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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5412, 1 August 1878, Page 2

An innocent -abroad has written us a letter which will be found elsewhere, in which be expresses some surprise that upon an occasion of state, 'such as the opening of the session of Parliament, when her Majesty’s representative appears grande ten ice, his Excellency’s responsible advisers should think lit to attend him in wide-awakes and shooting jackets. Our correspondent “Viator” is no doubt right in saying that in other colonies respect for the office of Governor is invariably exhibited in careful attention to external .forms, and that those who are placed in high authority set a good example on all public occasions. Being a stranger here, apparently, “Viator” does not know that we are now in course, of being educated out of all our old-fashioned notions of regard for the Imperial connection and of respect for the representative of Imperial authority in this colony. It was Gbokob Pox, the inventor of Quakerism, if wo remember rightly, who, in defending the use of “thou and thee,” said it was a violation of Christian sincerity to - use the plural pronoun in designating a singular person. _ Our levelling chiefs may be stiflneckedin their republican principles, or hold some peculiar aesthetic views on the subject of clothes, which would be violated by their appearing in evening costume at mid-day; or there may be a repugnance to putting on external forms of a re--speot which they do not really feel. Dr. Wallis has discovered a taste in the Premier for the selection of fat men as colleagues, and the other night his happy’ hit at “ the broad-bottomed Ministry” brought down tho House. As a perfect article of Christian attire it is impossible to defend the swallow-tailed coat; indeed, tho hollowness of its pretension to be regarded as a respectable garment is never so apparent as when it is borne by a stout gentleman in broad daylight. Wo should bemorecontentto lindinthis consideration an explanation of the phenomenon which has excited the astonishment of “Viator” than in supposing that there was .ou tho part of Ministers on the occasion in question a wilful departure from an established practice with a view of publicly showing contempt or disrespect for tho representative of their Sovereign.