The Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23,1891.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11201, 23 February 1891, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1891.

Government organs are endeavouing to excuse the conduct of two Ministers of the Crown in appearing as fighting chiefs in the Egmont election contest. They point that Sir George Grey— aye, and even Mr Bruce himself — has gone into another, district to address the electors during a contest. True, but they have gone as private members— not as Ministers, dangling .bunches of carrots before the noses of those whom they wished to entice. Mr ' Minister Seddon went most unblushingly to work,, He went to Hawera to try and secure another vote for the Government— found it was useless to dwell on Mr McGuire's qulifications — and so went straight on another track. What he said, in effect, was simply this "Vote for Mr McGuire — and the Government will see if they cannot divert £10,000 from defence purposes and.Bpend it in road making in the back blocks (waving his hand in the direction of the Hawera back country). So there I" That is iMr Minister Seddon's idea of electioneering. "Give our party your votes, and we will see how much money we can spend in your district." Minister McKenzie was a little more canny. He was afraid to commit himself positively to saying that his Government would re- ' lieve the suffering electors from the harbour rate. What he did say was that the Government had not considered, the question— but that that was no reason why tn%y should not consider it. The humbug ! He knew well enough that he and his collegues had considered the question sufficiently to vote upon it in their places in the House as private members; that with one exception they had all voted against any relief being given, and that some of them had most bitterly denounced the idea of any such thing being thought of .