The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 865, 16 August 1879, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1879.

No one who was present at Mr. Woodbine Johnson's meeting last night, could have any doubt of the sincerity of the candidate's utterances. To use a homely phrase, the speaker said what he mearit and meant what he said. There was no beating about the bush with him. No attempt at evasion, or stating a thing which would admit of more than one interpretation. If he understood the question put to him, he gave a direct, straightforward answer. If it was a matter he had not sufficiently considered, or one upon which he had not made up his mind, he simply stated this to be the case in so many words. Sincerity, in these . times, is a great virtue, and should meet with its reward. Mr. Johnson hates Sir George Grey, as a statesman, with intensity; He thinks so little of the man that he doubts if it be possible that a liberal policy could emanate from him ; and in this there are thousands in New Zealand who are of the same opinion. We must refer readers to the repoi't of Mr. Johnson's address, which will be found in .its place in our columns. He is not a fluent speaker, and he did not e u iciate his political opinions under such distinct heads as could have been desired ; but his address was' very warmly received by a crowded hall, and he sat down amid very general applause. We regret that towards the close of the-meeting there was a good deal of disorder. It was, however, of a good-tempered kind, and did not prevent the candidate being heard ; but we do not think that such an •important matter as that of making choice of a representative in Parliament should be treated as something out of which much fun was to be made. Some of the questions put to the candidate were of a very improper character, and very properly were not answered.