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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5304, 26 March 1878, Page 2

Sib George Grey is a source of wonder to our Australian neighbors. . From Queensland to Western Australia the opinions which have been expressed on the strange statements which now and again astonish us here, have been of a character not flattering to.the great, proconsul. We are not aware of a single paper in Australia or Tasmania which gives the slightest credence to the astounding revelations by which (Sir George Grey hopes to frighten us benighted New Zealanders out of our senses. The last-discovery was at the Arcade; when the speaker seriously informed his hearers that plots were being hatched in England to force the people of the colonies to contribute to the support of the British fleet. We are not aware that a single Ministerial journal in the colony has commented upon that statement ; although, if there is any truth in the Premier’s assertion, the subject is certainly of far greater magnitude than an extension of. the franchise, or any-other of the proposed measures for the relief of the oppressed people of New Zealand. The organs of the Ministry are constantly prating of the Premier’s great ability, and above all his foresight. Had he not prophesied a generation ago the exact position each town and district of. New Zealand occupies at the present day. After foretelling so much, surely his followers should hearken to what he now says about the tjranny which is being hatched in the mother country. The matter, is really very serious. We either have a gentleman who is subject to strange hallucinations at the head of affairs; or our liberties may be swept away from us at any moment by the designing statesmen of England. - . There is of course another interpretation to putj • upon Sir George Giey’s conduct, but it is almost incredible to think that auy man would utter such nonsense if he did not believe it. The Australasian thus refers to the last startling announcement made by the Premier “As a discoverer of mares’ nests Sip George Grey is probably without an equal in.the political word. The history of the foul conspiracies which he has in his time dragged to the daylight would fill a volume. They range from the intended bombardment of the city of Auckland, in accordance with an agreement between Lord Norraaaby and the commodore of the squadron, to the scheme of poisoning off obnoxious politicians, arranged in the secret despatches between Sir George Bowen and the Colonial Office, to which he lately took occasion again to call attention. The latest bit of perfidy of this kiu'i on which Sir George Grey has thrown the fierce light of his Diogenes lantern is a plot, as it seems, of the Government of: England to introduce a system of taxing the. colonies for the benefit of the British fleet.! In a speech which ho delivered at Wellington, an address perversely directed throughout to fanning class animosities, Sir George Grey said ;—‘ There is a party rising in England, holdivg certain views, and helping to carry out certain views which w’ould be fatal to the good of this country. They maintain, whether you like it or not, that you are to be taxed by Great Britain for the support of her fleet, and she is to determine how much you are to pay. Such a demand ought not to be made upon us, and ought to be resisted. I say it is not right that we should be taxed for the purpose of supporting the navy in' Great Britain. The taxation is one which ! I believe we will not submit to.’ Hear, hear. But what is it all about ? Does anybody besides Sir George Grey know anything of this attempt to renew the system of imposing taxation oh colonies, which we all thought was pretty well exploded and frustrated by certain events which hap. pened just about 100 years ago? Sir George Grey is a melancholy instance of great gifts rendered utterly useless from their unsuitability for the sphere in which he ,has to work. As a private detective he would excel all those quiet, unassuming, but superhuman individuals, who display such powers of penetration in the circulating library novels- .. But iu the serious position of Premier of a business-like community, his marvellous discoveries only make him laughed at, and, we should fancy, make his unfortunate colleagues at times feel very absurd and uncomfortable.”