CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 157, 14 June 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ouradvoa roepofwiblc for tho opinions expressed by our correspondents). THE THREE CANDIDATES. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —As on Monday next this constituency will be called upon to make its choice of a representative, allow me permission through the medium of your open columns to make a few remarks on the above very important subject. The East Coast district has experienced more neglect during successive past administration than any other part of the North Island, and for this and various other reasons there is a great need for an able advocate, and in making their choice of one of the three candidates who are seeking their votes all personal considerations should be discarded, and each elector should give his vote to the candidate who can best advance the general interest in this respect, so long as he is a man whose integrity they have no cause to doubt. It is from their public utterances —not from addresses, letters under cover of a nom de plume, and bogus telegrams written by paid agents and published in newspapers, —that the electors have to judge of the abilities of the candidate to take part in the Parliamentary government of the country. Macaulay says Parliamentary government “is government by speaking. In such a government the power of speaking is the most highly-prized of all qualities a politician can possess.” Therefore ability in a candidate to express clearly and distinctly on the floor of the House the requirements of his district and on all subjects of colonial policy is a point highly essential.

If the electors will look over the Parliamentary returns of the last few years, they will soon see that those districts always fare best that possess representatives having the power and the ability to stand in their place in the House and argue against all comers. Lobbying has become a deal better, and is now looked upon as the last refuge of that class of politicans who rank below mediocrity like our late member “ Silent Mac.” How humiliating to himself and how utterly useless to his constituents is the position of a man who finds himself amongst men whose polished utterances in the House, through want of the advantages of early education, are to him entirely incomprehensible, and how could such a man ever hope to gain any political power over his more able brethren. Although awarding to Mr. Locke the highest enconiums for his honest • straightforward conduct since he has been in our midst, and fully recognizing his claim for the gratitude of the East Coast District for his past services during the early native difficulties, and in successfully conducting his land purchases whilst in the Government employ, still for the reasons above stated and others too numerous to condense, in a short letter, I sincerely trust that the choice of the electors on Monday next, will not devolve on Mr. Locke, “ The Constitutional Liberal,” as he styled himself, whatever that may mean. With respect to Mr. Rees, whilst admitting he possesses in a very high degree, the qualifications which are requisite in a representative for this much neglected district, I thoroughly coincide with the opinions set forth in your leading article of the 2nd inst., and I hope the result of the poll on Monday next, will show Mr. Rees, that although he may affect to be undisturbed by anything said about him in the public that in this respect the fourth estate is expressing the opinion of the Vox populi. I cannot help expressing regret that from various reasons we are unable to return as our representative that experienced statsman Sir J. Vogel, but failing that I think we should all unite in seeking to return one who is not only acquainted with the duties of Parlimentary representative and familiar with the routine of public affairs in the House, but who has also proved himself at his recent meetings perfectly capable of enforcing his opinions by a masterly command of language, and thorough knowledge of the subjects treated of and who on several occasions gave ample evidence of having given the questions of the day carefull study, and by his answers to several enquiries indicated something more than a superficial acquaintance wiih their import. The working men may be sure that if through their votes they return as their representative either a large run holder on the one hand or one who is intimately mixed up with land monopolists on the other, txieir interest will be a secondary consideration in either case.

It is contrary to human nature to suppose otherwise and Mr. Locke will naturally be solicitious of the class to which he now belongs, who, aware of this fact are awarding him their support, whilst Mr. Rees will be principally concerned, not for the interest of the working classes in ease, and the “ unborn millions ” in futuro, but for the millions of acres he can legally monopolise in the interests of the Company with which he is so intimately connected. Mr. Gannon, on the other hand, is not bound by any of these considerations, which must necessarily bias the judgment and affect the conduct of either of the other candidates, and should be par excellence the candidate selected by the working man. The only charge that is brought against him is his youth, but this, as Mr. Sheehan remarked, is no crime, and nearly all our greatest statesmen have in early manhood given indications of peculiar fitness for a life of political strife. Anyhow, if this a disadvantage, it is one that time will soon remedy, and as, in the case of William Pitt the younger, and many others, the youthful Gladiator will soon mature into the veteran warrior. Mr. Locke’s supporters urge his claims on the grounds of his integrity, stability, and reliability of character, and if by that they mean that he is a thoroughly sterling, straightforward, honest man in his every-day life and conduct, and “ a fine old English gentleman, but not of the modern times,” I cordially agree with them; but if applied to his mental capabilities, I certainly must beg to differ, for it would be difficult to find another man in this district who is so easily led by whoever for the time being he looks upon as his Mentor, or who, probably from the fact that the best years of his life were spent in the stifling atmosphere of red tapism, which pa valises the energy of the most ardent, and reduces them, like the soldier in the regular army, to mere machines, which always need a guiding hand, will never form and adhere to an independent opinion of his own, but, chamelion like, wi I always be reflecting the opinions, and be guided by the judgment of whoever he is associated with. Mr. Locke’s naturally pliant nature and genial temperament which induces him to “be all things to all men,” will always be a barrier to his ever achieving political renown unstable as water thou shalt not excel.” Another ground on which Mr. Gannon merits consideration al the hands of the electors is the unselfish way in which he did what Mac. would style his “level best” to secure the return of Sir Julius Vogel, in marked contrast to Mr. Rees or Mr. Locke. The former certainly did not beat about the bush, but point blank refused to retire—norc anxious to gratify an old enmity than advance the general good of the district; but the latter, probably on tho advice of his Parliamentary advisers, did a little double shuffling, alleging his willingness to

retire if his partner in the city was agreeable and the very next day, after the crowded meeting in Parnell and Boylan’s hall, where an almost unanimous resolution was passed

“ That this meeting is of opinion that Si* Julius Vogel should be asked to represent thir district in Parliament for the ensuing session only, snd that all intending candidates be a<kod to consent to withdraw in favor of Sir J. Vcgel, so as to avoid a contested election, which would practically leave the district unrepresented,” in the same paper that reports the meeting and the above resolution appears Mr. Locke’s address to the electors, in which he says “ that he would have retired if he had had the concurrence of a very large number of his friends, &c., &e., quite ignoring the fact that it was his friends who were the promoters of the meeting, and also without waiting for (he opinion of his country friends who in the same paper were summoned to to meet the next day at Ormond to consider this subject I quite absolve Mr. Locke from blame in the matter, as I believe that if left to his own unbiassed judgment he would acted otherwise, and had Sir Julius Vogd contested tho election, aided by the support of Mr. Locke and Mr. Gannon, what possible chance would Mr. Rees have had against him. But Mr. Locke’s action in this matter only serves to illustrate what I have before stated is his weak point, and shows how easily he is persuaded against his own convictions by any who’e interests lie in an opposite direction, and he may well exclaim most heartily, “ Save me from my friends.” One moro point in Mr. Gannon’s favor ™ especially in the present position of political affairs, is that he would not H elected, be a pledged supporter, of what I suppose I must term the present Government, whereas Mr. Locke is, although his Parliamentary advisers have in recent addresses trimmed his sails a bit so as to prepare for any sudden squall capsizing the Government ship. As to Mr. Gannon’s political opinion no doubt can exist as to his being an opponent of the continuous Ministry, as he declared himself dead against them at Wairoa. Tendering an apology for trespassing so much on your valuable space, but trusting that the importance of the subject to us all will plead as an excuse, and that with the usual impartiality you have shown, you will oblige me by publishing the above. — I am, &c., Friend of the Working Man’s Candidate, Gisborne, June, 1884.