SIR GEORGE GREY'S PETITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4249, 2 November 1874, Page 3

SIR GEORGE GREY'S PETITION.

The Bruce Herald makes the following comments upon Sir George Grey's petition and correspondence with the Superintendent of Auckland : It would be idle to deny their importance, and we have, therefore, republished them in full, but we fear that the importance attaching to them will be found rather to be owing to the source whence they emanate, than to anything valuable contained in them. On a constitutional question, we have ourselves maintained repeatedly, that an appeal should be made to the constituencies before the changes contemplated by the abolition of provinces resolutions are given effect to. But this is not so much what Sir George Grey urges, as that provincialism, being the best possible form of Government for the colony, and it being unconstitutional to change it, Parliament should be called together. At the first glance we fail to see how the calling together of a Parliament, which has unhesitatingly pronounced in favor of the abolition of certain provinces, could mend matters one jot. And a 3 to the request that the Governor should set himself above both Parliament and Cabinet by telegraphing home on the strength of a mere rumor, though heard creditablyby Sir George Grey, that scarcely needs notice. Such a request would appear to savor largely of impertinence, did it not come from an ex-Govemor -who, according to more than one member of a Ministry,_ was not as scrupulous a stickler for constitutional practice, as applied to himself when in office, as he might have been. . But the truth is that a careful perusal of the petition will disclose the lamentable fact that it is rather the petition of the author of provincialism than of the close observer of the present condition of New Zealand. Sir George Grey sees in the form of Government which he was largely instrumental in conferring on New Zealand, and which she still is singular amongst the Australian Colonies in possessing, a thing so absolutely good that neither lapse of time nor change of circumstances can prevent its applicability to every part of the colony. Now, this is a position which we scarcely think even the staunchest opponents of the abolition resolutions could assume. It is not too much to say that these resolutions were in the main opposed either on the ground that, though provincialism was desired, its hasty extinction in the North Island was not desirable, or that," if provincialism were to be abolished, it should e abolished throughout the whole colony. But Sir George Grey argues throughout as > one who still conceives provincialism to be the beat form of government for New Zealand throughout all time, and, as a conseuence, his arguments are deprived of a good •al of force. Still, the fact that in the affairs " this colony Sir George Grey can say quorum ir's magna jui entitles any utterance of 3, in relation to those affairs, worthy attention. The result of that attenn, however, we fear, will be but to show at his utterances are, on the present casion, of themselves scarcely worthy _ of ,rther consideration. In truth, this petition, 'hich has come so suddenly upon the colony, ..partakes too largely of the tone in which the ''Colonel Sibthorps of Conservatism are wont to utter despairing protests against change of any kind. Sir George Grey has not even adopted a tone or a style which would be likely to commend his opinions to the people. Reading what he has written, we are forcibly reminded of those petrified politicians, who think a particular system of government above all such petty claims to modification as the needs of the people and the country must require. It is just possible that had Sir George Grey addressed himself to his subject from a different standpoint to that which he has adopted, and had he endeavored to take his share, as a citizen, in the government of the country, he might have modified the insolence of office which a large majority has given Mr. Vogel, and might have provided that with the abolition of provincialism in the North Island abetter system of government might be assured. As it is, writing as he does, after no more personal intercourse with the condition of the colony than an isolation on a little island in the Hauraki Gulf, for several years, has given him, he has done no more thali to convince those who wish him best that he has, by an unwise utterance, strengthened the hands of those whom he would fain weaken.