The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1905. THE WANGANUI SEAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12550, 13 July 1905, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1905. THE WANGANUI SEAT

So far as Wanganui is concerned, the first shot of the political campaign was fued last night, when Mr. F. H. Haselderi addressed a meeting of electors at the Opera House. It Avas a shot fired at long range, for polling day is still some five or six months away, but Mr. 'Haseldsn has no doubt good reason for believing that in his case an early commencement of hostilities is necessary. Personally, we do not approve of a long drawn out political campaign, for the reason that it is not desirable to prolong the bitterness which is invariably engendered by the strife of parties. It is much better for a -community that the inevitable conflict should be short, sharp, and decisive, than-that the agony should be p'rolongfed over a- period of five or six months. That this is also the feeling of the electors of Wanganui was demonstrated by "tha comparatively small attendance at last night's meeting. However, as we have said, Mr. Haselden has no doubt good reason for believing that in his case an early start was necessary. He apparently recognises that to the great majority of the constituents whose confidence he seeks he is practically an unknown man. His name is doubtless familiar to a. good many people, but the bulk of the electors of this constituency do not know him as an individual, and ha evidently realises that if he would win the seat he must first of all make the acquaintance of those whom, he seeks to represent. This, we think, is Mr. Haselden's chief disqualification, >and it -is certainly creditable to his judgment that he should himself have recognised the fact and acknowledged the seriousness of the handicap by his unusually early appearance in the arena. As to the matter of his speech, it was on the whole appropriate and commendable, and left no room for suspicion as to the genuineness of his opposition to the Government. There was an earnest ring about his indictment of the Seddon Ministry. which must have convinced his hearers of his sincerity, even though it may not have converted all of them to his side. On the important question of land tenure, Mr. Haselden proclaimed himself unreservedly a freeholder, and in making his own position clear he took care to show that the political chief whose policy in part and whose administration as a whole he so strenuously assailed had on this very question been "all things tcv all men" in conformity with the political exigencies of the moment. He quoted Mr. Seddon as a freeholder, Mr. Seddon as a leaseholder, and Mr. Seddon as a shuffler seeking security under cover of a convenient but—to the country—dreadfully costly Land Commission, and by the time he had finished with this phase of the Premier's proclivities he had pictured that distinguished statesman as a spectacle for gods and men to jeer at. In other respects, also, Mr. Haselden dragged the Premier's record under the searchlight of historical reminiscence, and in every instance the record suffered by the exposure. In a word, Mr. Haselden made it perfectly clear that he is ready and willing to champion the cause of the Opposition in this electorate, and that if he is to be the one to see the contest through he will fight every inch of the way with tne gloves off. But, while he is anxious for the fray, he plainly indicated by the tone and tempe.r of his speech that as an honest man, concerned before all else for the honour and welfare of his country, his great desire is to see the seat won for the party which stands for clean politics, honourable government, and sound administration. No one who heard Mr. Haselden's speech at the Opera House last night would accuse him of being a n>an who would permit his own personal ambition to stand in the way of the accomplishment of that which he declares and believes to be in the best interests of the colony. He must recognise that the fact of his being practically unknown to the people constitutes a heavy handicap, calculated to seriously prejudice his candidature, and, while he is prepared to pluckily face the music under these adverse conditions, he is wise enough to realise that a candidate better known to and more in touch with the people of the electorate would have a better chance of victory. This much, at least, may be said, that if in the fortune of war it is Wanganui's lot to be represented by Hr. Haselden, she will have no reason to be ashamed. However, it is early in the day yet, and it may T>e that the seat will be coveted by a considerable number of candidates. Already, including the sitting member, there are four candidates definitely out, and the names of as many more are "in. the air." In the matter of democratic representation., it is not and should not be merely a matter of

"first come first served," but the electors should, in their own interests, withhold their support until they have tho full complement of candidates to select from!