THE LATE ELECTION.

Manawatu Times, Volume X, Issue 1255, 29 July 1884, Page 2

THE LATE ELECTION.

TO THIS EDITOR. Str, — There are oue or two remarks I should like with you r pels mission to make regarding the Ma.~ nawatu election. It is most surprising that so fewvotes vvere recorded Cut of 1915 electors only 996 recorded t'neir votes, whereas m Foxton 1-180 went to the poll out of 2366. Why was this ? I account for it ut two ways. First, that a large number of the electors were opp-sed on pjliti.al grounds to. both candidates, who helong instinctively to the landed interests party. Second, that the two candidates ran on almost identical lines. I believe that had a candidate stood on outspoken Opposition lines : whose views were really Liberal, and who was determined heart and soul to try aud force the settlement of lands; numbers of men who abstained from vofrlug altogether because they did not believe m either candidate, would have gone to the poll and given him. their votes. But what surprised many people most was the comparatively small number who voted m Palmerston. j The reason was evident. A very | large number of persons entitled to vote had not been enrolled. At Feildiog, Ashurat, and Halcombe, m fact, on the Manchester Block generally,', every care had been taken to enrol every man duly qualified. The result was that had a fair fijjht between the two districts taken place — Palmerston verms Feilding — the latter would have had the preponderance, and must have won easily. Ido not advocate dissens sion of this kind, but it is quite evident Feilding was prepared if it arose ; Palmerston was not, for it polled loss votes than Feildiug, without including Halcombe and Ashurst at all. The moral to be drawn is plain. Palmerston must orgauise its forces for next election. Whether it votes for Mr Macarthur or any one else every duly qualified voter should be enrolled. To accomplish this, a meeting should be called and a committee formed to see that the voters are enrolled. ■ Registration forms should be left at all the principal stores, and the proprietors or mana* gera requested to fill up the forms m every case where an unregistered voter is £>und. A shilling subscription would also provide funds for a man to be paid to canvass the district from time to time to pick up the voters. This would give Palmerston a much bigger "say " m any future election that it is likely to have under the present roll. I be« lieve I know myself at least fifty qualified voters m Palmerston who are not enrolled. The subject is more important than appears at first si^ht. I shall not be at all surprised i£ another dissolution take place, the rallyiug cries being Yogel and a Land and a Inccme Tax versus Atkinson and a Property Tax. I doubt very much if any coalition can be formed at present which will give satisfaction. Grey and his fourteen or fifteen followers will really be the balancing power. If he coalesces with Atkinson i he iattsr's [>:u-iy will dc^erfc him. If he joins Yogel, a similar result will follow. Gre\'s motto is, "Aut Gaesar aut nullus" and he will break any r arty he joins, and yet he can keep either party out of p.>wer. Therefore, I say another dissolution is by no means a remote' possibility, and it behoves Palmerston to see to its guns, and prepare for another fight, m. which principles would be thought more of than men. In the late contest, it was " men, not nieas sures." The opposite should have been the casp, aud would have been had au Opposition stood. . I am', &c, Or. Vy. Russell, Palmerston North, July 28, 1884. '