The Globed SATURDAY, MARCH 2,1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1244, 2 March 1878, Page 2

The Globed SATURDAY, MARCH 2,1878.

Last evening the Star appeared as the champion of the Lyttelton Times, and was very much troubled about what. would happen to us wore our Gloucester ; street morning contemporary to cease publication. We freely admit that such a catastrophe would be a serious loss to ourselves, however little the general public might suffer from the event. The disappearance of the Times would deprive us of a vast amount of genuine amusement. We turn to his pages with ever increasing curiosity to discover in what new light he will next appear before the public. In social matters especially our venerable friend shows considerable ability in finding out the safe view of y question. On such he is never abreast pf popular opinion. But the direction once discovered, he makes up for his lack of pluck by the vigour of his attack. Re it a Barton sent to gaol for contempt, a Pr. Campbell whom a Royal Commission has condemned, or any other unfortunate and for iho time being defenceless victim, to such the %pnes shows no mercy. But with all his pare he makes mistakes, Barton in gaol for contempt and Barton the elected of Wellington ili _ the Grey jnpipgest, are two very different individuals. Hence tho -with which some opinions of his Wellington correspondent regarding the conduct of the JV4gPS were repudiated after our contemporary Nad aUowed them to appear in his columns Since then signs are not wanting that the Times is coming rwM; wd wq wt to

astonished before long to find Mr. Barton’s conduct fully justified by our old friend. We made a joke at the expense of the Times, some months ago, we are told, and wo have repeated it, says the Star, till it has become venerable. We presume our evening friend refers to some remarks we have made regarding the rapid conversion of the Times to the Grey policy. If such is his meaning, we assure him, however flattered at the compliment paid us, that he is mistaken. Wo never even try to make jokes at the expense of the Lyttelton Times; we have too much respect for the aged and infirm to do that. Besides, the subject referred to was no joking matter. It was too sad for that. The spectacle of a journal, with the history and associations of the Lyttelton Times, in his mature old age, abandoning his convictions in order to he on the winning side, is not a subject for mirth. But perhaps, in treating what we said on the question as a joke, our evening friend was affected by “ maudlin influences,” under which he so innocently admitted, the other evening, he sometimes labours. Be that as it may, wo advise the Star to look after himself in future, and leave the Lyttelton Times to fight his own battles. Why does our morning contemporary not come boldly forward and defend himself, instead of putting up our young friend to do it ? His conduct reminds us of the Maori legend of the lizard and the rat. Said the lizard (in the tree) —“ O rat.” Rat What ? ” Lizard—“ Come up hither to me.” Rat—“ What are we to do there F ” Lizard—“ Gather the fruits of the trees.” Rat —•“ O son, our place is here below; we only know how to burrow in the earth.” It would appear, however, that even the “ rats” of these, “times” have not lost the instinct of burrowing. On the 9th of January the Lyttelton Times, in an article on Sir G. Grey, condemned his conduct regarding the attempted veto of the Land Bill in the strongest possible terms. “ The imposi. tion of the veto upon the Laud Bill,” says our contemporary, “ would have amounted to a coup d’etat, a revolution in ambuscade. The Bill had been brought in and partly passed by the late Government, and had been adopted and completed by the present one. We think that there was not one division upon it, in which Ministers as a body voted in a minority. Upon its crucial question, that relating to the extension of Canterbury pastoral licenses, Ministers were not unanimous. Not the slightest hint was given that recourse to the power of veto was contemplated. Under these circumstances, the action of the Premier at the eleventh hour was wholly indefensible ; and he should be grateful to the Governor for rescuing him from a fatal fall over a precipice.” One would think that, after such language, our contemporary would find some difficulty in believing in the sincerity of Sir G. Grey’s professions. After charging him with attempted revolution in ambuscade, of an endeavour to reduce “ the Houses of Parliament to mere cyphers, and their deliberations to the level of mere debating clubs,” one would have thought that it would he difficult to trust him for the future. But no such idea troubles our frieud. A few weeks after levelling those sweeping charges against him, we find the Times praising Sir G. Grey in most lavish terms. The man who tried a revolution in ambuscade, is held up as a noble example, actuated by the sincemst of motives —motives which people of com-mon-place ideas and narrow aims cannot even understand.