The Closing Scene.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 394, 21 December 1889, Page 3

The Closing Scene.

Oir Thursday afternoon the curtain was drawn on the closing scene of the East Coast election fight. A few hundred electors managed to put in sq appeal aoce in time to soothe finish, and about half a dozen ladies were visible on the outskirts of tbe “free and independent" throng. Mr Booth, Returning Officer, ascended the rostrum and . pronounced the rather ancient fact that Mr Arthur had got 877 votes, Mr Rees 624, and “ Informal" whipped in with 22, giving Mr Arthur a majority of 53. The unimposing official ceremony being .concluded, Mr Arthur expressed his sincere thanks that ho had been returned at the head of the poll, and confessed that he considered it a very great victory because he (a political novice) had been pitted against < one of the boot orators in New Zealand—a man who, . whaa he made a speech, could, he said, promise frith such an sir of sincerity, that people, ageipst their better consciences, believed what ha said, and voted in his favor, hoping tbat some moiety of what was promised might be given to them. He (Mr A.) felt particularly thankful for tbe block vote recorded for him in Waiapu [here Sir George Whitmore, who was present, gave a meaning smile] —that was the district io which be had lived, and it showed how highly he was respected when he goutd get a block Vote there. In his address fa the columns ot ths SraxaißD, Mr Bees claimed that he represented the Liberal party* fa; t fished no right to c«ll himself a member ot the Liberal party any more than he (Mr Arthur) had. Ha ftha tmAAUari holiavorf ond '

followed the party led by Sir Harry Atkinson, ths party which bad passed the most liberal measures in New Zealand. Mr Rees spoke of Progress versus Conservatism. He (Mr Arthur) wondered U Mr Rees spoke of law versus the men qrho worked in the couptry. Then be talked about land and settlement yvMue land owners »nd capitalists, wbicb Mimed very absurd of Mr Boes, He (Mr Arthur) wu an employer of labor, with his capital— be was both an employer of labor and a settlor, one could network without the ether. He was excessively sorry Mr Bess bed said tbat a great number of voters had bean eoonod into voting. He denied the truth of the aseortlons. Any man tHth oommon sense knew fast ad employer tff labor dared to tell his employee that he was to vote any particular way. They dare not try to coerce an Englishman, Irishman, or fiootobmm, why their bristles would be nn at ones. Tt was an ahanntlfev tn* Me

nn at once, it was an a'wprqtty tor Mr gees to say hs represented the many as against the few, as was proved by the majority of 58, by which he (Mr Arthur) had bon returned. Surely he had been returned bytbomajority as against theft,.. < pp’nse)—and next time he would bo returned by a still greater majority. Most of his staunch sfantmr ers were independent workmen, ' Mon Odt subject to iufluenco. They.were tlAmen'wbo bed put him in. One dr the things that bad caused him to win the election was that bo showed bis colors as aaapporter of Sir Harry Atkinson’s party and their policy of retrenchment. Hie clever opponent (Mr Bess) was not going to be a supporter of either Attinaon or Ballance, tend people did not knew wfatt to do, except they voted for « man Wks nmasised tbenr verr nieefaluga with an htr Heihastit/. He (Mr Arthur owned be IMHM In Miuld febte won fae tlrtilsn by t

greater majority, but explained the reason that he had not done so was because a great many ot his supporters were working in the country, and as they would have about twenty miles to travel and were very busy, besides feeling certain of his election, they had not come down, but if they had thought there was any doubt about the result they would have ridden fifty miles to vote for him. Next election would not tske place at such an unfortunate time, and he believed he (Mr Arthur) would be returned by a magnificent majority against any other candidate, by the working men, without any coercion. He was confident his present supporters would stick to him, and also tbat many lukewarm supporters would turn and vote for him. He again returned thanks to those who had voted for him, especially to those who had worked hard both in the town and the country, and he particularly thanked those in his own part of the country, Waipiro and Awanui, tor the block vote they had given him. It was only fair to his opponent, and that gentleman's supporters, to add that the contest had been fought in a fair spirit—(hear, ha - )—and ha believed that if they fought again, no matter how warm was the contest, it would, be done honestly and above board, (Applause.) Mr Gannon then ascended the staging. Mr Rees, he said, had been unable to attend, owing to urgent private affairs, and he (Mr Gannon), as one of that gentleman's supporters, and one who had taken a prominent part in the contest, claimed the right to say a few words. On behalf of Mr Rees he thanked -vhnnj if supported him, and pointed out how successful they had Been the extremely late hour at which Mr Rees' had come out, and the big start which bis opponent had got—considering these pointe, it was a satisfactory thing that the contest had been run so closely and had only been gained by the block vote of Mr Arthur’s friends at Waipiro and Awanui. (Hear, hear, and laughter). A man who had bean before the public like Mr Rees, as with all public men, was bound to have a lot of enemies — they had upon them what Emerson calls “ the fierce light that beats upon a throne.” Mr Rees had been almost unknown in other parts of the district, but with all the advantages in favor of their opponents the latter could only got a majority of 53 from a block vote of their own special friends. He endorsed what had been said about the fair spirit which had characterised the contest and he hoped future ones would be as well conducted. Mr Arthur spoke very sanguinely of the next election, but be might tell him that " politics is queer cattle,” and the man who could tell them who would be returned; next time must be a real prophet, If Mr Arthur would ba able to do good for tbe district ha (Mr Gannon) would be glad to support him, but ot the two gentlemen in the field he bad considered Mr Bees the better man, There was no district in New Zealand which was more in need of a powerful advocate than tbe East Coast, and Mr Arthur's own words were a proof that Mr Rees would be a poweiful advocate, (Applause.) Mr Arthur then proposed a vote ot thanks to the Returning Officer, and the electors dispersed, each no doubt feeling sati-flid that the Christmas rejoicings would not be interfered with by any more electioneering.