WHO IS MR KELLY?

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 531, 13 November 1890, Page 2

WHO IS MR KELLY?

To ask such a question may, to those who have studied the political history of the country for the past twenty years, seetn a pitiful indication of ignorance. They know so much about the man in his representative capacity that they have no patience with those who are not so well read up as themselves. There are, however, those who have not time to keep themselves fully informed on political matters. Mr Kelly, too, is a man who has always contented himself with solid work, leaving others to do all the talk. He can lay no claim to being an orator, nor does he try to ape that polished style assumed by men who try to pose as being Wiseacres themselves by the old pretence of carping at those who are their superiors. He is a hard-headed, practical tnan, plain and straightforward in all that he has to say, and always keeping to the point. Personally he is a man who not only commands respect, but is liked by all with whom he comes in contact. He is a staunch friend, and a fearless opponentIf he had anything to say against an opponent he would come out with it, and while having no feeling of animosity, he would express himself with a frankness which would leave no room for misunderstanding. He would., not pay shallow compliments to an opponent’s face, and profess the greatest friendliness to him, and then go away to some remote district and accuse that person of having lent himself for a shameful purpose, connived at by his supporters. We hope Mr Kelly will not feel offended at our even thinking it necessary to say that he would not be capable of such conduct, but we have to take the facts as we find them. It has been proved possible that a candidate may be guilty of such conduct, and that his friends may not be able to induce him to apologise. Mr Kelly has had long Parliamentary experience, has done very useful work on Committees,and he is of an urbane disposition, which wins him many friends, who like him still better the more they know of him. They are not estranged by a mock superiority, or by letters addressed to local bodies accusing opponents of misbehavior. Mr Kelly knows that as the world goes there will always be differences of opinion, and because he cannot agree with a man, he sees in that no. reason for treating him with disrespect, or for picking a quarrel with him. Of course we are judging Mr Kelly by contrasts—contrasts which may surprise that gentleman, but which everyone in the district knows to be real. Of Mr Kelly’s political opinions we can say nothing until he has had an opportunity this evening to give expression to his views. He has always been a hard worker in the House, and has been an ardent supporter of all measures of a progressive nature J _after he has first satisfied himself of their genuineness. His attention has been largely bestowed upon the necessity of getting the back country opened up and settled, an.d.-.lje has felt that the colony, in assisting such distiicts as those he has represented in Parliament, was ' doing work of colonial importance, besides helping on the struggling toilers in the back settlements. Mr Kelly is entitled to a cordial welcome to the district. He comes to us not as a mere visitor, or as one who seeks Parliamentary honors merely out of a feelingof vanity. There may be many who.will not agree with his opinions,' there may be some short-sighted people who will vote against him because he resides somewhere at the other end of 'the Motu road, but all intelligent people, if honesty goes with the intelligence, must extend the hand of welcome to one who has, by the exertion of his abilities in an unostentatious way, done good and lasting work in the country’s service. He will make no pleadings to his opponents to be gentle with him : all he will ask will be fair play, and if he does find there are those who cannot uphold his views, he will still consider them as beings with intelligence, and will not treat them as enemies when he gets over to Opotiki, Until we hear the expression ofhis views we should not advise any person to vote for him, but he has been too long devoted to the public service to leave much doubt as to the drift ofhis opinions. Had he consented to stand aside ws should have thought less highly of him than we do now. He had so often been returned for his old district thatlie could not honorably sacrjfice his supporters there without their unanimous consent.