Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: WEDENSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1263, 31 January 1883, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: WEDENSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1883.

Beautifully transparent is the little dodge which it is tried to work in connection with the coming Municipal election. The gauze which covers the deftly worked strings, is on this occasion, altogether too thin. Let us now talk facts. Mr Thomas Chrisp is a partner in the “ Herald,” which has the contract for the Borough Council printing, and he has been proposed and seconded as a candidate for a seat in the Council. It having been poin-. ted out to him that he, being a party to the contract, could not sit, even if the ratepayers voted for him en masse, has arranged a little game, by which he thinks to quietly glide through the difficulty—in fact to “ slide through with a brass hat.” We grant the brass. Last evening, at the Borough Council meeting, the following modest letter was read : —

Gisborne, Jan. 27, 1883. To the Town Clerk, Borough of Gisborne. Sir, —We hereby give you notice that we have this day assigned all our interest in the contract for printing for the year 1883 for the Borough Council to Mr James Browne of Gisborne, who will be prepared to give any reasonable guarantee for the faithful performance of the same, and trust the Council will Accept him as our assign—Yours obediently,

F. Dufaur and Co. As to whether the Council had the power to so permit a transfer of a contract (which, by the way, they did) matters but little at present, the real question at issue being as to whether, if Mr Chrisp be elected, he will dare to take the necessary oath. We hope not. As to Mr Chrisp's ability to fill the office we have no doubt, and, in fact, think that, as a member of the Harbor Board he would be most efficient, but can he say honestly and truly that he and his partner have actually assigned to Mr James Bbowne their interest in the printing contract. Mr Browne is an old newspaper man, and possibly knows a little more about printing than Mr. Chrisp, who is simply a tyro, and we have no hesitation in stating our firm belief that he would never take over a contract by which nothing could be made, but by which, if the contract jobbing charges are made, a loss would inevitably ensue. We feel safe id stating that the assignment, if there be one, is only a subterfuge, and so palpable a one that it may be seen through at a glance. The old saying that everything is fair in love and war has often been applied to electioneering contests, but the “ tricks that are vain” are generally more carefully covered over than in the present instance An explanation of the position should be given before the day of the election, as otherwise if Mr. Chrisp is not eligible votes will have been thrown away, and if he succeeds in obtaining a majority there is certain to be an unpleasant dispute, and, in all probability, a certain amount of litigation.