The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Tuesday, July 19, 1887. MR MCDONALD’S ADDRESS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 16, 19 July 1887, Page 2

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

Tuesday, July 19, 1887. MR MCDONALD’S ADDRESS.

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

“ You wish to know my notions On sartin pints that rule the land, There’s nothin’ that my nature so shuns Ez bein’ mum or underhand ; I’m a straight-spoken kind o’ creetur That blurts right out wut’s in his head ; An’ ef I’ve one percooler feetur It is a nose that want be led.” Biglow Papers. Of the three candidates who are to compete for the honour of representing the East Coast District in Parliament two have now issued their addresses, the firs'-, the sitting member, about a fortnight ago, and the second, Mr McDonald, in our columns this morning. Mr Gannon has not yet given publicity to his opinions. It is mainly Mr McDonald’s address with which we have to deal this morning. It is highly characteristic of its author, blunt, outspoken, honest, and to the point. Here is no windy verbiage, no blatherskite bunkum about successes which should have been but were not, no meaningless and stupid reasons fornot coming forward, or after having once resigned coming forward again ; here is nothing but a clear tangible statement of opinions, a definite declaration of policy which is strikingly in contrast with the weak, spiritless excuse making address issued by the-aitting member. Mr McDonald is not the man to beat about the bush ; he hits out straight from the shoulder. As Lowell says in the Biglow Papers, from which we quote at the beginning of this article “ I’m a straight spoken kind of creetur that blurts out right wut’s in his head." Yes, that’s Mr McDonald all over. Put me in if you like, leave me out if you like; but here's my platform, accept it or reject it, says Mr McDonald, and It’s a treat to have to deal with such a man. Let us examine his platform a little. First and foremost he is for free trade in native lands. It is a pleasure to us here on the East Coast who have suffered in native land matters alike from the boastful brag of a Bryce, and the blind botching up of a Ballance, to meet a man who says straight out “ to Hades with the pair of you, we want a man of another kidney altogether.” What is the cankerworm which preys upon our vitals in this fertile district but the uncertainty, the expense, the never ceasing worry, anxiety, and everlasting litigation which is consequent upon the present utterly rotten and incompetent native land legislation ? Mr McDonald is solid on that point and he is to be thanked for his outspoken utterance. Mr Locke’s clique would have us believe that S. L., Esq., has a monoply of knowledge on native matters, but that is sheer nonsense. Mr McDonald, so far, is much more explicit, much more radical in his would-be reform. “ Free trade in native land and a permanent Native Land Court Judge to subdivide interests.” No more weary months of waiting for a Judge to come here at his own sweet will from Taupo or Tauranga, from Wanganui or Waipawa A “ permanent ” Court until the titles are finally settled. That is what we want! Aye, a good and proper reform. May it be carried out. and that right early. Re the land laws, our second candidate is for a liberal system with a tendency in favour of deferred payment settlers. Hundreds of thousands of acres of Crown lands in this gloriously fertile district are lying locked up, made worthless by stupid restrictions and bad legislation, and whilst giving Home capitalists opportunity to acquire freehold estates, it is easy to see that Mr McDonald supports the plan by which the poor man c an no longer be excluded from the heritage which God has given him, but by means of liberal leasehold and deferred payment regu-

lations, be enabled to make a home for himself and his children by the sweat of his brow in the tilling of that mother earth which is but too willing to second his endeavours. A Waste Land Board is wanted. Of course it is, and had Mr McDonald continued our Member we should had it long ere this. Every excuse is to be made for Mr Locke’s lamentable ill-health, from which we wish to see him speedily recovered, but neglect, woeful, wanton, wicked neglect should count as an equal factor with ill-health in the non-establish-ment hitherto of such a needed institution.

At a time of financial depression like tha present, when the cry of retrenchment is the battle-cry all over the colony, we rejoice to see the candidate accepting the inevitable, braving unpopularity by refusing to pander to selfish greed in advocating further borrowing, and ardently championing the cause of financial reform. “ I am in favour of a land and income .tax.” Quite true, for Mr McDonald has ever advocated such a means of acquiring revenue. Sooner or later, the Property Tax, that thrice hateful invention of Major Atkinson must go, and in its place be placed the tenfold more just, more equitable, more sensible impost of a Land and Income Tax, As a Democratic organ, we have, ever since we started, advocated this change, and we congratulate Mr McDonald upon having thrown down the gauntlet to the Atkinsonians, and declared in favour of the main plank in the Liberal platform of the colony. Of the Education system the cost, says the candidate, may well bear reduction. A satisfactory statement indeed, providing as we have several times stated in these columns, that it be the Secondary and not the Primary system which is to suffer the touch of the pruning knife. The man is practical all through. Some of the would-be members’ addresses we have read are filled up to almost endless length with all sorts of political fads and fopperies, Women’s Rights, Imperial Federation and the like, for these we seek in vain in our second candidate’s address. Two men have spoken, one in a weak, spiritless, half-hearted manner, the other bluntly, honestly, and with meaning clea r to everyone but a born fool. Between Messrs McDonald and Locke, and their addresses, the electors have, so far, to choose. The choice, in our mind, should not be difficult to make.