AUCKLAND CITY ELECTORATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 259, 1 November 1893, Page 2

AUCKLAND CITY ELECTORATE.

SIR GEORGE GREY CONSENTS Tq

STAND.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING.

Yesterday afternoon, as a resulb of the resolution arrived ab at bhe meeting of the Auckland Liberal Association on the previous evening, a very numerously signed , requisition was presented to Sir George Chrey at the Chamber of Commerce Rooms, asking bim to consent to stand for Auckland City at the forthcoming general elections. The requisition, which had close on 1,000 hemes of city electors attached to it daring the day, was published In our issue of yesterday. Amongst those who were presenb at the fneebing with Sir George Grey were Mr W. Beehan (Chairman of the Liberal Association)andtheHon.Wm. McCullough, M.L.C., Mr J. M. Shera, M.H.R., Mr Gerald L. Peacocke, and a large number of others. Sir George Grey was received with greab cordiality. Mr Beehan, the Chairman of the meeting, said that they were assembled in order to present to Sir George Grey the resolutions passed aba meeting of the Liberal Association the previous evening, and also the requisition which had been got up that day, asking him to abandon his intention of standing for the Parnell seat, and to offer himself as a candidate for Auckland City. He read the resolutions of the Liberal Association, and said that if they had nob been pressed for time, there would have been thousands, and not hundreds, of signatures. £[c believed he was right in saying that ib was bhe general wish of bhe community bhab Sir George Grey should stand for the City. ((Applause.) Ie was in Auckland thab Sir George Grey had firsb commenced his labours in the interests of the people ; here he had continued his greab work; bhe people of Auckland had sefib him bo Parliamenb bime after time, and it was their sincere Wish thab he should stay where he was, giving them tbe benefit of hiß wisdom, and that he should be long Bpared to continue hiß great work. If Sir George Grey Would consent to 3tand—as he believed he would—there was nob the slightesb doubb bub thab he would be returned at bhe head of the poll. Mr Gerald Peacocke said thab he was only voicing bhe sentiments of the whole of the City of Auckland, thab ib was the fitting thing thab Sir George Grey in his last years —which he insisted on giving up to the service of the public—should represenb bhe city in Which he first began his brilliant career as leader of the Liberal party.in New Zealand. There was very little doubt, he thought, thab Auckland City would respond to the appeal now made and place Sir George Grey in the forefront ab the general elections. Messrs J. A. Campbell, P. Ryan and Neylon also spoke in support of bhe request The Chairman said that a large and powerfull Committeo would be formed in Sir G. Grey's interest. ' Sir George Grey, whose rising was greeted wibh loud applause, said:—•« Mr Chainnah and gentlemen, I shall only say in a rety few words thab when this proposal Was firsb broughb under my notice as a thing likely to take place—which was only yesberday-—I felb that relief from a contested election, with having to speak in so many plates, and perhaps constantly, would be a very great benefib to me, because really I am not able in tho present day to do much in that way. This thought came into my mind—that was thab bhis was a case in which I had no righb bo consider private interests, either for myself or for Others. I could not help believing that, as the member for a greab ciby, nob only in ,the New Zealand Parliamenb, bub in countries outside, that would have very great influence. - You can perhaps hardly fancy what the effect of thab influence would be nob only in Ausbralia, bub in Greab Britain as well. There is no doubb whabever bhab in Groat Britain they have followed the laws which we had begun in Auckland, and which had firsb been ventilated here. (Applause*) There is no doubb either that they are looking to us now, and I think it would be a great advantage to the cause that one who had helped ' them partly to do Whab bhey were doing in England was sbill a member for a greab City. (Applause.) They would be more likely to take advice if they and Auckland were joined together than I could possibly hope them to do if I were the member only for a borough in the neighbourhood of the city. I love Parnell, and to leave ib is really a painful thing. I have lived there for a greab many years in eottbentmenb, peace and happiness, and I have spent many happy years there. Nowhere could l have more enjoyed myself—in the midsb of a small society, bub sbill a highly educated society and a most desirable people. I never had a qttarrel with anyone in Parnell, bub I certainly think ib my duby, if the people of Auckland are pleased to return me, to serve them in Parliament (applause), and to declare that I am willing to make any sacrifice necessary for the purpose of attaining a post of thab description, with the belief thab if we all worked together as We have done in former years; that if we devoted ourselves to consider the besb laws for bhe subjecb before tbe counbry; if we havo the courage bo break through the foolish constraints which have been placed on our fellow-men in other countries, and which We have shaken off by degrees: if we are gifted with the courage to do that, we have the power to say whab is righb, and consider whab is jusb, we would be unibed for a very greab work. (Applause.) Thab is more likely bo be obtained by a member working with a greab ciby than one for a simple borough. I should therefore feel it my duty, if ibis bhe general wish of bhe cibizens ot Auckland, to allow myself to be put in nomination for this ciby. (Loud applause.) Of course I feel a sorb of pride that I can hardly tell, and a feeling of gratitude thai) in my extreme old age, in a counbry where Governments have always to offend ons party or another, and where I have had so many unpleasant things to do—ib seems bo me wonderful thab when 1 am gebbing old and nob possessed of the same strength, that I should live to receive such a compliment as bo be called bo the front again by men who have known me for so many years." (Loud applause.) The Chairman said that bhey would all. no doubb, feel relieved and thankful thab Sir George Grey had consented bo stand for one of the Auckland City seats. Three cheeks were given for Sir George Grey, who thanked the meeting. Afber a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the gathering broke up.