THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XV, Issue 4524, 21 November 1881, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

The election in the Egmont district is beginning to be rather-.* interesting. The Atkinsonites are organising and putting forth all their exertions. They have-realised the fact that Mr Hutchison has obtained a hold on the electors which cannot be got rid of by a raid on Parihaka and a bombastic electioneering address, in which the war spirit is directly appealed to. For a week or two the Parihaka affair gave the Major a perceptible lift, which he sadly wanted ; but a reaction has set in, and Mr Hutchison has regained the ground he occupied after his platform addresses. The \Voolcock candidate was a trick of the Atkinson party, which served its turn ; as soon as Woolcock was bidden to retire he retired. Mr Hutchison now intends a second campaign, and his friends give him reason to expect an enthusiastic support. Major Atkinson relies principally on the money spent in the district, that is, on the way he has managed corruptly to divert the public funds. But he has so exaggerated the picture that no on* actually believes his self-accusation.

In the Wairarapa South, Mr Bunny is certain to win in a canter. His opponents are too ridiculous to hope for much support against the old veteran, who has done more for the Wairarapa than a whole legion of the nobodies opposing him. In the Wairarapa North, the field is occupied bjr Mr Beetham and Mr Renall. Mr Beetham is known only as the Government whip, and as a politician who has a notion about rabbits. Nature has not endowed him with a large stock of brains, and hence he does not shine except as a star of very inferior magnitude. His opponent, Mr Renall, was many years ago a member of the Assembly, is a man of liberal sentiments, a vigorous speaker, and trusted by those who know him. This is fairly a battle between the squatter and the small farmer, each side putting forth its whole strength to return its representative. If Mr Renall should win, the blow to the Government will be severely felt, for the Wairarapa North men consider their pocket Borough belongs absolutely to the Beethams and their connection. The fight is therefore one of importance, and the issue will be awaited with much interest.

Mr Murray, the well-known member, has resolved to stand again for his old district of Bruce. At one time he talked of going Home, but many of his constituents having requested him to come forward, he has complied with their wishes. Mr Murray ia opposed by a thorough-going Tory, who is backed up by the Government organ in Dunedin, though he had himself given tne Government considerable support during the last two sessions. We should be sorry to see Mr Murray out of the House. He is simply indefatigable in whatever he undertakes, and he has contributed as much to the original thought of the House as most of the prominent members. Of course, one who originates much will not be always successful, but to be occasionally successful in originality is a very high kind of success indeed. Last session Mr Murray was Chairman of the Committee on Colonial Industries, and he managed to accomplish more through knowledge, patience, and determination than a Royal Commission and a former Committee combined. His determination to give practical encouragement to colonial industries took him across the boundary line between free trade and protection, as commonly understood, and the resolutions of his Committee were absolutely forced down the throats of the Ministry and their friends. The electors of Bruce are nob likely to find a more active, influential, and conscientious member, and we think they could not do beter than renew their confidence.

There are four -candidates standing for tho ! Hutt— Mr Mason, Mr Jackson, Mr Marks, and Mr Sinclair. We don't know Mr Sinclair. Mr MasoH sat for the Hutt in the late Parliament, and earned the character of being a faithful and conscientious member. He seldom spoke, but when he did he seemed to be always practical and clear. He appeared to be more Liberal than the party be voted with. Mr Jackson is the well-known surveyor, and was for a session in the House, when he won golden opinion*. He voted consistently with the Liberal party. Mr Marks is well«knownin Wanganui, where he has many friends. He was at one time a member of the South Australian Legislature, and has a wide political experience. The Hutt, which at one time wag looked upon as a Sleepy Hollow, has before it a large choice of candidates, most of them well tried and of high character. The issue will probably lie between Mr Mason and Mr Jackson, both residents and each with a wide oircle of personal friends.

Mr J. C. Richmond, who wm beaten a year ago for the City of Nelson by Mr Levestarn, has declined to reneiv the combat m the same arena, and now stands for the district of Waimea against Mr Shepherd. Mr Richmond reliea on his old reputation, which ia much better than his recent essays. His address to the electors of Waimea the other day is the most dreamy specimen of noodledom we have ever come across. But it is worse. It is a piece of very palpable trimming. It will be remembered that at the Nelson election Mr Richmond called himself a Socialist, and then when he found it would not do, he hedged and backed oyffc by r«ort.

ing to verbal quibbling. He now wants to obtain the confidence of the constituency by declaring himself "a liberal of liberals," while at the same time he tries to discredit liberal principles. He knows, or ought to know, that every man who wanted to, could not have obtained the franchise before the residenti .1 suffrage was enacted. Mr Shepherd will have no difficulty surely in defeating this hesitating, trimming "Socialist," Conservative, " liberal of liberals," and what not. Mr Shepherd is one of the ablest and most experienced men in the colony, a 9 his speeches conclusively show, and his prescience in forecasting the loss of representation to Nelson stamps him as a man whom Nelson cannot afford to put on the shelf. If all the members from that provincial district had followed his lead, the Representation Bill in its present form would not have been passed into law. From what we know of Nelson men one of their faults is not ingratitude, and Mr Shepherd is safe.