THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRY-WEEKLY. MONDAY, MAY 17, 1880.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 17 May 1880, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRY-WEEKLY. MONDAY, MAY 17, 1880.

The e*-Pramter Sir George Grey, has delivered his long promised Philippic against tbe Government, and it is hardly too much to say that he has disappointed everybody, All we have yet seen of his address is a telegraphic summary appearing in the Hokitika morning paper, and it appears to be in great part taken up with personal defence, Upon the question of the policy of the Opposition, if we may so term it, he betrayed the utmost reserve, but whether this is to be attributed to the absence of any defined policy, or to design, is a matter for speculation. By announcement Sir George met the electors of Auckland on Tuesday last, in the Theatre Boyal. The building was crowded to excess, and amongst the members of the House present were Messrs Harris, Hamlin, Moss, Speight. Tole, Wallis, influential citizens, and representatives of all public bodies and friendly societies. Captain D.M'Keozie, the Chair* man of the Central Committee. Sir George commenced by saying that they had met to consider the state of tbe country and what was best for the people. He proposed to con' fine himself to the leading questions of the day, avoiding petty and per* sonal details. As inhabitants of what would be a great nation it was beneath their dignity to consider mat/ers of trifling importance, iiKxiewof those questions which, closely affected their highest interests, as well as those of other portions of tbe Empire. As the first European inhabitants of New Zealand, they would consider the platform in which was being built up laws and customs which would affect them* selves and their children's children. The greatest production of a country was ooble men and noble women, and what tbsy had pow to do was to plant suoh iostituM'ons as would produce nobility of character, public morality religious feeling, and fit the citizens fpr this world ani the nest, "Writers of history show that a nation might be moulded to anything by its institutions in its earlier history. They could now mould in lijce manner New Zealand to whatever they liked, or in whatever mode they thought fit. But there was great difficulty in doing so, after such institution were well grouded, as was ehown in the efforts to found a Republic after centuries of monarchial Government, but terrible as was the effects of the French Kevolution, it paved the way for a better state of thingf. The New Zealand constitution has lasted only 27 years, and without any adequate resistance, fchejp rulers had been permitted to swesp away one of the most perfect forms of self' government pny qountry ever enjoyed. At »H events, when ihom institution^ were taken af ay, the

people Bhould have seen to it, that they retained th« right of self-govern* ment instead of the despotism now prevailing. He saw in one of the journals a report of a speech by Sir William Vow, he emU »o* say if it was a correct one or not, in which that gentleman said the difference be* tween Sir George Grey's party and his, was that he (Pox) favored American institutions, while Grey was inclined to those of Franc*. To that statement he must give a flat denial. Hn never inclined to those views thus attributed to him and could not believe that the accusation had been seriously made. Fox was to have been the leader of his party, or Premier, after last election, They would hereafter know whether he was in favor of American institutions The President o* America was elected by the people and enjoyed a moderate income. In New Zealand they had a Governor nominated by the Crorn, enjoying an enormous salary. If he had to entertain a large number of people, or keep a grand style, it was necea« sary, bat what was the result of the system ? Through that flunkeyism which seemed to be inherent in human nature, every petty official or district magnate, felt bound in his degree to imitate tie Governor. This has brought; about a reckless extravagance which injured everyone. "With all due respect to the Governor and his office, he believed that the Governor onebt to be elected by themselves. The office ought to be an ambition to every worthy citizen, one to which he might final. y aspire. He saw no reason, for instance, why a son of Auckland, if duly qualified, should got fill it, TV Governor placed power in th* uands of those in office in Unla^'a, to damage England by awaking such prizes of patronage, to sycophants and depend* ante* In holdiug these views, was he not holding American statesmen's Pin America titles were unknown. In England no title could be given by the Crown without the advice of a Cabinet of Minister*, and instanced the case of William IV*" We think we have now sufficiently taxed the patience of our readers with the foregoing ex* tract from Sir. George Grey's speech. It will convey a very fair impression of the address as a whole, although it is perhaps a little more frothy than the concluding portion, which we may be tempted to reprint in a succeeding it* sue. , . ■-'"