The East Coast Electorate.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 988, 19 October 1881, Page 2

The East Coast Electorate.

This is what the Auckland Free Lance thinks of the candidates :— “ So determined are those few persons along the East Coast to back up the latest visionary scheme of Mr. W. L. Rees, known as the Eas't Coast Land Company, that no less than three shareholders are anxious to represent in Parliament the district wherein the Company’s operations are to be carried on. Mr. Allan McDonald, the present member, one of the directors of the Company, and a gentleman largely interested in its success, is making a desperate fight for first place. Capt. Porter, a gentleman of extremely undecided political views, full of ambition, whose future inward, both pecuniary and otherwise, is so Wrapped up with the Company that nothing could be more advantageous to him than to be at the head of the poll. His chances, howevll are very weak. The next candidate is Mr Samuel Locke who. in spite of all his shrewdness, was cajoled into investing some of his capital in the East Coast Land Company. Mr Samuel Locke, who does not reside in the district is supposed to be largely under the wing of Mr J D. Ormond, of strong Provincial predilections. How true, that may be, it is not competent for us to at present judge. However, among the thinking people of the East Coast electorate, the interests of the East Coast Land Company— an association of a questionable character, and against which we rntri if at *s® Tery outset—are so diametrical y opposed to the welfare of that fertile mtfin the c °untry, that another candidate, making a fourth in the field—Mr. M. J. Gannon—has been added to the list of those seeking Parliamentary honors. Of the four donht^V 8 ’ k K L laB l t named possesses, undoubtedly, a better knowledge of Pariiamenta3X° Ceed p ln J[ 8 generally, and the public i nS ° ie h ftv ‘ n g been engaged . 8 eTery j SB i° n Or some years anrl ’ u P°u different Colonial papers, UP ° n^ t ie Pa ; llam entary staff of shorthand writers. His unflinching opposition to the damaging schemes propounded by Mr.< Rees, places him in a very favourable light with many classes of the community in Podakmg into consideration the' . roi f 1 knowledge he possesses of the question affecting the land tenure of the district—a question of all-powerful importance to that d!stnet—together with the fact that lie is by tar the best public speaker of all the candidates, warrants the assumption that the electqis, all of whose interests are identical with his own, will choose Mr. M. J. Gannon as the most fitting and trustworthy person to represent that important constituency in the rarliament of the colony.