THE STANDARD TELEPHONE

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

THE STANDARD TELEPHONE

Mb Owsn Gallaoheb of Patutahi, please 1 Dear me, you are giving us a lot of work. Right 1 There, Gallagher ? Standabd's compliments 1

Oh, I’m always here. How’s yourself ? Fine. Good meeting Mr Rees had ont your way on Friday, eh ? Why, the Patu tahi people are quite a jolly set. Of course they are. But Arthur's meeting was a tame one. Like going to a funeral. How's Patutahi going ? Just drop round and ask Joe Hill. He con'd enlighten the Arthur crowd a lot. 'Thanks. Let's compliment you on orderly and attentive meeting. Small farmers are not such a dusty lot, are they P What do yon mean ? Why Herald people never sent a reporter to either Arthur's or Rees’ meetings. Thought it wasn't worth while to trouble themselves ovor Patutihl. Think it's certain for Arthnr.

Do they ? Well they will be greatly mistaken then, mark my words. God day. Good day, Standabd : keep on working the Liberals up. The Rbfortbb’s room 1

AU busy, but tell ua what you want. How is the election going ? Famously; handshakes, smiles, and pats on the backs are making the electors feel quite cocky. [Whistle] The working chaps are all ou terms with the toffs, and they say that Pat, on the harbor works, is going to be admitted to the swell Club. And Mr File, too ? I hope so ; why not! Jove, they had better look sharp then, or the election will be over. Why? Ahl sweet youth I—l was young mysilf one time. Ere the velvetty down had graced my upper lip I thought I was one of the most knowing chape in the universe. They say your’e pretty knowing now. Yes, my young friend ; but 1 have learnt enough not to pay much attention to people who try and flatter one; and further, if a chap makes a promise at election times,

don't wait until he gets licked ; grip him like an ootupus until he shells out. Wait for no election. It's grand fun, though, to take rises out of the Tory swells; It’s only at election times chaps who don't wear coats except after dark and on Sundays get such a show. For one week only, as the drapers say, And the ladies—gum, it's grand the way they try and get round a fellow. Ladies canvassing, eh ? Yes, jolly nioe ones, too—not been to you ? I never ohoose friends at election times. Oh I just for the fun of the thing; some of the—the—the unloafers are wearing out all their shirt sleeves through laughing up them so mnoh. Ay, the ballot box will tell how much the working men care for such election niceties, and when it’s over the Standard may throw a shining light on some of the coercion

tactics, My word, that would be a blow up. Ring up Mr Scott, Kaiteratahi. I see yon were Chairman at Ormond on Saturday night. How did Mr Rees get on! Splendid ; it ia considered the best political meeting ever held in Ormond, and they gave Rees a tremendous cheering at the finish. I sea the Herald boycotted it, and then s’uffed some abominable lies into a short paragraph. I don't think it will do them much good, because, apart from political opinions, thinking people like to see fair phy, and the beat man top. You remember how Arthur shuffled out of that question you asked about the harbor rate ?

He did not answer it satisfactorily. No, because he was afraid of losing the support of the J. D Ormond clique, who are sending a shipload of dual voters to Wairoa, so as to jump on the Gisborne people, and try and prevent Rees getting in and exposing that all right when understood business My Christmas 1 he'll give the tinkers a time of it when he gets in. Didn't Sir George Grey pass a olause against the dual system of voting ! Yes, but it doesn't come into force until the general election, and the J. D. Ormond clique know that Rees and Grey will show up the crying injustice of letting the oream of the district throw the whole burden on to the Qisborne flats. I call it political dishonesty. Well you might, and if the electors allow pats on the back and a shipload of absentees to coax and bully them, they will deserve all the sympathy they are likely to get— Which wont be much.

Not much ; and as to that endowment, you just read the leading article. Rees has a trump card there, and if there's anyone under the sun can play it he's the boy, with the G.O.M. to back him up. When the works stop, as they must soon do, aqfl the rate is increased, Gisborne people will find the shoe pinch' pretty keenly. And the squatters wont care a bust if Gisborne goes to the dogs; they cannot be much worse and the two shepherds and a cook will be glad to work for less wages than they get now. Mr Chum Brown, Rokkikitteroah 1 Where did you learn 'your French, old fellow ? Hallo, Chum, my Briton; still kicking; that was a grand speech you made at Ormond on Saturday night. You can knock spots out of the intelligent squatter as a speaker. Which might not be speaking very highly of a fellow, either. But didn’t Rees whip it in’o 'em? ’ He did rub it in a bit, but he oan make it rougher yet. If the other chaps will keep up that game they'll be ho match for Rees when he just shapes up to themWould'nt they like to—rather I Ta ta, Chum; I want to have another talk with you, but one of our reporters has jnst returned from Arthur's meeting at Waerengahika, and he's nearly frozen to death. ' « « . , How’s tl;at ? Arthur's meeting was wretchelly cold, and our reporter says he would aomer go through the freezing works than attend another such meetlngT Send him to Ormond again, with Rees. Oh he’ll have some fun at the Theatre Royal ori Thursday night—-tnsre’ll be a crammed house I