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The Premier is said to be guilty of inveracity, and in addition to that Mr, Fox the other night related an anecdote respecting tho chief Tinirau, who, after an interview with Sir George Grey, the then Governor of tho colony, characterised the proceedings by drawing a very crooked line on a piece of paper and saying “All tho same as the korero (talk) of the Governor.” History again repeats itself. Wo are informed, rightly or wrongly, that some years ago a gentleman who now holds tho position of a Judge of the Native Land Court in a district north of Auckland, and who is one of the “Old New Zealand” typo of settlers, took a voyage to the then empire city of Auckland for the purpose of warning the representative of Queen Victoria from entering into hostilities with the Waikato tribes. Tho old settler commenced the conversation somewhat as follows: —“ I have come to see your Excellency because I hear you are going to wai with the Waikato tribes. If you do so it will spread all over the country ; I don’t know that you will be even able to keep it out of the north.” The then Governor is reported to have said, “ Mr. yours. Do you for one moment imagine that I am going to war with the -poor Maoris I In the interest of the human race, posterity, and history, I object to such a construction being put on my actions. I desire to maintain peace.” Mr. replied, “Well, all I know is, tho Maoris say you are making the groat South road, and have moved tho troops to the frontier near Mangatawhiri. His Excellency is said to have answered, “Really Mr.——, you make me quite unwell talking in this manner, let us go outside.” Exit Governor and Mr. , and they walk along tho gravelled path loading towards the outer gate. The Governor then said, “Mr. -i—-, you astonish me, do you actually think the natives in the North are disaffected towards the Government. ” Mr. replied, “All I can say is that if you start in this war, it will bo the greatest undertaking you ever commenced, and it will extend to Taranaki, Tauranga,

and Napier.” The representative of Royalty put the question, “Really don’t you think, , that the Solomon Island emu now walking beside us is a very fine specimen; it is a true apterix ? ” (At the same moment the viceroy touched up the bird with his walking-stick, much in the same manner in which Mrs. Todgbrs, the lodging-house keeper, is described by the boy in buttons as being “a dodging among the tender pieces with a fork.”) The Solomon Island emu' took this first attack quietly. Mr. said, ‘‘ I did not come here to talk about the apterix, I have come to draw your attention to the great danger which now besets this colony if you rush into a war.” His Excellency rejoined, “Do disabuse your mind of this wicked idea.” But to return to the apterix, “Don’t you think, , that the theory of the submerged continent in the South Pacific is correct ? Now when you come to reflect that the kiwi and the weka are found on the Little Barrier Island, and when this bird exists on the Solomon Islands, you must arrive at the conclusion that the theory of the submerged continent is right. Now, look, that bird can neither swim nor fly. How could it get to the Solomon Islands?” The Governor again touched the bird with his walking-stick. The bird not understanding why it should be nudged up a la mode Todgbrs, and it having previously noticed a bare spot in the nether garment of the “ Old Now Zealand ” settler, drove its bill into that place, and caused it to penetrate some distance beyond the cuticle. The recipient of the bird’s bill is said to have performed a Maori war dance, and to have left his Excellency’s presence without bowing, and to have used terms more expressive than polite. After the war commenced a certain military secretary is said to have waited on his Excellency with a very important letter from the General commanding her Majesty’s forces, and to have requested an immediate answer, as a great strategic movement could be then made, to which the Governor’s assent was required. The Governor said, “ Well, ,” addressing the military secretary, “ don’t you think that is a very fine variegated geranium. ” The military secretary, said, “ Excuse me, your Excellency, 1 have not come to discuss botany ; but the General desires an immediate answer.” The Governor answered by asking a question, “I say, when Mrs. was young, do you think she was a handsome woman ?” On another occasion, when a Native Department officer took a number of natives to the Governor to discuss an important question, his Excellency is said to have ordered the officer to take them to see the birds outside and the Solomon Island emus. We do not for one moment assume that Sir George Grey is the Governor alluded to ; but when we come to review his career and reflect on the character given of him by a resolution of the Wellington Settlers’ Reform Association, respecting the unreliable nature of his despatches to the Home Government, and in which Mr., now Sir William Eitzherbert took part, we should not be much astonished to hear that the same official was alluded to in the whole business. A gentleman of our acquaintance _ was once asked by us to give his opinion of Sir George Geby, and he said, “ Well, he is a splendid fellow to walk with on a good road. He will take you by the arm and lead you through the pleasant spots; but if you come to a swampy place, ho will say, ‘Now—lay down there and let me walk over you ; I don’t want to dirty my boots ; never mind your coat or body,’ and he would then leave his friend in the swamp, blandly saying, ‘ good bye.’ ” We are induced to relate the foregoing anecdotes because if Sir George Grey’s career in the Parliament of this colony is carefully analysed it will be found to bo vacillating and uncertain, and somewhat akin to’ the action of the Governor before alluded to. One day he is an ultra-pro-vincialist, and shortly afterwards we find him a thorough centralist, gushing over the city of Wellington, which he had watched from its infancy, fondled in his arms, and assisted to reach the state of manhood. We shall note carefully how Sir George Grey explains this to his constituents at Auckland and the Thames. We were heretofore of opinion that he desired Auckland to be separated from the remainder of the colony. In fact, rumor whispers that he once wished to carry the separation idea so far as to ask the Government to make the island of Kawau a new province, on the principle of an Auckland gentleman who did not like to pay road rates for his freehold and leasehold estate of 100,000 acres, and got it made into a highway district, of which he was perpetual chairman, and his employes and native landlords composed the Board. No rates were levied, and no roads have been made there to this day. If Sir George Grey remain in office the results will, we fear, be much the same.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18771102.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5184, 2 November 1877, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,225

Untitled New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5184, 2 November 1877, Page 2

Untitled New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5184, 2 November 1877, Page 2

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