The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 256, 17 March 1875, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875.

“ We dial I sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny io no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

There are signs of life and activity on the political horizon. Coining events are forecasting their shadows. As the faint echos of an expiring parliament are sounding through the laud, political warriors are refurbishing their steel, and buckling on the armour necessary for the campaign, whose final struggle will chiefly deur nine their valor and fitness to be entrusted with the management of the Colony’s affairs during the next five years. And the East* Coast of the North Island—at any nite the Northern portion of it—is in the van of this movement. Captain Mounts is known to have been for some time in the field as a candidate to represent some constituency, but whether he will be contented to enter the lists against the member bow in the seat for the East Coast, or whether he will make friends with the new Electorate, (supposing that a re-construction of representation is effected this session, which we much doubt) is, at present, unknown. Mr. Woodbisk Johnson, our representative in the Provincial Conn il, is, also, talked of as the co ning man ; Mr. Randall Johnson, M.L C, is held to be not insen.-i tie to the dignity of labor, and would, we doubt not, infinitely prefer the invig trating atmosphere of the Lower Hous' to th ■ eomparnrivelv calm, luxurious, ndolenee of the Loctls: and now, th 'Ugh last, not least, wc find Mr. W.

Kelly, M.H.R., giving practical proof pf his whereabouts, and evidencing such tender anxiety for, and careful, almost paternal, watchfulness over, the affairs of Poverty Bay, as to make it somewhat remarkable. In our last issue we had space only to insert the telegram which that gentleman had received from the Minister for Public Works in reply (we suppose) to an enquiry which, situated as Mr. Kelly is with respect to the Electors of this district, amounts almost to impertinence. We reprint it here so that our readers may judge for themselves. It runs thus Wellington, February 27th. —One of the bridges near Gisborne, the Waipaoa, is now advertised for contract, and plans are being prepared for Turanganui and Te Arai. The bridges and the metalling of the roads were to be paid for out of the proceeds of sale of the Patutahi block, which is in course of survey, but it will be some mouths yet before it is completed and ready for sale. We have many other public buildings in hand which are considered more pressing than Gisborne but we have not been able to take them in hand. We shall, however, be in a position shortly to prepare plans. Now does Mr. Kelly think that he has conferred a favor on us by thus “wiring” into the Government? Does Mr. Kelly think that because he has been quiet, we have not been setting our house in order? There is not a word conveyed in that telegram that we have* not had retailed and detailed to us over and over again by every known source of official and private communication, except by electric telegraph ; that is, if we excise that part of it in which the (Public Works Minister states that “ we have “ many other public buildings in hand “ which are considered more pressing “ than Gisborne, hut ice have not been “ able to take them in hand” whatever such a contradiction of terms may mean. Thank you for nothing, Mr. Kelly. We are as mindful of the political seasons as that gentleman is ; and it is but right to say frankly that this is hardly the way to "gloss over the backslidings of the past. Poverty Bay exists without the aid of the hon. member who deserted her during long dark days of great tribulation ; and will shew its appreciation of him when the proper time comes, as it now expresses a feeling amounting to contempt for the transparent, supercilious patronage, and currying for political favor, involved in his recent uncalled for communication with the Government. Had Mr. Kelly been wise, he would rather have pocketed the telegram, Ilian have aired his quasi importance by publishing it. But we have done with Mr. Kelly ; and would advise him not to trouble himself about our affairs again, as his interested motives will be sure to reap their just reward. W e beg to differ from the ipse dixit of the Minister for Public Works. It is difficult to find any spot in the Colony where public buildings are so urgently required as at Gisborne. Does the hon. minister point to Tauranga, where with a gross Customs revenue of four or five hundred a year, some six thousand pounds have been spent on public buildings ? Is a Court-house at Waiapu, for which no money has been voted, more pressing than in this town where £lOOO has been voted? The true secret of the delay is want of funds. Everything depended on the new loan, the negotiation of which the Minister for Public Worljs knew not of when he telegraphed to Mr. Kelly, “we shall, “however, be in a position, shortly, “to prepare plans.” The Government are now in that position; they will have no further necessity or excuse for framing polite fabrications ; and, doubtless, the settlers will be saved a large amount of irritation. But it is not unreasonable to ask the Government to undertake these works, to which it stands pledged, without delay; the continued interruption to official business of all kinds is fraught with the greatest amount of inconvenience; and it is but fair that it should have its just claims on the revenue respected—quite irrespective of any extraordinary expenditure from the loan, — especially when those claims are based upon the fact that, pro rata, the Government draws more towards the revenue from this district than from many of the more favored ones.