CITY EAST ELECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4407, 29 December 1875, Page 3

CITY EAST ELECTION.

To the Editor of the Herald. Snt, —Being neither a newspaper correspondent nor yet a politician, I hesitate to trespass on your space, but being a close observer of passing events, and forming my opinion of men's consistency by their words and acts, I am led by Mr. J. M. Clark's letter, which appeared in your issue of this morning, to ask how it is—if his policy is so identical with that of Sir George Grey as he now professes it to be, and that he really has the interest of Auckland at heart—that he has elected, at such a critical juncture, to place himself in opposition to a gentleman equally if not a more whole-hearted supporter of Sir G. Grey, and -who has so long been pledged to contest the City East against any Government candidate? Does Mr. Clark deem himself to be a more able or better qualified man that Mr. Bees to fi»ht Auckland's battle, or himself to be more trustworthy (politically) than that gentleman that he should seek to oust him from election ? It seems to me if Mr. Clark's profession of a desire to benefit Auckland and the whole colony generally were genuine, he would have offered himself to some other constituency in opposition to a Government candidate, and have testified his sincerity by aiding to secure Mr. Rees' return in place of contesting hie candidature and endeavouring to deprive the Opposition party of that gentleman's abilities ? However good a "business man" man Mr. Clark may be, Auckland's cause cannot afford to lose Mr. Rees' services even for his. With Mr. Clark's present declaration in favour of Sir G. Grey's policy, I would say both men returned would be best, but the first in the field, supposing their abilities to be equal, has the first claim on the electors of City East. Let Mr. Clark offer himself for some other constituency, as I have suggested, and then he will deserve the respect of Auckland's citizens as a public man, which be has RO justly held as a private individual.— I am, &0., Consistency. Auckland, December 27, 1875.