believe, also again be a candidate for re-election. For City East Mr. J. M. Clark is again spoken of, but our Wellington correspondent states that Mr. B>ees in not likely to seek a seat again, so that some other candidate will have to be found, if there is to be a contest. In the Eden district Mr. Tole will be opposed by Mr. Clark, if that gentleman does not stand for City East, or by Mr. Whitaker, should he again seek the suffrages of the electors. For Waitemata we may possibly have Mr. J. S. Macfarlane, Mr. Hurst, Mr. Stark, and one or two others. For.the Rodney district Mr. Moat is spoken of, and possibly Mr. Sheehan, whilst Mr. DargaVille and Captain Colbeck are mentioned in relation to Marsden, for which seat Sir Robert Douglas will not again be a candidate. For Waipa, Mr. McMinn will be opposed, whilst Mr. F. A. Whitaker will come forward for his father's seat at Waikato. Whether Mr. Whitaker, senior, will stand for another district remains to be Been, but his name has also been mentioned in relation to one of the city constituencies. For the Thames, Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan are spoken of, and a looal man will also probably be put up. At Parnell, a strong effort will be made to again bring out Mr. Reader Wood, and telegrams have been sent to Mr. Moss, asking him to stand for re-election. In the Franklin District, a severe contest may be expected, as every effort will be made to displace Mr. Hohh^ but that gentleman appears conS^^f of success. Upon the matter our Wellin^B correspondent telegraphs : — " Thei^H considerable discussion amongst Aucklanders here as to their seats. the Bay of Islands, Mr. Williams be opposed. Some of the membei^^| the Opposition say that they will that the Bay be disfranchised, as '^^H been proved, by the investigatio^^B Mr. Bryce, that hundreds of name^^l on the roHwhioh have no right t^H there. Mr. Sheehan has had se^^J applications -from diffei^nt distric^^| become a Candidate, but hta repli^^H them all that he will stand for the considered best for his party. proposed that he and Sir G. Grey sl^^H run for the Thames, whioh,'itis thoi^^f would dispose of Mr. Rowe, but ■^^M some other local man might be bro^^H out. It is considered that Dr. Wall^^H have a poor chance, on acoount o^^H views upon ,the 'education quea^^H Mr. Rees is; said not to. be upon^^f new roll in the colony, and so, &^^| comeback to the House." --J^^^ Thames.— Everyone is discussing the position of affairs at Wellington. The fact of a dissolution being granted is considered a victory for the Ministerial party. Several names have been mentioned as probable Candidates for the representation of the Thames in the event of a general election. Among them are Sir "George Grey, Mr. Sheehan, Mr. Brodie, Mr. Ehrenfreid r .and others. Mr. Rowe's chances of re-election are considered very poor, although it is contended by many that his late actions are quite consistent with his utterances at tho time of his election. The public Generally will regret vary much if the louse dissolves before a re-distribution of seats takes place. Wellington. — Tt is understood that Mr. Reeves, M.H.R. for the Grey Valley, has been asked to stand for Collingwood. Ohristchurch. — The news of the dissolution of Parliament was received with great satisfaction here. Dunedin. — The opinions expressed on the dissolution of Parliament by the Press here are as follow: — The Star says : — " His Excellency exercised a wise discretion in giving the Premier exactly the length of rope he demanded-. He thus puts the matter to the proper test as to whether the voluble and constantly reiterated assertions of the Ministerial party that they have the country with them are true or false. We do not entertain a doubt of the people endorsing the action of their I present representatives. The ground is altogether cut away from under the feet of Sir George Grey and his satellites." The Herald says : — " Our opinion still is that Sir George had no claim whatever to an appeal to the country. He was fairly beaten, not in the outing of a policy on which the people had expressed a strong and unmistakable opinion, nor indeed on a question of a policy at nil. A large majority of the representatives of the people have deliberately voted to the effect that the Government, by reason of their neglect and mismanagenent of the affairs of the colony, were not entitled to the confidence of the House." New Plymouth. — The opinion generally expressed here is against a dissolution at the present very critical time, for although this district would be sure to return three members opposed to the Grey Government, whereas there are only two now— Mr. Carrington voting for it. Yet, in the face of the native difficulty, they think it would be better that the House should try and «form a Ministry, so as to settle . the more important matters now before it. It is a curious fact, that since the institution of responsible government in. New Zealand, each Parliament has run its full period, and expired by effluxion of time, and it has remained for Sir George Grey, who

prevented New Zealand years ago having .responsible government, to be the first to try and prevent the free institutions we possess being worked in a constitutional manner. Truly, the House is deteriorating when such men are elected to represent the people.