South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3025, 7 December 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1882.

It is something, in these times, for a politician to retire from the political arena followed by the respect and regard of all sides,to have borne an unblemished character through all vicissitudes, and to be acknowledged as having made the good of the country his first consideration and his party the second. Such is the position of Sir John Hall. We venture to say there is no one, whatever may be his political leaning, that does not freely give the exPremier credit for having acted his part faithfully and conscientiously. Looking back upon bygone times, we must confess that a more fit person could hardly have been found for taking the helm at the peculiar crisis than Sir John. While the need for his services existed, he got very little gratitude from the country : it was not until afterwards that people began to realise that the only policy that could have saved us was one of retrenchment. A policy of retrenchment meant a treading on everybody’s toes, and there was consequently a general protest, and the Ministry of Sir John Hall, dropped in for more obloquy than any Government ever did before in New Zealand. It did its work, however, and did it effectually, and we should always welcome its chief, if he returned to political life, as an honest and really patriotic Minister. We very much regret the cause of his leaving, and we trust he may before longreturn to take part in public affairs. And this we say while entertaining no particular love for his parly or his general policy, but because we regard him as an honest and painstaking member of the legislature.

Archibald Forbes comes to ns like an aerolites, for be , comes from beholding events about which we have conjectured, speculated, and imagined, but of which most of ns are entirely ignorant. :We cannot doubt therefore that bo will be accorded an enthusiastic reception in Timaru, War correspondence has made immense strides of late years, and Mr Forbes has admittedly attained the topmost rung of the ladder in this department. As a Scotchman, he is naturally the object of peculiarly enthusiastic admiration on the part of his countrymen here. But to most of us that is a secondary consideration. He is a man who, in pursuit of occupation as a journalist, has displayed all the gallantry of the warrior, and the utmost fortitude and persistency, and has been brought into close contact with the most distinguished actors in the successive dramas of military and political life. This modem Ulysses must have much to tell us that is worth hearing. It is something to clothe a subject in graphic language, but Mr Forbes may rely, not on the drapery of words, but on the faithful narration of facts to obtain for him a good hearing. The progress of war correspondence is remarkable. The famous Dr Russell, representing the “ Times ”in the Crimea, went out with a complete retinue, and all sorts of paraphernalia, and we remember hearing from his own lips, that while the Commander-in-Chief was eating salt meat and biscuit he was enjoying sandwiches and sherry. From a comparatively safe position in the rear the correspondent of that day leisurely got his dispatch ready for the mail, and, barring a moderate risk of his life, the chronicler had rather a good time, especially as be wan paid a salary of £2,500 per annum. Now, however, things have changed, and the war correspondents, whom Mr Forbes represents, go.right into the action, note events rapidly, gallop of to the nearest telegraph station, and there commit a few graphic but truthful words to the wires, and back, again to the fight. Truly this is an age of progress.