The Globe. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1034, 18 October 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1877.

The statements which the Hon. the Premier had to make on Monday night on the question of the administration of the Government of the colony, seem to have taken some of the opponents of the late Government somewhat aback. On this subject [Sir Geo. Grey spoke as follows :—' “ 'Here were formerly two great systems of administration of the General Government, and the system of administration of the Provincial Governments, Well, hon, gentlemen were pleased in their wisdom to destroy absolutely the Provincial Governments and the Provincial legislatures, but in doing that they did not do away with the prov.ncial system, and there is no doubt whatever ihat the two systems of administration have never yet merged into one another, and that a vast and unm ceasary expenditure is incurred by attempting to conduct a system of administration not suiti d to one united Government 'lhe great ehort therefore which I think must be made, is to devise a system ofadnuaietratiou of by which the whole

administration will be grasped by the powerful band oi one Government. If there is to be out one Government, by that means very ■reat simplification in the conduct of public business will be brought about, and I f. el satisfied that a reduction in expenditure may be made which will even surpass the expecations of hon. gentlemen. ”

Commenting on the telegraphic summary of Sir George Grey’s speech, the Daily Times, after quoting a portion of the above statement, goes on to remark that if it was not a freak of the telegraph wires, it was a bold statement, and should he sufficient to disarm the fiercest Centralist, and produce in his mind the pleasant conviction that the best way of silencing a Provincialist was to put him into office. Our contemporary confesses his inability to imagine how Mr. Macandrew sat calmly by, and heard these doctrines promulgated by his colleague, or how he and Mr. Sheehan observed the gravity of the occasion. This rapid conversion to the superlative economy of Central administration comes upon our contemporary so suddenly that he feels it difficult to grasp the situation. He must be strangely oblivious of the past history of the Premier, if ho is at all perplexed with anything that Sir George Grey says or docs. He is notoriously unreliable, and no more striking proof of his character in this respect could he given than the statement in which he announced his policy to the House on Monday night. Should any unfortunate combination of circumstances enable him to retain office during the recess, we heartily pity his colleagues. Even Mr. Macandrew is no match for him. He will drag them through any amount of mire before they have been three months in office. His colleagues will find themselves committed to opinions, and proposals, the real meaning even of which the PostmasterGeneral will not have the faintest conception.

A rumour is in circulation that there is a possibility of Mr. J. Evans Brown occupying a seat beside Mr. Eisher on the Ministerial benches. It seems to be a principle laid down that the leading provincial districts should be represented, if possible, in every Ministry. In this respect Sir George Grey has not been altogether successful. Auckland and Otago are no doubt satisiied, but Wellington is not yet represented at all, while Canterbury has had to be contented with Mr. Eisher. The ad--ib'W Brown would no doubt Cabinet meeting, but we have yet to learn that quantity will make up for the absence of quality.