The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 154, 11 June 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11.

We would ask our readers to compare Mr. Rees’s address to the electors which he delivered at the nomination on Monday, with the address of Mr. Locke which appears in our columns of this evening's issue. The former is that of a tub orator pouring forth oceans of words “ full of sound and fury signifying nothing." Men and boys listen to Mr. Rees as men and boys look on at a dog fight—just for the excitement of the thing. Neither Mr. Rees’s speeches nor a dog fight are very edifying in their nature, but still they never fail to draw a crowd. The talent evinced by Mr. Rees for bringing a street mob about him is just of that kind which was wont to empty the benches of both parties whenever he spoke from his seat in Parliament. Mr. Rees on Mondayboasted that he had been the means of securing the Whataupoko Block for the people of Gisborne. This we believe to be true. It was accomplished after some three or four years of very ugly litigation, costing some thousands of pounds. The block has been cut up into small slices, called “ sections,” and offered for sale at a terrific upset price. A few lots have sold, but those who bought of them will buy no more. The buyers for the greater number are now willing to part with their bargains at a considerable sacrifice, but there are no purchasers in the market. So much for the Whataupoko, and so much for the company of which Mr. Rees is the representative, where the directors make extraordinary efforts to buy large areas of Native land, paying for them in sc. ip and re-selling to the Europeans at an enormous advance—terms cash. Mr. Rees has done, or tried to do, a good deal of this sort of thing, and is ready’ to do any amount more of it, should the Maoris and the law permit. Still Mr. Rees is modest in his claims for the

support of the electors. Independently of the Whataupoko, which unfortunately is little better” than a barren waste, he has been the means of maintaining in our midst, from sixteen to twenty of his brother lawyers. Zio.cco was spent in law between 1881 and 1882-3 ; and such a sum as this would never have been disbursed but for Mr. Rees. Why such modesty should have prevented our “ learned friend ” from making his claim in this respect, we are at a loss to say. But referring back to where we commenced, wc again ask our readers to compare Mr. Rees's wild talk, his still wilder assertions, accompanied throughout with volley after volley of abuse, shot at his opponents: Compare all this, we say, with the sensible and gentlemanly address of Mr. Locke to his constituents, and then let them draw conclusions. Mr. Locke knows, as we all well know, that if returned he will be but one of the ninety members which comprise the House of Representatives, and that instead of aiming at the “impossible:’ his business will be to gain the co-op-eration of those who will best assist him to obtain, for the East Coast, what in all fairness may be asked for, and in all reason may be granted. Here is what Mr. Locke says in his address to the electors :— “I go for the present time — for what is practicable, and which, if persistently urged, may be obtained. You want roads through the district, in order that, when the country is opened up, the lands may be accessible for improvement and cultivation. You want more than all, clear, indisputable titles. You want the lands portioned out, so that those who desire and are in a position to occupy them may not have hindrances thrown in their way. You want a sufficient endowment, in land or in money, by which a harbor may be constructed. You want the educational reserves in your districts to be utilised to your own purposes, and not to be seized and held in Auckland. You want to have your own registration officers, so that there shall be no going to Napier, or anywhere else out of your own district, in order to have your titles legally certified.” Place any of Mr. Rees’ rodomontade speeches, studded as they are with coarse invective and personalities, alongside of the address of Mr. Locke's and what comparison, will they stand? Even the members of Mr. Rees’ party, enthusiastic as they are, express a great dread lest by any accident such a candidate should become once more a member in Parliament. Beyond prolonging a session, acting as an obstructionist, delaying real legislation, Mr. Rees has never done any good for the constituency for which by a mere fluke he was returned. He has always been looked upon in the House as what he has been aptly termed outside of it—a mere political windbag. Sir. Rees as a politician doubtless possesses some good points, but as yet he has not been able to show us in what they consist. Blatant speech-making, unsupported assertions, wild, declamatory utterances, delivered, as old Mr. Weller would say, with “ the gift of the gab most gollopin’schemes baseless as the fabric of a vision, are what Mr. Rees in an eminent degree excells. The good that is in him has yet to come out.

Our late telegram yesterday informed us that Sir George Grey had tabled a notice of “No confidence in the Government.” The consideration of this motion comes before the House on Friday next. In the ordinary course of Parliamentary debate, with strong forces ranged on either side, the debate must last at least a fortnight. If, however, either side feel themselves certain of a majority, a division upon the question may be precipitated at any time during the debate. That Sir George Grey has moved the vote without the co-operation of the great bulk of Opposition members seems certain, and no doubt he has done so to forestall any other quasi leader from stepping into the breach and leading the forlorn hope. The present Opposition are so incompact and dismembered by ultra party and personal feelings as to render it more than doubtful whether a majority could be found to turn out the Government, more particularly upon Sir George Grey’s motion. The very members of his own party are by no means united, and hardly one of his late colleagues in the Ministry could or would again serve under his leadership. There are unnumbered grains of sand in the political stream that serve to divert the current of political opinion apart from the rocks that appear above the surface. Viewing the position in the light of party interests and constitutional practice, whatever be the result of the no confidence motion, no new Government can take the reins of office during the coming session. If the Government are defeated they may or may not resign, but in any case they would be entitled to a dissolution. That Sir George Grey cannot form a Government is a well-known fact to all members of the House. It is therefore almost certain that the present Government will continue to hold office during the present session, or that Parliament will be dissolved within a month, followed by a general election and a reassembling of Parliament during the present year, with new men, new measures, and a new man at the helm to steer the political craft.