SIR GEORGE GREY FOR AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4357, 8 March 1875, Page 3

SIR GEORGE GREY FOR AUCKLAND.

(From the Auckland Erening Star, Feb. 25.) The re-entrance of Sir George Grey on public life will be to many minds a puzzle. We are so .accustomed to look on public life as but one of the many paths to private aggrandisement, that we find difficulty in dissociating the life of a public man from self-seeking. If a man has not his eye fixed on loaves and fishes, or on the patronage for his friends and dependents, he is regarded as having his reward in the distinction attaching to high position, and monstrari diyito is to many the spur to public action. The public estimate in this regard is not often wrong, and it is this that make 3 the position of Sir George Grey perplexing to the general mind. That he who has five times held the reins as a Colonial Governor ; that he who in that capacity has shown ability and won distinction second to that of no other in the same capacity ; that he who is possessed of enormous wealth, and of no impecunious dependents ; that he with a prestige that leaves nothing more, at least in colonial life, for his ambition ; that he with means that preclude the merest suspicion of avarice ; that he with nothing of a personal kind that the keenest eye can discover to tempt him from his most delicious and elegant retirement, that he should enter into the arena of colonial politics, that scone of mean motives and meaner suspicions, is certainly, if not a puzzle—as it is to many minds—at least an incident that throws a new light on public life. Our colonial public life has not heretofore tempted out men in the position of Sir George Grey. It remains to be seen what power will his example have. The most cynical will.find difficulty in discovering any reason in Sir George's action, save a self-sacrificing desire to benefit his adopted country ; and we think there will be hardly one in the colony carefully considering his conduct, and impartially weighing motives, but will give Sir George credit for sincerity when he says, as he said in one of the recent interviews, " I am ready to become even a messenger, if I can in that capacity be of service to the country." It is quite unnecessary for us to speak a word as to the advantages likely to arise to this province, if Sir George'B willingness to act is accepted by the electors. Few, we believe, thought that he would ever consont to accept this lower room after having with distinction occupied the topmost; and it was this belief in the unlikelihood of acceptance that was the only stumblingblock in the getting in of signatures to the requisition for his candidature in City-West. This stumbling-block of disbelief, which would have been far greater had a requisition been started in relation to the Superintendency, is now removed, and with something, like Surprised delight tho public now know that Sir George Grey's invaluable services are atr their disposal. This much has been achieved by the late visit to Kawau, and now it but remains for tho public to joyfully express their satisfaction at Sir George's self-sacrifice and to take steps to gladly avail themselves of his I statesmanship.