THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 76, 10 October 1874, Page 6

THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

Napoleon once said the great success of the British armywas mainly attributable to its utter ignorance of when it had been defeated. Had Mr Macfarlank, the defeated candidate for Waitemata, ever had the good fortune to have served in its ranks, there can be but small doubt that he would h ive risen to a distinguished position. Twice have the vojces arid votes of the Waiteinatans unniistakeably declared their want of appreciation of his proffered services, but with a pestistency which no defeat can diminish, he has again determined to return to the charge. Although the majority by which Mr Von dek Hbyde headed his opponent at the poll hasbeen far in excess of that on his previous victory, the rejected candidate in addressing the electors at the declaration of its issue announced that though still defeated he was not yet conquered. Such vitality, -with, the spirit of perseverance emanating from the proper source, and actuated by laudable motives would be most commendable, but inasmuch as Mr Von her Heyde was the chosen representative of the constituency but for the legal quibble which nullified his election, that virtue assumes a totally different aspect. Indeed the informality which necessitated a fresh election is one which should never have existed, and against a recurrence of which such measures should be taken as should avoid a similar waste of the public funds. Notwithstanding that the second appeal to the constituency was even more decided than the preceding one, of course in the opinion of so egotistical a gentleman as Mr Macfarlane, the choice of the people must have been swayed by other than legitimate means, and could not be attributable to the superior qualifications of his opponent. "With, singular bad taste and more than questionable accuracy he accused the Provincial officials of, contrary i > custom, voting in a block for the purpose of defeating him, and charged the Provincial Secretary, Mr Sheehan, with acting in a most undignified manner, and one most unbecoming his offici»l position in not only canvassing- for Mr VoJT der Heyde, but also in actually escorting a, number of Maoris to the poll However, such reckless and unfounded statements have been uttered at elections other than Waitemata before now by rejected candidates, and on this, as on like occasions, with a similar amount of truth. ' In the course of Ms remarks, Mr Macfarlane stated that the election had been gained by the influence of the Provincial Government, and those members who had voted against the resolutions brought before Parliament by the Government of the couulrv. We scarcely think there were many of the electors thus addressed \v hose views on the subject were in unison With ihe opinion of the speaker; but even if such were the case, w« imagine the illusion was dispelled by the Provincial Secretary, who followed Mr Macbarlaxe. Had Mr Macfarlane been possessed of a little more discretion in lieu of his superabundance of obstinacy, he might have escaped the severe and sarcastic cu»tigatinn which was administered to him by Mr Shebhax, and although again defeated he- would still be entitled to the sympathy and respect of supporters and opponents. Mr jShebhax, in replying to the charges against tue Provincial officers and himself personally, freely admitted that he had exercised the right which he possessed as a duly qualified v«.t;r, aud had yet to learn that his official position uebarred him from so doing. To the statement of Mr MacJFARLank with regard to the Provincial Government influencing the election, .Mr Sheehan gave the flattest coutradictiou, declaring thnt it was absolutely and perfectly false ; but the climax was capped when in referring to the block voting

of the officials, the Proviticinl Secretary said he was at alostg to know how it wa* that Mr Macfarlank could lean: such a fact — if fact it were — beinjr under the iinpreswou that voting by ballot was generally considered to be secret. The unhappy allusion to the Maoris by Mr Maofarlank wns even more unfortunate than his other statements, for the explanation by Mr Sheehan of the transaction, meutioned went to show that his object in escorting the Maoris to the poll was to prevent their personation ; by natives retained in Auckland for the purpose. The result of the election at Waitemata is one which all lovers of justice will feel gratified at — not that the difference in the opinions of the candidates has been such that the country would be materially affected by the election or rejection of either — but because British sympathy is always given to the side of the oppressed, and the anomalous enactment which entailed on Mr Von der Heyde the expense of his battle for re-election is one that should never have existed, aud should at once be swept from the Statute Book.