CAN’T TAKE A BEATING.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 42, 17 September 1887, Page 2

CAN’T TAKE A BEATING.

We hear on good authority that the Wj Pere party are about to make an attempt to upset the recent election of Mr James Carroll on the score of alleged bribery and corruption. Natives are being cajoled and hoodwinked into signing affidavits that Carroll or his agents had given them money, and no device however contemptible is to be left untried to rob the victor of his laurels of victory. We are sorry to see a man of Wi Pere’s previous standing allowing himself to be made a tool of in this way, for no one knows better than he does that the election was fought out fairly and squarely by Carroll and his friends. They had no bullying, bouncing telegrams sent in their favour ; none of the secret vote of the Native Department was used to help on Carroll’s candidature, which is far more than can be said relative to WI Pere. The fact is that the Department are enraged at the very possibility of Carroll denouncing them in the House and exposing their tricks. There never was a native election where less money was spent than this last one, and Carroll may rest confident that his name will remain unscathed by the taint of dishonourable practices. Wi Pere lost favour with the natives simply because he betrayed his trust and voted against the true interests of his consti tuents. That is the real reason he was defeated. Bribery and corruption had nothing to do with it, and any attempt to treacherously defraud the winner of his success will surely recoil upon the heads of its authors. If half we hear about the petition which is to be got up be true a most discreditable use is being made of the departmental power. Happily it is little likely to succeed.