SIR G. GREY and the SUPERINTENDENT OF WELLINGTON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 266, 10 November 1874, Page 4

SIR G. GREY and the SUPERINTENDENT OF WELLINGTON

(JNew Zealand Time*.) A telegram from Sir George Grey to the Superintendent of Wellington has been published. It appears elsewhere* .Wf are surprised at the'publication of this telegram, as it places Sir George t Grey in a most anomalous position before the public. Surely a little consideration for this gentleman by isfe friends might be expected; but tftj) Saperintendental party having to ttjetTiatoose gratification, received the adtWßSiop of a former Governor of the oro^' "appear bent upon making political cspiUl oat of the circumstance, whatever may be the effect upon the rapotfetion of their ally. Sir George Grey is altogether wrong in his facia, and, we say it without intending to be offensive, he does not appear in the least to understand what Bftj-i#rftns|Qg and telegraphing about. Hfs A petuf6n to the Governor only proves how little " the Father of the Constitution " may know of his own <wp.£|nfo- for it is very clear tbat he hafca-atost imperfect knowledge of the hialoty^aild working of representative instltutioioJi, in, New Zealand. Such igaofftocei b wholly inexcusable. Sir Gflscge Grey, however, does not appeStftd be any better informed in respeot of Imperial legislation. The Superintendent of Wellington is informed Uutt "the British Parliament which "gave these liberties, [provincial institutions,] thought them so valuable "tjbai^in each amending Act it made M tneaa more secure.'* This must have b^cn news to Mr Fitzberbert, who wm > member of the New Zealand Goternment which procured the enacttaent of the law by the Imperial Parliament, empowering the General Aj^e^gbly to abolish the provinces, and substitute any other form of local government. This Ace, which wae passed in 1868, is the strongest poa•Hftcf comment upon Sir George Grey's statement. And we go even further, and state' without fear of contradiction that the settled purpose of Mr Stafford's Goyetiiment, in which Mr Fitzherbert Was Cotohiat Treasurer, was to abolish Provincial Government, and that the declaratory statute of the Imperial FtMifiment before referred to, was obtained ty Ministers to facilitate the acf^ompJlishment of that design. Mi Fitsherbert must, therefore, have been iifiinlleljr 1 amused by the gushidg confidc/nce, of .^ir George Grey. Indeed, no more amusing spectacle could be oooceived than the guileless by-play of theser political veteran?, as disclosed by the telegram before us. We have nof^ been not been favored with Mr Sitsberbertfa: confidential message to Sir George Grey, bat we can make c ■hrewd guess at its contents from the reply which has been published. Bftt there is one passage in this telegraid to which we take decided objection. The passage is as follows :— "Pray telegraph as Superintendent 49 Uh Seoretaay of State; point oul "course taken > nnooostitational ; and "|>ray no action . be taken until new "eleotipn, and provinces heard. Par- *' ftunent will at once accede to this." .Sir. George. Grey here advises the Seper&tendeut to disregard the Gover ntt) through, whom alone the Secretary of State can be i regularly commuoicated with on public business afiecting the colony. The advice iteeif is a cover j insult to his Excellency by a predeces■or in hißThigh office ; and it Is far from complimentary to Mr Fitzherbert tc •Sfloine ilimr cajMible of doing any thine •6 irregiftVAnd so improper. No one Imows better than Sir George Grej thai^ were his advice acted upon,, the pnleti olitbct Superintendent of Weiliugton woald bo resented as a groat impertinence. One can hardly have M&l^ wjth « man of Sir George Crfty s 1 "tfiperiefn'tie, who could recommend a course so utterly at variance with the well-known rules of officia intercourse between the colonies aoc to a&jerettry of Stale. jßut the JffK $ £ »» w:Sir Ge^orgi <W» assurance of what is certain tc £ajtbw; -(Superintendent Fitzherbert't pW^Sti "PsrlUment will at once ■cc^ato. th,is |" Is « the Recluse o 3smu*: ; scions? We can hardlj ti^DKiM^after reading this sentence The Superintendent of Wellington ii tt||a^lt|biiab!y ab able and; iofluentia p^fetcjUt .He possesses . very consi derable influence in the '(GreQeral As aettbW oi'New Zealatj J, but it is some «WHr f :|i#W, know that he is eve! ltyro y pajeai in the Imperial Parlia mmtan^omoald have been well fo Sir George Grey's reputation if tbi timd«\eUgi&m bad been withheh ftjw^pjabjjjcatioo., , lt at once, remove bis proposals but of the region of aobe: wmtiwverey. What he proposes is i revojiuioD, Jo which all rules of orde fhalTbe disregarded, and Parliamentary Croveniment become Impossible.