The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1880. SIR GEORGE GREY’S MEETING AT TIMARU.

Temuka Leader, Issue 263, 29 May 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1880. SIR GEORGE GREY’S MEETING AT TIMARU.

Sir George Grey’s address at Timarn on Wednesday was the most telling agains* the Government of any that has been delivered. When such a man as Sir George Grey—who has spent nearly all his life in public business, who is also well-read —s 'eaks, his opinions carry considerable weight with them It is said that he stumps the country.. What he would gain by leaving his comfortable home, and travel so many miles, and endure such hardships as he does, wo cannot see. Nothing but a pure desire to do good to his fellowmen could induce him to embark in such an underlaking, and the colony pays him a poor compliment by returning him nothing but a vote of thanks. On Wednesday he stated facts which shows that theHall Government is ruining the country) and bringing misery and starvation where happiness and plenty should prevail. The Queen’s Hall, Timarn, was, on Sir George’s appearance, liteially crammed. For once) the Timaru people conducted themselvesbecomingly. The result was that men were able to take home with them some stub, born facts, and to think over them. They will see who wishes well to the colony,and who wishes to legislate for one class. The Property Tax seems to meet with universal condemnation, and we cannot understand why the Ministry enforce it ; certainly, the tax will never be collected. We have said the meeting was a success, hut we cannot say the same of the Managing Committee. At the close of the address, the Member for Timarn, in a speech whi h was out of place at such a meeting, proposed a vote of thanks to f he speaker for his able address. Simply a vote of thanks, and only for the address. Mr Turnbull also had a fling at Mr Hall, but t( neutralise this there was some softsoaping, which was not the thing. Either Sir George Grey deserves a hearty vote of thanks from every community for what he has done for New Zealand, or he deserves it not. At the meeting referred to, the bursts of applause which greeted the unanswf fable charges against the present Administration was proof that the great mass of the people of Timarn even are of opinion that the present Government are destroying this fine colony. Yet all that Mr Turnbull did was to ptopose a vote of thanks for the address. This was rather cool. We cannot blame (he people, however, for (bis. hut the management. If one or tvvo men who have but a limiter, knowledge of public business arrogate to themselves the undisputed right that bolo-gs to a larger number, it is not j to bo wondered at that there is a mis- 1

carriage. A vote of confidence in Sir George Grey as the leader in the Liberal cause would have been carried unanimously, and would have been put, but for the reason staled. The Land Tax also should have been condemned by resolution as has been done at other meetings. Referring again to the member for Timarn, we must state we don’t agree wiih these half measures of members. Mr Turnbull very ingeniously got oft without pledging himself in any way. This did not surprise us after the attitude he assumed on a former occasion, but we must condemn this milk-and-water Liberalism. We believe in a man who has a mind of his own. and who boldly expiesses his opinion without fear or favour. In the long run he will be found the man most to be calculated to do most good, and certainly will have far more satisfaction in his own mind than the man who is afraid to open his own lips lest he should offend So-and-So. The managers of this meeting, however, were to blame for giving Mr. Turnbull the opportunity of burking an expression of the opinion ;; of the pcop'e of Timarn, and of giving but a lukewarm support to the leader of the Liberal cause. When wc; contrast Mr Turnbull’s pro ■ «■- dure with that Andrews at Christchurch we cannot*' withhold a meed of praise to the latter for the manly way that he stood shoulder to shoulder with his chief at the Christchurch gathering Sir George Grey, however, lives in the hearts of the people, and will yet prove himself their real benefactor when the Liberal party again returns to power.