Sir George Grey's Tow.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2855, 9 April 1878, Page 2

Sir George Grey's Tow.

The Press Agency, doubtless with a view of being considered most impartial, led the outside public to believe that Sir G. Grey's reception at the Christchurch meeting was almost unanimous in his favor. The following extract from an article in the Canterbury Press will show the other and possibly more truthful account of the proceedings:— " The luuniest thing about the meeting was the resolution agreed to at the close of it. Mr Stevens baring moved a rote of thanks to Sir O. Grey for his address, Mr Montgomery, dissatisfied with the brevity of the motion, rose, as he said, to add something to it. What he wished to add was an expression of confidence. But he was careful to explain that he meant nothing more than confidence in Sir G. urey's good intention. He refused to commit himself to any agreement with the Premier's proposals. He urged the im* portance of withholding any decisive judg. ment until the Government Bills were published.' Bat meanwhile he'asked the meeting to declare iti conviction that, in bringing these matters forward Sir G, Grey was actuated by a desire to promote what he believed to be the good of the country. This was the extremely limited amount of faith which, as one of the Grey party, Mr Montgomery was willing to repose in his chief. And this was the resolution that was carried. It must be clearly understood that the. word "confidence" in that resolution was defined by the mover to signify not confidence in the political sense of the term—hot belief in Sir G. Grey's policy—but simply a belief that, whatever might be thought of his measures, he himself was sincere in' his advocacy of them. In short, the meeting was asked to resolve, and did resolve, nothing more than that Sir G. Grey is not an impostor. Sir George must be flattered to find what tort of place he holds in the estimation of his Canterbury friends. They shrink from identifying themselves with him. They decline to say or do anything .that may put a difficulty hereafter in the way of breaking off from him. And not even the claims of party fidelity can draw them into stronger profession than an avowal that, in their judgment, he is not a rogue and a humbug. He must be thankful for exceedingly small mercies if he feels any gratitude tor such support as theirs."