ELECT MR BEES, OR DISFRANCHISE THE EAST COAST.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 388, 10 December 1889, Page 2

ELECT MR BEES, OR DISFRANCHISE THE EAST COAST.

Our contemporary lias made the ridiculous assertion that if My Rpps is elected the district will be made the laughing stock of New Zealand. Of course every intelligent elector knows that such a silly assertion is only an example of the election twaddle that is being circulated to try and keep Mr Rees out. But we have carefully noted the comments made by all the leading newspapers in the colony, and we are surprised at the unanimity of opinion there is in favor of Mr Rees, even the Tory journals appearing to recognise that men of ability are badly wanting in Parliament. The H.B. Herald, for instance, was at one time a bitter opponent of Mr Rees, but it now not only maintains a significant attitude of almost complete silence, but what little it has said has been an indication

that it anticipates Mr Rees as the coming man. Throughout the whole length and breadth of New Zealand, the Napier Telegraph (with which Mr Ormond’s name is so closely associated —a selfish politician scorned by every elector in this district) has been the only newspaper that has the presumption to support Mr Arthur's candidature. Our Wanganui correspondent telegraphed us the following article, from the Wanganui Herald, and which we have already published in the form of an “extra”: —

“ The election for the East Coast is creating in Gisborne and throughout the district intense interest. The

squatters have a candidate in a Mr Arthur, whose sole recommendation is that he will vote according to order. The Liberals have as their candidate

undoubtedly one of the ablest men in the colony, in Mr W. L. Rees. It is

unnecessary to waste space in explaining their principles. These are suffi ciently understood by what we have said, and we wish to confine ourselves on the present occasion to the local elements of the contest. It is seriously agitating the constituency as to which candidate is likely to do most to promote its welfare. That the district has

great colonising interests to be advanced is undoubted. There is the harbor, and it cannot be denied that its position is critical. There is the question of opening up the district by roads, on which depends much of the future prosperity of Poverty Bay, and there is the native land question, which ought to be solved in the direction of opening the land for settlement. Questions such as these may be approached by two different methods, The dummy member may “ work the oracle ” in the lobby of the House or room of the Minister. This would of course be Mr Arthur’s method. He would adopt the role of Mr Graham, but he would not

succeed as well even as Mr Graham is supposed to have done, though we believe that gentleman even in his own line was a failure, for Mr Graham’s methods having been exposed, have discredited both himself and his principles. What chance, then, would Mr Arthur have in reviving the tactics which have be n “ blown ” upon ? Every member would be upon his guard, and the name of Gisborne or Poverty Bay would be an object of suspicion wherever it occurred. The election of Mr Arthur, therefore, would mean the disfranchisement of the East Coast electorate.

«It would be better for the electors indeed that they return no member at all than one who would exercise a negative influence upon their interests. “ We now turn to Mr Rees, and sup? pose him placing the cause of his district before Parliament, eloquently advocating its wants, backed by a powerful party and the friends of the district on the other side, assuming of course that he made it appear the cause was just. Take for instance the harbor endowment. We remember that the present endowment was due more to the advocacy of Sir George Grey than to any combination of men in the House. This we affirm as a matter capable of absolute proof. Mr Rees would still have the same ally in devising means to complete the work, on the floor of the House, He would set forth the need for arterial works as the equivalent of railways, and would probably carry his resolution. In native matters he wquld not be tainted by the suspicion that he had gons in “ to fix up titles of assets companies,” and would therefore be as free to press for the legitimate issue of Parliamentary titles to native lands. It is a mistake to suppose that only the land-grabbing party can pass useful native legislation. Last session the Opposition dictated the terms on which they would permit any native measures to become law. Those terms were honorable in themselves, and meant that every sjiacjy clause should be eliminated before they would permit the Bill to be advanced a stage. Mr Rees, therefore, would be powerful |n retarding or advancing native measures, allied as he would be with a party that can approach the consideration of such questions with clean hands. “ We might push the contrast further, but have advanced, we think, sufficient reasons why the electors of Poverty Bay should return Mr Rees t 0 represent them in Parliament. |Va cap hardly suppose after considering the bearing? of the contest, and all it implies, that the East Coast will virtually disfranchise itself by returning Ml’ Arthur. Can it afford to inflict upon Itself §9 great a calamity at the present time ?”