SIR GEORGE GREY ON POVERTY BAY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 323, 10 November 1875, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY ON POVERTY BAY.

During the discussion on Mr. Kelly’s motion for constituting the south-eastern coast district into a separate electorate, Sir George Grey said he was strongly opposed to dividing the East Coast district, and annexing the southern portion to Napier, as was proposed by Mr. Kelly’s amendment. He said it would be tantamount to disfranihising the Poverty Bay

settlers, including the thriving township of Gisborne. He, as their Superintendent, was bound to look after their interests, which were shamefully sacrificed in order to give Mr. Kelly a nice little pocket borough. The honourable gentleman concluded by saying Jthat the attempts of the Government to virtually disfranchise Poverty Bay was one of the incest unjust acts he had ever heard of. He would resist it to the last. He spoke frequently, and at considerable length. Mr. Kelly offered to give Sir George Grey a pledge that if opposition were withdraw to the proposed division of the East Coast district, he (Mr. Kelly) would not stand next election for the Bay of Plenty. This would show whether or not he wanted it for a pocket borough. Mr. Bowen gave as a reason why the Government accepted Mr Kelly’s amendment, that the bulk of the electors lived respectively at the extreme north and south ends of the district, and that it was a matter of several days’ journey to travel from one body of the constituents to the other.