SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE CABLE.

Evening Star, Issue 4069, 11 March 1876, Page 2 (Supplement)

SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE CABLE.

The ‘ Taranaki Herald 1 has. the following article,. which, as'a historical resumH, do*serves the widest publicity The replies to the telegrams sent to the Superintendents of the various Provinces by Sir Julius Vogel, announcing the completion of the laying of the submarine cable, are unique in their way; and we hope, for the sake of history, that they will be published in the Pariia* mentary Blue Books. His Honor Mr Carrington’s was very much to the purpose, and will perhaps have the effect of hurrying on the completion of our line, so that, like other centres of population we may be connected with the world at large by the .wire. Sir George Grey cannot be civil; and, in fact, whatever he does either shows a failing of memory or a lamentable ignorance of events during the last fifteen or twenty years. In reply to Sir Julius Vogel’s telegram he sends the following rather ungentlemanly answer:— * To the Hon. the Premier, Wellington—Auckland, Feb. 21, 1876. —I thank youifor your telegram. It was with great pleathat I heard, in 1867, that the sagacious originators of the policy of the introduction of the electric telegraph into New Zealand had succeeded in connecting the two islands by a submarine cable. It is with equal pleasure that I now hear that their farsighted policy has been pursued to so important a‘termination, and that the existing Government have had the gratification ; of completing so much greater a work, suited to the present advanced wealth and requirements of the country, and which must produce such important benefits for New Zealand.— G. Grey.” The only interpretation we can put on the telegram is that the Stafford Ministry, Sir George Grey considers, “ were the sagacious originators of the policy of the introduction of the telegraph into New 1 Zealand,” and ‘ f of connecting the two islands by the submarine cable in 1867;” for he says he _is “glad to hear that their far-sighted policy has been pursued, and that the existing Government have had the gratification of completing so much greater a work.” Before Sir George Grey wrote this telegram he should have refreshed his memory by looking over the old blue books, when he would nave found that the policy of introducing the telegraphy into New Zealand did not originate withany member of the General Government, but that the credit of having the two islands connected is due to Sir Julius Vogel, who, as a private member of the House, on the 3rd December, 1864, moved and carried the following resolhtion;—“ That a submarine line of telegraph be laid across Cook Strait,: to connect Wellington with the telegraph system of the Middle Island.” We also learn from a report of the Hon. Sir J. Richardson, who, was Postrdaster-Qeueral at the time, *• that the only telegraphic com-, munication in New Zealand during the year 1864 was either under the guarantee or at the expense and under the control of the Government of the Provinces of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland ” At the commencement of 1865 the Canterbury and Southland lines passed into the hands of the General Government, but it was some time after that before the whole Of the lines were transferred over to the central Authority, Even the idea of erecting telegraphs in the South Island does not appear to have occurred to any Government, but was left to private members to initiate; for in 1862, Mi* Cargill having first asked the Ministry of the day whether it bad any intention to take steps towards the establishment of- telegraphic communication between the Provinces, and getting an unsatisfactory answer, moved 1 in Committee of Supply the following resolution :— * That in order to meet the require: ments of the public service and of the various private interests within the Colony, it is essential that electric telegraph communication be established at tbe earliest possible date between the several Provinces and the seat of Government.’ On the subject being considered, the House agreed to Mr Cargill’s resolution, and sanctioned the expenditure of money to give it.effect. Nothing, however, seems to have been done in thematter ; but the Provincial authorities in the South Island having taken the telegraphs into their own hands, Mr Sheath was at last appointed Telegraphic Engineer, and in 1864 sent in a report to the Government. It was during the session of 1864, that Sir Julius Vogel moved in the matter, and through him the cable was obtained, He has now succeeded at .last in getting the work completed, and the Colony is. put into, communication with all the civilised portion of the world. Sir George Grey no doubt intended hia telegram to be a very severe hit on Sir Julius Vogel; but when the whole of the circumstances are known, it has the appearance of being only a stupid effuStofi, emanating from a vindictive inmd.”