Our Auckland Letter.
(FBOM OUB OWN COBBESPONDENT.)
Auckland, April 13th, SITTING ON THE RAIL AND JUMPING. '
The Waikato Mail has suddenly jumped into the foremost rank of Ministerial journals, and one is naturally forced to the conclusion that there must be an expectation of favors to come or some pieces of good fat in prospective for the present Editor and owner, Mr C. O. Montroset It must have been very galling to the " independence" of Mr Montrose to have had to write to order about the four Auckland rats during the session before last, when acting as correspondent for the Auckland Star in Wellington, and if it were only from motives of gratitude, if Mr Montrose has any, he ought to be one of the last newspaper men in the colony to commence what at present looks like a blind follower of Johnny Hall and Co. Thei'e must be a good deal of combined talent about the Cambridge district at present, judging from the style' of leaders which emanate from the 'we" of the Waikato Mail. In its last' issue the honorable member for Auckland City East has been honored with a leading article full of vindictive feeling, but devoid of a particle of reasoning, There is a Patetere trio in the city of the Waikato electorate just now, and no doubt this Executive Council can see the political future so clearly that with their assistance and advice the Mail is destined to become a great organ of public opinion, particularly in the matter of meagre reports about Patetere, and the immense advantage of land rings.
Official records of past v events are always reliable guides to estimate a public man, and see whether he has adhered toleading party lines, and so nothing can more clearly express what I want to convey than a man's own handwriting, I shall give your readers the telegraphic opinions of the present owner and editor of the Mail during the " suspense" period, when the question was whether we" should be governed by the present Premier and the management of a certain monetary institution, or the destinies of the Colony stilMbe continued in the hand's 7 of their grand old veteran, Sir George Grey. Your readers will bear in mind that Messrs Swanson, Hurst, Colbeck, and Wood, for reasons best. known to themselves, left their party, and when it was known in Auckland that these honorable (?) gentleman did so, there was a busy time for several days after in the telegraph office, numerous telegrams about the desertion of the four hourly reached the Auckland capital, and amongst them were the following from Mr Montrose at ,W-ellingifc; The leading feature, however, wa^jwr ardent and warm patriotism "shown bypp[r Montrose.when he despatched, his having inserted the ominous w^rd ' collecfr j-~©a, each— they are :— .
" Wellington, October 24,1879.
"Action Wood Swanaon Hurst raising fearful storm indignation against Auckland." Oba»o Nelson members'will desert Hall who' will probably bo defeated and Auckland fall between two stools. Raise pandemonium by public meetings.
" C. O. MONTBOSE." "Wellington, 0ct0ber29,1879.
"Auckland committing political suicide. Wood's action will bring disgrace on Auckland and defeat itself.
" 0. O. MOKTBOSE."
There must have been some grand festations since the editor of the Mail has s taken over hi 3 paper and changed.sides, and X simply hope that his policy.and the money party for whom he is now writing. to order may be doomed to disappointment and chagrin. Like many others I am afraid Mr Montrose will much regret his early and perhaps forced conversion, and say, in the language of the poet, "After all, it were better for me to stick to the party I know than work for the devil I don't know." Adieu, Mr Waikato Mail Editor, for the present. There are other spicy gems and interesting letters and telegrams connected with the rat business which, when published (and they certainly, will be), will not only astonish the' natives, but perhaps even the junior member for Auckland City West—W. J. Hurst.
ONE OF HI? EXCELLENCY'S MINI3TEBS
There is a nice story going the rounds about the late native chief Te Moananui and one of the members of the present Ministry, but for fear your journal would fun the risk of a criminal prosecution, I refrain from alluding in extenso to the details. It is the old adage "Thegreater the truth, the greater the libel." The whole of the facts, however, are, I understand, in the possession of Sir Q-eorge Grey, and I have no doubt but we shall hear further about the subject when the House meets for the despatch of business at Port Wick.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18810414.2.13
Bibliographic details
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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3836, 14 April 1881, Page 2
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769Our Auckland Letter. Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3836, 14 April 1881, Page 2
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