SIR G. GREY AND MR. REES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 188, 21 July 1884, Page 2

SIR G. GREY AND MR. REES.

Our telegrams last evening stated that Sir George Grey had arrived at Gisborne, that he was going to spend a week in the district, and that he was to address a public meeting there to-morrow night. It is well known that Sir George’s visit to Gisborne is to endeavour to secure the election of Mr. W. L. Rees for the seat vacated by that “ nice young man ” Mr. Allan McDonald. It seems a pity that the “ Great Pro-consul ” should prostitute his rare gifts of eloquence to such an ignoble use. Mr. Rees was, when last in the House, a chronic nuisance. He talked by the yard, and was never done talking ; and oh, the miserable trash he uttered 1 Not only did he deliver himself of reams of twaddle, but his speeches were coarse, offensive, and personal to an abnormal degree. Even his own party were heartily sick of him, and wished him anywhere out of the Eotue. However, he never ceased to toady to Sir George Grey, and was ever at the beck and call of the “ grand old “ old man.” This, we presume, is the secret of Sir George’s affection for him. Even lofty natures like that of New Zealand’s ex-Govcrnor are not above being touched by flunkeyism. Sir George raves about the rights of the human race ; but he is a born despot, and nothing so pleases him as adulation and subserviency. If the electors of the East Coast have a spark of manliness, they will resent as a flagrant insult this scandalous attempt of Sir George Grey to pawn off upon them his sycophant. The conduct of Sir George Grey is most indecent, and utterly contrary to all honourable political usage. He would have had a perfect right to address the electors of the East Coast at any other time; but now that an election contest is being carried on, he, as a leader of the Opposition, ought to be ashamed of himself for acting the part of tout for one of the candidates. What would the electors of Rangitikei say if, during the next election for this constituency, the Premier were to address a public meeting at Marton, and spend a week in the district canvassing for the Ministerial candidate? Of course they would resent such conduct as an outrage on propriety, an effort at coercion, an attempt to prevent them from voting according to their consciences. They would naturally feel that Major Atkinson was abusing his power over the public expenditure of the colony by indirectly holding out promises to them of a goodly share of the “ loaves and fishes” if they voted for his man, and threats that they would get nothing if they supported the Opposition candidate. Now, it “ goes “without saying” that the leader of a compact party like that of Sir George Grey has a very potential voice in deciding how much money shall be spent in this or that district, and it is needless to remark that Sir George is not over scrupulous as to how the public funds shall be expended. We have no doubt whatever that in the East Coast election contest the promises of grants for this that and the other to be obtained through the influence of Sir George will be scattered “ thick as autumn leaves in Vallonibrosa ” by Mr. Rees. If any elector doubts the word of Mr. Rees, that i ividuftl can cite a telling instance of his p gratitude to those who serve him faithfully—the instance of the £3OO illegally paid out of the Treasury to Mr. W. L. Rees by the Grey Government at the instance of the then Premier and his Native Minister, Mr. Sheehan.— Rangitikei Advocate.