The Globe. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1431, 17 September 1878, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1878.

It is now protty well understood that our old friend, Sir George Bowen, for some years Governor of this colony, and lately in charge of the Imperial interests in Yictoria, will bo shifted to the governorship of the island of Mauritius before tho end of tho year. When, after his six years' service in Now Zealand, the present Governor of Victoria was offered his now stop, it was considered to bo ono of moro than ordinary promotion. Tho colony of Victoria, it is well known, is regarded as ono of tho few really " good things" to tho acquisition of which gubernatorial magnates can in duo course aspire. But in his new sphere of usefulness Sir George Bowen appears to have singularly mistaken his position in reference to what exact stand the Queen's representative should take during political convulsions such as wore witnessed in Melbourne a short time ago. To use a common-placo expression, Sir George played a wrong card whon so uncompromisingly assisting the democratic party which ruled during the period of Parliamentary discord to which wo refer. Then came this unfortunate imbroglio with tho President of the Executive Council, when, as soon as a throat was mado of bringing the whole correspondence before the Secretary of State for tho Colonies, Sir Georgo Bowen went so far as to propose that tho all-important points at issue botwoen them should bo brought for settlement before a tribunal of two gentlemen, ono of whom was to bo tho Commissioner of Police. No compromise, however, was effected. Tho Governor's opponent knew full well tho strength of his case, and determining to push tho matter to the bitter end, the correspondence was ultimately forwarded to Downing street. How a man of so varied experience as Sir Georgo Bowon could have so blindly tripped as the papers to which wo refer abundantly prove, we can scarcely conceive Too much prosperity or elevation of too sudden a character oftentimes turns the wisest heads; and so it would almost appear must have been tho case with the present Governor of Victoria. During his sojourn in New Zealand, Sir Georgo Bowen was notorious for tho extreme lengths to which ho would go in his frantic endeavours to court popularity at all cost, both with the colonists —for whom he really cared not a fig's ond—and his Imperial masters. A moro plastic subject in the hands of a powerful Ministry, " well in" with the authorities at Home, was never known, and it is a painful fact that, while handling the Imperial ribbons in this colony, Sir George did but very little to bind more closely together colonial and Home interests. Trained, as his previous experience in Queensland had made him, in the semi-democratic ways of colonial life, yet, had not good fortune placed him upon the vice-regal throne hero during some of tho most remarkable days of our colonial history, it is very doubtful whether he would have left tho New Zealand Government with tho amount of credit which attached to his name at his departure. In Victoria, however, the Governor of that wealthy and important dependency had but little to do except furbishing up the gilt and tinsel of his office—a task at which Sir George was quite an adept. Unfortunately Parliamentary troubles came. Sir George Bowen does not appear to have been equal to tho emergency. Tho Home Office have tried him, and he has evidently been found wanting. We believe that there is not the slightest doubt that he was advised some time ago that his resignation, upon the usual retiring allowance, would be gladly received by the Government, unless ho was prepared to accept a minor Governorship. Sir George Bowen's term of office as Governor of Victoria would not expire until the middle of next year, his six years' tenure not being completed until that period. But he has accepted what he doubtlessly thinks to bo the lessor alternative of the two. Ho procoeds to Mauritius in a fow weeks, there to give the peaceablo denizens of what was once a prosperous little island the result of his practical experiences of constitutional government. Sir George Bowen is certainly not tho man to allow himself to be buried out of sight without, when tho opportunity offers, making strenuous efforts to extricate himself .from a position of comparative obscurity. And if a turn of tho wheel takes place within tho English Cabinet, at not too lon J a dato, we shall ho curious indeod what tho futuro movements of Sir Juliu'3 Vogel's quondam friend will be. .