The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, October 18,1890. RETIREMENT OF MR REES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 520, 18 October 1890, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, October 18,1890. RETIREMENT OF MR REES.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy oountry’a, Thy God’a, and truth’s.

The retirement of Mr Rees from the contest for the East Coast seat is a cause of much regret oh the one side, and of unconcealed glee on the other' There is a marked individuality about Mr Rees that strengthens the support of his friends, while it intensifies the bitterness of the opposition that is brought against him. A less clever man would be able to steer through with more comfort to himself. A man that is barren of ideas, and is incapable of conceiving anything original, one who would be content to lazily float on the placid pool of life, would get treated much more lightly. He would be able to give few knocks himself, aud no one would be much concerned as to the way in which he dragged out his sleepy existence, But with a man who is brimful of ideas, and dares speak out his mind boldly—knowing that he will bring down upon himself the combined forces of horrified' Conservatism—quite a different career is marked out. He may soon make staunch friends in the ranks of those who consider that it is a sacred duty for men to study the great social questions that affect humanity, but h e will quite as readily incur the hostility of th° s e who are either too dull to recognise the praiseworthy intentions (let their value be what they may) or whose interests make them wish to have everything kept confined within the old grooves. It was once thought to be a good reason to urge against the emancipation of slaves that they themselves did not wish to be freed, and so in later days the old spirit of Conservatism exists, and would remain stationary at the point it has been driven to, were it not that Liberalism will give it no rest. There is still an enormous work to accomplish, and therefore the “ old order changeth.” Either Liberalism must take the lead, or those who have temporarily got the reins of power must submit to the process of being forced onward. There is no such thing now as remaining passive to that which is going on around us Any man who strikes out fearlessly in the course he believes to be right, is bound to be assailed by all lhe powers of fossilised Conservatism. He may make mistakes—the best of men do—but it matters little whether what he advocates is good or bad, there is the storm to face.

Mr Rees has gamely stood by his guns; he has given battle to all who dare face him and now that he has made an honorable withdrawal from the field, to take up the cause elsewhere, there is great rejoicing in the hostile camp, and the rumblings of the final discharge of political artillery have not yet died away. Our opinion is that Mr Rees would have been victorious in the general election; in face of any opposition that might be brought against him, yet the resolution having been made in all sincerity it is not for us to carp at it. But we hope that the Auckland electors will do what we firmly believe would have been done by the East Coast electors—return Mr Rees to the next Parliament.