The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5174, 22 October 1877, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1877.

The accession of the Honorable Colonel Whitmore to Sir George Grey’s Government will remove the difficulty in the Legislative Council caused by the absence of a Minister, and will facilitate, to some extent at least, the transaction of the public business in the Upper Chamber; but it adds no clement of strength to an exceptionally poor Ministerial team, and will in no way affect the result which in a day or two will, we are assured, be arrived at by the House of Representatives. It is curious to note how apologetically the honorable and gallant Colonel accounts for his action in this matter, and how carefully he allows it to be seen that he is not satisfied with the situation in the Executive into which a mistaken sense of generosity has impelled him to throw himself. We can only say that the explanation which ho has thought it necessary to give in regard to his recent action does less credit to his head than to his heart. We note that in the Ministerial statement which was delivered to the Council, Colonel Whitmore, we presume with the authority of his chief, announced that in addition to what we have called "the ‘‘great” policy of reducing Ministerial salaries and the renewal of the old love for Wellington, the maintenance of the “ unity of the colony ” was a cardinal point in Sir George Grey’s policy. This was perhaps a happy thought on the part of the Colonial Secretary to show that the policy of his friends, on at least one large question, was in harmony with the known views of the Legislative Council, but it appeared to fall flat upon the ear as if it were but an jdle word thrown into the air, to which no meaning could be attached. In truth, in the long course of his public, life, Sir George Grey has so managed that what he is pleased to say or to direct to be said upon any public question, does not at once command general acceptance as coming pure from the well of truth ; and we take it that what is meant by the recent announcement is that the maintenance of the “unity of the colony” is at present regarded as a good card—“a right bower,” and he has dexterously produced it from his sleeve, like Ah Sin,, with a smile that is childlike and bland. We can tell by reference to “ Hansard” what Sir George Grey really means by the unityof the colony, if for him the phrase be really anything but a form of words., Last year in the House of Representatives he moved a series of Separation resolutions, in which his idea of the unity of the colony is given as a trinity of Governments —one at Wellington, one at Christchurch, and one at Auckland ; 'the Central Government at Wellington to have charge of the payment of interest and banking account on the Colonial debt, towards which the South Island should contribute £625,000 perannum, and the North Island £190,000. In all other respects each local Government was to have “ entire control and management of its own affairs, and the disposal of its own revenues.” Mr. Lusk expressed the highest approval on that occasion of the proposal to ensure the freedom of local bodies by giving them absolute control of the expenditure of their own monies, and was “ umble” in his denunciation of colonial extravagance. Tins may bo the “ unity of the colony” which Sir George Grey had in his mind when he authorised Colonel Whitmore to put that novelty in his official bill.

Wo are disposed to believe that the words were not used in that sense by the Colonial Secretary, who is “going” beside Sir George. It appears to require an unusual length of time to dig up all the skeletons in the Treasury, and to bring to fight the dark deeds of the late Ministry. A good deal of trouble appears to have been taken to create an impression out of doors that there was something very wrong about finance. There was a deficit of £200,000 in the lobbies, before Sir George Grey was sworn in, and this cheerful intelligence was telegraphed throughout the length and breadth of the colony. Every day since, if we believe the wire-pullers, some new horror is discovered. The House was itself somewhat alarmed a few nights ago when the Premier told the representatives of the people that they might vote supply or refuse it as they pleased ; but that he was determined to remain in office until he had thoroughly examined the new mare’s nest which he declared himself to have found. We were always under the impression _ that what with comptrollers, and commissioners of audits, and secretaries, and detectives of all kinds, the Treasury was not a place where much wickedness could be perpetrated; but Sir George has a fine nose, and is running the scent home and giving tongue melodiously, whilst his followers are busy endeavoring by all the usual and well-known methods to improve the shining hour and secure a stray vote. “Time” will be called presently, no doubt, and we shall be enlightened on the subject of “finance” and of mares’ nests generally. The end is very near.