The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, THURSDAY, JULY 17.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 185, 17 July 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, THURSDAY, JULY 17.

At twelve o'clock to-day Capt. Porter signified his intention of retiring from the ensuing election contest. In making this announcement it will be as well to state the exact grounds upon which Captain Porter agreed to come forward. Hearing that Mr. Rees had commenced an action with a view of prejudicing Mr. Locke's election, and if possible rendering his return void, he (Captain Porter) thought it his duty to take some step to prevent the possibility of the majority of electors being unrepresented, which would be the case if Mr. Locke was, by any means

disqualified. With this view, and in all good faith, and with the full concurrence of Mr. Locke, Mr. A. Graham, and other immediate friends and supporters, Captain Porter agreed to be nominated and entered into the contest. Notwithstanding this some gentlemen, acting in a most reprehensible manner, thought fit to nominate Mr. A. Graham—a procedure which could only be construed into a doubt as to Captain Porter’s bona [ides, and an impugnment on his honor. We are sorry that any one should have thought themselves justified in taking a step which can have no justification, as the sequel has shown. After hearing the greater portion of the evidence given in the case now being heard, and feeling perfectly satisfied as to the result, Captain Porter has now, in the same spirit which Caused him to consent to nomination, retired from the contest. Captain Porter has acted in a perfectly independent manner, and in conformity with a promise made to Mr. Locke prior to the last election—when he agreed to stand aside for the latter gentleman—-that if Mr. Locke was successful in that contest he (Captain Porter) would again stand aside in the ensuing contest, with a view of allowing him (Mr. Locke) an opportunity of showing his constituents that his promises were not empty ones. We can only wish that the whole electorate had acted in the same honorable and commendable spirit and —as in the case of Dr, Newman, in Wellington, who only had one weeks sitting in the House—again returned Mr. Locke unopposed. But Wellington is not Gisborne, and they have no Mr. Rees there.