THE EVENING MAIL. THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 308, 19 April 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL.

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1877.

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As a general rale we are admirers of the bold, outspoken tone of our contemporary the Guardian, and are perfectly convinced that it has done a considerable amount of good by the fearless manner in which it has brought to light and condemned public abuses. For so doing our contemporary is deserving of all praise, for unfortunately there are very few of the so-called leading journals of the Colony that have shown so laudable a desire to put down abases as has the Guardian. It is, therefore, with regret that we feel called upon to refer to what we consider a want of taste on the part of our contemporary. In our issue of yesterday we republished an article from the Guardian with reference to the proposed visit of the

Governorto Dunedin, in which thai journal spoke strongly against the proposal to make some kind of demonstration on the arrival of his Excellency. The line of action taken by onr contemporary was, we t-iink, a mistaken one. It may be true, as our contemporary says, that the Governor has acted unconstitutionally in becoming somewhat of a partisan, instead of holding ' the scales equally balanced between the opposing parties in the General Assembly; it nmy be true that the Governor has maligned Mr. Maoaxdrew and the whole party in whic'i the Dunedin people place their trust ; it may also be true that the Governor's visit to Dunedin has a political o'-jtct, and that it is hoped to obtain an ovation at the hands of the citizens of Dunedin, and thus endeavour to show that the outcry against the conduct of the Governor during the Abolition excitement was not general in Otago. All this may be perfectly true, but it docs not justify our contemporary in writing in the manner in which it did. As the representative of loyalty, the Governor is deserving of a certain amount of respect at the hands of every loyal and peace-loving community. That respect the Guardian has endeavored to deprive him of by the publication of its intemperate and ill-advised article. The Guardian lias done that which it professes to regret should have been done by others. It has opened those political wounds which were inflicted during the Abolition discussion. It has brought prominently forward everything that can possibly be caid against Lord Nor. v.in BY, and lias done so for the sole purpose of rousing the people of Dunedin to a strong feeling against the Governor, in order that he may meet with anything but a cordial reception on his arrival. This is conduct which cannot be too severely censured. And what has been the cause of all this fuss being made ? Why, simply the fact (hat a telegram had been sent from Wellington to the Mayor of Dunedin announcing the coming of the Governor. We do not think it is true, as the Guardian has endeavored to make people believe, that this telegram was sunt for the purpose of suggesting that some public reception should be given to Lord Nor.MAXBY. This message, we take it, was simply sent in order that the people of Dunedin might be officially apprised of the visit of the Governor. There is in every community a class of people who expect this course to be followed. Had the Governor gone quietly to Dunedin without the fact being made known, he would, without doubt, have been recused of wishing to cast a slight upon the people of Dunedin, and the Guardian would then have been the first to resent such a want of courtesy. We have not the least hesitation in saying that, had the wishes and feelings of Lord Noumanby been consulted in the matter, he would have preferred being received in Dunedin in a plain, homely manner, and without any attempt at an ostentatious

display. Ever since he has been in the Colony the Governor has been looked

upon as more of a plain English gentleman than a lover of pomp and show, such as have been many other Governors ; and therefore (he insinuation of our contemporary is unjust and uncalled for. We re-gi-et that we should have felt called upon to write as we have done with regard to Hie Guardian ; but a love of fair play, and a desire to assist in maintaining the loyalty of the people of the Colony have forced upon us the necessity for so doing. We should be sorry to think that because the Governor had so far forgotten his position as to become a strong political partisan, a deliberate insult was to be cast upon him, and, through him, upon the lady whom we all call Sovereign.