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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1005, 29 November 1881, Page 2

If what are called “ the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company” have no better henchman than Mr. W. L. Bees, the sooner they dispense with his services, the better, both for themselves and the district at large. If the Company wish to degenerate still lower in the scale of politicocam land grabbing effeminacy, let them keep Mr. Bees on ; but if they are turning aside from their legitimate sphere of duty and have accredited touters, like Mr. Bees, to make electioneering stump speeches, in favor of their pet candidate, who lacks the brains to speak for himself—then, by all means let it be known, so that those who sell their land, or take up shares, will know their position. Again. If we read the signs of the politico-cum Native Land Company’s zodiac aright, the constellation of Mr. Bees’ bright genius is sinking to rest beneath the horizon of circumstances with accelerated speed. What a change has come o’er the spirit of this man’s dream during the last year or two ! It is not long since that he held successive meetings at his fingers’ ends. But the two last he has addressed at Gisborne and Ormond —particularly tlie latter —show’, unmistakably, that the influence he once swayed is now gone —gone, never to return. There is no man in the Colony whom it is at once possible to like more, and to trust less. Neither is there any man who has had more golden opportunities to redeem the errors of the past. But, no. His evil genii haunt him; and the worst of it is, that from the force of bad example, he drags others down the gulf of disappointment, along with himself. Mr. Bees has trusted too much, and too long to his power of oratory to do duty for him in the great battle of practical, everyday life ; and if any additional evidence were wanting of what humiliation is yet in store for him, it was supplied at the meeting on Saturday night. The electors would have none of him—simply. His friends say that he was not allowed a fair hearing in case he should say something the meeting would not like to hear. But this is not so. The Ormond people felt, in the first place, that he was “ played out;” and, in the next, that experience had proved him a most unreliable man, totally incompetent to do else than talk. Besides, he lost his temper ; called men by opprobrious names ; and showed the cloven foot, though he could not see it himself.