Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 15, 16 July 1887, Page 3

REQUISITION TO SAMUEL LOCKE, Esq., M.H.B. SIB,— We, the undersigned electors in the East Coast district, believing that in th e present crisis which has arisen it is of the utmost importance to this constituency and the Colony as a whole that men of tried experience should be returned at the forthcoming election, and that, from your general experience and special knowledge of the Native Question, which is of such vital interest to the District of the East Coast, no candidate whom we could bring forward could so well represent this district as yourself, we would respectfully solicit you to reconsider your determination not to contest the seat, and to allow yourself to be again nominated. Should you agree to do so we pledge ourselves to use our best endeavors to secure your return, and as far as possible save you the trouble of a personal canvass in the numerous small outlying settlements o this large Electorate, should your health not permit of your being able to visit these in person. [Here follows a numerous and influential list of signatures, in town and country].

TO THE EAST COAST ELECTORS.

Gentlemen,— in reply to the above beg to .state that before the last see sion of Parliament I announced to you my intention of not contesting the East Coast seat at the ensuing election owing to causes which I then stated. Since then a large unmber of you, having by requisitions, as well as verbally, solicited me to allow myself to be again nominated as a Candidate, I have considered such as an indication that my services as your representative in Parliament for sevetal years have been) appreciated, that they should be continued, ana that the confidence you have placed in me, which I never for a moment doubted, still exists. Being intimately acquainted now, not only with the procedure of Parliament, but also with all your wants, and having, among other things, tending to promote your welfare and prosperity, undertaken and advocated with success—(l.) The throwing open of the large tracts of unoccupied Crown lands in this fertile District in such areas, and upon such 1 urns, as may suit settlers according to their available means.—(2.) The amending, if not the appeal, of the existing Native Land Laws— which is absolutely necessary in a District like this to enable settlers who have incomplete titles to lands purchased or leased by these from the native owners to be completed, and the unoccupied native lands now lying waste and unprofitable to be occupied (8.) In laying off and construction of roads, not only for the purpose of encouraging the settlement of the people on the lands now lying waste, but more particularly those roads promised by the Government to be constructed for the convenience of these persons who have already taken up lands from the Crown; I feel that it is a duty I owe you to sacrifice mv personal feelings in the matter, and not to willingly abandon such undertakings, if they meet your approval, until crowned with success. I therefore gentlemen, beg to state that I feel great pleasure in complying with the requisition presented to me, and now offering myself as a candidate to represent you in the next Parliament of New Zealand. I would have succeeded, I honestly believe, in many, if not all those things which I have referred to, if the last session of Parliament had been of the usual duration ; but yon all know that after Parliament assembled a vote of No Confidence was brought on and carried, after which nothing was done except what was necessary to carry on the government of the country until the new Parliament meets. As I shall not, during the present season of the year, be able to visit many of the electors residing in the outlying portion of (this large and important electorate, I propose only giving addresses in the larger centres of the population, but will, as soon as the writ for the election of your future member is issued, publish my views on those matters of importance—local and coloinal, social and politicial, which interest you. I beg to thank you, Gentlemen, most sincerely for the confidence, which you have heretofore placed in me, and trust that that confidence will be continued. In coming forward again for the honour of being your Representative in Parliament I feel, it is needless to say, that if elected, I will serve you in the future as I have in the past—honestly and faithfully—with no other object in view save that of endeavoring to do the best I can for the colony at large and this district in particular. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your Obedient Servant, 8. LOCKE.