THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2024, 19 August 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1880.

Time was when Mr. Montgomery’s feats of political balancing were the wonder and admiration of the New Zealand public. Nearly the first action of the reader of a morning paper was to glance down its columns and see on which side of the rail the member for Akaroa was perched for the time being. To see a gentleman of such heavy proclivities—wo allude to mental not physical proclivities —lightly stopping along the rope, was extremely exciting. Besides there was a finish about the performance that reminded one of the higher branches of the balancing profession. There was as much difference between Mr. Montgomery’s performance and anybody else’s, as there is between the rope walking of Blondin and that of a loss accomplished acrobat. Blondin’s most artistic feat is when he pretends to fall from his lofty elevation. Mr. Montgomery was always on the point of toppling over out of the grasp of one party into the arms of the other, and although possibly ho himself knew what he was about, the effect on the audience was thrilling. But those halcyon days for newspaper readers have passed, apparently never to return. Mr. Montgomery has become exhausted by his efforts, and has fallen with a heavy thud into the ranks of the Opposition. Who his particular loader may be, no one knows. On one platform he backs up Sir George Grey, on another ho swears allegiance to Mr. Macandrew. But the Government party have ceased to watch his movements with interest, for ho is hopelessly committed to the other side. The public, too, have ceased, for he is no longer amusing. He has subsided into the background for the most part. But on Tuesday evening he was roused—terribly roused. The Government contemplate adding the Chatham Islands to Mr. Montgomery’s constituency. The member for Akaroa does not understand the point of this proceeding. He sees no community of interest between those far-off islands and his own tight little district. The Government, on the other hand, see certain similar traits between the two districts, and advocate the proceeding on a population basis. Besides, is not the member for Akaroa a sailor, suggested the Premier, and is not a good sailor required to cross the seas, and interview the Chatham electorate P What would bo the use of a member landing at the Chathams green with sea sickness, and attempting to explain his political views ? The junction of the Chathams to the Akaroa electorate is a compliment to the steadiness of Mr. Montgomery’s head. Besides, the Chathams are at present politically uneducated. It will lie with their member to lead them up in the way they should go. He has a Inbula rasa before him, and might do almost anything. All his old nostrums would sound like impromptus. The “ heavy father businos ” has never been done on that stage at all. The audience will cheer the actor to the echo, and shower on him bouquets of Chatham Island lilies. And last but not least the electors of that far off island must bo men after Mr. Montgomery’s own heart. Wo all know his intense hated of plural voting. Those men, for reasons over which they have no control, cannot become plural voters. They are virtuous perforce, and are modelled after Mr. Montgomery’s own heart, in spite of

thiemsolves. Happy electorate with the chance of such a congenially minded member! With the opportunity of becoming a political missionary among the virtuous and simple minded savages of the Chatham Islands we wonder that the member for Akaroa has not eagerly snapped at the honour held out to him.