THE EX-MEMBER FOR GREY.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 666, 2 June 1870, Page 2

THE EX-MEMBER FOR GREY.

(Prom the Grey Valley Times.) If Mr Luckie's. motion of want of confidence in the present Executive has had no other effect, it has at least brought out one ©f the representatives of this district in anything but a favorable light. Mr Eranklyn, the gentleman to whom we refer, has certainly created a sensation on his debut as a politician, but it is a very unpleasant one indeed. His conduct haa been such as to show very clearly what a great mistake the electors made in choosing him as their member, and rejecting others who would have done credit to, instead of throwing disgrace

on the district. It is always a matter of regret when a member of any public body commits himself as Mr Pranklyu has done, and we must say, that he has most disagreeably disappointed the expectations that were formed of him by many in this part of the Province. It seems that he commenced proceedings by separating himself from his colleagues on a most important question; but this he might have done on principle, and that he should differ from them on some points is not of course either surprising or calling for any special remark. That he should run amuck, however, in the extraordinary manner that he did, and use such language as to render it necessary for the Speaker to characterise it as disgraceful to himself and the Council, is quite a different matter. That he should signalise his advent by accusing Mr Luckie, one of the ablest, and, at the same time, most respectable members of the Council, of *' audacious mendacity," is a piece of unmitigated and ignorant impudence. Mr Luckie has ever been one of the warmest champions that the mining interest have had, and that a mining member should have so insulted him is deeply regretted on all sides. The whole language attributed to Mr Pranklyn is of such a very extraordinary character, that we can only presume he had been dining shortly before its utterance. One of the richest parts of it was his charging the "West Coast members with " being animated with a desire to secure the loaves and fishes." Now as it happens the other members have less reason to sigh for loaves and fishes than the gentleman in question, and he should bear in mind when speaking in such a wildly random manner that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Going through the list, we find our other member, Mr Mackley, who certainly is not in want of anything that the Provincial Council could give. Mr O'Conor, member for "Westport, is a man of large property; Mr Reid, his colleague, holds a lucrative engagement as editor of the Westport local journal, and attends the sitting at considerable loss; Mr Donne has an excellent legal practice in Charleston and Brighton; whilst, as far as the public know, Mr Pranklyn is the only unattached member, and essentially one to whom loaves and fishes may be an object. No doubt there is no accounting for sudden conversions. The pious editor of the " Biglow Papers " says :

" I du believe in special ways O' prayin' and convertin'; The bread comes back in many ways, An' buttered, to, fer sartin'; I mean in preyin' till one busts On wut the party chooses, And in convartin' public trusts To very privit uses." Now, we cannot think that Mr Franklyn's creed is the same as this, but it is a very singular fact that in a speech made at Napoleon's very shortly hefore the Council met, he violently attacked the Government in whose defence he so recently distinguished himself. At that time nothing was too black for them, but they have become miraculously purified in our member's eyes in a very short space of time, and we shall watch the upshot with considerable curiosity. The speech we refer to was an unreported one, though what professed to be a report was published in our G-reymouth'contemporary. "Whether it was at all like the real thing those who heard the one and read the other can tell. In conclusion we may say, without expressing any opinion on the question that gave rise to the disgraceful language referred to that many of those who voted for Mr Franklyn are very sorry for having done so, as it is clear that such conduct can in no way further the interests of the district, but on the contrary, is calculated to reflect discredit alike on the representative and the represented. It is to be hoped that this will be the first and the last escapade of the kind on the part of Mr Franklyn, for it is one, he may rest assured, that a majority of his constituents are heartily ashamed of. On his election, he stated, that if called on by a majority, he would resign. It has been already proposed to get up a requisition to this end. If a repetition of the same kindof conduct takes place, itwill assuredly be sent, and will be signed by a very large proportion of the population.