NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1517, 26 March 1887, Page 3

NOTES.

Although no confirmatory news is to hand ot the rumor which was recently circulated of the probable early recall of Sir William Jervois, and of the successorship to the post of Governor of New Zealand being conferred upon the Right Hon 11. C. Raikes, the present Postmaster-General, it is not unlikely that events may bring about the former, notwithstanding the fact that there are yet nearly two years to run to complete the usual terra of Colonial Governors m Sir William's case. Should the present crisis n Europe eventuate m hostilities with the certainty or imminent likelihood of England's being involved, nothing would be more natural than that the services of so able an Engineer officer as our present Governor is admitted' to be should be availed of, and there can be no doubt that he himself would be eager to have an opportunity of exchanging civil for military duties. On the other hand should the danger of war blow over, as it now begins to seem possible will be the case, then m all probability Sir William will be allowed to finish his full term to the general satisfaction of the people of the colony over whose affairs he presides so entirely satisfactorily. But though, as this is the more likely contingency, it is too early to speculate as to his probable successor, we may here say that there is reason to think that that successor will not be found m the Hon Mr Raikes. It is stated by the London correspondent of an exchange that "It is an open secret that there will be a complete revolution amongst the colonial Governors m the course ol the next eighteen months. The authorities m Downing street have come to the conclusion that new blood is requirtd, and advantage will be taken of the retirement of some of the older hands to infuse if. Lord Carington's appointment was resolved on as an experiment, and it has been iuch a complete success that the Peers possessing administrative experience are pretty sure to bs asked to join the vice-regal ranks. Lord Hardwicke, everybody knows, has for years been wanting a colonial Governoiship, but only a very bold Secretary of State would care tD entrust him with an important colony. Lords D.ilhousie and Charles Beresford are, however, men of a different kidney, and both, according to report, are willing to accept Australian posts." I( this be so, ilun .we may safely say that either of the distinguished names mentioned would be thoroughly acceptable to any of the Australian colonies or to New Zealand, and we can scarcely fancy a rmrc popular appointment than that of " Fighting Charlie."

Talking of Governors m essc and m posse reminds us that some people don't believe m Home-appointed Governors at all. Acorrespondent of a Dunedin paper for instance the other day delivered himself thus : — " Why should we not elect our own Governor? We surely know our own requirements best ; and if we can't afford a " ten thousand " Governor, let us worry along with a " two thousand " one, and grow him ourselves ! This vice-regal business, with all its costly flummery, is an extravagant humbug — a useless relic of barbarism. Let us commence our pruning with the topmost branches, and not be for ever hacking at the lowest twigs ot our governmental tree. What is there to be done m the way of gubernatorial functions that our Premier and Chief Justice cannot perform between them without any additional expense ?" It may be answered that however well some of the functions of a Governor could be discharged by the Premier or Chief Justice, there would not attach to such an official the sentiment of loyalty' which is now universal as towards the representative of the Queen, and it is not conceivable that we should go m for an elective Governor until we are prepared to set up on our own account altogether. That may come, probably will come some day, but very few we think would be found to argue that New Zealand, with her half-million of inhabitants is quite prepared to go alone just yet.

Whatever may be said of the New Zealand Legislature, at least it deserves the credit of being a decorous and orderly assemblage, m this respect affording an agreeable contrast to the Parliaments of some of tbe neighboring colonies. New South Wales seems to be bent on making herself the "shocking example," her Legislative halls being often turned into a perfect bear-garden. For exa/nple, the proceedings of about a week ago, when an ex-Minister indulged m giving the lie direct, and accused the Government m plain language of downright bribery and corruption, and on being told by Sir Henry Parkes that he (Mr Dibbs) had '• the dirtiest public character m the country," retorted by saying that he " would not soil his hands by dissecting the Premier's body." Probably Sir Henry Parkes has no desire that Mr Dibbs should have the opportunity of performing a post mortem, but it would be greatly to the advantage of the Legislature of which the two gentlemen named are members if they would avoid soiling the records of their Parliament by such unparliamentary and ungentlemanly language. The proceedings of Parliament should be a model for all other deliberative bodies, and it is a sorry spectacle to see such an evil example set before the public as is only too frequently the case m connection with the proceedings of the Parliament of New South Wales. Even the First Parliament of the world appears to be falling from its high estate, or we should not have to record a .'t>newalling match, lasting into the middle of the next day, and the necessary enforcement ot the I clolwe.