THE GOVERNOR.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 417, 15 February 1890, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR.

Gisborne is not troubled much about the Governors of New Zealand. It is a very rare occasion indeed when we have the opportunity of seeing one here, and for all that we trouble ourselves about them whoever happens to be in office might as well have his residence on Stewart Island for anything we should care about it. But Lord Onslow has got more originality or practicability than to be bound by the old belief that the Governor is meant specially for Wellington and not for New Zealand. Windy Wellington perhaps has so many seamy sides that it is sadly in need of an ornament to freshen it in the minds’ eye, but if that city wishes to persist in >ts claim to His Excellency’s continued residence there it should be prepared to bear the cost of his salary. It is contemptible to think of the petty jealousy the Wellington people show in this matter, and for any loyal New Zealander to read the comments the Wellington papers made on the celebration of the 29th January, as the date of the Jubilee, he must have entertained a very poor opinion of the tone of the Press in the “ Empire City.” In an article urging that the Governor should be considered as a New Zealand official the Lyttelton Times says:—Before the Onslows entered Government House everything was supposed to be on the best sanitary footing. After the outbreak of the disease, various attempts were made to account for it, without success. Nothing thorough would have been done but for the Governor’s own suggestion, which was to remedy the bad system of drainage round about Government House, and appoint a commission of experts to examine into the whole question and report. The alterations suggested have been completed some little time, but the commission has only just presented its report. That report is, it is an open secret, a strong confirmation of the natural fears of His Excellency, and a strong justification of the absence of His Excellency and family from Wellington for the full period. In this particular case the absence is justified amply by sanitary considerations. Obviously, Governors do not come to these colonies for the purpose of being poisoned by sewer gas. There is a further reason in the special circumstances of the Jubilee year, which has been signalised by three celebrations all requiring the Governor’s presence, and, of course, all at different places. Typhoid fever, then, and the Jubilee celebrations, have broken through the bad rule by which the capital has obtained a monopoly of the Govenor’s presence. In many other colonies the capital is the real cen tre and focus of everything. But our capital is not the centre of the colony. We have many centres of commerce, of politics, of thought, even of origin. It is not right that the representative of the Sovereign, who is equally honored by all, should be monopolised by one of them. We live, however, in times of change. As we have lately seen, there is a great change coming over the spirit of the people in Australia. The times are there changing and the people with them from loyalty to disloyalty, from solidarity with the Empire to separatism. The Queen’s representative shojild be in a position to be able to judge fior himself whether such a change is talcing place in this country. That can never be unless he spends a good part of his time in every part of the colony. During the session he may naturally' be expected to be in Wellington ; the political head should be at the political centre during the busy political time. During the rest of the year Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch ought all to have the Governor’s presence. Then only will the Governor understand the public opinion of the country ; then only will he be a reliable authority on the resources of the land, its products, its means, its destiny. And then, too, only will the people have an opportunity of keeping alive their loyalty by the presence of the Sovereign’s representative. It is for these reasons pleasant to see a Governor travelling about New Zealand. We hope now that the bad custom of the older time has been broken, it will ever remain honored in the breach. Lord Onslow, who has made the *great departure, has offended Wellington, but he enjoys the compensation of having pleased New Zealand.