SIR JOHN HALL SUMMED UP.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1615, 2 August 1887, Page 3

SIR JOHN HALL SUMMED UP.

Sir John Hall ia an experienced ami prominent politician, and has already hold almost every portfolio in Ihe Cabinet, as well as the Premier's chair. He" has served under a number of chiefs, and been a colleague of almost every prominent politician in the colony, including Sir William Fitzherbert, Sir Edward Stafford, Sir William Fox, Sif Julius Vogel, Sir Donald M'Lean, Sir Francis Bell, Sir F. Whitaker, Dr Featherston, Mr Water-' house, Mr Reeves, Mr Ormond, Mr Reynolds, Mr Richardson, Major Atkinson, and Mr Rolleston. T't wilHthua be'seen that! S ; r John Hall must possess very accommodating principle*, fjince be has been ab'e to agree with so very many colleagues of diverse political views. He may, however, claim to be really one of tlie most consistent politicians in the colony, for he has always " been true to ope party,, and that is himself." Sir John Hall is a Yorksbireman, and has all the astuteness which is Bupposed to characterise those who own that birthplace. No. 1 is the cardinal number with him, and since he has landed in the colony in : 1852 he has generally managed to have his finger in the public purse, drawing pny for either political or official duties. He has filled an immense number of offices of one kind or the other, and is a kind of model official. His infant limbs are supposed to have been swathed in red tape, and the fumes of sealing-wax are still as grateful incense in his nostrils. He ! began life as an official in the General Postoffice in London, and its traditions fcaye always influenced him. He wou'd have made an admirable chief clerk or under-secretary, but he is not a success as a statesman. He is great in detail, but incapable of grasping, much less conceiving, aoy large principles. He is an industrious plodder, and the only poetical idea he is ever known to have expressed approval of is Pope's aphorism that " order is heaven's first law," ■ It is siiid that on one occasion his colleagues had tlie greatest difficulty in preventing him from bringing iu a bill to render it penal, and punishable by fine and imprisonment, to 1 affix a stamp to a letter uptide down, or in any other way than so that the edges of the stamp should be parallel to those of the envelope, and showing a'margin all round. In 1867-8, when the colleague of Sir E. Stafford, he used to drive him nearly mad by the manner in which he used to wony the House over the pettiest [details of Bills be was in charge of, showing the most aggravating obstinacy, and often trespaßsing ao far on the temper of the House as to excite dangerous feelings. Something thing nearly approaching a scene between him and his chief once occurred over, we think, the Bakers and Millers Bill, which he was trying to forco on an unwilling committee at an early hour in the morning. Sir John Hall has twice been a member of the Legislative Council, and twice left it to »it again in the Hous« of Representatives. We are not aware of any great, or useful measure which is associated with his name during all the years he held office, and we could not expect any such measure should he again attain power, for b« -nay not inaptly bo described aa a small »>»" *>*h a Bnvtller mind. The most memorable act of his poliiic.l career is probably the bold disregard of all ordinary scruples of political which he -displayed when he authorised * search of the records of the Telegraph Department to ascertain for party purpo-en the nature of .He jmv.te orsenr-privat- telegrams which hart been sent by bin predecessor regarding pub;ic matters. The most original scheme which

has ever, been attributed to him is the iuventionof \rhat is known as gridironing, although, wo believe, lie was not, ronlly the inventor, but only improve! and extensively uaod the idea of somebody else. Gridironing was a plan by which the Canterbury Land Regulations ware ho ÜB"d as to "enable certain people to acquire the use and command of nearly double the quantity of land they bought and paid for. It waß an ingenious plan, and was extensively worked by a number of Canterbury men, Sir John Hall being uu'derstoprl to have been one of the first to realiso its advantages, and to use it to a large extent to secure them. Wo need hardly point out that gridironing was not compatible with the encouragement of bona fide settlement, and at a time when the question of settling people on the land ia one of paramount importance, it would be very unwise to entrust the solution to owners of great estates realised by gridironing. All Sir John Hall's real sympathies are with his fellow land monopolists, and that fact alone should disqualify him from return to office. It is scarcely likely he would consent to play second fiddle to either Major Atkinson or Mr Bryce, but would insist On the Premiership if ho came back. We devoutly hope that the coining election will not inflict such a misfortunci upon the colony as the re-inHtatement of Sir John Hall in office, either as Premier or in any other capacity. No Ministry of which he ia a.member could for a moment be regarded as entitled to be termed Liberal. —Pjbl.