RECALL OF SIR GEORGE GREY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 508, 12 September 1867, Page 1

RECALL OF SIR GEORGE GREY.

(Prom the Rveiling Post.) TnK news of the recall of Sir George Grey, brought by the last Fanaiua juuii, cannot, latl to giro very general dissatisfaction throughout the Colony, and be a source of great regret to those who, conversant with the history of our late native difficulties, can fully appreciate the importance of the new era about to be initiated by the immediate adoption of what has so frequently been styled the self-reliant policy, the in troduclioa of which will cause the state ol New Zealand affairs to assume features of quite a novel character, requiring at the head of the Government the assistance oi men qualified and versed in Aew Zealand politics, and thoroughly experienced in Colonial wards and requirements. Without wishing to look back and touch upon matters irretrievably belonging to the past, we cannot help remembering the few warnings uttered at the time tile question of doing away with Imperial military assistance was first seriously con-j

aklered by some of tin. oldest oolitic;: I .ns we possess amongst us, and whose opinions were silenced by the expressed wishes of the greater number, naturally anxious to be relieved from the unpleasant state of expensive and inoperative Imperial bond age into which constitutionally constituted interests have gradually drawn the inhabitants of these Islands. It was urged at the time that however disastrous to the welfare of tho colonists the action taken with regard to the native and military matters by Imperial authorities might have proved to be, and notwithstanding tho useless expendi ura forced upon us to no real purpose by the Home Government, and their assumption of controlling the management, while at the same time we had the expense connected with military affairs, still, looking further into the future, if appeared more than doubtful whether the desired freedom so unanimously asked lor by the people of this Colony would ever become sulheiently divested of contingent ties and burthens to prove a 1 y ainelioraiion on tho already unpleasant .-tale of things existing, thought almost unbearable by many.

The removal of Sir George Grey at f lie present moment will greatly complicate matters, mul ihe appointment of his successor be looked forward to with considerable anxiety. We could hardly find in our midst a man whose political knowledge and lengthy experience of all subjects relating to Vew Zealand and its interests equalled that of our present Governor, and however injudicious the execution of his views and ideas with regard to native affair* may have been thought some years atro, it cannot be but universally admitted that Sir George’s firm and steadfast adherence to Colonial interests, and his late noble defence of himself, Ministry, and colonist* generally, against the attacks so unwarrantably made by tho Home authorities, ought to call forth at the hands of the inhabitants of these Islands th» warm est thanks and unmistakable tokens of approbation for tho manner in which, at the expense of his own popularity at home, he upheld the dignity of those connected with the administration given into hi» charge.

The unfortunate and oft-repeated dissensions between the Governor and tin various officers in command of the Impe rial troops, must, to a cm tain extent, have caused a natural prejn li e to be formed at the Home Otliee against him; although the disclosures made by the public ition ol ilic late despat dies placed on the lable ol the House of -Assem.iiy, warrant ns in thinking that life G<wu-,,. iuanne> in widen the explanations required were given by him, should have caused such piejudicos to be removed, h.-ui the Secretary of Stme for the Colon.-s CaiGy ana unbiassodh deiennincd on the direct evi dence oliered, and had not mo-l unjnsth given ear to cx jutrle nml un.-ieeivditeil statements, wh.cn no ollieer of her Ma jesly, in his position, sh u.d have lisUme • to, in order to render fair jus.ico where it was due.

When the numb rles- difficulties against which Ins Excellency lias had to contend during the last few years are taken into •ousideration, the public feeling cannot be other but that of extreme regr. t at the course just pursued by the I hike of Buck Ingham ; especially when ii be remembered that by his long services, extending over a period of twenty-six years, by his most successful career in the various com nandentrusted to his care, and by his unexampled devotion to tlie interests of what ever community ii happened to be Ids lot to govern, Sir (jeoigc Gry must undoubtedly rank as one of tlie most deserving and faithful servants of the Crown ever employed by h r Moje-ty in similar high positions of tru-t. 1; i* sincerely to bo hoped that whatever will be in the power of the people of this Colony, will be done to further a proper vindication of the ' treatment of which, for some time past, the Queen’s Representative in these 1 .-lands has been submitted in the faithful and consistent discharge of the duties of his oflice, and that a distinct expression of the esteem in which Sir George’s acts and conduct lias placed him in the opinion of colonists, will be placed on record in liic proper lime aud place.

The continual changes in (ho policy pursued here by successive Ministries, whose views on native uilai s, or whose expensive military schemes might frequently have been at total variance with that of their predecessors, coupled with the several ele monts at work ul home, inimical to the unlettered action of Colonial management, have increased ten-fold the dn!ic”lt position, which wc maintain lias been most suedssfuliy held by his Excellency in his I indefatigable endeavours to do faithful jjustice to the powers p aced in his hands by her Majesty’s Government.

Pkscc Sd.