OUR DEFENCELESS PORTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5349, 20 May 1878, Page 3

OUR DEFENCELESS PORTS.

(From the Australasian, May 11.)

.. That-hamra-scamm politician, Sir George Grey, has** again executed the feat of trirhiughis back upon'liimself,* It willrbe. recollected that some time ago a * correspondence passed, between‘the Governor and h'a Premier on tho subject of the defences;:: Sir'George Grey then deoliued'i'to .jolaee the Government steamer lit,tho disposal-of SirW.Jervois for the purpose of inspecting the, harbors of tho coast, allegingas his,reason that the steamer was required .for'special.servicer .Events proved -that the special service was the conveying Sir George Grey and his friends ou pleasure excursions. But tho erratic Premier went further,. and intimated ..that. the financial *circumstances of the colony would.not allow it to incur expendi-ture-for .defence,; th it it was its dutytopro ; vide ’against, its, own “internal enemies meaning,' apparently,,to; keep the Opposition, out of office as long as possible —and “to trust confidently,-,to the fleets of Great- Bri : _ tain” for. defence! against-foreign -enemies. The unworthy and (ignoble character of this proceeding may be estimated" from the. faot. th it,.whileTSir -George:-Grey-.hvas thua-.en-' deavoring to.;devolve the cost of defendiog New Zealand on tiie British taxpayer, -lie-was , accusing , EpglW). statesmen: -of a plot for taxing..the’, colonies for the support of tho English,,fleet—a plot .which- had: no existence save in the recesses of his-own-- teeming brain. And now.we .learn that,Sir (Jcorge Grey has 'reqnWted;! the Governor "to telegraph To"]the" plotting, despotic Impend Government that New Zealand will undertake the expenses of armament for the .defence of the colony, lint why,’ or.how? Wliat’ia the change between the position now ami a few mouths ago i The danger may he a little nearer now than then, hut surely it-is nothing.- but a confession of fatal blundering in a matter of utmost -importance, when a cliief Minister tries to shirk the duty of putting- his. country in a condition of defence till he believes the peril to be imini'rieht, and then changes his* mind when it is too bate for preparations,.against the apprehendeddanger to bo undertaken,with any reasonable prospect of efficiency, i.. ..