THE AVON SEAT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7544, 29 October 1902, Page 2

THE AVON SEAT.

Mr A. Loughr-ey's candidature for the Avon seat recalls memories of the days when lie previously represented at least a portion of the district in the House of Representatives. He performed his duties so well and so intelligently that we should' have welcomed! his reappearance into the political field had he chosen to contest ai constituency where his sturdy Liberalism and bluff political directness, his "clip-under-the-ear" method's, might have been profitably employed in ousting one of the dilettante, effete Oppositionists who are "turning the live air sick" with their odorous politics. But Mr Loughrey has chosen to tilt at Mr Tanner, whose sound, progressive Liberalism has 'been evidenced for twelve yeairs past in- his capacity as the elect of the district. Except on the principle that " change is our portion ihere," we cannot see liow the electors can possibly transfer their political affections froon Mr Tanner to Mr Loughrey. In addition to having earned) the confidence of the electorate, Mr Tanner naturally possesses a more intimate acquaintance^ — the superior acquaintance of the creator OA r er that of the student — with the political questions of the hour. Everything else being equal, this alone would make him the more useful representative for tlie constituency. But we have a shrewd suspicion that Mr Tanner is ako the sounder politician of the two. In Mr Loughrey's speech at New Brighton last night there were one or two reservations which the \ineharita.ble might have designated as inconsistencies, but which he would probably prefer to characterise as legal juxtapositions. For instance, Mr Loughrey's advocacy of pushing the railways! to a paying point and of the pursuit of v. vigorous land policy read 1 curiously alongside his dteprecation of further borrowing aud Ms insinuation of Governmental extravagance. Unless he "guesses" the railways "growed'," like Topsy, he should lhave an appreciation of the fact thnt oven co-operative labour will decline to build) him lines without wages. Little enlivenments of this sort apart, his speech and his subsequent "heckling" displayed him as a progressive politician whom it is a pity to have wasted on an ineffective candidature.