The Globe. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1516, 26 December 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1878.

If the aim and end of oratory is to tickle the ears of an audience by the narration of trifles, at the samo time preventing anything like disagreeable sensation by the strict suppression of unpleasant facts, then certainly Sir George Grey is deservedly entitled to rank as master of the art, for if this gentleman's claim were alone based upon his recent harangue at the Thames persons competent to form a judgment would hardly care to refuse the degree. Unfortunately for the people of New Zealand, their present Premier's ability commences and ends with this mastership of rhetoric and Belles Lettres, his administrative capacity being very ordinary, while his political honesty is certainly below the average. For instance, when after having neatly rounded a period, and while making an almost imperceptible pause to allow the inevitable applause to " come in," is it possible that Sir George Grey thought of the destructive effect to the pleasantness of the evening that ho could have produced by the narration of two or three simple facts in connection with the business of the past session, an account of which he was presumably there to give in his character of representative ? Whon he hinted at the prosperity of Canterbury and Otago, enhanced and made permanent by the completion of their union by rail —a state of things, by the way, that the present Administration seem to take an immenso amount of credit for, but which, beyond their fortuitous advent to power at the time of its completion, they have no connection with—and when ho ventured to predict a similar prospority for the Thames as tho natural outcome of tho completion of the district railway system at no distant date, it never occurred to him to mention the extonsion of railways in Nelson, why it was undertaken, and what it is likely to effect. Yet the blonding would have been a natural ono, and as an important incident croatod and effectuated during the session, it certainly deserved mention. Tho facts too are so very simple that it is a pity thoy wore omitted, at a placo where they would hsvo commanded tho attention their significance merited. As the recital denied to tho people of the Thames may prove acceptable to our readers, wo offer a plain unvarnished account of "this transaction" for their perusal and consideration. When Mr. Macandrew introduced his celobrated Railways Construction Bill lie proposed to form certain lines that would open up laud sufficient to pay their cost; the idea was good, although it was a little marred in its reduction to practice, by the fact that Otago seemed to bo tho only part of New Zealand wherein tho land, as required, existed, but then the principle was sound, and something must be sacrificed sometimes for principlo. In the schedule of works proposed to be undertaken kelson found no placo; tho land in that province bad been sold at a nominal price rears prcvi-.iisly, and if the proceeds of the sale had not, been spent in riotous living, it had certainly served to make Nolaoniane comfortable while neighboring provinces were struggling to livo without

realising tlioir landed estate Nelson, without Crown lands and with but littlo trade, did not, however despair; her members had votes and knew their value, and so a stonewall was formed, the object of which was to obstruct the Government in everything until an alteration was made in existing arrangements, to allow for something being done for Nelson. This resolution educed a curious state of affairs. Six votes against anything and everything the " strong Government" doomed it advisable to introduce counteracted the Maori votes, and left two in favour of the Opposition at all times. This could not bo tolerated for a day. The Nelson members wore privately interviewed, and the result of sundry confidential conferences was that sixty thousand pounds was voted for the continuation of the Nelson and Fox Hill railway some ton miles furthor into the district. This extension —seriously contemplated—will bo utterly useless, the inland terminus will bo in the Motueka valley, a place Avhorein a few scattered settlors eke out a precarious existence off the sterile land; a locality that does not possess an acre belonging to tho Crown that is worth selling, or that could bo placed in tho market at the present time; and also a place from whence this precious railway cannot possibly bo extended with the slightest chance of making it reproductive without the outlay of a million of money. The money spent on this line will, therefore, be absolutely thrown away, and no ono knows tho fact better than Sir aoorge Grey and the Honorable Mr Macandrew. Yet the construction of the work has been agreed to, and tenders are promised by February next. This is the little episode the Premier neglected to furnish to his constituents on Saturday last, but which deserves to be made public, as serving to show how the " great progressive policy" of the present administration is being carried out. In point of fact, as lawyers say, tho Grey Government havo fallen upon happy times, or the term of their misrule Avould ore this have terminated. The natural progress of the country creates faster than its rulers can squander, so that for awhile the ill effects of tho incapacity and want of probity, that are the chief characteristics of the prosent Government, will not be practically disastrous. Still the hours of maladministration must be limited, the wealth of Now Zealand cannot long withstand gross corruption and reckless profusion on the part of the stewards of the public estate; and such being the case, the "good time" the members of the Grey party are at present onjoying must soon como to an end.