CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 994, 3 November 1881, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

M.R. LOCKE, MIL GANNON, AND THE FREE LANCE,

TO, the editor. Sir,—l noticed in your issue of Tuesday last, an article taken from the Free Lance, of the 29th October, in which the writer asserts that “until Mr. Gannon had announced himself the election was considered a walkover for Mr,. Allan McDonald.” I can only say in the language of Shakspeare— . . “ ’Tis a lie; an odious damned lie ; “ Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie.” I fear the ..editor of. the Lance has allowed himself to be hoodwinked into publishing statements which make him the laughing stock of everyone in this community, ey§epti’ng, of course, Mr. Gannon ivqpse-praises he, with so much rapture, sings,. I,can assure that gentleman that. Mr. .Gannon is quite capable of blowing his own trumpet, and, indeed, if.l,mistake .not, the blast from Auckland rings-fainiliarly to- my ear. It smacks:-,nbt’A.of : the style of the editor of the Lance. But I will let that passU The idea of saying, “ What possible iirducomefit Mr. Samuel Locke had to coirie forward still remains a profound mystery.'’ And again, “Mr. Locke, however; has seen the error of his way.” This, Sir, is utter nonsense. Mr; Locke does not intend to retrace his steps orie inch. He goes to the ballot wi;h the full- assurance that he will be returned at the head of the poll. Mr. Gannon, forsooth, the embodiment of all that is required in a legislator! A youth who, a few years since, had-scarcely an idea in his head beyond the desire of acquiring a knowledge of shorthand, and, because he happened to have obtained employment on the Hansard staff, and reported the proceedings of one or two Select Committees of the House, comes forth arid poses before the electors of this important district as a full fledged politician. Sir, Mr. Gannon has yet a deal to learn before he becomes fitted for that exalted position. Just now he is but

an apprentice. I would strongly advise him to endeavor, for the present,? to perform his duties in that state of life in which it has pleased God to place him, and not attempt to launch his bark too soon, upon the troubled sea of political life. Yet, with all Mr. Gannon’s failings, I cannot but exclaim, again in the language of Shakspeare —

“ Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee, and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again.” It is well known here that Mr. Locke was requested to come forward by a large number of friends, and that he has Veen longer connected with Poverty Bay than liny of the other candidates. He has been for many years, and is now, a landowner|in the district. He has sat in our County Council, and has done more to open up the interior of the country than Mr. Gannon and all the other candidates put together. I have written this merely with the view of enlightening your Auckland contemporary. People residing here are well acquainted with thq facts I have stated. —I am, &c., ’ Anti-Bunkum.