of the completed
legislation of its predecessors. To borrow a metaphor from the Roman
lawyers, the _hereditas_ may be _damnosa_, but the party succeeds
thereto as a _haeres necessarius_. Any other rule would substitute
anarchy for order, and an endless process of reversing the past for a
salutary attention to the present.

It must, on the other hand, be admitted that Mr Reid's conduct was not
very well chosen to reassure his critics. He threw himself heart and
soul into the General Election which became imminent, and displayed
little judiciousness in his selection of nominees to fight seats in
his interests. It is hard to suppose that independent men were not
discoverable to lay stress on the immediate relief to the colony which
the contract secured, and the inexorable necessity of which it might
plausibly be represented to be the outcome. Mr Morine was Mr Reid's
solicitor. He was a prominent Conservative and Minister of Finance,
and his influence in the Assembly (where his connection with Mr Reid
was apparently unknown) had been exerted in favour of the contract.
When challenged on the point, Mr Morine asserted that he advised Mr
Reid only on private matters, in which his interests would not come
into conflict with those of the colony. Compelled to resign, however,
by Governor Murray on account of the apparently incompatible duality
of his position, he was reinstated (April, 1899) by Governor M'Callum,
on an undertaking that his connection with Mr Reid should be suspended
during office. Mr Morine became leader of the Conservative party on
the retirement of Sir James Winter, reassuming at the same time his
business relations with Mr Reid. In concert with the latter he began a
political campaign in opposition to the Liberal party. His partner, Mr
Gibbs, fought another seat in the same interest. _The Times_
correspondent above referred to gives an amusing account of other
candidates:

"One of Mr Reid's sons has been accompanying him through his
constituency, and is mooted as a candidate. Two captains of Reid's bay
steamers are running for other seats. The clothier who supplies the
uniforms for Reid's officials is another, and a shipmaster, who until
recently was ship's husband for the Reid steamers, is another. His
successor, who is a member of the Upper House, has issued a letter
warmly endorsing Mr Morine's policy, and it is now said that one of
Reid's surveying staff will be nominated for another constituency."

It