THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1574.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1939, 23 October 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1574.

It is now some years since Sir George Grey ceased to be Governor of New Zealand, and with the exception of a short sojourn in England, during which he made two unsuccessful attempts to obtain a seat in the House of Commons, he has lived in quiet seclusion on his beautiful estate at Kawau, taking no direct nor indirect inactive interest in. the political affairs of the Colony be once governed, although doubtless he has keenly observed the proceedings of Parliament and the Government. He has more than once been invited to come forward for the representation of an Auckland constituency, but has always declined to take any active part in public affairs, and it had almost ceased to be remembered that he was a colcuist of New Zealand. That he should now, after so many years, come out of his retirement, will take the Colony by surprise, but it is, after all, not surprising that he should be aroused by the threatened subversion of that Constitution which, if he was not its actual parent, was first brought into operation under his administration. We may be sure that nothing but a grave feeling of public duty would have induced Sir George Grey to bring himself so prominently before the public by his protest against the proposed abolition of the Provinces of the North Island, and, coming from one of such large experience of New Zealand and of such great statesmanlike qualities, it becomes invested with more than ordinary importance, and must carry with it considerable influence. The telegraphic summary is not very clear in places, but we gather from it that Sir George Grey bases his objections to the proposed Constitutional changes upon the following general grounds: — The illegality of any measure for that purpose that may be passed by the General Assembly ; its unconstitutional character ; and that such a change would be injurious to the Colony and destructive of political freedom and activity. He further protests againßt any attempts being surreptitiously made to obtain an Imperial Act to legalise the change, and calls upon the Governor to cause the General

Assembly to be speedily convened in order that tbe country may be made Tally aware of aU the proceedings that have been taken by the Government in regard to this matter. S>r George Grey claims, aud apparently with srccessftil arguments, that the Ooi'stitiii'opal Government ot the Colony is hy ihe Imperal Act, which estabbshe 1 representative government in New Zealand, composed of four elements — the Governor and Legislative Council as representing the Crown, and the House of Representatives and the Provincial Governmants as representing the people, and that none of these Oonstitional parts can desiroy any of the other without a recasting of the whole Constitution. To this it may be replied that the creation of the late County of Westland is an instance in which the General Assembly exercised a power which was not conferred upon it by tbe Constitution Act, but it must i>e remembered that an Imperial Act had to be afterwards passed to legalise that measure — a measure by the way which did not destroy any of the powers of a Provincial Government, although it altered the boundaries of the Province of Canterbury which the Constitution Act gives the Assembly power to do with regard to any Province. It is probably the knowledge of the alleged illegality of any Act of the Assembly for the abolishment of Provinces that has led to the rumor, no doubt well founded that Mr Yogel intends seeking Imperial Legislation on the subject during his visit to England. Although one of those quasi denials for which tlie semi-official organ of the Government is celebrated, has been given to this report, it has not been directly contradicted. It was only in 1873, that Mr Yogel threatened the Legislative Council, that if it would not consent to reform itself he would seek the aid of Imperial Legislature on the subject ; so it is just as likely that he may endeavor to do the same in respect to the proposed abolition of the Provinces. Sir George Grey is perfectly justified in saying that under these circumstances the Colony has no right to be taken by surprise, and that the public are entitled to the fullest possible information of the steps already taken or about to be taken, and of any communications that may have passed between the Government and the Governor upon the question. As to the injurious tendency of the proposed abolition of Provincial Governments, many of Sir George Grey's arguments are worthy of careful consideration — not the least of which is that it would take a>7ay many useful powers of Local Government and legislation, and that we should lose one important means of interesting the people in political discussions, and of " making all educated men to some extent statesmen/ That the Provincial system has done this cannot be denied, and the higher character and tone of our Colonial politics and of our Parliament may be largely ascribed to the political education which the Provincial system has produced. And no country — particularly a new country — can afford to dispense with political education any more than with the education of the schools. Sir George Grey protests against any Provincial Legislature being abolished against its own consent. And, finally, he declares that any attempt to induce the Imperial Parliament to lend itself to any plan for the destruction of the Provinces, " without the consent of the people of the Provinces previously obtained in a lawful and Constitutional manner," would be "a breach of public faith, and a bad example lo the whole Empire." What effect this manifesto will have it is difficult to say. That it will rally the Constitutional party is certain, and it will not be without weight with the Imperial Government. Sir George Grey is an old Conservative, and his opinions will be regarded with attention and respect by the present Ministry. It will create a sensation throughout the Colony, and tbe more so as it may be anticipated that Sir George Grey having once thrown off his mantle may obtain a seat in the Assembly and head the Opposition. He would be a great acquisition to the Legislature, and a powerful champion of his party.