The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3840, 24 June 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1891.

Tuere has been asolema ceremony m tbe Empire City in honor of that Buperb graven image Sir George Grey. One would think that after his Australian tour Sir George would be sick of toffee, but bis appetite for it was as keen as ever when the Wellington Trade and Labour Council did obeisance to him on Monday evening in the Opera House. Sir George as usual was attended by a pair of lacquies supplied by an auxioas Ministry, and a chorus of adulative M.H.R.'s. Mr McLean, on behalf of the Unions, presented an address, and expressed the love tbey felt for the grand old man, and the latter recj procated the tender sentiment, and in the course of his gushing speech expressed his belief that "out of New Zealand would come great, wise and good men who would do a great part in bringing about a change in the social condition of the people." Now it is just on this point we should like to join issue with o\ir most splendid of graven images, by reminding hipi that he has been training public men for tha last twenty years, and ask him to point out a single great, wise or good one that, he has turned out yet. We Lave, known many who have been near his person and who havis enjoyed his confidence, but such a set of cringers, crawlers and sycophants we never saw in attendance on any other public men. Sir George may himself be an-object of venera-j tion, but his discipleß are unlikely to command reverence, and indeed fitted to act as good emetics. Perhaps Sir George is cautious in promising the great, wise and good men only in future, and in the immediate" present comxntraftng m himself all the available wisdom,! goodness and greatness. If, judging from incipient signs, there is one member pf the party likely in some distant future to also become an idol it must be Mr Lawyer Hutchison, who, on thlspcpaaion declared that people were falling into theljue of march, and "those who Jigtened j might hear above the tumult of many voices the sound of men marching onward to the dawn." This is no doubt £ne, but if a member of the legal profession indulges in sentiment of this kind, eyen though he niay have borrowed it from a distinguished i American poet, he roast not expect to pickup many ax and eigbfcpences. The meeting was most enthusiastic, the graven image was properly worshipped, and even a little superfluous adoration was bestowed on the Ministry which was strongly represented at the jjatbering, and which sppearea to be standing on its hind legs begging for a share of the recognition whiflh was lavished so abundantly on iia master-.tbe popular idol.