THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1892. MR JOHN GRIGG AND LORD ONSLOW.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2335, 26 March 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1892. MR JOHN GRIGG AND LORD ONSLOW.

Every day makes it more apparent that our Tory friends are in a terribly bad temper on account of the policy of the present Government. This was made manifest in Christchurch ou Friday, the 18th instant, when the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association refused to name their new show-grounds " Onslow Park " because Lord Onslow spoke favorably of the present Government at his farewell 4in ner * n Christchurch. Mr Dean proposed to name the grounds "Onslow Park," but Mr John Grigg objected because, he said. Lord Onslow showed great political partisanship by his recent speech in Christchurch, in which he sooke approvingly of the graduated taxation proposals, Sir John Hall replied that he compensated for this by not making appointments to the Legislative Council, but all to no purpose: the meeting refused to pay that compliment to Lord Onslow, and thus they, as they iiD doubt thought, gave him a slap in the face, and fejt happy. Lord Onslow will probably survivt. fcjrfcj but at the same time it shows the temper the farge landowners are in, and how angry they must bo with anyone who dares to differ from tijL6ms.e|y.Gs. Had one or two raised this *jiuestion ? <ms failed to get their way, ♦hfifl, 9i course,. W ,9W would have felt ~**-efflim »fc J* > but a whole any «... . - nuteitely rejected such an meeting deu ' J fa jt b innocent and harmless n. , £ e u evident at once that the dispitsc*. a at the Governor's action was widespread and intense. It is obvious, therefore, that Lord Onslow narrowly escaped the doom of the old man and his ass. He did escape, however, and managed to slip away amidst uproarious acclaim. It is, of course, very easy for a nobleman holding the position of Her Majesty's representative to win the applause of the multitude. Whiis one of the people must do years of hard, henest work, and make many sacrifices on bel;alf of the people to win their approval, a noblem£2 need only say a few pleasant words to be worshipped. It was thus our late Governor gained his popularity. The only thing he did to really deserve it, in a manner that all could approve, was the attempt he made to advertise our frozen mutton. As against that he appointed seven new members to the Legislative Council in a most outrageously unconstitutional manner, and thus did a great wrong to the people of New Zealand. Had these seven Councillors not been appointed, the present difficulty which awaits Lord Glasgow would never have arisen. The strength of the Council now would have been such that further ap- ';

pointments would have been necessary, and no one could find any fault with the present Government for adding to it. If the seven members had not been appointed, to appoint seven councillors now would have been sufficient for, the requirements of the present Government, and there would have been no difficulty as regards that number. But the appointments made by Lord Onslow intensified the necessity for further appointments: and thus he placed on the taxpayers of this colony the burden of paying these gentlemen's honoraria. The appointments were unconstitutional, corrupt, and disgraceful, and Lord Onslow certainly behaved very badly in sanctioning them. Lord Onslow knew this, and he knew also that as soon as he reached Wellington the Hon. Mr Ballance would ask him to appoint his own nominees. Being a Tory, His Lordship could not see his way to appoint the Liberals nominated by the present Government, and feeling that, in view of his previous conduct, to refuse would scarcely be consistent, he found himself on the horns of a dilemma. He had appointed the nominees of a dead Government: how could he refuse to appoint those of a live one? To get out of the difficulty His Lordship resorted to soft-soap. He had hitherto dealt in it largely, and had found that it " washed." He knew the popularity of the Government, and he knew that by praising the Government he would please the Government as well as the people, and that his sins with regard to the Council would be overlooked. He was right. His oleaginous tongue won for him " conquering-hero " demonstration. But, alas! he did not please all. He did not please Mr John Grigg and the large landowners of Canterbury, hence these tears. The large landowners found no fault with him when he packed Tories into the Legislative Council. By that action he committed an actual, substantial, grievous sin against the people, but they forgave him and swallowed his soft-soap against the Tories. He committed the venial sin of saying a word in favor of the Government, and the Tories have taken advantage of the first paltry opportunity that offered to wreak vengeance on hiin. Verily might Lord Onslow alter Wolsey's exclamation, and say :. " Had I served the people of New Zealand as I served the Tories, they would not have treated me with such ingratitude." There is one consolation to be drawn from all this. We know the Tories have lost their temper, and we know that men in that frame of mind seldom do the right thing. They are not likely to get better tempered before the next election, nor to do the right thing then. But we must not remind them of this ; we can laugh at their impotent rage, and pardon them for feeling angry at the loss of privileges which they have enjoyed from time immemorial, but which they have allowed to slip through their fingers through their own mismanagement.