The Evening Star TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2507, 28 February 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1871.

We do not know how it is that so little apparent interest is felt in the tour of his Excellency the Governor in the Middle Island. Governors are mortal, and we are much more inclined to condemn than advocate that hero worship that spends itself in noisy demonstrations and outside glitter. Triumphal arches, illuminations, and fireworks are very much akin in spirit

to the corrobofees of the Australian Natives, and are more honored in the breach than the observance. Yet we do not think the Chief Magistrate of the Colony should bo altogether treated as a merely private citizen —and, excepting by his own express desire, allowed to come and go without any recognition ot his rank and office. The only question is, what reception can we give him more in accordance with our own dignity and importance, as inhabitants of the leading City in New Zealand, than the usual boisterous crackers and flaring gaslights. We imagine his Excellency’s present object is to acquaint himselt with the people and the resources of the Colony. He has had ample opportunity of judging of the value of the North Island. Our complaint during the last ten years has been that the Middle Island has been overlooked —treated as if it were a subordinate Province to the North. When Sir George Bowen arrives, he will of course visit the various rising factories, industrial establishments, and public works. These, as the evidences of enterprise and capital, are interesting. They tell of a people, unaided by official patronage, bending circumstances to their will, and fulfilling their mission in subduing and utilising the earth. Through their works therefore his Excellency will be enabled to form an estimate of the men. From a consideration of the rapid progress of Otago in material development, he will be prepared to meet with a population strong in will and energetic in action. He will expect to find amongst such people daring and free thought, and will know that consequently party feeling will run high, and that there will of necessity be strong predilections and antipathies : strong political bias, strong opinions, strongly expressed. But this mere inferential acquaintanceship will hardly satisfy either people or Governor. There must be a more intimate communion between the two. He must not only know what has been done, but the people by whose agency it lias been done. Since it cannot be that we have done so much Without directing minds, we should like him to form some idea of tire moral, social, and intellectual organisations that are exerting so powerful an influence amongst us. Perhaps the most interesting group that greeted Her Majesty on her first visit to Manchester many years ago, was the thousands of Sunday school children with their teachers, who sang the National Anthem while she stayed her carriage to look and listen, admire and praise them. Dunedin can not only gathertogether children from Sunday schools, but from day schools, from District Schools, and from the High School. We have not yet arrived at that musical unanimity or knowledge to equal the united effort of the Manchester schools. Were it even desirable, there is not time for preparation. But in addition to the evidence of educational power, there might be a gathering of the various friendly societies, that the extent of onr social organisation may bo shewn. We need not offer any suggestions as to our Civic dignitaries. We suppose them able to take care of themselves. They are not likely to be too diffident in greeting bis Excellency. The Volunteers and Fire Brigade we need not mention. As organisations shewing what sacrifices men are capable of for defence and conservation of society and of public property, Dunedin has a right to be proud ; of them, and they of right hold a prominent place in every public demonstration. Surely something indicative of cultivated mind and settled purpose may be arranged. Wo merely throw out these hints, for we see no sign of motion wilh our Mayor, and we should not like the City to move without him ; but something ought to be done.