THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3368, 8 October 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1879.

The latest information from our Wellington correspondent states that Sir Q. Grey, in the interests of the Liberal cause, has relinquished the leadership of his party. This concession from a man like Sir George Grey shows how unfounded the many assertions that have been made about his sincerity were, and proves that when the great Liberal measures are in question no consideration of a personal character shall stand in the way of their becoming the law of the country. It so easy for ungenerous minds to make unkind and base insinuations respecting the intention of public men; but, while such must gire a certain amount of unpleasantness to the individual maligned, yet the malevolent disposition of the traducer is so apparent to all impartial observers that the sting is taken from the wounds inflicted. It has erer been so. Men who cannot rise abore the common lere^ themselves are ever, the first to assign unworthy motives to those who, in the race, show superior qualities or the possession of originality of mind. When Sir George Grey entered Parliament and took an interest in colonial questions,- he was accused of being influenced by the most unworthy motives, matters of personal ambition, a desire to quarrel with the Home authorities, to revenge himself upon some men in New Zealand who were enemies of his, and such like objects; and more lately that he would sacrifice every honorable feeling to keep office; even the Liberal measures might go to the waste paper basket, so long as he kept the office of Premier of New Zealand. This latest step of his at once shows how uncalled-for were the remarks made about him, and proves that " the greatest good to the greatest number " is still the rale of his life.

The New Zealander, as will be seen in our telegrams gives currency to a rumor that the new Government intend appointing two new Under-Secretaries from amongst the members of the House at salaries of £800 per annum each. This statement is subsequently contradicted by •nether telegram, but nevertheless from the cinT* IBI''anlles we Relieve *na* there is some truth in the re P ort> In the firßt place it is no secret, t>' the Hall patty in their endeavors to eject the \Z** Government promised portfolios in the T ew Ministry broadcast, in fact : far more offices were promised than there were to fill up, consequently several active and useful partisans, who expected to be named in the new Ministry, have had to be left out in the cold. Amongst them Mr Wakefield who acted as vituperates in-chief to the late Opposition, and hurled sarcasm, abase, and denunciation on the heads of the Grey Ministry in a manner which certainly laid his party under strong obligations. Disappointing men of the Wakefield stamp might cause them to secede from the party, which, by-the-bye, the gentleman mentioned is an adept at doing, and what more easy way of giving a solatium to the wounded feelings than by making snug Hitle billets for then without depriving

them of their scats in the House,

Leaving aside the supposition that necessity was the motherof invention in this case, wo liuve reason to bolieve that for some time past the deßirability of the creation of such offices has been apparent. Ministers, on being asked questions on departmental matters, are, in a #reat measure, dependent on the Under Secretaries of the civil service. The appointment of hon. members to these offices would facilitate, in a great measure, the business of the House.

The Town Clerk requests us to acknowledge the following promises of subscriptions to the Orphan's Home:—Messrs E. K. McGregor £1 Is, T. L. Murray £1 Is, J. A. Miller £1 Is, Tizard £1 la, G. McCaul (in goods to be selected by the committee) £2 2», and John Gibbons £1 la.

Ok Wednesday, the 22nd insfc., an important sale of Thames Valley land will take place at Auckland, Mr John Gibbons baring decided to cut up the Waitoki block, and sell it in lots of from 50 to 200 acres. The block contains 1500 acres, and is some of the choicest land on the rirer. The land has a good rirer frontage, and will be traversed both by road and railway. To bona fide settlers this is an opportunitj that should not be orer looked.

A box named John Gollop met with a serere accident at the No. 2 contract railway reclamation works this morning. It appears that the lad went underneath a train of trucks for the purpose of greasing the wheels, and by some means or another did not hear the drirer of the tip horse making preparations to start the train, the consequence being that one of the wheels passed orer his leg abore the knee, lie was at once conveyed to the Hospital by Mr O'Brien. So far as we can learn, the lad has no one to blame but himself, as his instructions were only to grease the wheels at dinner time. The same boy narrowly escaped an accident a few days ago. Carrying on operations in such a thickly populated neighborhood, it is only by tho exercise of the greatest caution that Messrs O'Brien and Co. hare carried on their works with so few mishaps. Children are continually playing about, and many are venturesome enough to ride on the trucks going at a good speed, when they manage to erade the eye of the engine drirer. A good caning to these urchins when caught, might have a beneficial effect.

The Water Supply meeting last evening lapsed for want of a quorum, Mr Marshall and the secretary clone being present.

A calogbah states that the British are within fifteen miles of Cabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

The follwing letter appears in the Star (Auckland):—Sir,—ls it a fact that through the cheese-paring of those who have the management of the Pumping Association the big pumps are likely to remain unworked for an inde6nite period. I am informed that such is the fact. I really thick that those who have adopted the responsibility of, carrying on operations should be made either prove they took all the necessary precaution to guard against the present lamentable collapse of the pumps, or failing that, pay the amouut that is necessary to make the machinery as effective as when they accepted it.—Yours, &c, Diveb.