The Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1911. SIDE ISSUES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10231, 14 August 1911, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1911. SIDE ISSUES.

It is unfortunate, we think, that tho name and achievements of the late Sir John liall should have been dragged into the Christchcrch North campaign by the journalistic friends of the Conservative candidate. 'iTiero was no possible excuse for such tactics, which have had the very natural result of diverting attention from present-day issues and from tho merits of the individual candidates and their policies. To aggravate the offence, the Conservative journal opened the account liy flagrant misstatements, and these have been repeated and are being repeated by Mr Hall's friends every day with the object of influencing votes in Jris favour. We do not believe that Mi Hall desires that his candidature should be promoted by such methods, and we ourselves certainly are not anxious that the controversy should be continued. But Mr Hall's ra.sh and impetuous friends are leaving us no option. At the very outset of the campaign the Conservative newspaper made the extraordinary allegation that Sir John Hall's Government carried " one man one vote," and it followed this misstatement with the further claim that Sir John Hall was responsible for the carrying of tho extension of the suffrage to women. It is oven asserted now that women's suffrage was carried through Parliament by Sir John's Ministry. The truth of the matter is , that Sir John Hall did not include I "one man one vote" in the Representation Bill he borrowed from Sir George Grey and carried at the dictation of the Auckland "Rats," and that the women's suffrage was carried through bv a Liberal Government. We hope that the Conservatives will have the good sense to drop these fictions for the rest of tho campaign. If there is any claim to be made on behalf of Mr J. D. Hall, let them make it, but let us have no more talk of the history of women's suffrage and other democratic reforms, which have nothing at all to do with the present contest. It is to be regrettcdj also, that friends of the Conservative candidate have thought fit to raise the licensing issue at this by-election. Tactics of that sort hit both ways, and we are bound to say that if the choice • -as one of our correspondents haß sug. gested—is to be between beer and Conservatism on the one hand and no-beer and Radicalism on the other, the advantage, judging by the polling three years ago, will not be with the Conservatism bracket;