The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1574.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1484, 12 November 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1574.

For the canre that liieks dsfllitftnoe, For Uic TiroiiK thai nrolv re«Utaace, for f.ha future in the (Hotanue. Aid lh« g&cil that ttb cxv dn.

After all that has been semi-officially asserted, it now appears to be tiue that Sir Doaald McLean has been designated for the Governorship of Fiji. It is a remarkable feature in the present administration of the Government of New Zealand, tbat a certain Bet of newspaper hangers-on are deputed to give tbe lie direct to any thing and every thing official that leaks out prematurely. "When we first announced in New Zealand, on the information derived from our correspondents in Fiji, that a great Polynesian bubble, semipolitical, semi-commercial, was projected, the whole of the pack of Government beagles got into full cry, and ran our unhappy statement to earth. Yet it turned out that the information was perfectly corrcer, ar.d in a few months the world was called on to how down and worship the great golden Polynesian idol that Mr. A^ogel had set up. Pome months ago it was asserted tlinfc Mr. Vogel purposed taking another trip to England, and again the Government pack were in full cry. But Mr. Vogel is now on his way to England big with mighty project. And bo when it was stated a few weeks ago that Sir Donald McLean was to bo the first Governor of Fiji, the wink was given, and the Government pack of journalists were again on. the cry. It surely mutt be pleasant to some to thus do the ugly business of lying for the public good, but it should by this time of day be known what value is to be set on t hc.ic £f mi-c flicial and altogether illusory contradictions of the Government "press gang " We see by our to-day's telegrams from Wellington tbat the well-informed and outspoken Post gives confirmation to the report. "In well informed cirolea," says our contemporary "it is now generally understood that the Home Government has communicated with Sir Donald McLean on the subject; and that it is probable that he will accept tho honour proposed to I

be conferred oa bitn." Wo believe the elevation of Sir Donald will give general satisfaction, both to his friends and his opponents. No one with generous instincts can fail to be gratified at seeing a gentleman who, we understand, for a considerable period of his life occupied the humble position of wood-and-water Joey to the natives on one of the islands in Hauraki Gulf, now bearing a title of high honour, conferred by Her Majeßty, and about to be raised to the position of chief ruler and representative of Majesty in one] of the most interesting and promising dependencies of the British Empire. Such an illustration is worth a thousand homilies on what may be done by honest, persevering industry, and strong force of character. The guerdon of praise will be given to Sir Donald for this, even by those who feel as most now are beginning to feel, that he and his Native Department are an incubua under which New Zealand groans. We make all allowance for the difficulty of bringing down a war establishment with all its hungry hangers-on to a position consistent with present requirements, and to shake off the pensioned rebels whose rebellious instincts have been held in abeyance by keeping their stomachs full. But the removal of Sir Donald McLean to another and more honorable sphere, will give the opportunity to another hand of dealing with native affairs and a department that is not only an intolerable nuisance but a shame to our manhood and our civilization. We believe our Native Minister will make a good Governor of Fiji, and the experience which he has acquired as to the difficulty of shaking off savage pensioners on Government bounty will enable him to deal in a more equitable and manly way as between black and white. The elevation of Sir Donald McLean cannot fail to be beneficial to this colony, not only n the way just indicated, but in promoting {friendly and commercial relations of the moit valuable kind between New Zealand and the |Fijis and we very cordially wish long life, health, and prosperity to the King of the Cetmibal Island 3.