THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 8, 11 December 1891, Page 17

THE WELLINGTON ELECTION.

OMEONE has said that the Catholic electors of Wellington are not going to yote en bloc, and that one who has pledged himself to vote against their interests and just claims is to receive considerable support from them. We simply say that we totally disbelieve this report. We know something about Wellington Catholics, and we are convinced that they are neither fools nor cowards. No Catholic of sense and any amount of selfrebpect would vote for a candidate who shows so little respect for Catholics and so little appreciation of their position as to think he can disarm their just hostility by saying he sympathises with them, but cannot vote for aid to their schools. We Catholics may possibly sympathise with Mr M'Lean, but as he intends to vote against us we of course, in our turn, will oppose him to the utmost of our power. And as to Mr Bell, he belongs to the party that passed the godless education Act, has steadily for years opposed all amendment of this most wicked and unjust Act, and is still determined to compel us to contribute to the free and godless education of their children, whilst resolved that Catholic children shall have no education nor any participation in the public expenditure on education unless on the condition of their betrayal of principle, conscience, and religion. For Mr Bell, therefore, no Catholic who has principle and self-respect can vote. Unless, therelore, a third candidate stands for the vacant Wellington seat, Catholic vottrs will be unable to take any part in the impending contest, and will be compelled to abstain from voting and obliged to allow their two enemies to fight it out on anti-Catholic principles, whilst they stand by and grin at the wrestlers. Catholics will do well to bear in mind the attitude of the Labour Members and candidates. Several of these Members have spoken lately, giving an account of their stewardship to their constituents, and it is a remarkable fact that these men, not remarkable for any thing in particular, except an absence of either education or worth a button, have treated the Catholic body and Catholic claims with the most undisguised contempt. In their several speeches these gentlemen have utterly ignored the Catholic grievance, considered it unworthy of notice, and only condescended to treat it with sovereign contempt. From this Catholics may learn the estimation in which they sre held by Labour Members, and how fit they are for seats in Parliament. There is only one way of bringing these gentry and others to their senses, and this is the way of the block vote. The block vote judiciously used is a weapon that is capable of cutting in all directions, and of inducing the habit of salutary reflection in Members and candidates. Catholics may rest assured that it is impossible for candi-

dates to continue to ignore the block vote wisely used, and that a wise and firm use of it will compel politicians to make terms with it. In the present position of affairs political, the block vote holds the balance of power, and if in the near future Catholics fail to wring justice from bigots and plunderers, the fault will be that of the Catholics themselves, who, having the means and opportunity of winning justice, have thrown away this means and this opportunity through either want of intelligence or culpable apathy. Let all Catholic voters, then, be up and stirring ; let them watch their opportunity and employ busily and intelligently the means Providence seems to have placed in their hands. All are called upon to exert themselves to the utmost, for the question of aid to our schools equally affects all and interests all. The lead now rests with Wellington Catholics, and all New Zealand will narrowly watch the way in which they acquit themselves of the role which is theirs. We shall be only too glad to stand by them in their struggle to make the block vote felt and influentially felt. And we shall be deeply grateful to them for their exertions in this direction daring the impending election.