The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 29.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5180, 29 October 1877, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 29.

“Inveracity” is the Nemesis of Sir George Grey. The memory of the historical past is being constantly revived by some action which shows that the old habit of deception is inveterate. He declared over and over again in this session that ho would not -take office in any Ministry, and thereby induced the leading men of the Middle Party to aid him in ousting the late Government. When his object was accomplished, ho took his own course, and made himself Premier, to the great disgust of those who wore so weak as to put faith in his assurances ; and thus it will bo with him even unto the end. It is impossible, we think, not to feel that always in public, even in the smallest things, he'i is playing a game, and that one must believe not in what he says but in what he docs. Not the most attentive listener to his declamation, even amongst' those who know his ways, can at once discover the real meaning which he conceals in a cloud of words or covers with the vague generalities and claptrap which form the staple of his discourses.. For an ambitious candidate for popular applause on the stump or the hustings such tricks may bo for a while successful, but within the walls of Parliament men like to have for their leader one upon whose word they can implicitly rely ; and Sir George Grey will presently receive the lesson that a constitutional want of veracity is a disqualification in a party chief which no amount of ability can atone for or remove. Under existing circumstances wo think that Mr. Reynolds will bo carrying his British love of fairplay to a somewhat

ridiculous excess if he persist to-day in moving the amendment to the vote of no confidence of which he has given notice. Many weeks ago Sir George Grey announced in his place in the House of Representatives that his acquaintance aud that .of his friends with the financial circumstances of the colony was so complete that in half-»n-hour he could produce a new fiscal policy which would remove taxation from some of the chief necessaries of life and place it upon land, in order to burst up the properties of the large landholders. He has been now more than-a fortnight in office, and yet there is not only no Financial Statement, but no probability that any such statement will be made at all, if only the Estimates can be got through and supply obtained. That is indeed the game which Mr. Reynolds’ mistaken generosity would promote. In his Ministerial Statement made on the 15th, tho Premier announced it to be his intention to “ ascertain what the popular will required upon great questions, and having ascertained that, give effect to it.” Such glimpses of a “ policy ” as were given in that statement, outside the great : saving to bo made by a reduction of Ministers’ salaries, indicated a rigid centralism which should obliterate every trace of the provincial administration, and a determination to make the land revenue of the colony a part of. the Consolidated Revenue. What, we should like to know, is the meaning of these words in Sir George Grey’s mouth 1 We quote the “ Hansard” report, although that of our own reporter is the more accurate:— “ With regard to the assets of the colony, I need hardly say that, looking to its vast capabilities and to tho large sums now being realised from the sale of lands —which is a most material proof of its wealth —there can be no doubt that any funds the liberality of this House may place at the disposal of the gentlemen who may for tho time being be conducting the affairs of the country, can very easily be obtained upon fitting terms; and that any financial difficulty must be only of momentary pressure, lasting only as long as this House pleases, aud no longer.” Hear the honorable gentleman on that question fourteen days later, when bidding for support from Canterbury and Otago:—“I would have shrunk with shame from some of the expedients which some of the late Government have had recourse to in reference to those sums which they proposed to take without the authority of law from the land fund of Canterbury and Otago. I would have scorned to have been a party to such a ; transaction. I would have known that in these provinces every individual who , bought land and paid his money.for that land, had so paid his money under the pledge that it would be expended upon 1 certain public works, which would give 1 value to the property he had purchased, . and that the fulfilment of that pledge was a solemn-contract entered into with him by the people of this country. I would have scorned to break a contract of that kind. People who. would do that . would not hesitate afterwards to break faith with the outer creditors. If they would plunder the people at home, what safety is there for those abroad 1” The financial portion of Sir George Grey’s speech on Friday is beneath criticism. It was addressed, not to members of the House of Representatives, who know the facts, and are not deceived, but to Buncombe, and is a “suggestio falsi” from beginning to end. And so also of native affairs. The only present danger of disturbance of peaceful relations with the natives arises out of the operations • of the Repudiation party in Hawke’s f Bay, and of the propaganda of greed, of J discontent, and of disaffection towards - the Government and the Europeans ; which they are pushing everywhere in i native districts, and which result now in such outrages as that which drove Captain , Montgomery and his family from their home at Wanganui a short time since. Mr. Sheehan as Native Minister will not ! be able to satisfy the monster which Mr. Sheehan the lawyer of the Repudiation party has raised, and it may turn upon 1 and rend him. He ought not to be where he is. The last road question of any 1 magnitude which presented a political 1 difficulty was that of opening the line of the Taupo-road from Cambridge to Waotu. Last year that difficulty was surmounted. A track was opened by a party of Armed Constabulary beginning • at one end, and by a party of Ngatiraukawa natives at the other. The work is still. going on steadily and peacefully. : Excepting through the King country , proper, from Alexandra to _ Mokau there is not a difficulty of a political complexion to prevent or interfere with the . making of a road in any necessary direction. Knowing how, so lately as Feb- ; ruary last, Manuhiri was reported to have received a gentleman specially accredited to him by Sir George Grey, wo should like to see the original of the telegram upon which such a superstructure of future influence is based, or at least to know by whom the translation was furnished over which our evening contemporary lately rejoiced so much. It has been said that each of our virtues has a neighboring vice : our charity may become imprudence, our fortitude obstinacy. Mr. Reynolds’ generosity on this occasion is weakness ; it will cause loss of time, but cannot affect the ultimate result. We hope that he may bo advised to withdraw it, and let the true opinions of the House of Representatives find its direct ■ expression in tho words that it has “ no confidence in the present Government.”