THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 270, 14 November 1874, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Not a little amusement is afforded lo those who have an opportunity of perusing tbe various newspapers published in the colony, by the strong terms in which Sir George Grey's attempt to uphold Provincialism is alluded to. On all sides there is an expression of satisfaction that the erstwhile Governor of New Zealand, aad now recluse at Kawau, has come forward and shown that he takes some interest in what is taking place around him, but it is quite clear that the hobby horse on which he has mounted is not a favorite for the forthcoming contest, and Sir George is severely roasted in the first place for trotting him oat at all, and in the second for the manner in which be has brought him to the post. But not only is the ex-Governor roughly handled by the press, but he has laid himself open to, and has received at tbe hands of her Ma jesty's present representative as complete a snub as it is possible to convey in official language. A quotation from Sir James Fergusson's letter will not, I am sure, be taken amies by my readers, as it is not often lhat I am in a position to call their attention to such a very pretty quarrel between two men so high in office. Sir Jamea* private aecretary writes as follows: — The object to be gained by pursuing such a course is in your opinion that the Imperial Parliament might not be 1 d, without due warning, to pass an Act which would destroy complete representative institutions in this colony. As his Excellency is aware th»t theie is not on the part of the Government of New Zealand any intention to make application to the Imperial Governm nt to propose any such measure to Parliament, or that there is any necessity for so doing to enable the General Assemb'y, in the exercise of it* legitimate function*, to carry out in its next tession by specific legislation the constitution ■! changes which, by resolution in its recent - ession. it declared it to be [advisable, his Excellency hopes that with further information on ihi< point you will be satisfied th it the prayer of your \ etition ought m.t to b 3 complied with, and th*t it is also neeiless to make telegraphic communication to her Majesty's Government of a f ict which must be known to th.m, as it niipht be supposed to have been known to every person in this c >!ony, that there is no parson ' qualified," if by th it ex ress on in your pt tition is meant accreditel, to negotiate or communicate with her Majesty* Government on the abolition of provincial insttutions. His Excellency is very sensible that your experience is far greater than his own in the duties of a colonial Govern r, but it is nevertheless incumbent upon him to act according to hia own view of his duty, and, considering as he does that to transmit your petition in its present form to Jier Majesty's Government with a request that it be 141 before Parliament, would bs in some measure to accept as matters of fa- 1 the premises upon which it is base J, he is constrained to declioe to accede to your prayer in this particular. Of course it would not do for Sir James Eerguseon lo write to Sir George Grey and say :— " My dear fellow, you really don't know what you are talking about. You positively ought, before you enter upon such subjects, to learn a little something about them," so bis Excellency, in the most polite manner possible, "hopes with further information on this point

yoa^will be eatigfied that the prayer of jMt petition ought not to be complied with." And equally, as a matter of coarse, it would never do for Sir James plamply an<l plainly to tell Sir George * h .»t it wae no bqsinoea of hiajto inBtrnct him in hisilnty, consequently we .fiod that * ; his Excellency is v e ery aenaible that your experience is far greater .than his. &Wn in the duties of aColonial Governor, bat it is nevertheless incumbent upon him to act according to Bis own view of his duty." If ever a man was requested to mind his own business, Sir George bag been aßked ;to : doit by Sir James, and as Sir George baa a very ready comprehension of the full meaning of words, I should imagine . his countenance would be somewhat troubled when he read the letter 1 pt .his Excellency's private -fleeretary. AnJ, to add to his mortification, Sir George will find that Sir James writes with the large majority of ,the- ; cdlonißtß of New Zealand at bis back, for scarcely a ds.y, and certainly not a week passes without tbe news jeacbing us from one poiDt or another of resolutions antagonistic to the continuance of Provincial institutions hsvingibeen carried at a meeting of electors. Sir George Grey will have to fight his battle almost alone. The great race meetings of Australia and New Zealand have come off within tbe last few days, and therefrom .some people will perhaps extract a warning against "vaulting ambition." For the last year or two Mr Redwood lias met wjth immense success in tbe racing world. Elated by that success hetdok his best horses to Australia, leaving those that were not co well 1 tried to carry off the stakes for him in New Zealand. Tbe result appears to be that those that went to Melbourne were not good enough for the company they fonnd themselves in there, while those that were left behind were not equal to the occasion here, and so the great racing stable of New Zealand has been left out in tbe cold. All who are lovers of sport must very ranch regret that Mr Redwood did not meet with better success across the Waier, for, had he succeeded in carryoff:tbe great prize, it would have been an inducement to the breeders and trainers of this colony to pey another visit to Victoria, whereas, tbe ill luck that has attended the New Zealanders will prove a deterrent to those wb© may hereafter be disposed to do battle with all the Australias on their own .ground. "Section-jumping on tbe railway reserves at Westport is active." This is a laconic, and at the same a comical . sort of notice to read in a newspaper, but such was a telegram that appeared a few days since. In these days of . telegraphic brevity we are accustomed to read that " money is tight," " sugars are dull/ "kerosene is brisk," "wool is moving slowly," and so on, but this Ü Bdetipnrjamping is active" is quite a new feature in a commercial report, for such I suppose it was intended to ■ be. Or, has it anything to do with the forthcoming Christmas sports? It sounds queerly whatever it may mean, and I shall be anxious to see tbe operation described at greater length in the *. Weatport papers. Last Saturday I remarked that nothing would give me greater pleasure than to have to record in my neit letter that the rain for which the ground was thirsting bad at last fallen. At the time I looked upon it almost as a rain hope, for there was no appearance then of rain, not even the . warning cloud as big as a man's .hand being visible in tbe sky, but my ,wJ3b, which was alao the wish of hundreds of farmers and gardeners, has been.; realised, and the corn that was being, turned yellow at the tips by that terrible "Spout wind," and the grass that was beginning to look prematurely browD, have been revivified las it were, and are now looking upwards cheerfully and promisingly, in -the placei of drooping . despondingly, - and the hedges are brilliantly green instead of dustily gray, and the fruit is swelling, and the flowers are blooming ', and al) Mture looks bright and smiling, and so do the farmers. Standing in his shirt eleeves in the soaking rain, Ii heard one of them exclaim the other day, _«« Thank God for this, it is worth; ten pounds an hour to me alone." He may i have been exaggerating the 'amount of benefit that was being con- : ferred upon him, but I am sure be was; earnest in his thankfulness. And,i as I looked upon him with a sympathetic, pleasure, I could almost imagine that each drdp of rain that fell on aqdi trickled off him carried away with it : one small fraction of tbe load of care; -that had been accumulating upon bis: brow as. morning after morning, iiej ' had found the same hot sun shining,; , and the same parching wind blowing. Who but a farmer can enter into a! farmer's: feelings as be sees the green^ . blades upon which be is dependent for! his livelihood and that of hia children! shrivelling and drying up, wbile he is* conscious of his utter inability to savej them? F. !