OUR PUBLIC MEN.

Evening Star, Issue 4280, 14 November 1876, Page 4

OUR PUBLIC MEN.

j-t V 1 ' CTo the Editor. ' T fta,~Th'eMnire som*queer things happen ••.■"' in thd Colonies. The late Convention] is a •"■• J * happy flrastration of how men, whose views were utterly opposed to one another some : time Sgb; unite'in a common object ; (till l the .: , away), as if, they had all I'J-- |»latWfmarble« I shall remind -"-•' your readers of a few well-known facts connected with the previous career of the lead- / ' tan men of the Provincial party. It will be - remembered that when Mr Maoandrew defeated Mr Thomas Dick for the Superintendenpy, Sir George Grey was down here on a visiti as Governor, accompanied by \ Sir ~, John (then Major) Richardson, as Minister i* j waiting. 'lt waß well known that, through Major fttehardson's great antipathy •.to Mr MtaJandrew, Sir George's visit wad cut -■tuddealy short when the result of the elec- . i iion became known, so that the Governor would not- have to shake hands withjthe Ssperintendentinhis official capacity. Then; again, Mr J'. L. Gillies and Mr "Donald Reid contested unsuccessfully for the Superinpen- ,. , denoy, and Mr Gillies told of. his sup- ' porters that he would never take office in the Provincial JExecutive while Mr Macandrew was Superintendent, Shortly afterwards he was anxious to take office, butj Mr • Mawndrew would not have him. Things got soldered Evidently, for who should use tfaeir influence to get him appointed secretary to the Harbor Board but the very same Mr iMaoahdrew and Mr Beid. Again, <>nly a cursory glance at the members of' Convention was necessary to see that the very men who'supported Mr Reid for the Superintend -■ * dency, and had all manner of things to say • against Mr Macandrew, are the very men who would now, forsooth, shoulder their muskets-'to support Mr Macandrew's views, while v Mr Beid is wisely, I think, keeping aloof; w'from them. Your readers'-'must; re- ' member when the Public Works scheme of iB7O created, so much excitement, Mr Macandrew, while addressing the electors at; the ; - Masonic. Hall, was cross-questioned iost • unmercifully by the redoubtable Mr Robert Stdtrfc until Mr Macandrew imploringly <••."•. besreeohed him to let him alone. Thejn are .BtfW.like sworn brothers. Now we have Sir George Grey and Mr Macandrew, whoa'few years ago were afraid to meet one another, : appointed to go Home, to pay their respjects 'tp.her' Majesty the Queen —or, at all evejnts, ..'':■• toj-tHe; Eari of Carnarvon—if they jcan manage to obtain an audience. We have ' alsoiihe Reid party deserting their leader, •' ; • and; going over to the captain of the opposing • -©atrip. ''' We have also Mr Macandrew and Mr Stout now working hand in glove, as ~ , Beid keeping a dignified jjiosiV 'feon>-pn, 1 the side of law and oraer, apart ' '< from His previous zealftus lieutenant, |Mr .'•■■■ Stout. Ib it oonceivablethat a more complete jumMe -of parties could ever take place? "':' I trow not. I am not a prophet, but I Venture to say that after the gingerbeer.ejffervescence of the Convention is over, and the i members have a little time to cool down, and after the Abolition Act has had a; fair trial, and no ruin traceable to it, Sir George Greyj Mr Macari&rew, Captain Eraser, ; and •7en Mr Sibbald, may go Home, but beyond • benefiting their health their visit will not do ,- the slightest good. Judging from the past, ' • •' their tjresent supporters would even before long be sorry if they were successful in v obtaining their demands. The whirlgig of fioiiitiQSSOsoon turns round. Who was it hat was continually complaining of being trammelled by the Provincial Council and -• • j Executive ? Mr. James Macandrew. Who ■■'■■• to now almost rebellious to get back the Council and Executive? None ether than Mr Macandrew. Consistency ! oh, where art thou ?—I am, &c,

A Eespectek or, the Law, Dunedin, November 13'.'