EAST COAST ELECTION.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 195, 29 July 1884, Page 2

EAST COAST ELECTION.

DECLARATION OF THE POLL, THE CANDIDATES. A large crowd of some two or three hundred people assembled outside the Courthouse door this afternoon, to hear the official declaration of the poll. The Returning Officer, Mr. D. Johnston, declared the result as follows:— Locke 718 Rees , 475 Leaving a majoriiy of 243 for Mr. Locke, He therefore declared Mr* Samuel Locke duly elected as member of the House of Represen* tatives for the East Coast Electoral District) Mr. Locke—Gentlemenj I have much plea* sure in again thanking you for the honor you have conferred upon me in returning md again to represent your interests in thd coming Parliament. In the last fivd weeks I have been twice returned to that position, and have taken my seat, though only for two days; and I have passed through a sevore trial, that 0! Bribery and Corruption, which was laid against me. I feel thankful that the district has been cleared of such a charge, and that you have done your duty honorably and fairly between man and man. There are a great many charges laid against this district from time to time, and I think it is the object of every settler to clear themselves ,of such charges, and to place themselves in that position, which they have every right to in the colony. Aly friend Mr. Rees says he laid these charges for the commercial and political morality of the district. 1 will take him at his word-and give him my hand of friendship and let the matter pass. (Hear, hear). Having been returned to this position, I hold out the hand of friendship to all who opposed me during tho contest, and I ask you all to put your heads together and work honestly and fairly for the good of the district at large without any feeling of what may have been uttered or have passed between us during the contest. Let us work together as one for the best, and when the time comes round again for another contest let us then bring forward our best man and back him up, and if yoil think I have not then done my duty, place another in my place. Let byegones be bye* gones, and as you have placed me in this honorable position I will work to the best of my ability to serve you in an honest and upright manner. (Cheers). Mr. Rees—l must again express my regret on this occasion at the terms in which Mr. Locke has spoken of the recent action taken in this Court. If Mr. Locke considers him* self aggrieved, there is an easy way open to him of proving himself innocent, that is by getting evidence from those who can prove his guilt or innocence, but who will not, $s they know the pro* cess by which that can be accomplished would submit them to severe examination, quite different to the one they have just gone through. Thera is not the slightest doubt but that the result of the election was influenced by that case having been brought on, and having been dismissed, because it went forward to tho country that Mr. Locke was a persecuted man. As far as regards this election, it is evident and clear that the feeling of the people in the town, where opinions are known, were with me, and are still with me. The feelings of the people in the country were guided by the press, believing everything that was put in the papers, because they hear nothing of the other side of the question. That, I say, turned the election, and if we had been fairly represer.ted by the press of this district, the result of this election would have been somewhat different, and I can give you a good reason for it. I have a bill here for the opening up of native lands, on which the prosperity of this district so much depands, and I cannot entrust Mr. Locke with it nor any person. (Voice—l should think not. Laughter). Those who laugh either have no brains to understand the question or are selfish. This bill will throw open the native lands by the natives, so that you may get a fair chance of settling on them and becoming possessed of them. I cannot entrust the bill to Mr. Locke, because his side goes fcr locking up those lands, and I should like to know whether you would laugh at that or not. lam very glad.there is, at any rate, a Maori member for the district, whom I believe, will be able, as well as willing, to take charge of any such measure. As far as Mr. Locke is personally concerned, I have no more ill-feeling for him than he has got for me. We have before shaken hands over the election, and I should not have alluded to the charge, but for his state* ments regarding it. I sincerely trust Mr* Locke will work for the district, and that he will do so fairly and uprightly, but, there is one thing I fear, and it is this, his interests and the interests of those with whom he is unfortunately connected are not the interests of the people at large. They are the interests of a class, which must either claim prominence in his mind and in his work, or he will have to prove faithless to the party with whom he has always worked. Although he declared himself a supporter of the present Govern; ment, he instructed the Press to put him in as desirous of coalition. Well, I think he might have stuck to his colors for a few days longer. Tne fact is this—the present Government now goes down with only 29 followers out of ninety-five, or not more than thirty, that is all they have, including themselves, as against sixty-five of the various parte of the Opposition, who have already met by communications amongst themselves. The leaders have done so, such as Sir Julius Vogel, Sir George Grey, Mr. Stout, Mr* Balance, Mr. Montgomery, and have already made such arrangements as will preclude the Ministry from meeting the House as a Ministry at all. I believe the Ministry will resign, and the Governor will send for one of the leading members of the Opposition to form another Ministry. The days of the present Ministry are done, and are ended, and 80 much for the happiness of the people of New Zealand, I shall have great pleasure in seeing Air. Locke do his work for the people honestly, and I have not the slightest doubt if he does so, he will find that there is not one man, in this district, either among his supporters or opponents, who will more heartily applaud him than I will, (Hear, hear). Let the past bury itself, and let us look forward to the future of the district, which only wants good and sound legislation for its public works, and which will open up the land and promote settlement. There are the great things together with Local Self Government. I trust that Air. Locke and his party will bend their strongest attentions to obtaining these ends for the district, and I am quite sure now, no matter what may have been the result of this election, that there will be a party in power who will not slight us as the past Ministry has done to every call for help which has come from the Eas- Coast. (Applause). I trust, Electors, that you will not let the organization recently formed go down. You working men have the destinies of the country in your hands, and you are being greatly educated by speeches, by reading, and by thought, to feel that position fully and properly. I trust that you will not let the organization fall to pieces, and that there will be found sufficient staminer in you to keep them going on, so that you may not be taken by surprise when you are again called on, and will be able to meet the occasion with a powerful organization to carry forth to victory those principles which you believe to be right and correct See to it, and get branches all overthe district, and in all the outstations about. Be banded together to do that which is just and right to all men. lam pleased that I was supported in the manner in which I was by so many people, especially in the place in which I live, and you may depend upon it you will never get 390 or 400 men without

bringing influence to vote for a person as they have done for me. I take that as the verdict of the public, and although Mr. Locke in this election has the voices of the majority of the people with him, yet I say this, I am the greater satisfied to feci that in the place where I live, and hope to hve for many years, the verdict of the people has been with me. I trust that we shall soon be able to get a newspaper organ on our own side, and I think we shall be able to do so, which will materially influence the future elections. I will ask those who belong to the orking Men’s Political Association to work together well in order to get those principles which they have enunciated, because in the end you are sure to triumph. As it is although the election has gone

against üb, the vast majority of the Government is going out, and we shall soon see another Government in power to deal out a share of justice to this district. I have now only to return you my hearty and sincere thanks for the way in which you have so cordially supported me. (Claps and applause. Mr. Locke—Gentlemen, —l desire to propose a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer for the upright way in which he had carried out the proceedings of this election. Mr. Bees—l beg to second that motion. The Returning Officer—Thanks, thanks. [He refused to make a speech, as requested by Mr. Rees.] Mr. Locke then called for three cheers foi the defeated candidate, Mr. Rees, which were Justly given, as also were three for Mr. Locke, proposed by Mr. Rees.