The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, APRIL 21.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 111, 21 April 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, APRIL 21.

Doubtless there are a goodly number of observant men amongst us who have waited patiently to see the outcome of the frothy nonsense with which we have been so constantly plied since the first intimation of the probable resignation of our member, and who have not for one moment been deceived or hoodwinked by the shallow artifices and miserable subterfuges which have been resorted to in order to gull the simple and unsuspecting. From the commencement of the farce it was pretty clear that some sly move was on foot, and the very way in which the announcement first reached us was quite sufficient to put one on their guard against imposition, and to point to the supposition that it was only the initiatory step in some cunningly concocted scheme. The dust which has been so freely thrown about has not had the desired effect, and for the last week or two it required no wizard to explain the state of affairs. Of course we all know that our member has for a long time past entirely lost sight of any question or matter outside the limited circle of self, party, or Company, and that the interests of the district were completely subordinate to the three former engrossing matters. If any proof of this were needed we have ample confirmation of the fact in the

way in which he has acted with respect to the wretched resignation farce. No doubt his friends and his foes were both alike satisfied and agreed upon the one point, that it was just possible, providing he did resign, that a more able mau might be found to fill his place in the Representative Council. We fully believe that Mr. McDonald originally meant to resign, but his party and the company did not want to loose such a certain vote, hence all this miserable subterfuge and humbug. No doubt the arrangement must have been something this wise :—lf after a certain amount of sounding and bush-beating it was found that Mr. McDonald stood little or no chance of re election then he was to be at liberty to resign, providing another GnEY-Company candidate could be found who stood a reasonable chance of taking up the running and securing the succession. The sham farewell meeting at which his friend moved a vote of thanks, and begged a seconder, was only a feeler thrown out, with a view to ascertaning public feeling ; but if we can judge of matters by the turn affairs have taken, we may take it that their hopes as to either of the above events happening are very faint indeed, and the consequence is Mr. McDonald intends to retain his seat in the interests of his party until, in the due course of events, the electors are enabled to show their appreciation of the fooling and trickery which has been practised upon them. In this matter the interests and welfare of the district have been entirely thrown on one side, and this at a time when our necessities were most urgsnt. We believe Mr. McDonald has felt it incumbent on him to offer some excuse—the only one available —and has asserted that his reasons for “ holding on ” is the result of a telegram from “ his party,” informing him that as important political changes were possibly about to take place, he was urgently requested to retain his position “ for the present.” Whatever may be the cause of such a course of action as that which Mr. McDonald has thought fit to pursue, it can have no other effect than that of entirely destroying what little remaining confidence his old friends and supporters might still have felt inclined to repose in him, and will assuredly prove equally as injurious to himself and party, as it will undoubtedly be to the prospects of the whole district which he at present mis-re presents.