THE “NEPHEW OF MY UNCLE."

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5369, 12 June 1878, Page 2

THE “NEPHEW OF MY UNCLE."

(From the Grey River Argus, June 4.)

The West Coast community welcomed Sir George Grey with enthusiasm, and it is a fact that just now no one not on the “ Grey ticket” could obtain a seat in Parliament. But surely our Hokitika friends cannot have carried their loyalty to the extent of accepting as their representative a gentleman whose only qualification is that he is a nephew of Sir George Grey, and “ was with me when I visited your district.' With all respect for Sir George Grey and for the Hokitika constituency, we must say that we never heard of so gross a piece of impertinence and attempted nepotism as is disclosed by the Premier’s telegram, which appears below, or of a more disgraceful act of toadyism on the part of any representative journal than that of which the West Coast Times has been guilty. We can understand constituencies which have some difficulty in finding a member from amdngst themselves going abroad for a representative of political repute, but it is beyond belief that a constituency like that of Hokitika should be asked to request a perfect nobody—otherwise than that he is a nephew of the Premier—to represent it. If the constituency has the slightest respect for itself it will sufficiently reseat the insult by either asking Mr. Button again to come forward, or making some effort to find one of themselves qualified to represent them. To explain our remarks we make an extract from the West Coast Times of yesterday, which journal, after apparently discarding the possibility of a local candidate presenting himself, says “No other local candidate having been named, a telegram was forwarded by a gentleman in town to Sir George Giey, asking if he could suggest the name of some one of influence, who would be likely to creditably represent the constituency.” To this the following reply was received on Saturday:—“My nephew Seymour Thorne George would be glad to represent your district if you sent him a requisition asking him to do so. He was with me when I visited your district in February last. —(Signed) G. Grey.” Mr. Gisborne, who was in hopes that one of the local men above mentioned would have stood, but as the writ will be immediately issued, and, finding that no candidate has announced himself, telegraphed to a friend here as follows “ Seymour Thorne George would stand on requisition. He has very good qualifications, is young, intelligent, and well educated. He is a nephew of Sir Geerge Grey.”