The Awarua Election.

The Colony has to bear the expense, and the Southland electors the turmoil, of a bye-election, because the Hon. J. G. Ward desires to remain in politics even if an uncertificated bankrupt. The mere fact of his becoming a candidate in December last, knowing at the time what was impending, was injudicious and something worse, but his announcement of again seeking the suffrages of the electors because of the prominence he had brought Southland into smacks of impertinence when read beside the sensational evidence in the Supreme Court. As a matter of expediency it might be well for the future of New Zealand if he were returned. Our reputation as a Democracy has been so smirched that a few more splashes will hardly affect us, and his return will bring the inevitable end nearer. But with a view of keeping up the spoils to the victors policy, Mr Ward and his supporters are promising the Awarua electors that £1500 will be found for re-metalling a road near Invercargill which the County has kept in repair for 30 years. The Boss Platt ring of New York might study the methods of the Democracy in this Colony and pick up a few wrinkles. It is only just and proper to point out here that, although the Hon. Hall-Jones has denied that corruption has had any part in the administration of State affairs, that the following persons have benefited materially:—W. Lee Smith, who cost the Colony £1100 as Commissioner to Canada, and who subsequently stood in the breach as a friend desirous of purchasing the Ward liabilities, which offer Judge Williams refused; Mr Carswell, whose business was absorbed by the Ward Association on representations made by Mr Watson then Inspector of the Colonial Bank, Mr Carswell was soon after appointed Valuer under the Advances to Settlers Act at a salary of £500 with the usual perquisites; Mr Hayes, who was a manager of the ill-starred Hokonui Coal Mine, has been made a Government Inspector of Mines; Mr McKeown, another Association employee, is now Inspector of Labour. We see also the Southland News advocating Mr Ward's candidature on the grounds of "morality." One of the proprietors, the Hon. H. Feldwick, M.L.C., owes his appointment, with its pay and privileges and State advertising on a liberal scale, to the present Government. The Hon. Hall-Jones' views on "corruption" might be modified were he to consult a dictionary giving the root or derivative meaning of English words.