The Globe. THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1879.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1627, 8 May 1879, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1879.

His Excellency the Goveknor is now no longer amongst us. His visit is a thing of the past, and we can, after having done our best to amuse him and to make known to him the progress made by, and the wants of, the place, calmly review the results of his sojourn amongst us. He has by his urbanity and eagerness to make himself acquainted with everything that a Governor should know, won all hearts. He is evidently the right man in the right place. He has inspected our public institutions, and has, by his remarks, made it manifest that he has intelligently grasped the bearings of the facts placed before him. On every consideration but one the visit of the man who has been chosen to rule over our destinies could not have eventuated more successfully. But it is useless to blink the fact that on one point the public feel a little sore, and the more so because it is thoroughly understood that, if his Excellency himself had realised what was about to happen to him, ho would have been the first to object to the arrangement. "We allude to the fact that on this, his first visit to Ohristchurch, when it was above everything necessary that ho should be well before the public, and that access to his presence should be most easily obtainable, ho was the guest of a private individual. Wo make these remarks with no wish to detract from the merits of tho Hon. W. Robinson, who, no doubt, entertained tho Governor's party in a manner becoming their exalted position, but we strongly maintain that it would have been better for all parties concornod had his Excellency either boon the guost of tho city, or of a body in some way representing a large majority of tho influential men in Canterbury. Tho very object of his visit was to mako himself acquainted with all classes, with their wants, position, and aspirations, and it was impossible that his good intentions could be thoroughly carried out as long aa ho was sheltered within tho four

Walls of Mr. Robinson's house. Had that gentleman left his establishment and handed it over for the use of Sir Hercules, as -was dono by a gentleman in Dmiedin, the matter would liavo assumed a totally different complexion. People I desirous of interviewing His Excelloney j would then have felt no delicacy in calling on him at his convenience; tho house where ho was residing would have assumed the character of a Government House, and it would have beon impossible to write in the strain of this article Moreover, to make matters worse, dark rumours as to tho manner in which tho Governor became tho guost of tho Hon. W. Robinson, have already begun to pervade our social atmosphere It is best to assume that the latter gentleman acted in perfect good faith and out of pure hospitality; but none tho less the question arises, Why was he selected for the honor which has fallen to his share ? Is he in any way such a representative man that he had any claims whatever to act as host ? It may bo said that he is a man of great wealth. Granted. That his houso is large and well appointed. Granted. Those reasons might be valid reasons for allowing him to give up to the Governor his residence as a sort of Government houso, but for the Hon. W. Robinson to monopolise the Governor, to constitute himself tho medium through which all accoss to Sir Horculos was to pass —for it comes to that in reality —is beyond all reason. Had Sir Hercules como here on an ordinary visit, no one could possibly have found fault with his staying in a private houso surrounded by the members of any particular family [whatsoever. But his late sojourn amongst us was not an ordinary visit, and he himself felt that it was not an ordinary one. It was his entry into a portion of the colony he has been chosen to govern, and it was accompanied naturally by more than usual state. It was consequently abovo everything desirable that he should in no way sink his public character. Sir Hercules is credited with being socially most pleasant, and his wide experience and knowledge of the world must render his company very desirable. No doubt the Hon. W. Robinson has appreciated the advantages of familiar intercourse with a gontleman whose society cannot but be improving. His Excellency, moreover, is not a man who would, like many, on the slightest approach, run up his genealogical tree like a squirrel. He is credited with sinking all such minor considerations, and being pleasant to all alike. But tho possession of such desirable qualifications renders it all the more annoying that the citizens of Ohristchurch at largo have been debarred from expressing the full measure of their loyalty to the throne, and of their pleasure at receiving so distinguished a public servant amongst them. For instance a club that may be fairly said to represent the mercantile wealth of the Province, was quite unable to invite His Excellency to a banquet as they would otherwise have wished, simply because he was a guest in a private house. It is now no secret that, had His Excellency realized the position in which ho was to be placed, he would have kicked against tho pricks. Being a stranger he was naturally at the mercy of his advisers, and whatever may have been the motives that induced the Colonial Secretary—or whoever may have planned the general run of the Governor's tour—to honor the Hon. W. Bobinson—whether social or political considerations were the motor—it should have at least been made an understood thing that the Governor should have had the sole control of the establishment where he was to reside, and all danger of his sinking into a mere guest of tho Hon. W. Robinson should have been strictly guarded against. But tho advice given in this matter to the Governor by his responsible advisors is much of a piece with tho advice they are in the habit of proffering on similar occasions. As matters havo eventuated, both His Excellency and the public have a most decided grievance. The former came to Canterbury to see the peoplo and the place, and not to pose as the friend of the Hon. W. Robinson, of whose existence a few short weeks ago ho had probably no knowledge. The latter have not been able to enjoy the presence of a very able Imperial officer, and their own Governor to boot, to the extent that they would havo wished.