NOTES AND NOTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5733, 28 November 1896, Page 4

NOTES AND NOTIONS.

They have got a political humourist on the West Coast. Mr J. W. Kelly wiites from Jackson to the Greymouth Star, stating that on the occasion of the Premier passing through the other day he presented Mr Seddon with a pair of silvermounted ox horns, a brace and bit, a leather muzzle, a hammer and six-inch, nails. These, remarks Mr Kelly, are for " practical political purposes. The horns to tos3 the Opposition with, the muzzle to put over the nose of tho Opposition, and the hammer and nails to drive home into every hole tho Opposition may make in the Ministerial policy. The brace and bit is to be given to the Opposition party to attempt to bore through Seddon's Government." Elsewhere in this issue will be found the heading " How to vote." Under that heading we publish the text of the two ballot papers that have to be handed to every elector, forthe electoral vote and the licensing vote. We ask our readers to make themselves perf ectly acquainted with the instructions given in these forms, so that when they enter the polling booth there may be no confusion in their minds as to what they have to do. In most electoral contests there are a number of " informal" papers. That is to say, people have disregarded the really simple instructions, with the result that their ballot papers have been thrown out as useless. If, however, those instructions are carefully noted beforehand, it is not at all likely any mistake will be made. The morning Conservative journal continues to be utterly unscrupulous as to the methods it adopts in the electoral campaign! Some days ago, a number of the Liberal electors of Lyttelton, having ascertained that the. Premier would be passing through the Port to-night, decided to ask him, if possible, to address a meeting. A request was telegraphed to Mr Seddon, who wired back his compliance. But tho Press this morning, in its leading columns, makes the preposterous statement that the Premior is " interfering " in the Lyttolton election, and inferentially asks the law-abiding people of the Port to make a demonstration of resentment. It is a repetition of tho old cry, "Don't nail his ear to tho pump." But what will happen will be this. Those electors who wish, to hear Mr Seddon will attend tho meeting to-night, and they will not only bo orderly themselves, but will tako uncommonly good care that thero is no unseemly interruption. We invite the workers of Christchurch to read tho letters that will be found in this issue relative to the candidature of Mr Cullen. Therefrom it will be seen that Mr Cullen's position as a bond fide representative of labour is perfectly clear, that be cam© iorv.*ard — not oi his own motion, but at the desire of a very largo number of his fellow-workers. He is no vote-splitter. As a Labour candidate he was first in the field, and in his addresses to the electors he has proved himself eminently qualified to act as a parliamentary representative. To those who are not personally acquainted with Mr Cullen, we will say tbis : — We have knbwn him for many years as a close student of political and social questions ; as a man of high intelligence with whom it is a pleasuro to converse ; as a man who is " respectable " in the truest sense, and as a man who, if he is sent to Parliament, will unquestionably command the respect and attention of the House.