The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and SATURDAY MORNING. Thursday, September 29, 1887. OUR NEW MEMBER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 47, 29 September 1887, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and SATURDAY MORNING.

Thursday, September 29, 1887. OUR NEW MEMBER.

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

Now that Mr Andrew Graham has been returned as the representative for this district it is an opportune moment to impress upon him the many urgent requirements necessary for the prosperity of the electorate. That we have been shamefully neglected in the past is a conclusion long arrived at by everybody. All the candidates expressed themselves strongly as to this neglect, and promised to raise their voice against it.

That the actions of the Stout-Vogel Ministry have been distasteful to the Colony is shown in the fact that they have utterly failed in their appeal to the country. Notwithstanding that Ministers have been stumping all over the Colony in order to collect and strengthen their scattered forces, Monday last has very plainly shown them with what utter disgust their administration has been regarded.

The formation of a new Ministry may mean immeasurable good for the East Coast, and with proper representation a great deal can be done. Mr Graham professes to know our wants—his long residence here should enable him to do so—but whether he will use his best endeavours to obtain us them remains to be seen. As we have said before we should have preferred to have seen either of the other candidates receive the honour which has been bestowed upon Mr Graham, as being better men, and have always advocated such ; still the verdict of the electors has been against us. That verdict we accept cheerfully, and hope that the unsuccessful cadidates will work with Mr Graham in striving to attain that justice of which we have been so long debarred.

As regards the Native Land Bill which has done so much harm to districts such as ours, Mr Graham is pledged to support its repeal. The provisions of the Bill are sucu as to have dissatisfied the Natives themselves, for whose protection it was alleged to have been passed. The return of Mr James Carroll for the Eastern Maori electorate has proved this beyond a doubt. Mr Carroll’s opinions will have immense weight with Southern members—members who have hitherto taken no interest in the dealings with native lands in the North Island, and with both our members working with the one object the foolish delusion forced upon the majority of the House by Mr Ballance—that of practically shutting out any chance of buying an acre of native land—should be quickly dispelled, Then again the value of the opening up of Crown lands is so apparent as to need little comment. Heretofore one or two -blocks have been thro wrr'open toMfitehding settlers on such conditions as to prohibit anyone from taking them up, No effort should be spared to force upon the Government the necessity of making these lands productive. At present they are barren and useless. How much better would it be to give them away rather than allow them to remain in this state. With free trade in native lands and the settlement of the waste lands of the Crown we should indeed advance by “ leaps and bounds,”

Of course there are many smaller matters of much local importance. In all fairness],we are entitled to a Deeds Registry office, proper Supreme Court accommodation, a grant as a harbou r endowment, etc., the procural of which would prove an immense boon. Mr Graham’s actions while in Parliament will be closely watched. His friends give him credit for being a man of great firmness of character, and, he, himself, says that, when once he takes hold of a thing, he is a “ sticker.” Let us hope that the taking hold will be decisive and the sticking be of such a determined nature as to drag from the Government a fair share of the fruits so liberally bestowed on other districts. Before Mr Graham takes his departure for Wellington we would suggest that he meet the various local bodies and consult them on matters of local importance. Such a conference would result in much good, and might be the means of impart, ing to our new member valuable information on many subjects.