THE COST OF ENGLISH ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 449, 27 April 1880, Page 2

THE CO ST OF ENGLISH ELECTIONS.

■fhe " Daily; TeUgraph"': .remarks that ati old: rsproaoii' Mrseatß inlhe'Houseof C< mrapns are -only rich men will hardly be removed ;by .an. experience of electioneerihg .The severe wn* dace to morality, and' they must lesson the expense .in ' many large constituencies. On the other hand, the extension of the suffrage has so multiplied the!number.of electors thift the task of appealing to them must have added enormously >to the labour and costs falling upon a candidate. There is no law against canvassing, 1 and the employment of a little army of: canvassers a necessity to the arrant for i'arlimentary honors is heeded claims before the voters. In the sinne way, committee rooms, statiopery, placards, advertising, and' other items swell to immense proportions. A populous ..borjougtit-ks- been. cannot now be thoroughly " fought" without an expenditurfl of,four.five,thousand .pounds on i^clv-'side,''arid -such an : esti)jiate will expite no supriße if we take recent experience at Sheffield'as our guide/ '' According .to . the statements- of. their respective agents, Mf Waddy l expended £i939,'ai»d Mr Wortley grv «e»rly.; double the costs of his rivaMHe explanation of the oil thpaggreaaive, andtad thus to bear all the future benefit of his: party, while the volunteer ageiicy' Of•' the 857(W: whichTth&e .gentlemen spent only the odd L7OO consisted of returning officer's expenses. We need but multiply such' figures by the number of'constituencies, aiid make,a few, deductions for altogether exceptional cases j : wch'as London University and Ripon, to form an. idea of the ocean of money which a general election, will set flowing over'thp country—to drown probably not a few reputations,

The gentleman who Attracted attention iu church last week lay cty|fag out, " Holy Moses!" had no intention the congregation. He had peen tacking down carpets the day before, abd as be sat down he suddenly remembered.'he had'a paper of tacks in his cpatskijl pocket. This explanation is made justice to. his family, who: are highly respectable.