The Star. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER .29, 1887.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6045, 29 September 1887, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER .29, 1887.

UNGRACIOUS AND UNGRATEFUL. Amidst the lamentation, mourning, and great woe which during the past few days has been indulged in, not unnaturally, we admit, by the much-defeated minority, there have been certain wailings far louder than the rest, and more hysterical. We see, with some surprise, that of the Opposition candidates who have been defeated in Canterbury, four are held to constitute a loss which the Grain Agency Reformers regard as positively disastrous ; that these four are comparable to the brightest jewels, which have been ruthlessly trampled upon. The men who have been so singled out are Messrs Rolleston, Garrick, Wright- and Saunders. Now this, we have no hesitation in saying, is both ungracious and ungrateful. Why should the Press, in the course of its jeremiads, deliberately ignore all the other candidates striven for, regardless of expenso, by the " Reformers ?" Why should ifc deliberately ignore those same candidates, whom it has eulogised so highly. Roberts had perhaps the most ungracious position of the lot. Is Roberts to be now jshut out from the sympathetic society of Messrs Rolleston, Garrick, and Wright because his social status is not good enough after tho election? Where is Hopkins, who, so recently as Saturday last, was eulogised as an Opposition advocate " whose attacks upon the Government were scarcely exceeded in vigour or telling effect by those of any other Opposition speaker," and whose " racy fun " was so congenial ? Oh, the shame, the base ingratitude ! He, too, is now "cut dead." Allwright, " among the foremost of those who deserved well;" Purnell, the ."worthy advocate;" Thomson, " the splendid illustration of the principle that in politics there is always something which may be done;" Crewes, the "shrewd," "telling" and "vigorous," the man of "strong and earnest; sympathies ;" Reese, the "plucky and straightforward." Where be all these now ? All cut dead. These candidates of the Grain Agency Political Reformers will in all probability find themselves adopting a Shaksperian phrase, and giving emphatic utterance thereto : "I hate ingratitude moro in a man Than lyiug." As for the select few of the Inner Brotherhood, we really see no reason whatever for tho dismal wailing which is still kept up. Surely there are tender memories to be treasured, and surely, too, there is some little consolation to be had. The old familiar suit, donned by Mr Rolleston for election campaigns, is, ye trust, yet to be preserved. The same hallowed care, it may be hoped, will be extezsded to that "vacant chair " at St Albans. As for Mr Wright, the greatest boon we romember him to have offered during the election campaign was that, " if elected, he would come to reside in the Springfield road, Christchurch." Perhaps it was in joyful anticipation that Mr Wright did actually make ready a charming villa residence in that pleasant suburban spot. It cannot bo that he wil] now be so remorseless ss to withdraw himself altogether. He may yet find congenial occupation, and profi . withal, ii undertaking that now f amour ccheu. . o his, a Railway to the _Xoo_*