GOING TO THE POLL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3317, 8 September 1911, Page 5

GOING TO THE POLL.

“THE RESULT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING.”

MR WONG KING EXPLAINS HIS CANDIDATURE.

HIS VIEWS ON MUNICIPAL TOPICS It is not surprising under the circumstances that the nomination of Mr Wong King (the well-known Chinese market gardener) for on© of the two vacant seats on the Borough Council should continue to claim a great deal of public attention.' Wong King, as is well-known, has resided in this town for about seventeen years. He is. held in respect by the large number of townspeople with whom he has come in contact. Like many of his compatriots he has worked hard at his business with the result that he is now fairly comfortably off. To-day, however, Wong King finds himself in a singular position. It all comes about owing to the fact that a nomination paper for the office of councillor and duly signed by him luas been received in connection * with the pending municipal by-elections. Nominations Quite in Order.

No one, it may safely be averred, had ever imagined that Wong King had any desire to ho’d such an office. With many other ratepayers'he had no -doubt often lamented the state of many of the streets, etc., and maybe he had often expressed the view that the rates he was required to pay were pretty stiff. As far as is known however, he had never let fall even'a whisper to the effect that he would like to rank among the “City Fathers.” How it occurs that the name of AVong King appears on the list of candidates for the byelection next AVednesday is, therefore, rather interesting. It so happens that when the announcement of the nominations was made many people doubted whether it was in order. There was, indeed, no room for question in the matter. Inquiry in official quarters clearly showed that AVong King was a duly qualified elector ; that the nomination paper bore his signature ; and that the nomination paper bore ,his signature ; and that the necessary deposit had been paid. AA 7 hv ? and AAdierefore P The situation appears to have been viewed in _ a.- variety of ways. Underlying the opinions of .many people, however, there lias arisen a strong feeling that it is somewhat • strange that "Wong King should have been nominated. What- does AVong King himself think of the whole affair? “It is a!! Right!” On AVednesday night a representative of the “Times” waited upon him on the subject. AA r ong King received him in a genial and cordial manner. It was, lie said, quite, true that lie was standing for the Council. What was more, he was sure to get a good deal of support.! His attention was then drawn to the undermentioned letter which had been to this journal—presumably for publication as an advertisement —..but which was being held over in view of the possibility that it might turn out that. AA'o'rig King did not thoroughly appreciate the situation : Borough Council Election. Ladies and Gentlemen. —A still small voice calling lor men of strong * commercial talents to represent the burgesses in the Borough Council, has been persistently heard of late years. “With a public-spirited view _of silencing this whisper, and satisfying the cravings of the electors, a number of citizens have waited upon W. King and have, after much solicitation, prevailed upon him to accept nomination for one of the vacant seats for which polls will be taken on AVednesday next. “The promoters of Mr King’s, campaign ' have every sense of confidence and security in presenting their candidate for the suffrages of the electors, as he possesses at once all those qualities which have been insisted upon as being necessary in the ideal councillor. “W. King is an old and worthily esteemed citizen, and his interests are bound up in the prosperity of the Borough which lie has made for so many years his home, and in which he lias acquired his modest .competence, and electors may depend upon all diligence and acumen in attention to their wants which voice his own. “AVitli these claims to recognition it is hoped that Mr King will have no difficulty in heading the poll at the election on AA 7 ednesday. —(Signed) J. GODFREY, For the Committee.”

f ‘That-is all right,” remarked Wong King, and the newspaper man, without further ado, took his departure. Some of His Views and Opinions. Yesterday the representative of the “Times” approached Wong King on the same matter. This time he found him in a very happy and communicative frame of mind. “Do you really expect to be elected?” queried the pressman. Wong King shook his head, and. then smilingly broadly, replied: “No, I don’t think so. Don’t know.” Questioned as to Ins views on municipal matters Wong King then said that he felt that great improvement might be made in several directions m this town. . . , “In what way?” ne was asked. Wong King referred to the condition -of the streets. “The -roads are no good:,” he kept on repeating. . “Anything else?” remarked his interrogator. _ , “Yes ”he replied. “The water is no 2 ood. It is good for the garden That is all. No good at all to drink ’ Before the pressman could think or anything further to say Wong King touched upon the question of the rates. “Last year,” he said, producing his rate notices, “I paid £7. This year -it will'be £2l. Too much. Only £1 m China.” • - In the course of further conversation Wonn King spoke of the value of the sewerage works, but said they appealed very slow. „ , Once again the pressman veered round! to the question as to jvhy AVong King happened to be. standing for the Council. “No Good to Me!” “I don’t think I want to go to the Council now,” he said with a broad smile, and then he told in simple words his story of how he came to be nominatFor 6ome years, »t appears, his vote has always been regularly solicited in connection with various elections. A few days ago he was duly seen about the coming by-election. There was some talk about the Council and as- to whether ho would stand. He agieed to sign the nomination form quite °f _his own accord. He could now see that lie had misunderstood matters in regard to the Council. Before he signed the form it passed through his mind that one of the gentlemen who came to see

him really wanted to be the candidate. AVong King also said, however, that he would never have become a candidate if he had then known that he would have to attend the Council meetings. He did not blame the gentlemen wh-o came to see him; it was he who must have misunderstood. “No good to me!. No good! .No good!” cried AVong King when lie was alluding to the Council meetings. Since he bad been nominated a lot of people had been telling him about the tame that they occupied. “.Eleven, twelve, one, two, three! No, it was nogood. He had never known anything about that before. How could he possibly attend at tho Council and 1 be up m the mornings ?

if —! “Do you intend, then to withdraw from the election,” queried the pressAVong King said lie did not intend to follow that course. “AVait,” he said, “till AVednesday. ” He : went on to say that a number of people had told him tbev would vote for linn. U he was elected (he added) he would most probably present the seat to tho next highest candidate!