THE GOVERNMENT ORGAN ON SIR GEORGE GREY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1593, 28 March 1879, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT ORGAN ON SIR GEORGE GREY.

[Press Special Wire.] Wellington, The “ Chronicle” (a semi official Ministerial organ) publishes the following attack on Sir George Grey this evening : —'* We have hbherto refrained from commenting on the extraordinary conduct of the Premier owing to the high respect we had for that gentleman tir George Grey’s past career had been such that he was properly deemed no ordinary man ; but the time for reticence is 0 ?er. As the Prime Minister of the colony Sir George Grey baa important duties to perform. If he neglects these no ivmouut of bygone days wi 1 prove sufficient to condone his faults. Dudng the whole time the Ministry has been in office the Premier has kept the hands of the Native Minister tied. When trouble was impending Sir George Grey departed for Eawau He has ever tir.ee been there and in the neighborhood of Auckand ‘orating’ at the opening of petty railways, wasting Lis time in talking gush and uttering high falutin nonson *e at a period of grave danger Had the Premier any adequate notion of the high duties of hia office he would have been in Wellington assisting Mr tsheehan to grapple with the Native difficulties which have arisen. It would be idle to plead that he had to attend a Native meeting in the North. That meeting will not be held for another fortnight. Seeing ti.at Sir George keeps the Government steamer Hinemoa as a kind of pleasure boat; for his own special use, ho might have remained at the capital till a few days before the northern meeting, and then have easily reached the scene of it in ample time. The plain fact is, and there is no use in denying it in any way, Sir G. Grey fled from his post like a coward at the very time when ho was most needed, and he did this traitorous action advisedly. Vie was fully aware of toe impending danger, and be fled to the in order that the whole responsibility of tie Native difficulty might be thrown on his colleagues. Sir George Gre 1 stands entirely aloof at the present momentous crisis. He will give no assistance to the Ministry of which he is the responsible head but leaves them to take their owu course unaided. Sir George Grey should follow one of two oh'ious courses He should discharge the functions of Prime Minister in their entirety, or he should vacate the position At the present, instead of being what ho should be, a guide and a source of strength to his colleagues, he is a stumbling block that impedes them at every step. We warn the Premier that the country will not stand his conduct much longer. The halo of bis past history will not screen him from the consequences of such questionable acts as ha is now perpetrating.