West Coast Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1896.

West Coast Times, Issue 10427, 4 December 1896, Page 2

West Coast Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1896.

To-day will be the most eventful this country has seen for many years, for on bhe votes recorded will be decided the nomentous question whether the Seddon jrovernment will be retained in power, it bo compelled to give place to

i purer administration. The light is not; one of party or of policy but affects the cardinal principle un- ' derlying our most cherished institutions. The Seddon Government has become associated in the minds 06 thinking people' with an autocracy, or at least an oligarchy, subversive of the dearest.liberties of our race. It makes a pretence of being (formed in the interests of the people, but in reality it is a petty tyranny such as characterised phases of the life of the early Greek republics and ultimately led to their ruin. Mr Seddpn, whose strong personality virtually makes him the dictator of his party, is bent upon one thing — the retention and consolidation of his power.- In the early days of history ; men of similar characteristics accom- ! plishefl this object by buyug the support of the national forces, or with the aid of armed mobs. Mv Seddon uses other instruments, the tools Which he finds ready to his hands. He has armies to do his bidding and they are paid in a similar way out of the public funds. A host of employees of the State with their wives, friends and relations have been actively canvassing for the Government candidates throughout the Colony, using every weaponoof cajclery, bribery, and coercion which the tongue can command in order to keep the present Ministry in power. Those who have to fight this force of corruption do so knowing that the State purse is being used against them. The taxpayers of the country are compelled to pay additional sums to the public funds in order that the Seddonites may fight this election. Inspectors, overseers, water-rape men, co-operative employees and many others are actually neglecting the work for which they are paid in order that the reign of misrule may be perpetuated, whilst sheaves of telegrams are sent at the public expense stimulating supporters and directing how the contest shall be conducted. This is the state of things which all who prize the liberty of this country are fighting and it is a fight which they will steadily persevere in until the country is freed f oin those who have usurped a position which has enabled them to sap the freedom ot our institutions.

With such an unequal fight, and in view of the fact that many of the workers arc likely to be deluded by catch words and party cries, the issue is a^loubtf ul one, although we believe a majority of the members will be returned opposed to the present Government. Individually the Opposition candidates are of a much more able stamp than the Ministerial supporters and the Parliament will benefit greatly by their inclusion. There is n strong feeling that if another Ministry assumes office the revelations of maladministration will be of such a damning character that they can never hope to again obtain seats on the Treasury benches, and this probably accounts for the frantic efforts that are being made to retain their hold. Whichever side has the victory we may be sure that the Opposition will have gained so largely in numerical strength that a powerful control will be exercised, which was not the case when a large pack of "dumb dogs" voted obediently at the crack of the Ministerial whip. We may presume that all who pose before the electors as Government supporters have already signed their fealty to Mr Seddon, and that if elected they will simply record their votes as directed. In other words the Premier will be accepted as their dictator by a large section of the people. We have already expressed our sense of tbe grave menace this is to .the liberties of the people, a menace which many of them are at present too blind to see. A forecast of the result of to day's polling has been attempted by many but prophecies of this kind do not carry conviction, and it is very difficult to accurately guage the tendencies of the voters. Of this much, however, we may be sure — that the Opposition candidates are possessed of much greater ability than those at last elections whom they replace and that their prospects of gaining their seats are much greater than those enjoyed by their predecessors. I

We are now led to discuss the contest for our own constituency. At first sight the odds appear overwhelming. On the one side w e have the Premier of the colony backed up by hundreds of State employees and hungry expectants oi" favors, all loudly proclaiming their support of their candidate in order that chance words ma\ reach the ears or attract the attention of the man in power so that they may in future obtain some rewards or emoluments for themselves or their friends; supported also by JinHuential committees in every centre oE population, eagerly canvassing for votes and backed up by the strongest organisation which State aid and elec- ( tioneenng experience can supply. Against all these we have a private citizen withonly two or three friends to stand beside him, no committees and no organisation, but relying solely on the sense of justice of the people and on the consciousness that ho

s acting in the best interests of the :ountry. We would have thought ihat in a contest of this description the much vaunted British love of fair 111 1 ly would have been exercised in his favor. But what do we find? Influential men. gentlemen honored with the Commission o£ the Peace, have not hesitated to prevent his getting" a~ fair hearing and even acted in a manner calculated to convert most important political gatherings into public brawls, and bring orderly and respectablecommunitiesinto disrepute. They have gone further and sought to question the integrity of his motives and have not hesitated to spread false and malicious reports about him. This is what Seddonites dee:n the liberalism of a pure democracy. Apart from the political considerations of the question the electors of this district have to express themselves upon another issue. It seems a generally accepted doctrine amongst Mr Seddon's supporters that no one has any right to contest the election ; that the constituency shall be a free gift to that geutleman so long as he chooses to take it and to be flung aside by him whenever he likes. This may be the view of some bnt we are convinced the majority of the electors do not entertain it. It is not good for any electorate that the sitting member should have a walk over, time after time. Things that are so freely given are not generally prized and this would be the case with this electorate. Mr Grimmond deserves the thanks of every elector in the district for having aroused political f eel- { iug out of its previous stagnation. If the electors prize their independence that fact alone should impel them to give Mr Grimmond a substantial support and let it bo no longer a reproach to Westland that it is merely a pocket borough of Mr Seddon's.

An announcement appears in another column dissolving all Mr Seddon's election committees. Statements have been made by some of our contemporaries, and the rumor has been freely spread, that Mr Grimmond is contesting this election as the nominee of the National Association and that the Association is paying his election expenses. We are empowered by Mr Grimmond to . say that the report is entirely false. The Waimea sludge channel will very soon be completed, the contractors expecting to have their work nearly completed by Christmas. Some time, however, must necessarily elapse before sluicing operations can ba commenced. Of late there has been much litigation over claims connected with this channel. The contractors for the driving of the Stafford drainage tunnel are pushing on the work energetically. For some time they have had a great deal of trouble in driving through loose ground along the face of the hill, but, fortunately, they have again got into the solid. The course of the tunnel is somewhat crooked, as there is some private land through which the contractors cannot drive. Dr Macandrew met with a very painful accident on the Kaniuri road on Wednesday evening. He was coming iuto town on his bicycle when something gave way and he had a very bad fall and was much bruised and cut about the head and face. We learn with regret that Mr H. L. Michel is confined to his bed through illness. He has been in indifferent health for sometime and the ailment has intensified, necessitating his remaining in bed. A very clever cartoon is being posted by the Temperance party. It represents the Premier sitting on the rail of a gate blocking the way to the poll for national option, whilst Prohibition, in the form of a monstrous elephant, is quietly admonishing him that if he bars the way any longer he and the gate will be removed bodily. The elephant has .his trunk on one of the rails and is evidently determined to be as good as his word. The Temperance party evidently know Mr Seddon and don't trust him. The First Westland Rifles paraded for inspection by Lieut-Colonel Pitt yesterday evening, Capt Wade in command. Lieut-Colonel Bonar, Lieuts Malf roy and Bromley and Sergt-Major Benning were also present. After the company had befen inspected, Lieut Bromley was put through his practical examination. Colonel Pitt expressed his pleasure in having to compliment the company on its appearance and the condition in which the arms were kept. He said the Government had decided not to distribute the brown belts until the new commandant arrived. He advised the non-commis-sioned officers to study their drill before the commandant came round. He also presented Sergt Breeze with the Government medal for long and efficient service and in doing so enlogised Sergt Breeze's services ; after the presentation he proposed three cheers for Mr Breeze which were heartily given. Sergt-Major Benning said there would be firing at the Hokitika range on Saturday afternoon at 2.30 for prizes given by the officers. A service was held at Kanieri last evenirg to dedicate the new organ which was given by Mr Shillito in memory of his late brother. The Roy. Mr Hamilton performed the dedication service, and the Rev. Mr Wood preached. During the prayers a feeling reference was made to the late Mr Shillito. Miss Staines officiated as organist. Mr J. Barnett, one of the prospectors who went south a few weeks ago, was by last advices, very ill at Pannga, and awaits the next trip of the steamer to Bruce Bay when he will return to Hokitika. The other members of the paity have started prospecting close to the Blue river. The road leading from Huut's Beach to Bruce Bay is in a very bad, if not dangerous condition, and it will cost a considerable sum of money to put it again in passable repair. Sluicing at the Kanieri Forks is being carried on energetically, the miners hoping to have good dividends when they wash-up for Christmas. This is now one of the most thriving little miuiug places on the Coast.

The usual monthly meeting, of the'! Women's Benevolent Society is postponed till Friday December 11th. Some importance has sought to be attached to the fact that a Banking Bill was passed by the Parliament of which M/ Grimmond was a member. The Hon. T. W. Hislop, one oE the candidates ' for Wellington Suburbs, places this matter in a very clear light. He. was asked whether the Atkinson Government introduced or promoted a Banking Bill giving the light to the directors of the Bank of New Zealand to pay dividends out of capital, as had been stated by Mr Wilford. He replied thatevidently Mr Wilford had not read the Act which 'was passed, or if he had he misunderstood ov misrepresented its provisions. The Atkinson Ministry had nothing whatever to do with' the New Zealand Banking Bill of 1889, and the members of the Ministry were no more responsible for it than Mr Seddon, who was then a member of the House. It was a Private Bill, promoted by the shareholders. The committee to which it was referred consisted of five members, of whom one was the chairman of Committees of the House, and ; the others were equally chosen from each side of the House. It, like other private bills, was advertised for over a month before being brought on. Another Bill relating to the Bank of New Zealand was introduced and passed in 1891 but no one would hold the BallanceSeddon Government responsible for it. It was in charge os Mr Perceval, as, he be • lieved, was also the one of 1889. The proprietors of the Alpha lease have now finished the first contract, driving on the reef at the low level. They have had two cross cuts put through, which show that the reef is from 9 to 6 feet wide, aud where cuts were put in aloag the course of the reef, the stone looks well, being highly mineralised, and appears to be auriferous. Samples taken from a full section of the reef are now being taken to Christeh'ureh tor assay. • The Anglo-New Zealand Mines Investment Company. Limited, have just taken the* option for 320 acres, including the Broken Hill Proprietary, Myra, Melbourne and Dandy, special claims situated due north of the Broken Hill property at Taiauu, at present under option to Messrs Seaver Bros. The option is for six months, and is couched in most favourable terms. The Anglo Company has also just concluded an arrangement for an importaut option over the Waitekauri No 2 Goldmining Company's property. Other important options are under consideration by this Company, which is actively at work, and is in process of amalgamation with a wealthy London syndicate which is just forming to take over the whole oC- the Anglo-New Zealand Company's operations. Mr W. J. Stokes, Managing Director, is now in London, and cable advices received from him state that negotiations to this end are progressing favourably. An Auckland telegram says :— ln this gold-seeking age the announcement that sea water contains a fairly uniform though small quantity of gold is sure to attract the interest of speculators. This will bo so especially when they learn that there exists in solution in sea water many millions of tons of gold. Such, s&ys the Lancet, would appear to be the case according to Prof. Liversidge, the Professor of Chemistry in Sydney University. Iv a very remarkable and exhaustive series of experiments which he has made there is considerable evidence in favor of gold being present in sea water off the New South Wales coast in the proportion of about half to one grain per ton, or, in round numbers, from 130 to 260 tons of gold per cubic mile. This, of course, means an enormous amount for the whole of the ocean, the eubib contents of which are put down approximately at 400,000,000 cubic miles ; and, if the gold be uniformly present an the rate oE one grain per ton, the total amount would be over 100,000,000,000 tens of gold. If only a loadstone for gold could be found which would attract gold and separate it from its solution, doubtless a very important stimulus would be given to the divi-dend-earning capacity of our ocean liners. Thus, in addition to carrying passengers and cargo, they would plough the deep to reap a rich harvest by hanging a dredger so to speak, astern, which at the end of a voyage would be relieved of its auriferous and valuable collection. We fear, however, that the precious metal will 'not be recovered from the sea as easily as this considering its strong affinity for the salts' of sea water. } ■ • .

We referred recently t'q the growth of vj> the cycle traffic trade in the United King- % dorn, which is now turning ou t about 750,000 cycles per annum. The trade-"/ has also caught on. very vigorously in America. In 1890 the United States produced about 40,0,00. cycles, and -in. X894his production had grown to upWaEdsCoF" 100,000. But in 1895, it is stated, the <1p rate of production increased to about " 600,000 cycles, or not far short of the English output. In the first half of this year the exports of cycles aodparts ' from the United States were valued at £337,475, as compared with J69 15,986 worth shipped from the United Kingdom. It is estimated that the output in the United States this year will be at least 1,000,000 bicycles. We have been favored with a sample of Gawne's Woicestershire sauce, which is manufactured by Messrs Gawne and Co of punedin. It is certainly a first class article— mild and piquant— and is as near an approach to Lee and Perrin's famous sauce as could well be obtained ; but it possesses the advantage ot being cheap, as well as good, costing only about one half the price of the imported article. Bein<* a local production it deserves to succeed, more especially as it is of such an excellent quality. — Advt. Dt Jbeet's Electric Rheumatic Oil is an active, powerful and certain cure for rhuematic, lumbago, sciatica, sprains, &cJ Ssad testimonials from, Dr Gaze Dr Millington and others. Reflect— act on rapression — sold everywhere When you feel the sharp grip of an ache in your back. When you have pain in your limbs as if stretched on the rack, When you twist and you' writho and you wish yourself dead. When tortures pierce through your lets' body and head, ' When you're painful and aching and full of polour, When you're smarting and twinging and fell raw and sore, Depend upon this, in language emphatic, Some form you have got of disease, that's rheumatic, And one thing alone will put you on your feet, TheElectricßhe'utnaticOil invented by DrLeeta.