New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4824, 7 September 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7.

Sir George Grey has been -well described by a visitor to New Zealand as the man who is perpetually " round ;a corner." You can never get fairly at him. When he makes a statement which to all ordinary minds seems quite clear, he always, on being charged with the responsibility of that statement,' commonces to explain it away, to show that' ho has been misrepresented or misunderstood, and that ho noVer meant.,to, say f what people thought he saidi In a word, He gets-round a moral corner, and in order to follow him you must have the same- power

as the Irishman's gun possessed, that of shootinground a corner. Sir George gave an example of his peculiar idiosyncracy; last night. He gave a detailed account of an interview between Dr. Pollen and the Hon. Mr. Stafford, in which the latter had promised to support the Government last session on condition of the tenure of the Canterbury runs being secured to their holders. He adduced circumstantial evidence of the truth of his story, in the shape of a pony and a small boy, out of which he endeavored to make as much capital as the late learned SergeantßuzFUzdid outof the famous "chops and tomatoes " letter. But for the truth ofhisstatementSirGEOßGEGßßYprofessed mainly to rely upon a conversation between himself and the Hon. Mr. Stafford. That gentleman flatly contradicting the ex-Governor, Sir George withdrew round a corner, and remarked that he did not mean what he said, but intended to merely state that Mr. Stafford had promised to support the Government on every issue. Being again contradicted on this, he proceeded to get still further round his corner, and at last reduced his accusation against Mr. Stafford to this—that that gentleman had told him (Sir George) that he was if the Government, would stake their existence on the carrying out of abolition, to vote with them on all questions affecting their existence as a Government; and as a final proof of the truth of this final allegation he pointed to Mr. Stafford's votes last session. Mr. Stafford, in a few words, which will be found reported elsewhere, put the matter in its proper light, pointing out that the molehill out of which Sir George had endeavored to make so great a mountain was a matter of which all were cognisant, namely, that last session he gave a loyal support to the Government on the understanding that Government made abolition extend to both islands, and pledged themselves to carry it out. And it ia impossible to see how Mr. Stafford could have acted otherwise. He. has always been a consistent abolitionist, and he was perfectly right to promise a loyal support to that Cabinet which undertook to carry out the principles he has cherished and the policy he has advocated for so many years. How his conduct contrasts with that of Mr. Wood. When the late Premier (now Sir Julius Vogel) brought down his famous abolition resolutions, he found a supporter in Mr. Wood on the ground that he was carrying out that gentleman's policy. But so soon as Mr. Wood found that his support was not likely to produce for him an invitation to join a Cabinet, he became a bitter foe to abolition, swallowed his policy and principles, if he ever had any, and became a bitter provincialist. Mr. Stafford acted faithfully and consistently. We do not care to characterise Mr. Wood's conduct, but would recommend Sir George Grey, the next time he wants "a fearful example" of one to whom country is nothing, to look close beside him and he will find it ready-made to his hand.