The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JULY 22.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 189, 22 July 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JULY 22.

It bas frequently been our duty in persistently opposing and exposing the shady transactions of the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company to say many uncomplimentary and harsh things of Mr. Rees in his capacity of founder, originator, solicitor, and agent to one of the worst sharking concerns with which these colonies, and more especially the North Island, is cursed, We have felt it our incumbent duty in the interests, not alone of the public, but in those of justice and honesty, to endeavor to counteract, as far as in us laid, the evil effects of, and the false methods by which the Natives were being despoiled of their lands, and which were being handed over to the great monopolists represented by Mr. Thomas Russell and the Bank of New Zealand, When Mr. Rees has posed before the public as the philanthropist we have endeavored to tear the mask away and expose the land shark in his worst shape and in his true character. We have endeavored to show that his motives in this matter, like that of his whole public career has caused him to be regarded as a “ living lie." Few of his actions whilst in this Bay will bear minute inspection, but we had little idea that his erratic course would ever land him in the slough of disgrace into which he plunged when commencing the uncalled for and totally false charge in the Police Court against Mr. Locke for bribery and corruption. Mr. Rees has done and said many things during his sojourn amongst us which has tended to earn us the unenviable notoriety which attaches to this place, and which has caused its very name to become a byword of derision throughout the whole colony, and yet he has to a certain extent still been tolerated : but this last act of his has resulted in creating such a feeling of disgust, such a nausea, that we can only attribute his expressions in reference to that justice of which he is such an unworthy representative to the exclamations of a man who feels that he has outraged all sense of decency to such an extent as to render himself unworthy the respect of most men. To show the outrageous mendacity of the man, we need only call attention to the fact that when addressing the assemblage on the day of nomination he made broad, coarse and most offensive accusations thrown broadcast against Mr. Locke and all his supporters. He stated that men had been threatened with dismissal if they dare vote for him, and promised to adduce ample evidence to substantiate such charge. He must have known that he was stating what was false when he said that he could name them, and that it would be brought out on the trial. Why did he not do so ? Simply because the whole thing took its origin from one of those “ bright ideas ” for which he is so famous. If he could only impress the working man with the idea that any coercion had been attempted, any effort made to prevent or restrain the tree exercise of his rights and privileges, Mr. Rees knew that it would have the effect of creating a strong feeling of resentment, not alone

against the individual candidate but against all his supporters. By such false means he no doubt hoped to gain the sympathies of that portion of the working class who do noi care to think for themselves, and who are generally led away by the specious talk and deceptive trash of any voluble twaddler. To resort to such disgraceful means and to use such dishonorable tactics was bad enough—to sow broadcast false and unfounded accusations, and to attempt to influence the elections by such means was bad enough—but to stand forth in public and, after the patient hearing of all and every witness he chose to call, slander gentlemen whose whole life has been as blameless and honorable as his has been doubtful and shady, has created such a feeling of shame and contempt seldom witnessed. The full extent of his hypocricy will be best seen, when after all this he had the assurance to comment upon a remark in Friday nights Telephone, and ask the Bench to commit us for contempt of Court. In return there is little doubt but what the public will commit Mr. Rees for contempt of all the rules by which society and civilisation is bound together. Amongst numerous other inconsistencies which Mr. Rees was guilty of on Saturday night was one in relation to the Harbor question. ’ After railing against the present Ministry for holding out any promises of support to that measure and . stigmatising such promises as direct bribes given in order to influence Mr. Locke’s return, Mr. Rees, at a later stage of the proceedings stated that not alone he, but Sir George Grey and his while party, were pledged to the Harbor Bill. In the former case the promise was construed into a venal and corrupt act, whilst in the latter instance it was most meritorious and highly commendable. But all who know Mr. Rees will not be surprised at this or any other remarkable thing which emanates from a man who is constantly and ceasely complaining that he is libelled, traduced, and villified, whilstatthe same time he is the personification of what he complains most loudly about. Therecannot be any doubt as to the verdict of the public, and the result of the poll to-night will prove to Mr. Rees that justice has not yet miscarried.