HOME TALK.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 444, 7 January 1867, Page 3

HOME TALK.

(From Ulo Home Nows, 26tli October.) The Temple, t'bfii Oct. i’ is iusb a veir Since tuO ucatii ot Lord almerston. Those who doubted the inlenca and power of the departed states.an have only to compare the aspect of olitical affairs, as he left them, with that ' ■ the present state of things, in vclro months from his death we have ;en Parliament convulsed by as uuvsholcshs struggle, conducted on neither side ith sincerity; we have seen class arrayed gainst class,- and the despotism of runners openly avowed as the basis of true overament. IVe bars seen a Ministry o to pieces in the most undignified mailer, and it has been succeeded by another hich is notoriously in a minority, and lay possibly be able to sustain itself for a iiort time through the forbea-ance of its ntagonist, though this is scarcely to be exacted. Lastly, we have seen, monster leetings called from one end of the counry to the other, and at these a demand is lade which the nation has not the slightest lea of granting, and resolutions are prolaimed by the sound of trumpet. Mr fright is telling the masses of the “ danerous ” national debt, and advising them 0 terrify their enemies from “re>iliug” hem. These are the pleasant results of he accession to office of Earl Russell, an ccidental Minister. Happily, we are at leace with all foreign nations, so that our lomestio squabbles are not detrimental to mr position as a Power, but the contineaals tell us that wo have no position as a > ower in Europe, to which Mr Disraeli eplies that European affairs have small uterest for us, our business is Asiatic, bad we show how well we manage Asia, >y permitting thousands of men, women, md children to die in Orissa and elsewhere >y starvation, while the authorities observe etiquette, and will not communicate irre;ularly, although lives perish with every lour that is lost. The autumn picture is not a pleasant, one, but the fault is not with the painter [t would be far more agreeable to write of ranquility at home and wise administra,ion abroad, but the facts will not allow ibis. As regards political affairs here, we nay expect that a good many more meetnga will be holueii, and a good deal more insane rubbish will be talked. Mr Bright has discovered that no mis-statement is too preposterous to be swallowed by his audiences, so ho is going about stating that all the land in the island is in the hands of 264 persons, and when be indignantly asks why this should be, his dupes echo his mock indignation with honest but stupid cheers. 1 say mock indignation, because Bright himself is a man of the world, and a sportsman, and knows that he is talking nonsense. Then the working classes are told that the wages they earn are to be taken into account as property, and calculated against the other property of the country, and that the sum, worked out will show that they are the really rich, and therefore ought to have }. reponderance in representation. Of course nobody ventures to tell them that while the millions of persons pay but twenty millions of indirect taxation, the thousands pay thirtyfive millions directly and indirectly. But it would be useless to track the nonsense which is now doing duty for political argument, I merely wish to make colonial readers understand what is meant by the “ formation of a public opinion,” and how that process is effected. Wo have no certain knowledge, in fact we have no knowledge of any kind, as to the intentions of the Conservative Government on the subject of Reform. It is quite clear that we must have a Reform Bill in the coming session. Mr Brand, who was whipper-in to the late administration, was invited to one of the Manhood Suffrage meetings, and, of course, refused to go, but in his letter he indicated the future conduct of his party. He said that the Conservatives might either neglect Reform altogether, might bring in an illusory or mischievous bill, or might introduce one which though not good, might be made good. In the former cases Mr Brand thought that it would be the duty of the House of Commons to proceed to execution upon the Ministry, but that m the last it might be desirable in Committee tO fashiOu tun measure into a sound and Rati'faotorily one. This attitude is no doubt that of a great constitutional opposition. The Bright party, however, rage or roar at tbs Idea oj even listening to what Mr Disraeli maj have to say. It is impossible that anj good thing can come out of Hughenden If it be eve? so good it is not at Tory hand: that the people can accept the franchise which is only conceded because it cannot bi j withheld. Let the Qpeeu be called upon it 1 dismiss Lord Derby, and no? allow Tain ' able months to be wasted, and intelligen

artisans wlin rto languishing for a vote, to sigh and die in sorrow, while the haughty Lord of Knowsley is considering how little he can give them with safety. But all this io taken fur what, it is worth, and 1 do not expect to have to report that her Majesty has departed from the ordinary practice, even at the bidding of Mr. Beales, Mr Bright, Mr Ernest Jones, or Mr. Odgers, the four great lights of the League. ilie Ministry has had a bit of bad luck. A Judge of appeal in Chancery lias retired, amltlm Attorney General, ttirTTnidi Claims, claims the office. He was the ablest debater except Mr. Disraeli, whom the Conservatives had in the Commons, and he is a niun of iaro'e mind and not a mere lawver. The loss will be felt, but Sir Hugh is of course quite right in making hay while the sun shines, as it is not thought Lord Derby will have the opportunity of making many more appointments. Bir William Bovil, the Solicitor General, would in ordinary course, be entitled to the higher place, but I believe that in making the original selection an arrangement was also made, that Mr Bolt, Q.C., who was then passed over, should not bo in a worse position thereby. Mr. Bolt, whose talents are very high, though outside the profession we do not hear very much of him, is to be the new Attorney General, and Bir John. There have been only two other pieces of patronage of importance for Lord Derby to deal with. The Bishop of Calcutta, Dr. Cotton, lias been unfortunately drowned in the Ganges, and Lord Plunker, the Bishop of Tuam has died. Two elections have taken place since the last mail, and the fighting has been very severe, but the Conservatives have been defeated both in England and in Ireland—Benrhyn and Tipperary. AUSTRALIA. ATTEMPTED ROBBERY OE THE BOURNE MAIL.—ONE MAN SHOT. We (Sydney Morning Herald) are indebted to the proprietors of the Dubbo Dispatch for a copy of the “ Extraordinary” of that paper, published on the morning of the 10th December, giving full particulars of the sticking up, last Friday, of the mail from Bourke and Lower Macquarie. The attack, it appears, took place at Narramine, some twenty-live miles from Dubbo, and is thus narrated ;

On Saturday last Dubbo was thrown into a high state of excitement by the receipt of intelligence that the mail coach from Dourke to Dubbo had been stuck up by bushrangers, and one of the passengers shot. It was at first hoped that the facts were exaggerated ; but unfortunately, subsequent information proved them to bo only too true, for although, the bags were left untouched, Mr J. G. G renfell was mortally wounded.

The up-mail carried two passenger— Mr Commissioner Grenfell (who was removing from the Albert to the New England District,) and a Mr Cantrill, from Congolganan. About half-past 6 on Friday evening, as the coach was about two miles from Mr Christie’s station, Narramine, two armed men, mounted on spirited bay horses, rode out on the road from a patch of scrub, and several times ordered the coachman —Charles Stuart—to bail up. The driver was at the time filling his pipe, and the reins were held by Mr Grenfell, to whom ho said—“ Draw up; these are the bushrangers.” Mr Grenfell took no notice of the robers’ summons, but jerked the reins in order to increase the speed of the horses. Simultaneously he drew out of his trousers pocket a small pistol, and

ucilucxatctjr laaiug aim lixcu at uiO tSCOUUdrels. Astonislied at their reception, the robbers retired a few yards, and then rode a-head of the coach, and commenced to fired at the passengers with revolvers, Six or seven discharges took place ; when one ball unluckily struck Mr Grenfell in the uppper part of the thigh—another bullet went through the trousers of Caniriu, and embedded itself in the cushion on which he was sitting—and a third shot whizzed past the car of the driver. The horses were then pulled up. and Mr Grenfell said “ Charley, I’m shot.” The miscreants were, at this time, about a hundi'ed yards in advance of the vehicle. Mr Grenfell Wl'i'Se- VOOnigC T;~~Or flagged from the moment the rascals rode up—jumped out of the mail, shook bis little revolver threateningly at the robers. and exclaimed in a Imid tons of voice—- " Come on you scoundrels.” However, they ■did not accept the challenge, but galiOood vff in :: : " direction of the .Bogan River. The wounded man, weak from the ' loss of blood, and suffering painfully from

the effects of his injury, now staggered and fell. With the assistance of Mr Cantrill. Mr Grenfell—who was perfectly sensible—was lifted into the coach by the unTcr. aii.l broiirlit u> rlarraijuac. wliuru he received every possible kindness and attention. Information was forthwith, dispatched to the DoL.ee. and a rnr.di.-.d man :;r r, Dr Mountain at once started off, and Dr liboits followed in a short time ; but all the remedies which medical skill suggested could not save the brave but unfortunate man, who. after suffering the moat acute pain and agony, expired at 7 o’clock on Saturday evening, just twenty-four hours alter receiving bis death wound. The police, under Mr Hogg, are in pursuit of the murderers. For obvious reasons we decline stating whether or not a clue has been obtained to their whereabouts. Thep are supposed to be the same men who stuck up and rilled the mail from Sydney to Wellington last Wednesday. They were disguised when they encountered Mr Grenfell with white gauze masks the holes around the eyes being painted black.

Mr Grenfell was formerly a gold com" missioner at Forbes, and at the time of the r eorganisation of the gold-fields management, was appointed Crown Lands Commissioner for the Albert district, Bourka being head-quarters. His gentlemanly manner and affability endeared him to all with whom he came in contact, either officially or otherwise ; and we feel certain his death wdll be deeply deplored by a large circle of friends. Ho leaves a wife and two or three children to deplore his loss.

The cool and brave manner in which Mr Grenfell defended the mail, and prevented the rascals from robbing it, is beyond mere eulogy ; and we trust the inhabitants ot the district will practically illustrate their admiration of his heroic conduct, by erecting to his memory a monument recording the manner of his death.