ELECTION ITEMS.

Colonist, Volume XXX, Issue 5024, 6 October 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

ELECTION ITEMS.

The * New Zealand Times' of Tuesday expi eases the opinion that the absence ofMrßryce aod Mr Bcd'aston from the new Parliament "is much to be regretted." Not one word of regret is expressed with regard to the defeat of tho able Liberal Vtatesman--Sir Hubert Stout. Thus the leading paper of the Opposition in the Empire City exhibits its strong party bias. The Government lost Eeverely when Sirßobert Stout, Mr Tele, ana Mr Dargaville were defeated, bat the Opposition loss has been equally AS severe. Messrs Bryce, Bolleiton, AUwright, Thomson, and Hursthouw are the prominent men included in the Opposition's los*. Tub composition of tho new P rllA* wmt, judging from the eietoheg 0(

the candidates, is as follows: — Ministerialists 87; Opposition 45, and Independent 13. -The subjoined table shows the strength of parties in each Provincial district: —

It is satisfactory to note that of the 37 Ministerialists no less . than 20 were returned by Nelson, Westland, and Canterbury constituencies. Of the Dunedin candidates, " the Otago Daily Times" supported the election "of Messrs. Allen, Cargill, Dick; and Gore, of whom only Mr Allen was returned. On the morning of the pollbg day that journal came out with an article bristling with misstatement?, one of which was that the Stout-Yogel Government had increased the expenditure at the rate of eighty thousand pounds a year. Overheard in the Eden electorate. —Elector: I'd vote for ye, only you're such a fool. —Candidate : Fool, am I ? Then I'm the man to represent you. —This sally of wit (says the Auckland 1 Star') gained a vote. An anecdote, apropos of the recent rumors of disloyalty on the part of Ministers, was told by Sir Julias Vogel when he addressed the Wellington electors* the other night. Ministers, he said, generally carried cypher cedes with them when travelling about the country, for U3e in communication with each other. On one occasion when Major Atkinson happened to be in the same town as Mr Bryce, he received a telegram in cypher from Sir John Hall. Not having his code with him, he asked Mr Bryce to traEslate it for him. That gentleman did so, and the substance of the message, »3 given Sir Julius by a member of the Ministry was as follows : —" Major Atkinson—Look after Bryce. He is not to be trusted."—The story (Buys the " Post") was received by the audience with, roar a of laughter. The Tuapeka ' Times' asserts that 1 two of the newly elected members of the House on arriving at Lawrence from the interior, . where each had been blessed with a walk over, immediately wired to the District Manager at Dunedin for their railway passes bo as to save the fare to Dunedin.' Aa both the legislators indicated are strong Oppositionists, this may be taken as an earneat of their burning desire far retrem hment. Lacties have not secured the franchise yet, but they do exercise a powerful influence over elections as will be seen by the following extrac from the ' New Zealand Times,' as to what took [ lace at Wellington, on the polling day:—One of the scenes of the day at Te Aro was that of Mrs Menteath riding on the box eeat of a drag full of voters comiug to-the poll. It was, indeed, a sight to see the lady nodding gaily and cheerfully to the crowds on the footpath, who cheered her heartily. Mrs Menteath worked magnificently all through the day, and amply proved the assertion of the lady in liip Van Winkle. Ladies cannot sit in Congress, true, But at least we rule o'er those that do. Nor must the spectacle of Sir Julius Vogel driving up to the scene of action and shaking hands with Mr and Mrs Menteath go unmentioned. But it was after six o clock, and from that time till the poll was declared, that the excitement in this district began and continued. . The streets were lined with crowds of people, from Manners street up to Ghuznee street, and the number of eggs—in an advanced stage of decomposition—and the quantity of flour used and thrown about in the vicinity was simply wondeiful. No one was free from the general attack. Of the three policeman who were on duty, one was covered in flour, eggs, and mud; and the person even of the reporter, usually secreted in an out-of-the way corner, was not excepted. People of all grades and sexes were plastered over, and woe betided every man who took a cart up that street. There were a number of rows that the police were unable to deal with, and icdeed it is fortunate that nothing worse has to be chronicled, considering the excited state up to which the larrikin element had been worked. Be prepared for dismal Financial Statements — gloomy forebodings of Colonial bankruptcy—insinuations of maladministration against the Stout-' Vogel Ministry. Major Atkinson is coming into power, and unless he has changed for the better, he is certain to indulge in the above. The Hon. Major must be troubled with a very bad liver. The Canterbury, Nelson, and Westland members will, under the leadership of the foremost Colonial statesman of the present day—Sir Julius Vogel—not only be a strong power in the new Parliament on the side of Retrenchment, encouragement to local industries, and the fullest development of the Colonial resources, but if they stand united they can demand and secure justice from whatever new Ministry is formed. As on former occasions prior to the incoming of an Atkinsonian Ministry ugly rumors and predictions of startling revelations are afloat. Who is the author of these it is hard to tell, but he must be an evii-thinking and glanderous individual. The «Kew Zealand Times' starts the ball thus: —It is hinted in Well-informed circles that when Parliament meets there will be seme peculiar disclosures in connection with the administration of two )r tlii cc department* of the public •ervicc, one of which w that of Defence. Very direct cty&rgea are likely to be made, and it i« just possible that there vvill be some j ecenes in the liouse in connection with tlu m. Major Atkinson has got no easy or tgreetble task Uf/re him, He has >t&M thftt b« WUjudws tttfct tbere

matt be farther taxation, but with ssarcely an exqeplion his followers have he elected on the distinct pledge thit there shall be no further taxation. Time will prove how many hustings' utterances will be forgotten, and | pledges violated. Oxe of the Auckland candidates speaking of religious instruction in the Public Schools eaid: He would go as' far as supporting the Ten Command-j ments being put up in all the schools. He would also have them hung up as a salutary lesson in the room where the Board of Education Md *Qeir deliberations. By the telegraphic returns of the polling, and judging by the small number of votes they received, the following candidates each had to lose their £10 deposit— Wellington East—Mr Carter, Waipawa—Mr Lascelles, Lin wood—Mr Partridge, Gladstone-Mr Franks, Waimate—Mr Clarke, Wallace- Mr Daniels, Waifcotara -Mr Morgan, Waipa-Mr Campbell.

District. M. 0. Wellington...... 3 9. Canterbury 14 8 Otigo 6 8 Southland 1 2 Auckland 3 13 Hawke's Bay... 1 3, Taranaki 1 2 Nelson ......... , * Marlborough ... ' 11 Wesllaiid 2 0 Maoris ......... 1 3I. T. 0 12 1 18 5 19 3 6 3 19 0 4 0 3 0 5 0 2 1 3 0 4 •—-u ' &m.w Totals.../ 87 45 13 95