The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5433, 26 August 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1878.

Students of Hans Rkeitmann’s ballads aro not unfamiliar with the nature and meaning of the party test-question, i is “he sound upon the goose !” In one of the ballads there is given an imaginative account of the origin of that phrase; hut in a footnote there is an interpretation of it which if less poetical is more national. It appears that one of the Federal 1 banners has the American eagle spread over the stripes, as the symbol of Unity; and although it had been irreverently said that the bird of freedom was thus made to look like a goose on a gridiron, it was hold that the great “moral idea” of Unity was . embodied in the figure, and “being sound upon the goose” made the distinction between the advocates of secession and slavery, and those who were faithful to the Eagle and the Union. The exposure of the Separation policy of our present Government has created natural surprise and alarm here; it has given occasion, moreover, for a show of incredulity which is complimentary to the character of the men who, during the past twerity years, have governed as Responsible Ministers loyally embodying and reflecting the principles and the policy of the majority of the representatives of the people in Parliament, by whom they were placed and by whom only they could bo maintained in office. Rut this exposure has also had the effect of subjecting Ministers and their friends to anxious inquiries from supporters as well as opponents as _to their views upon this grave question. The result might have been given in Misder Twine’s shdory of the success of his “ gandertato ” for the office of sheriff: If any at how ’tvas ho shtoodk, his friends voulcl viuk 80 loose, ~ , ~ Uad vispor, ash dey dapped delr nose; lies sounm oopon dccooM, ....

So clc feller cot deeded before de beoplo foumU On Tixcn site of dor cooso it vas he shtick so awrul sounclt. _ . It hits not boon possible to say decisively from the public answers of Ministers on “vrrcit side of der ooose” the hon. gentlemen range themselves at this moment, or whether, upon thequestions of separation, and the removal of the seat of Government, they are united and have definite aims. Wo know, from the records of Parliament, how the votes of five out of six Ministers have been recorded ; and they tell us themselves frankly, by their administrative action, how they are making separate official departments for each island, in preparation for the desired change. If wo want further evidence, it abounds. In March 1875, Sir George Grey, then a candidate for the office of Superintendent of Auckland, addressed a public meeting in the Choral Hall of that city. The report of his speech, revised by himself, and published in a pamphlet form, is now before us. Speaking of the Abolitionrosolutionsadoptedby the House of Representatives, he said ; First: They passed a resolution that the Northern provinces should be dono away with, l will not say anything on that point at present.. The second pari of the resolution was passed, declaring Wellington,to be tho capital and scat of Government ol the colony. Now I want to tell you that that is th ' most illegal thing that I ever heard in my life. How any statesm(Ul we have many statesmen, ana sonv* urcat statesmen in ibis colony -could have fallen into such an error lam at a loss to conceive. •ho constitutional law says that there shall be no declared capital, —there shall be no law passed fox declaring such a thing ; for if a law were passed declaring anything of that kind let us consider what the position even of Wellington would be? If a mob were to got bossession of Wellington, there would bo no Legislature al all, and they could not pass a law to put them down. This is tolerably distinct. Ou the subject of the General Assembly itself our Premier was not less distinct on the same occasion The next consideration refers to the General Assembly . I will first instnnee tho case of Auckland *1 believe that if the General rssorably should succeed in the object it declares it will carry out, and if provinces are done away with, the future of Auckland will in many respects he extremely gloomy. On the other hand, it you were to reduce the General Assembly in number, make them meet every two or three years, and meet in such part of tho. colony as they might be summoned to meet at, not being bound to om town : if you were to increase the powers of your Provincial Governments, yon would make tills place a Sydney, some other place in the colony would become a Melbourne, and some other place an Adelaide . I believe that by sweeping away tho General Assembly In Us present form, you would save » now absolutely unnecessary expenditure.

With a courage and persistency which are creditable, he hassiuce then maintained this general position, and in his latest exhibition on Friday ha has not denied his faith, although ho lost his temper, and became abusive as usual. The report is worth repeating : Mr. Johnston asked the Premier.- 'Whether, at n public meeting at Dunedin, in March last, he made, as he is" reported by the Press to have made, the following st'tement, or a statement to a similar effect for years they enjoyed a free and liberal Constitution. No disasters occurred in consequence, but a development of the resources of the colony and a growth of happiness and contentment ensued, unnrecedentcd in the history of the limish colonies These institutions were swept away. He asked whether the now ones were such as became fre_ men, and were they likely to conduce to peace an 1 happinesslf so, whether it was the intention of the Government to Introduce such institutions as, In their opinion become free men ? The lion, member made some remarks whicii were inaudible in the reporters eallery He was ultimately called to order, Sir George Grey said that in reply to the lion, member’s question lie would read it. [Read.] He was unable to state from memory whether ho used those words at Dunedin, Ho certainly used them in many places. They accurately expressed his opinions; they accurately expressed the views winch ho entertained. (ifear, hoar.) Ho was confl'incd in those vmws by the sentiments he had heard the hon. gentleman (Ur Johnston) utter in that House—by the lino of conduct which that hon gentleman and his colleagues had pursued in grasping the public lands ID The Speaker called the Frontier to order. Ho was Introducing matter of a dehateable kind. Sir George Grey; There is a duty we owe to the country if questions of this kind are put, and if the conduct of loading public men is called in question by each questions, X think the poo-lo of the country havo a right to know the grounds that have led mo to express the opinion I have. Sir, X have nothing to retract from what I said. It is the conduct of tile lion. member and his friends- ... The Speaker said the hon. member was out of order. There was a way of asking and answering questions without introducing matter that was calculated to provoke discussion, , .. Sir George Grey; There were remarks made by the hon. member * . . . . ... ... The Speaker: I immediately stopped him, aua the hon, member should not follow that example. The matter then dropped. The Minister of Public Works was and is as ardent a Separationist as the Premier. He has not talked so much, but he has been quietly doing-a very groat deal, as we have already shown. Where he has had occasion to speak, ho has not boon reticent. We have already quoted the opinions uttered in the expansiveness of post-prandial good fellowship, and we now quota opinions more gravely uttered, in the form of an official manifesto. On the 6th November, 1875, Mr. Macandrew, then Superintendent of Otago, published ah address to the people of that Province, in which, in view of the coming elections, he said: “ I should vote for no candidate, “ however personally acceptable, unless I “ could thoroughly rely upon his stronn- “ ously advocating and supporting such “ measures as shall substantially secure:” 1 That each island shall have power to provide for the" maintenance of Itc own peace, order, and good government, and for tlio management of its own local affairs irrespectively ami independently of the other. 2 That the power and functions of the General Assembly .shall be distinctly denned, and shall bo limited to questions purely federal. , , , „ , 3 That the Provincial Legislatures of cadi island shall have avjo'emr. vfmtlUucut jtoiwra in xospcct of all subjects not so defined as aforesaid. Need wn multiply quotations to prove what cannot bo denied ? When asked by Mr Barton whether ho was sound upon the" goose, the Premier said that tho story about separation was a “canard. We give, above, his answer to Mr. Johnston. Mr. ’ Macandrew in particular has, we believe, also-been much interviewed by anxious inquirers ; and it can easily bo imagined how he — *• Vouhl vlnk co loose. “ Undvlspor, as he dapped his nose, J’nt sound t' oopon do cooso.”