A PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 225, 28 June 1881, Page 3

A PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT.

[" Melbourne Telegraph."] "People's Governments" are very expensive articles. They had one in Now Zealand. Sir George Grey was at the head of it. Ho is a sort of educated Berry, and his great ambition is to become the first elective Governor of that colony. When he got into offico he seemed to consider that the revenue of tho country was a fund specially provided for professional politicians to trade upon, and to expend it with a liberal hand upon public works in districts where it would procure him popular support was the first duty of a " patriotic" Minister. And Sir Geo. Grey was int ensoly patriotic ; his patriotism being summed up iu tho well-known formula of Lord Lytton—"The greatest happiness of the greatest number, the greatest number being number one." Sir George Grey never wavered in his allegiance to this principle. He was a "Liberal" of the first water, and 83 liberal of the public money that when he went out of office tho expenditure had increased £IIO,OOO per week, and a deficiency had accumulated amounting to a million sterling. Fortunately for the colony he was succeeded by an honest and capable administrator, and the work of retrenchment was vigorously commenced, Ministers reducing their own salaries by way of setting a good example of economy and self-denial. They have succoeded in diminishing the publio expenditure to £60,000 or £70,000 a week, and retrenchments have been effected to the extent of £252,000.

In fact, as wo learn from reoent papers, there is every reason to hope that Major Atkinson, the Treasurer, has at length succeeded in establishing an equilibrium between the revenue and the outlay. Wo congratulate the Government and people of New Zealand upon this satisfactory state of things ; for if the reckless extravaganoe of the Grey [ Administration had continued unohecked, that i colony, with its heavy debt, could soaroely have escaped drifting into insolvency. As it is, however, it has vindicated its integrity, and proved to its European creditors its upright determination to meet all its engagements and to live within its income ; and all the other Australasion colonies, whose securities would have been affected if there had been any default on the part of New Zaaland, must experience a feeling of relief that any risk of this kind has been averted, and that our countrymen in the islands are resolved to preserve their honor untarnished at all hazards.