THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1125, 8 September 1882, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI- WEEKLY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1882.

No one could accuse Sir Arthur Gordon of being a success as Governor of this Colony, and a less popular ruler has seldom ever represented the Crown in this or any other Colony. Ever, since his nomination something has gone wrong. At the very outset, he delayed a long time after his appointment before, coming to New Zealaud, and there >v»s consequently a considerable interregnum, during which time the Chief Justice, as usual in such cases, administered the Government in the absence of a Governor, inec then, he went on a cruise to the Fijis in const(|Ufiice of his control o\er that c-lony not having ceased, and his fultilliiigdual functions in the, Pacitie (^s^||^? l ?<jw Zealand.- TfiSt? excursion, nowe.vcr, was a most fortunate one for tin; Colony, for it enabled,, the Ministry 'to achieve their celebrated Parihaka coup d'etat which would probably have been prevented had he not been fortunately absent. Now he has gone home in disgust, and though still nominally holding office, it is well known that his connection with the Colony is finally severed.In the meantime, the Imperial Government do not trouble themselves to appoint a successor, they seem to think that we can get on as well without a Governor as with one, and perhaps they are right. At the same time it is rather dangerous to allow this idea to take root, for some day or other action might be initiated towards j dispensing with vice-royalty, as at present existing, altogether. There are numbers of people who, whilst loyal to the backbone and appraising at their full value the advantages of the connection with the mother country, still would be glad to have a { change in this respect and abolish the present mode of appointing a Governor. Sir George Grey has boldly declared his opinion that all Governors should be elected by the colonists tljey are called on to rule over. Whether this is or is not desirable may be questioned, but there are many Ivolding the same views on the subject, and the neglect shown latterly in this direction will do much to confirui-them. Recently Mr Thompson, member for the Clutha, tabled a notice of motion in the House of Representatives, as follows : — "That in the opinion of this House the protracted absence of the Governor from the Colony is unconstitutional and discourteous to the Colony and fraught with* serious consequences to the Mother Country, and to the Colonies generally, and to this Colony in particular ; that the Secretary of State for the Colonies should either request the Governor to return immediately to the Colony, or should cancel lug appointment, and that in future appointments the Secretary of State for the Colonies should take care to appoint a Governor who will not absent himself from the Colony, especially when Parliament is in session ; that a respectful address be presented to the officer administering the Government, requesting him to forward the above resolution to the Secretary of State for the Colonies." It is improbable that, if brought on, it would be carried, but unquestionably the sentiments contained are shared in by a large number of colonists. The cost of a Governor, what with salary and a\ lowances, is not less, at the lowest

than £10,000 a year, find yet wo are slipping along quite comfortably, though deprived temporarily of that luxury, whilst paying less than a third of his expense. There is no anarchy or discontent created by our Governorless condition, and people may yet be convinced that an " officer administering the Government" as the Chief Justice is at present, fulfils all the ends that a brand new Governor from Downing-street could accomplish. Be that as it may, as long as the Constitution is unaltered, so long a period should not l>e allowed to elapse without an accredited representative of her Majesty being present in the Colony, and the notice of motion given by Mr Thompson, if it has no other effect, may at least wake up the Home authorities to prevent more lapses in this respect