The Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1870.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 596, 20 April 1870, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1870.

Ts addressing the electors at Rangiora, on Monday last, Mr Rolleston took occasion to say that he was sorry " Mr " Moorhouse hnd infused so much per- " sonalifcy into a contest which was nofc " so much one of persons as of prin- " ciples." We must congratulate Mr Rolleston ou his evident improvement in what we may call the strategy of electioneering, but at the same time we must remark that it would have been more in keeping with his character for candour if he had gone on to show in what the " so much personality" consisted. Mr Rolleston has apparently realised the force of the proverb which says that you may as well kill a dog aa give him a bad name. Aud he seems inclined to act on the indirect advice which it contains, by trying to affix a stigma to fche addresses delivered by his opponent. This, we think, is a poor way of replying to criticism. It argues inability to reply in the first place, and ifc implies that there ia really no case. Did it nofc strike Mr Rolleston that he was exhibiting himself strikingly in the same character as the lawyer whose brief was inscribed — "No case, abuse the other side ?" Mr Rolleston furthor accuses hia opponent of having tried to set class against class, and of having said that those who opposed him — Mr Rolleston and hia friends, to wit — were influenced by bad motives. We have a word or two to say about this alleged setting of class against class. If there has been auy such conduct, who began ifc ? That is the question. We venture to say, without fear of refutation, that Mr Rolleston and his friends began ifc. They wont about claiming to be — and laying groat stress on the claim — the "respectable" portion of the community, implying, of course, that those who supported Mr Moorhouse were not respectable. This is a fact, which Mr llollesfcon and his supporters cannot refute. That being the case, it is clear that they, and nofc Mr Moorhouse, first set class against class. We deny, however, that any portion of Mr Moorhouse's speech, as quoted by Mr KoUesfcon, can be fairly construed aa setting class against class. And as to Mr Moorhouse saying that his opponents were influenced by bad motives, that is simply a delusion of Mr Rolleston's. Mr Moorhouse said nothing oi the sort, that we can remember, and we claim to have given some attention to his speech. . It is a pity that Mr Rolleston should always shirk any full . explanation of his conduct as a member of the " Cave." He did so afc Rangiora, we notice ; he did so at Lyttelton also; and we do him no injustice when we say that he has systematically done it from the beginning. Mr Rolleston's conduct as a member of the " Cave " was either right or wrong. If it was right, or if he thinks it was right, he ought to be able fco defend it. If ifc was wrong, he ought to have the candour to say so. But he will do neither. Nor has he given any satisfactory assurance to those who wish to know whether he will agaiu act in the same way when he goes up to Wellington. The electors wish to know whether Mr Rolleston lias entirely broken with the " Cave," and whether he will assist in trying to destroy Provincial institutions, as he did last session. He &as not given any distinct answer to bhes^ questions yet. Another matter which tbe electors are anxious to know is, whether Mr Rolleston will support the Fox Ministry during next session, or join the Opposition under Mr Sta£ ford. We may say at once thai rumour gives Mr Rolleston credit foi laving signified to Mr Stafford — whe

: s now in thia province on a recruiting expedition — his intention of giving him afc least general support. "What Mr Rolleston may do, or attempt to do, in the General Assembly, is really a matter of the utmost importance. In his address at the Music Hall he said — " I think it " would be a great evil to the country " to have at the present time a change I "of Ministry." Most people, we believe, inferred from these words that Mr Rolleston intended to support the Fox Ministry. Indeed, we may go so far as to ' say that the words we have quoted were generally accepted as au emphatic declaration of Mr Rolleston's intention to enrol himself as a supporter of Mr Fox. But, when Mr Rolleston was at Lyttelton — a couple of days after making the above statement — he said, in reply to the direct question, " Will you support the Fox Ministry ?" — " I shall support the " one which will best advance the in- " terests of the people." What does Mr Rolleston mean ? Ifc is, as a contemporary haa very properly observed,, of the utmost importance to the' electors to know what course Mr Rolleston intends to pursue in the General Assembly. Hitherto he has shirked all efforts to bring him to a distinct declaration.