The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 889, 20 February 1879, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1879.

'tun Cftwwmmenfe "t #hu* asked Sir MrrtiAKfc BltcKM-BicArtc whether or nut we have tho power to elect «mv mvn (ffovertior. Tim reply i» that ws have. Sir ♦koiviin ■(litKW in- his munis speech to his Thames (constituents, merely stated this fact with' out comment urn I although he acted with »ip much umi»id»«»tu>» f<>? fch» loyalty of those who ditl'ev from- him politically, the (»pp>nifcion press, representing themselves rather than any particular section of colonists,. have In-mi. provided with fre»h munitions of warfare with which to feat tor at the head of the Premier and his cwlleajfuus. It is* say they,. sedition—treason —to even mention, such a tiling, anct seem to think that* www .colonists to exercise the privily which the Imperial say they possess, they would b» traitors and aliens. But an Imperial law says that cotoniat# may pas# an Act to enabto them to nominate their Governor, subject to the approval of the Qtrms. Is tlii» an empty,, meaningless provision, made with the object of either ornamenting or incremiHijf the bulk of tfur volumes ■of Imperial: statutes! Let «■•♦ s«e what are th» probabilities. Great Bvitain has during the past century •gained wisdom in th« treatment of her "Colonies. There b not now as ifihsttr wiu» in the instance of the American Culubuw—in whose case acts of restraint and prohibition of trade were passed which ttuhttiiukted in the Win? of Independence —way uadiM» interference wit£u tfW |>re« poyativm ami itoeeduwß* of Colonists. We have mor» to lumt that we ahaU few af- 1 tujjsthov fargotjfc®tt than that wa shall fee

subjected to that which aroused the American Colon tats. The tendency of the Colonial policy of GTeat Britain is to mfttso a spirit of self-reliance in her Colonies. So long as they are not disgracing the flag trader which they glory in being sheltered —so long as they do as little in the future w they have done in thtt past to sally their Great Parent s escutcheon —Great Britain *3l he satisfied, and, indeed, pleased, to lengthen ithe tether which attaches them to her. I There need be- no fusainess because the i subject ef electing oar own Governor has j been introduced. t)*> not let us fawn, : like ever-grown children on their ; mother's tap, when it becomes irtcsonur to j requite the 1 attention. We have had no j disagreement. Great Britain would not i raisw her finger to interfere with oitr | election of our own Governor. She now j understands the feeling that prompts such ! a wish; the very existence of the | taw permitting it is proof of that. |lt is not as though we were j being governed t>y Royalty; in that | ease, our position would be totally different. Tho .representatives of the I nation to which wo belong that are set ! over us are, in the eyes of Colonists, ; usually no better, ami, t;t some cases, not j so- good.. a-i they c«>kM c!m"sc f«r ! f.fteniaotvpa frew amongst theinselvfs. iTliey are nanatly men who have done j some good service t>> the State, awl their | presidency over the Colonies U given | fchetn as a reward for those services. But ( we hatro men amongst tts who are, in our j| estimation, better entitled t»> sueFi posij tions ; men who l«3F» sacrificed the cream jof their vary existence -their pease of ! mind, their health—to serve the Colonies. We do not mean Sir George Gkrv, ; although what wo have said would point i tmmiatakeabty him. There are other f men equally honorabU, and, indeed, even as honorable as chost« whom <ire.it flritain has sent to tts~ Some people may believe, ; if they eho»<s<-.\ that there is necessarily a saoredness and superiority of intelligence in the upper stratum of the English ! aristocracy. They are bttt men after ..lE, ] ;vntl men, fc<">, the majority '■>£ which, it thev : had to work to gain a livelihood, would signally fail in earning etiottgh to keep ' body and sots! together. Even in their o-.vn domain, fclWy have been beaten even by self - nuuii sie;.*; and wo would rather be governed h} ,;t:eh. llf it is a high reward to ho plated .in the gubernatorial position of this Colony, why should we- not have the of bestowing that reward ourselves, fw choosing we need not bo tiniited t»» ilw .Colony; and in making our «hoiuo wo would ,N> her 3lajeaty—i "■ This is the mar* that »o «u»ir*.. almitM ; represent your dignity as welt as ttu ' peopte i we humbly swkwit hint to you for approval." Does anyone tell ns that a Governor so elected vvould not help more to bind the Cot«ny to- or.tr Mother Country than one eteeturl and placed over ks wit Float our being sdtwd to- «p*i? our months on the subject ! We believe that fiu. rt'no is not distant when; Colonist* wilt tak-.s advantage of tho privilege which the law in this respect confers upon them.