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Star (Christchurch), Issue 673, 20 July 1870, Page 2

An" announcement has been received from Mr Travers, thafc he intends to resign his seat in the Assembly on the first of next month. The reasons assigned for fchis step are somewhat comical. The hero of a hundred newspaper fights has succumbed at last to a stray shaft from our quiver. The timid, 'shrinking, modest Travers has been driven from public life by our remarks ! Years ago, a savage writer in the Quarterly drove poor Keats into his grave by an adverse review. "We hope the fate of thia unhappy youth may be avoided in Mr Travers' case, and that the member for Christchurch will not take to hiß bed and die. The reasons given for this abrupt "departure from public life are worthy of the lawyer and the man. The bLyt'telton Times abused Mr Travers, and criticised hia conduct unfairly. Bufc ' Mr Travers is honest and independent, therefore he cannot submit to be unfairly criticised, aud must resign. Mr Travers' constituents stood by unmoved whilst he was unfairly criticised, therefore they will not only lose . Mr Travers, but must understand that ndhoneatand independentmanwill ever represent them again. Is it requisite i for us to comment upon such a tisßue •of nonsense . . The only good thing in the address is the resignation. "We are glad Mr Travers has resigned, and are sure the public share in the feeling of gratification. We hail Mr Travers' promise of retirement with a pleasure which would be more complete if we had greater faith in his power to keep it. We ' have never pretended to admire Mr Travers' political character, which has been well pourfcrayed by an abler pen than ours, when describing a politician of former days : —

Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong, Was everything by starts, and nothing long ; But, in the course of one revolving moon, Was chemist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon. Unintentionally, mo doubt, Mr Travers pays us a high compliment when he intimates that we have driven him from his seat in the House of Eepresentatives. Modesty as well as experience forbid us to believe that Mr Travers would have abdicated an instant sooner than suited his own personal convenience. The marvel is that so old a politician should have committed the double blunder of admitting that he has suffered such a defeat, and of stating whafc nobody is likely to believe. However, Mr Travers is gone for the nonce, and may good luck go with him. The next scene of the play is for the electors of Christchurch to choose a better man to fill his place.