ELECTIONEERING NOTES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2654, 14 December 1875, Page 2

ELECTIONEERING NOTES.

(By A.K.S.) Manawatu—ln this District there are no. less than three candidates in the field, and as all seem hopeful of success, or rather, two at least claim a certainty, it might": be rather a bold prophesj" to attempt to: give "a- straight tip." : (First on the list comes the. late member Mr Walter Johnston who has served the District well and faithfully during the last- five years, and has throughout that period proved himself an able, speaker, a ready tactician/ and an advanced financier. Son of one of the oldest merchants in ■ Wellington, and himself following in his father's steps, he has an intimate knowledge of the history and resources of the Colony at large, while his business transactions secure for hhn a large interest in that portion of it which he now seeks to represent. The next aspirant to the honor is Dr Walter Bidler,for some years occupying the position of Resident Magistrate a°t Foxtou, and subsequently holding that office at Wanganui, but more generally known in connection with the purchase of the Manawatu Rangitikei Block during the negotiations for which he acted as adviser, interpreter and agent for Dr Feathcrston, the then Land Purchase Commissioner, a transaction which not only. caused the Colony interminable trouble and endless expense, but came near to involving it in a Native War. Ac a later period he was permitted -to visit -England-on leave of absence for the ostensible purpose of publishing a book on the ornithology of New Zealand, and while there gained in the Colony notoriety, if not popularity,owingto the discovery of a discrepancy between the statement made of the amount of his annual receipts for various offices held by him in Wanganui and the amounts which subsequently were found to have been received by him as his half-pay during the period. As his leave depended on his own returns, it is almost needless to add that the discrepancies discovered did not place the Colonial Treasury in the position of a debtor. During his visit to England he acted and received pay, in addition as Secretary to the Agent-General, until the present Government had peremptorily to order that such an arrangement must cease. Prior to and since his arrival in the Colony the General and Provincial Governments have been pestered with applications from him for a grant of either land or money as a further reward for the inconceivable muddle into which he assisted to place the land purchase referred to, and from which it was only extricated by the energetic exertions of the present Native Minister, Sir Donald McLean. The position of mendicant, soliciting favors on bended knee, i* now to be dropped for the Elected of the people proudly demanding whatever he may consider to be " his rights " on the floor of the House of llepresontatives. As innate modesty w ill not prevent him holding enlarged views on this point we may expect that these demands will be considerable. Thus interests in the Districts he seeks to represent are circumscribed but his interests in the Colony as a whole are as extended as lie may be able to wring from the pockets of the ratepayers. The third candidate is Major Mcßarnett, better known in Wellington, where he was for a long time resident, than in Wanganui. He has been for some time residing at Bulls, and has purchased land in the neighborhood of Sandon. He has a considerable knowledge of the District and its inhabitants, having travelled over it and carefully canvassed as Agent for the Mutual Provident Society. Everywhere is he welcome as a kindhearted and courtly gentlemau, but he is entirely a new arrival on the arena of politics,aud an untried man. Probaby he would make no great mark in the political world, but his many genial qualities would ever assist in gaining respect and friends. And now with regard to the chances of the various competitors. Referring to the last mentioned his late appearance in the field places him at a disadvantage and militates againstthe chances of his success; nor probably would he feel inclined to indulge in an irritating personal canvassfor the sake of recovering lost ground. The learned Dr. of course declares his own return as a certainty .and boasts proudly of his influence with the Maoris and their entire submission to his will. Judging the present from the past this appears to be slightly " counting chickens before they are hatched," and recollection leads ns back to a time when their expression of feeliug was by no means so cordial. Besides, the Maori vote can but slightly influence the result, and is at best but uncertain,easilv to be changed, and one capable of being influenced by others, for " a greater one may be there." The steady and thoughtful voters among the community cannot fail to remember the past, and that whatever declarations the candidate may make, his antecedents will necessarily bring him in antagonism with the present GoVerii-

ment and destroy their present feeling of good-will towards Manawatu. The fate member would work cordially with them, and has already . shown that in unravelling the difficulties of finance which - must soon be dealt with, his advice is sound and his judgment clear. Nothing that he has'done in his past career has entitled him to forfeit the confidence of his constitucnts,and his probable actions for the future may be judged accordingly. Some little jealousy has been felt owing to the course he pursued with regard to the £15,000 loan and the con- ■ struction of a raiLvay between Sandon and Foxton, but recollecting how ably he defended himself an the. House against such practised hands as Eitzherbert and Bunny there can be little . doubt that on addressing the electors.as he will shortly do, he will * triumpnantly account for his action,, although interested parties may now at-' tempt to misrepresent it in order to deceive those unacquainted with' the, circumstances. There is, however, one rock ahead on which he might pera.dventure suffer shipwreck. The Educational . question is the one alluded to. On this there is with him no surrender/and on his views being expressed, as doubtless they, will be as clearly and as well as when'"' speaking in Parliament on the que.-tion, they will go far to stifle any ill feeling on ■, this point. , ' . One little thing may materially assist , m securing his return, and that is that a' " x polling booth has been proclaimed at:: . Pikakariki, which is within the boundaries of the district. This alone shows'" how impossible it would be. in such an extent of country to secure the services of' a strictly local man, and as Mr Johnston' has many friends in Wellington' who are registered voters in the Manawatu' Dis- V trie t they will be able, without any con-, siderable inconvenience to themselves, to: " rally around his standard. It would be :"" thankless indeed of any constituency,. unless indeed for the sake of securing a: change of policy, to dispute with"an.: able representative whose influence has '-- secured them many advantages, so Ion"----as he can place his services at their"'dis-' ' ; posal.