IDIOSYNCRASIES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 391, 8 September 1876, Page 3

IDIOSYNCRASIES.

But 'every desperate blockhead dares to write ,• Why not ? 'Art of Poetry.' I have the greatest possible respect for any considerable section of a British community in public meeting assembled. Wucb. meetings serve many useful purposes, not the least among them being that they inspire terror without introducing or increasing danger of any sort. The thunder is generally distinct and sometimes loud, but always unaccompanied by lightening, which is an improvement upon the natural order of things. I imagine that our present "corrupt Government " must have trembled a little at the public meeting which assembled at Dunedin a few days ago to discuss the political situation, and a good deal at that of Naseby, which followed in the same strain. At the former meeting I can clearly foresee in Mr. Langlands the future Hampden of New Zealand. The very soul of Hampden was revealed in the emphatic words of Mr. Langlands—" I say, let them beware ! It is a dangerous thing to raise up, ,! &c., &c. As an inhabitant of Naseby I also say, beware! to the Government. If Dunedin can boast a Hampden, we have an undoubted Cromwell in our worthy Mayor, Mr. Busch, who is well known to have been a student of military strategy for many years back, and has taken as many strongly fortified towns in his back yard as ever Captain Shandy or Corporal Trim did. I feel certain, too, that Councillor E. T. George, at the head of a numerous and well-appointed army, judiciously posted round the mansion of Sir Julius Vogel, would soon drive the gout out of him (out of Sir Julius, 1 mean, not out of himself), although that probably would not have the effect of making him less obnoxious to the country. Altogether the position is a very serious one y and again 1 say to the Government, in the emphatic words of Mr. Langlands, "beware !" While on the subject of the above public meeting held at Naseby, I hope I may be pardoned for suggesting that some of the speakers were a little behind the times. A good deal was said about the evils and expense of thirty-nine Counties, and the effoits we ought to make to save the country from such a system. Now there are two things which it may be worth while to point out in connection with this matter: the first is, that nobody now proposes to make thirtynine Counties ; and the next, that we need not have any Counties at all unless we choose—the adoption of the County system being entirely optional. It is rather an impertinent thing of me to give a piece of information which is known to everybody, except those speakers upon whom it devolved to instruct the public at the Town Hall the other day. It's certainly very odd that they did not know the political events of the pa3t few weeks, but perhaps they have been asleep, or possibly they have been laboring in the cause of temperance, and practically explaining to the community the stupefying effect of alcohol upon the brain. This latter would occupy their time so fully that it would be impossible for them to attend to politics or anything else. o There's a good deal of truth in some things that appeared in the leading article of the 'Mount Ida Chronicle' last week. What could be truer than the following stinging sentence, for instance ?—" Sir George Grey's services at the present juncture will be better understood and appreciated a few years hence." I don't doubt it for an instant. The fact is that men's minds, which at the present time are inflamed by party rancours, will by that period have had time to cool, when they will readily recognise the immense amount of mischief Sir George has really done, as well as the incalculable amount he was happily prevented from doing. I, too, like the writer of the said leading article, could anticipate future history with a neat sketch of the time, and describe in graphic language the gigantic services which Sir George performed for the Colony; but perhaps it would be better left alone. I really don't think we are going to hear much of the Provincial party. Mr. Tonks, who is evidently cursed with a good deal of common sense, struck tho first blow by taking a practical view of the position and prospects of Auckland; and Mr. Donald Eeid and some others complete the collapse by accepting the inevitable with a tolerably good grace. Mr. Macandrew may readily be allowed to have a parting grumble on behalf of his beloved departed Province, and to institute a series of public meetings, which he fondly hopes may in some mysterious manner bring the defunct to life again. But combined action is evidently at an end, and, as there can be no possible hope of upsetting the Constitution and electing a Governor, Sir George Grey, crowned with laurels, will no doubt retire to Kawau. There will be peace again in the country. ♦— I really don't know that Sir Julrua Vogel deserves all the animadversions he at present receives, because he has expressed a willingness to accept the position of /gentGeneral, should his successor in office in the Ministry think fit to appoint him. It is certainly not a very graceful thing, at an important period in the history of the Colony, and while there is a heavy pressure of business, to take a step which, for mere purposes of self-interest, involves the dissolution of the Ministry, and the confusion and delay attendant upon the formation of a new one. But it seems to me that, if there is excuse for any man under the circumstances, there is for Sir Julius. He has already performed a great deal of work that might have devolved upon the late Agent-General. He no doubt feels himself eminently fitted for the position, while London residence offers advantages to him in no ordinary degree. Add to these the fact that his political opponents have not of late made his position in the Colony a particularly rosy one, and it is easy to understand his readiness to escape to more peaceful scenes, and where charges of corruption are not so freely bandied about as they are here. But it would hardly do to have such a thing occurring often, and the most efficient way of preventing it would be to make the office of Agent-General a good deal less attractive, so that there would be no inducement for heads of Governments to resign their positions in order to accept subordinate ones. Sir Julius Vogel will make an excellent Agent-General, and we may be content, but the precedent is not a very desirable one.