Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5791, 21 October 1879, Page 2

There are a few mortals who cannot be happy without a grievance, and who will establish one at any price ; even though it cost them their fortune, their reputation, and all that reasonable men most value. The memoranda between the Governor and Sir G. Grey at the close of last session _ foretold a state of extreme tension. When gentlemen find it necessary to require a correspondent to commit all his promises to writing, and to deliver messages m the exact words of the official superior s written memorandum, it is clear that in the opinion of the chief his servant is unreliable, and does not deserve his confidence. Whether Sir H. Robinson intended to convey this impression we know not; possibly he simply took these precautions because his experience elsewhere had convinced him of the advisableness of guarding against any possible mistake. But as soon as it became known that the late Premier had resigned, and that the advice which he tendered to the Government had been declined with thanks, then everybody one met agreed that henceforth in tho eyes of Sir G. Grey and his faithful adherents “the King “ could ■do no right.” Sure enough, what was looked upon as a foregone conclusion, has been verified to the letter ; in the House Sir G. Grey has accused tho Governor of an “extraordinary “ and unconstitutional proceeding;” and in their official organs still stronger language is used. Consequently Sir G. Grey once more poses before the House and the country as a living monument of injured innocence, who has been sacrificed because of his unselfish and Quixotic efforts to right the wrongs of poor suffering humanity. The Governor is very well able to maintain his own dignity. The Government organ on Saturday last declared that Ministers must have told his Excellency “ that they were afraid to give the mes- “ from tho Crown. Directly they “ did so the Governor should have dis- “ missed them. His duty was clear. “Sir Hercules Robinson has no right “ to allow the Crown to be disgraced, “ and Parliament to be insulted. And in its yesterday’s issue it even went further, and said:-—“The most culpable “ party in this gross breach of cons_titu : “ is undoubtedly Sir Hercules Robin- “ son. The Ministry is his—chosen by “ himself. He has no right to force a “ Ministry upon an unwilling people. “ He has no right to keep a Ministry “in office which neglects its public “ duties, injures the public credit, “ disobeys his lawful commands, and “ cheats the people of their rights.” These are most amusing statements, and might be labelled Eloquent Extracts from Grey’s book of Imaginary Grievances. It is just possible that such aspersions would be worth refuting, but for the fact that the device is such a stale one. It has been worn so absolutely threadbare and transparent that it is difficult to believe a score of men could now be found in New Zealand who would be prepared to credit the existence of the grievances which the ex-Governor so carefully creates in order to provide an excuse for attacking the actual holder of the office which he so earnestly desires to bring into discredit. If we were willing to be influenced by party motives only wo should certainly avoid protesting against the course of action adopted by our contemporaries, of which we have already quoted a sample. Attacks upon the actions and character of the Governor are sure to bring discredit both upon those who urge them and upon the party which has recourse to such means to advance their cause. Nevertheless, for the sake of the reputation of New Zealand politicians outside the colony, we trust that no further attempts will be made to blacken the reputation of a statesman of world-wide renown, until some trustworthy evidence can be adduced in support of the charges so freely launched against our present Governor. When Ministers, on Friday last, resolved to delay tho delivery of the Governor’s message asking for imprest supply for the public service,-because the Opposition insisted upon seizing the opportunityfer opening up the no-confidence debate, their conduct was at once impugned. Although the message was inspired by them, and was to have been delivered by them, and although his Excellency, if afterwards advised by them to withhold the message until a more convenient season would be bound to accept their advice, yet it is pretended that his responsible advisers had no choice but to at once deliver their own message as soon as ever his Excellency had given it his official sanction. Itwillberemembered that on November sth, 1877, the then Governor wrote to Sir G. Grey;— “That “ constitutionally it is the Government, “ and not the Governor, who are solely “responsible to Parliament for the acts “of the Governor and that Sir G. Grey replied on the 7th : 1 ' Ministers “ beg respectfully to state —(1.) That “ they admit their responsibility for his “ Excellency’s acts when done on their “ advice.” This ought to stop further discussion about the Governor’s unconstitutional conduct, &0., both in the House and in the Greyite organs.