NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, July 1, 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 930, 1 July 1854, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, July 1, 1854.

It is certainly very amusing to obseive how ready on all occasions the party in possession of office in this Province have ever been to arrogate exclusive credit to themselves on every public question. When Sir George Grey proposed the Provincial Councils, they were loud in their exultations in having by their efforts obtained from him Representative Institutions for the colony until Mr. Godley told them they had made a mistake and that they must cry out for something else. .When, at the time he had originally appointed, Sir George Grey recommended that the present form of Government should be brought into operation, and in an elaborate and masterly despatch unfolded in all its details his plan, which forms the basis of the present Constitution Act, they affected to ignore its author, and claimed an immense deal of cr^cjit for themselves in connection with 'it,vfusf as in the fable the fly on the chariot wheel claimed credit for making it go round. When Sir George Grey bestowed the boon oftcheap land on New Zealand, they werei^ady to join its opponents until they found the public voice throughout the colony so unequivocally in favor of it, and then they'suddenly recollected that they were always in favour of cheap land, though every now and then they reveal their drriere pensee by cautiously insinuating that by-and -bye it may be expedient to raise the price of land. Ag?an, on the question of ResponI sible Government we are told — alone they did it — though, as is sufficiently notorious, its practical introduction was considered by them to be "neither wise nor expedient,' 5 was resisted by them as much as possible until after several discussions and divisions in the Provincial Council, when they were only saved by the Speaker's casting vote, they found further opposition fruitless, and then suddenly discovered that Responsible Government was what, above all things, they desired, — that, in fact, they prided themselves upon it; to use the Provincial Secretary's expression — " they gloried in responsibility." And so with each question, Responsible Government, Representative Institutions,cheapGovernment, these catch words are perpetually in their mouths, but. in the practical application of these questions to, themselves they take very good care it shall be only just so far as may suit their , own convenience. What a hatred of sinecures, what a virtuous horror of jobbing have they always affected ; — and yet how one after the other slips into his .snug sinecure, — with a full conviction of the blessings of Responsible Government — and of the advantages to be derived from the "perquisites" of office.

On Sunday last the greater portion of the wall now building by the Government along Lambton-quay was washed down by the sea. There had been a strong wind during the day, but. nothing more than what ordinarily occurs at this season of the year, — certainly nothing to occasion any remark but for the circumstance to which we have alluded. That the wall was washed down has not surprised anyone, on -the contrary it seems to have been taken rather as a matter of course, it was just what everyone expected would be the case. Before the wall was commenced we pointed out .it would be a failure, and plainly told the Provincial Executive they were building a wall to run their heads against. By this time, even they, in- dbmmon with the rest of Wellington* must be convinced of their mistake, but still the wall is proceeded with. The excuse ' alleged, we believe, is that the wall is only

intended to be a temporary affair, and in some sense we are bound to believe them, soeinq that it is washed down by the sea as soon as it is put up.

The Barque Bdle Creole arrived yesterday from Newcastle, with a cargo of sheep and horses. She has made a long passage and has met with very heavy weather, and we are sorry to learn the speculation will prove a losing one, the greater part of the stock having died during the passage.