SIR GEORGE GREY AS GOVERNOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 72, 26 March 1888, Page 2

SIR GEORGE GREY AS GOVERNOR.

(To the Editor.)

Sib,—l have heard a good deal of discussion relative to the suggestion made in your leading article of the Evening Star of the 17th inst., that a popular movement should be initiated in the colony with a view to influencing Her Majesty to appoint Sir George Grey as Governor of New Zealand. As I consider your suggestion one of very great importance, not only to this colony, taut to all colonies, and as a number of objecbions to the course proposed have been advanced, which I think of very little weight, I venture through your columns to give expression to my own views with regard to the proposal. I think it right to do so more particularly as I believe some of my late election speeches in which I referred to Sir George Grey have been by many persons wholly misunderstood.

No man in the colony will be better pleased than I myself to see honour conferred upon one who has so completely identified himself with the people of this colony as Sir George Grey, and who has served them so well. My contention alit along has been that the House of Representatives does not afford Sir George Grey a fitting, or at least the most fitting sphere for the exercise of his peculiar and undoubtedly remarkable and valuable powers. I believe, however, that in the position of Governor he would exercise a largo and legitimate influence upon the administration and conduct of the government of this colony of the most valuable character ; and the position would be one of such hish honour, if obtained in the manner suggested in your columns, that it would be impossible, I should imagine, to be other than gratifying in the highest degree to Sir George Grey himself. Tho contemptible terms in which your morning contemporary speaks of the office of Governor as a position the occupant of which is a mere puppet, speaking and dancing to the wire-pulling of Ministers, is, I tlunk^ singularly inappropriate. It is only a person wholly ignorant of the large and real influence which Her Majesty exercises under constitutional government in England and which governors of colonies, if men of capacity, exercise over any and every administration, who could, possibly speak in terms so unfitting and insulting of the highest office in the colony. Your morning contemporary is scarcely more fortunate, and is certainly quite as far astray, in imagining that Sir George Grey, if placed in the position of Governor of New Zealand, would exercise the functions of his office in a partial and unsuitable mannoi.

I have never been, and I never will be, a follower of Sir George Grey as a politician, but I do him the justice to believe that lie would faithfully and impartially administer his government when Governor of the colony, and I will most gladly join with the efforts of others in bringing him honour.

If any committee or other body should be formed for the purpose of carrying out your suggestion, if agreeable to other members of the committee, I should be most happy to act with them in active support of the movement.

Apart altogether from the personal question relating to Sir George Grey, the constitutional effect of such a movement would, I think, be of the most important character. • -■•■ -;

I am utterly opposed to the proposal that our Governor? should be elected by popular vote. The idea of rival candidates appealing at the poll to the electors in support of their se veraloJaimstodistinction,laltogether disapprove of; but if we can find at any time a man (as in thecase of Sir George Grey we do find) whom tho members of all parties desiro to honour, and if the people of the colony humbly present their petition to the Crown for the appointment of such a man to the office of Governor, and such petition ie successful, a constitutional precedent will have been established the importance of which it is almost impossible to over-rate.

In conclusion, I may say that I quite agree with you in thinking tlmt the office of Governor, and not the office of AgentGeneral, is the best suited alike to the character of Sir George Grey and to the wants of the colony.—l am, etc., J. AITKEN CONNELL.

(To the Editor.)

Sib,—lt afforded me, and I believe thousands of others, the greatest pleasure when I read your splendid idea and grand leading article of Saturday, the 17th March, 1888, on the propriety of the people of New Zealand getting up a monster petition to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, begging her to reappoint Sir George Grey Governor of New Zealand, as a fit tribute of our grateful and well-deserved esteem.

' I have spoken of this matter, I may say, hundreds of times in private circles, but I am now fully gratified to see you, sir, wielding that powerful instrument which you hold in your hand, and which has shown to the people the power, they possess in the management of the public estate. As one of Auckland's first children (the first), I beg to say that I remember Sir George Grey first landing Jn Auckland as Governor of New Zealand, fend his shortly afterwards going to the Baiy of Islands to look after the war preparations and direction. And I well remember the ever memorable. Bth of May, 1845. What he did then stamped him on my mind, as a boy, to be the noblest man in tho world.

He next prepared constitutional laws for Now Zealand, and sent them to England for ratification, as he found the Imperial rule &> bo unsuitable to New, Zealand, and they were returned greatly mutilated. Sir George Grey sent them again to England, and also his commission. By this act he gained for us our present Constitution. In the year 1866, after the war was over, Sir George lived a retired life on the island of Kawau ; but again, at the call of the people, he allowed himself to be elected in the comparatively low position of Superintendent, at an immense loss to himself, viz., by accepting it he forfeited a greater money gain annually, in order to do good for this colony and its people. Sir George has since allowed himself to be elected for different constituencies throughout the colony, standing, I, may say, alone and single-handed, and he prevented many vicious Bills being passed, always strenuously opposing anything that would have been detrimental to the colony of New Zealand or its people. Again, the1 citizens cannot forget his philanthropy to the poor of Auckland, and his munificent gifts of his valuable library and his fine pictures to the Free Public Library and Art Gallery. I, sir, feel strongly that a grateful people cannot do less than invoke, by a monster petition, as proposed, Her Most Gracious Majesty to re-appoint Sir George Grey to the Governorship of New Zealand for the remainder of his life.

Many persons to whom I have spoken on this subject, since its appearance in your splendid leading article, fully conour, and hope that you will never let the matter rest until you have brought it to a successful issue.—l am,-etc., John P. Oakbs.