THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 896, 21 March 1878, Page 3

THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNOR.

Sib, —Our new fledged Council have been and gone and done it. At a meeting of the collective wisdom of Hamilton, on Monday evening last, a piece of the most unblushing toadyism was perpetrated—to wit, the empowering themselves to lay out £2O for the purpose of giving our Mayor and Councillors an opportunity of displaying their dignity before Her Majesty's representative, who contemplates paying this district a visit in a few days. All honor, say I, to three Councillors, viz., Messrs * Hume, Coates, and Gardiner, who withstood to the best of their ability a covert insult to a great and good man, who cams amongst us a short

time ago, and not a shilling spent to welcome him. I allude to Sir George Grey. A man, sir, whom I make bold to say has done more good for this portion of the North Island than all the governors put together who have held sway over New Zealand. I think the Council has shown a great amount of temerity in authorising this sum,.knowing that this is openly and avowedly a Grey constituency, and that, too, to fete a man who is a proclaimed enemy of the present Ministry, and a partisan of the Canterbury run holders. I ask, sir, what chance will this Council have of getting its interests looked after at head-quarters when this reaches Sir George Grey's earsP Will His Excellency do it ? I trow not. He will take all he gets, and then snub the man who is fighting our battles afterwards. There is one effect it will have, it will enable our present Member to repay His Excellency in part for the kindness he did him in renewing the Canterbury leases. lam sure, sir, had the ratepayers been consulted on this matter it would have been vetoed by a large majority. This banquet to His Excellency certainly comes with a very bad grace after the impecunious manner Sir George Grey was treated during his tour through this district. However the latter may rest assured that he has the full confidence and respect of\ a large majority of this district, and that they do not endorse in any way the action of the Council in this matter.—l am, &c, A Ratepayer.

[bis Excellency is paying his first official visit to the district, and it is a duty the settlers owe to themselves, as much as to the Governor, to receive him in a manner Becoming the representative of Her Majesty. Their doing so can in no possible way be construed into a slight to Sir George Grey. It is not as a political advocate of this ministry or that ministry that the to arquis of Normanby comes to Waikato, but as the representative of .the Crown in New Zealand. As regards the Canterbury leases, Parliament (and not the Governor) renewed them.—En. W.T.]

Sib, —You are such a nice man and always write so nicely about us that 1 am sure you will publish my letter. Now I must tell you that Pa told me to work so hard to get our present Mayor into office, as he was sure he would give such a nice ball in case of his being elected, I have been anxiously waiting for our dear old Mayor to move in the matter, and, when Pa came home to-night, and told me that ihe Mayor was getting up a banquet to receive the Governor at which wc women were not to be admitted I just went and had a good cry. .Now, 1 am quite sure that our good plucky old Mayor only wants to be shown a good line of couutry to take his fences properly. We have all got our dresses ready that we used at the race ball, and no one will know that we have worn them before, and I am quite sure ihe dear old man if he will not let us come to the banquet will finish the days festivities with a hop in the evening. The room will be beautifully decorated; and if we wanted any relreshment there would be plenty left from the banquet and as I secured lor him at least twenty bachelors votes and have never danced with the Marquis or his Aide-Camp, I hope he will give my suggestion his most distinguished consideration.—P.S. I have seen Matilda, Evangeline, and Florence, and if music is not forthcoming we will play ourselves.—Your sincere admirer.—Olaea Yeee De Yeee.