THE PREMIER AT GREYTOWN.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1221, 1 February 1878, Page 3

THE PREMIER AT GREYTOWN.

A correspondent of the “New Zealand Times” gives the following account of a public meeting addressed by Sir G. Grey during his visit to the country districts of Wellington: — Sir George Grey’s speech at Greytown was certainly a remarkable one, and if published verbatim, as it ought to be, can hardly fail to confirm the conclusion arrived at by most of those who read his celebrated letter to the “ Standard,” viz.—that on some points he has approached too near that line which is said to divide “ great wit ” from “ madness,” Fully half of his speech was devoted to an elaborate explanation of his meaning and motives in writing the now celebrated letter ; and it certainly was surprising to hear him give it a more supremely ridiculous meaning than has ever been done by even his most bitter enemies. It was really a painful exhibition to those who were capable of appreciating his otherwise undoubted talent, to hear him deliberately asserting that Sir G. Bowen wrote a secret despatch to the Secretary of State, suggesting that Governors and other troublesome persons in the colonies might advantageously be got rid of by poison or other secret mean?. He then went on to show that it was because suph proposals had been mode in secret that he had thought it necessary to call public attention to the fact, ife carefully explained that he was not afraid of poison himself, life being of little consequence to him, but that if once such practices began it was impossible to say where they would stop. That the Premier of a British colony, in the nineteenth century, should talk such rubbish as this, is almost beyond belief • but when he followed it up by asserting that in criminal matters there was one law for the rich and another for the poor, what was simply ridiculous became mischievous, as tending to shako that implicit confidence in the purity of the administration of justice which every British subject feels as almost part ,pf fiis nature. After listening patiently to a U tlus ? the audience began to hope that at last they were going to hear something practical, and listened with great interest when the speaker stated his intention of explaining his views on the questions of the day. But they were doomed to disappointment. He talked on and on in beautiful language, it is true, but carefully avoided telling them anything. The political principles, as he laid them down, were mere truisms in which all must agree. Ho enlarged slightly on manhood i ,mffrage, describing the immense advantage to i be gu/ped by every intelligent and educated | map ’igyipg a vote, leaving his audience to guess y?h ether or no he will be prepared to give that' prgv-hegp to an ignorant mob. On taxation he said as &t]o as it was possible for him to do, as it was evidently impossible for him to ignore the question, but he clearly felt that the wild scheme which lie * “The Warfare of Science,” hy A. D. White, L.X.JJ., Evident of Cornell University.—Usury Y/ovd a#4'Co v High street; QuieUhmh. 11 W" i

could bring forward in a meeting in anyjof the large towns would not be listened to in the same way by a body of men with sound common sense and a practical knowledge of what land-holding really means. The speech as a whole was certainly clever, inasmuch as he rivetted the attention of a large audience for fully an hour and a half, and said absolutely nothing of any importance. There was a great amount of enthusiasm, and cheers were loud and frequent; but when _it was over, and men began to think, the feeling was one of great disappointment. The remark made in all directions was, “ He has told us nothing,” and “Sheehan said far more in ten minutes than Sir George Grey in his whole speech.” Whether it arose from this feeling, or how it was, it is difficult to say, but curiously enough no vote of thanks even was proposed at the conclusion, though the Chairman stated that the proper time for such a proposition had come, and he rather adroitly got the Premier out of the awkward position of waiting to be thanked, by proposing three cheers for Sir George Grey. The meeting broke up in confusion, without giving any of the usual proofs of devotion to the hero of the day which the readers of the “Standard” had been led to anticipate.