THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DALY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3471, 9 February 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DALY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1880.

The address delivered by Sir G. Grey on Saturday night was one of the most finished and interesting that he has delivered for some time, and while the speaker touched largely upon local matters he referred to subjects fraught with interest to every colonist in New Zealand. There was no hesitancy in his utterances, and his programme for the future was stated in plain unmistakable terms. Whatever hope his political opponents may have cherished that the day of the Liberal leader was over, that disgust and annoyance at the treatment received at the hands of both professing friends and bitter speaking foes would induce him to cease his efforts for an un#rat%ful people and leave the arena of politics, he at once and for ever dispelled, when he stated that he would never desert his constituents until free democratic institutions prevailed throughout the*length of the land. Such institutions he remarked were at one time established in the country, but the party at present in power had succeeded in sweeping them away, but in New Zealand would he remain until similar ones were granted to its people. Such statements prove that our member is not the man to be disheartened by one, or even a dozen defeats when his cause is just, his object for the common good, and his enemies those of the people. These utterances will be read with interest throughout the colony, and will no doubt have the effect of invigorating and reanimating the members of the Liberal party, so that the next session of Parliament may see a consolidated and welidefined'party, whose object will be to introduce truly [liberal measures; to lessen the taxation payable by working classes ; to make the burdens of the State press more evenly on each inhabitant; while property will be made to contribute its fair proportion. Sir George Grey at great length reviewed the work of the session, the position of parties at the commencement, and the causes which led to the downfall of his Government; the object that he had in view in attempting to gain the Christchurch seat, the illegality of the .decision of the committee which unseated him, and his determinations to have the matter again before Parliament were all'referred to. The efforts of the late Government to see justice done the Thames in the matter of the railway, the harbour, and other local requirements were mentioned, and the future steps that as a Thames representative he intended to take. Referring to the legislation of the last session Sir George Grey characterised some of the measures as ill-advised, principally the Property Tax, the provisions of which he explained, the increase of the Customs duty,- which added so much to the burdens of the poorer classes, and several other matters of vital importance. We shall again refer more particularly to the salient points of the speech, which altogether was one of the most forcible and valuable of the efforts of such a polished speaker as Sir George Grey.