The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1918, 25 February 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1875.

Another candidate for the Superinten-

dency is in the field in the person of Sir George Grey, ex-Governor of New Zealand. Since Sir George resigned the cares and the emoluments of the Imperial iirvice he has lived a secluded life at his island home, the Kawau. He has given

no sign of his existence, until suddenly— perhaps rudely, awakened from his in- • activity by the threatened abolition of Provincialism. As the reputed father of

provincial institutions, Sir George was impelled to come to the rescue of his progeny. Tne result was a series of voluminous letters in the New Zealand Herald questioning the power

of the General Assembly to abolish. Provincialism, and setting forth what had been accomplished by the working of ! provincial institutions. Sir George then appealed to the Throne in a petition, which was not forwarded, said petition partaking more of the nature of a protest than a prayer. The hermit of the Kawau became a hero in the eyes of the ultraprovincialists of Auckland. The man who, as representative of the Queen, had been scowled at, written down, and abused, was all at once elevated to the position of a patriot. He was a gentleman and a statesman who had cast in his lot with the colony from pure love of its institutions, and had come to the front when he saw those institutions in danger of being overthrown. The leaders of public opinion in Auckland had an easy task before them: the people followed their leaders, like a pack of sheep follow an errant member of the fold; and it was determined to press Sir George^ Grey to enter Parliament as the champion of Provincialism. The untoward death of the Superintendent has opened another way for the display of Auckland political gush: Sir George must be Superintendent as well as a member of the Assembly. And so it comes about that the exGovernor has been induced to accept the position of a candidate for the Superihtendency, but on condition that he is not expected to. make any canvas and is allowed to retire when , inclination suggests. Mr O'Eorke, it is said, is to retire in Sir George Grey's favor, and the ultra-provincialists are making up their minds for a walk over for their pet candidate. We believe they will be egregiously mistaken. Mr j O'Eorke we have regarded as an ultraprovincialist, but we fancy he would be found pliable enough to accept centralism as a necessity, provided the principle were made general instead of being applied to the North Island only. Sir George Grey is of a different stamp: he is an uncompromising advocate of Provincialism, which doctrine finds no sympathisers out of Auckf land. Sir George Grey's candidature will therefore be looked upon with distrust, and his return, even with the Auckland influence at his back, would be doubtful. Mr O'Borke's chance of return would be good* but the past career of Sir George Grey, with all his ability, does not warrant the expectation that he would make as good a Superintendent] as he did a Governor, and some people say he was little better than a failure in the latter capacity during his last tenure of office. A reference to the (elegram in today's issue will disclose what appears to us to be a gross inconsistency on Sir George's part. He is reported to have said —to hare " expressed a very strong opinion on the importance of every colonist who had time and means taking part in public affairs." How Sir George Grey can reconcile this opinion with his years of voluntary exile at the Kawau, living the life of a hermit, in dignified ease, we are at a loss to imagine, as Sir George professes to be a colonist; he is the reputed possessor of ample means; and, unless he has occupations of a pressing nature, he -should have had at his j disposal the necessary time to take part in public affairs. . i