The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 873, 26 August 1879, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1879.

If the purpose for which the meeting was called last night was not sewed,; namely, the choice of a candidate to vote for at the coming election, it at least went to show that there is a very strong feeling with the electors m favor of what is known as the "Liberal policy " — that is the policy of the Government now m power. The stumbling block appears to be Sir George Grey, against whom there is such a bitter feeling, so well justified by his political duplicity and his overweening arrogance. But we do not see that the people of Poverty Bay are to ignore a policy because there is an objectionable man at the head of it. Is it not possible to retain the ! policy and remove the man ? We think Parliament should have, nay, will have, strength sufficient to do this. The vote of no confidence passed m the House was virtually a rote against Sir George Grey morethan against Ministers. Had Sir George fulfilled his promises — had he even made an effort m that direction the present Ministry would not have required to ask for a dissolution, for there would have been no occasion. This, as we believe, is the feeling of the electors throughout both islands, and finds expression through the leading columns of the newspaper press. The policy of the Government is good; it is what the people have been working and striving for, but Sir George Grky is bad. Now the Premier has expressed m most emphatic language that if a Parliament is returned by which the majority are m favor of the policy he advocates, he is willing to resign. We do not suppose Sir George Grey will resign. He will add one more untruth m matters political to the many others he has uttered. But Sir George must up more be allowed to stand between the people of the Colony and the carrying out of their universallyexpressed wishes, than one man would be allowed to stop the proceedings of a large public meeting whei'e those present had arrived at a unanimous conclusion on a matter deeply affecting their interests. Because the Premier wheels a barrow m the road to impede the way, ai*e we not to remove it ? There will be many ways — I where one will be quite sufficient — to remove such an obstructionist. He can be outvoted m the House, and m the Cabinet, and we have no doubt but what he will. The electors of Poverty Bay have to look to their own interests. They will have to discover for themselves who is most likely to sewe them best m Parliament, whether it be a local candidate who will be held responsible for his actions to the electors, or whether we return an alien m Captain Morris, who, belongs to the further end of the electoi'ate. The desire of a very large proportion of the electors is for a local candidate. The desire is a very proper one, and we trust to see a local candidate returned. The chances now are much greater m our favor to-day than yesterday. Then Captain Porter •was a candidate, and it is certain that even if he were not returned, he would have received a very, large . support. The voting would have been split m pieces, and Captain MORRIS would m all probability have been at the head of the poll. The three local candidates having been reduced to two, it now rests with the electors to say which of these shall have their choice. Still, even with two, we cannot afford a splitting of votes. Both candidates have expressed their determination to go to the poll. They will not agree between themselves as to who should retire. If, then, they will not do this,

the electors must decide for them. They have to settle whichone of the two it shall be — Mr. Allan McDonald or Mr. Woodbine Johnson. If a local candidate is to be returned, it will not serve any purpose for one elector to say " I will vote for Johnson," and another, " I will vote for McDonald. The question as to which is to be the one-man candi iate must be disposed of before the day the poll is taken. This is what those electors must do who object to have an alien for a representative, if they can, by united action, send one to Parliament who will hold himself responsible to the electors for what he does when he is m the House.