THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1730, 5 September 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1879.

The “Canterbury Liberal Reform Association,” through its two hon. secretaries, /Messrs. W. S. King and C. B. Tayler, have now published to tho electoral world two talegrams from Sir George Groy and Mr. J. Macandrew, tho purport of which is to deny that tho railway workshops are likely to be removed to Dunedin. The telegraphic message received by those indefatigable citizens from tho Minister of Public Works is short, sharp, and decisive. It informs the Association that “ there is not a shadow of truth ; ia the report.” And Sir George Groy wires, “ that the report must have heeu spread for purely political motives.” Not a word, of course, passed between tho anxious inquirers and the Ministers as to what was on tho carpot with reference to tho contemplated removal of the central Railway offices, together with Mr, Conyers, tho Commissioner, and his extensive staff, to tho southern city. This telegraphic correspondence is, therefore, singularly bare, and is undoubtedly shorn of some of its most interesting features. When the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce lately interviewed Mr, Macandrew, with a view of impressing upon him that tho departmental railway centre under Mr. Conyers 4 charge should ho located in that city, tho reply they received was ambiguous in tho extreme, and its tone was neither “ fish, flesh, nor good red herring.” The matter would bo settled after tho election, answered tho Minister for Public Works, and he alluded, indirectly of course, to tho indecency of such a query at times when an electoral struggle was going on throughout tho colony, Tho matter, however, was, and is, simple enough; and, in all conscience, it is not one about which there should be any quibbling. To endeavour to stand well with both parties by

a judicious course of equivocation appears to be tiro platform of a certain class of 1 politicians wbon on the stump. But public feeling cannot accept of its being done by. Ministers of tho Crown when on their trial,' as is the case at the present moment. Sir - George Grey’s Government, it is needless’ to say, after tho crushing defeat'it re'ceived by the largest majority which over unseated a Cabinet in New Zealand, =are now'before tho country as men who have lost the confidence of tho greater part of ’the representatives of the people. Tnat 'they still continue to hold office between 'the dissolution of Parliament and‘ its reassembling in a few days hence,'is; purely >a matter of, lot us say, etiquette or Parliamentary technicality. During this short period of forced executive inaction, Ministers should, in all honor, if they bo 1 possessed of any particle of that scarce commodity, lay their cards upon tho table instead of darkly using their ephemeral powers in this or that direction so as to influence the course of elections. To tho answers vouchsafed to the “ Liberal Reform Association by Sir George Grey and Mr. Macandrow, the common-sense of the greatest number will naturally give hut little weight. “ Language was given to Tit a flinn rrVi+a ” nr\oo wrflf fl

ono woll-skillcdinthe Machiavelianways of subtle politicians. Sir George Grey s past career, and Mr Macandrew’s as ■well, have abundantly proved how little credence was to bo placed upon their assurances of this, that, cr t other, And when the public lost all confidence and faith in those gentlemen’s words when uttered outside of the electioneering platform, how much value will be placed upon their honeyed promises in times so critical —for them —as the present! But here it may bo asked, why was not the Honorable the Postmaster-General, “Honest Farmer Fisher,” asked by Mr Hooves’ noblo band of patriotic reformists what the views of the Ministry, of which ho is so brilliant an ornament, were; what “ they,” the Government, upon the frontispiece of which he so conspicuously figures as a male caryatid, know of this railway ombroglio. A Ministry is neither more nor less than a political partnership. The act of one of its number is that of the whole Cabinet in questions of general policy. And Mr Fisher being the only Canterbury member in the Government, in a question so vitally affecting Canterbury interests, should have taken the lead in its settlement. Any of the individual members of the Cabinet can no more escape the responsibility of that act than ho can plead ignorance of what was done by the Executive to which he belongs. Wo cannot therefore suppose for one moment that the “ telegraphic” determination of Sir George Grey and Mr. Macandrew, so gushingly sent to the Liberal Heform Association, could have been digested without Mr. Fisher’s knowledge. The special Treadwell - cum - Heoves - cumAndrows’ wire must have 'been put in motion with unusual rapidity, and eagerness on so important a subject long before the secretaries of these liberal reformists set to work to further squeeze the dustbag of their great leader and.patron, the great Proconsul. Mr. Fisher has had some “ rare old times” of it, as our American cousins have it, tsince his return to the bosom of his electoral family. Things have not gone swimmingly with the honorable the Postassailed as he has beeif,”’ irdto. ing to meeting, and from day to day, it is strange, passing strange, that not a tangible word fell from: his month on the vexed subject of the removal of the head centre of the railway department from here to Dunedin. If asked any unpleasant questions, our. self-denying friend invariably replies “ pat,” and with all the blandishments that Groyism has affixed upon his countenance. “ This is not in my department.” And “ three cheers for Sir George Grey,” or . other popular tokens in other directions, j receive this amiable, if unsatisfactory, explanation from tho quondam “honest farmer.” No wonder that, not only Mr. "VY. Reeves, but also the leading and conspicuous lights which reflect one another’s offulgency within the elaborately constructed mirrors of tho “ Liberal Reform” Association, have misgivings, and want all ■“ liberal ” comers to plump for Andrews, tho man for the people and tho protege of our communistic friend the “ Star.” The word “Minister ” has obtained, during tho last .few days, a perfume not over sweet. “ Greyism ” was bad enough, but later events have opened the eyes of a good many people, and we believe that in their heart of hearts, the straighter thinking of the so-called “Liberals” will sooner pin their faith on honest Mr. Andrews or eccentric Mr. Treadwell than they will on Mr. Reeves’ “ Knight of Kawau.”

It is plausibly said by those who have lately been pulling the Ministerial strings that H.M. .colonial yacht HLaemoa keeps a log, not only of tho rate of sailing, departures, arrivals, and so forth, hut that her commander has also to record the authority under which she is made to move hither and thither, together with tho purpose for which Ministers order her for service. Sir George Grey, we are told, will bo here in a few days; at least previous to the polling day, and we fancy that Mr. Reeves’ Liberal Reform Associa-

tion, composed as it is of thoroughly disinterested and patriotic units, who have nothing but the welfare of the country at at heart, and whose Liberalism is of tho most unselfish and unfettered character, might, with advantage to themselves and to the citizens at largo, ask tho Premier a few questions concerning the movements of the Hinomua during the present electioneering contest. How, for instance, while Sir George Groy is a candidate for Christchurch, did it como to pass that tho Hinemoa brought him hero ? How was it that, after his stumping tour to Dunedin and Invercargill, whsu ho usod “special” trains to and fro, the Government boat was again at call to take him from Lytteltou northwards ? Does tho expense of that steamer, amounting to some thousands per month, como out of tho pocket of tho “ liberal” patron of tho Reform Association while lie is engaged in this electioneering tour ? And, who will pay tho piper for bringing Sir Georgo to Lyttelton next week and taking him back again to Wellington ? Many Christchurch ratepayers would like to havo a sight of tho leellc bill. Thoso are bard times, when tho Financial Statement lately delivered shows plainly that tho expenditure of tho colony exceeds its revenue, and wealthy men such as tho Knight of Kawau, we presume, are only too glad to defray their election expenses out of their own largo incomes.