The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3736, 6 July 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1883.

Sin Geokoe Ghey tested the strength of his following on Wednesday night at the division taken for the second reading of his Constitution Act Amendment Bill. Of thick and thin supporters Sir George can count ten, and amongst these arc to bo found Mr J. Buchanan and Mr W. C. Smith, respectively the members for, but we venture to think not the representatives of, Napier and Waipawa. Mindful of the pledges that he gave the electors, when he owed his position at the head of the poll to the votes of his former opponents, Mr Buchanan, last session, outwardly abstained from exhibiting himself in the light of a tool of Sir George Grey's. At one time he gave promise of being an independent member, voting and .speaking as conscience might dictate. Up to the date of the prorogation there were very few amongst those who had heljicd to put Lim into the House who experienced any deeidod fueling of dissatisfaction a,i his actions in Parliament. It was, indce:l, some cause for congratulation that of three evils the choice in his selection had been the least. No one wiis more fully aware than Mr Buchanan that his election Avas regarded as one of necessity, and that the overwhelming majority that he obtained was a protest agi/inst the candidature of those others who had presumed to stand for the representation of this borough. In returning thanks for his election Mr Buchanan pledged his honor that it would be his best desire fo truly represent this constituency, and it was hoped that, linking old animosities and purely personal feelings, the newly elected member Avould prove true to his word. Knowing as he did that it whs owing entirely to the support he received from the anti-Grey party in Napier that ha obtained the summit of his ambition, it might have been ihought that Mr Buchanan would have observed, for a short three years, the political decency to have remained independent. It was scarcely too much to have expected that he at least would have refrained from joining a lender tivJio.sc .sentiments on general political questions have nothing in common with those mainly held in this constituency. During the rccosh, • however, it became cl,ear thatMr Buchanan's independence was only good for twelve months. It was, apparently, necessary to his happiness to have some political object of worship, and on looking around he could find none other god but Sir George Grey. It pleased his chief to remain silent, and, in the languago of the cricket field, Mr Buchanan was stumped. He was forced to j refuse to meet his constituents, because ho had notiiinif to s.'iy ; he had not received his cue from his loader, and as an out-and-out partizan he had to get his orders from Kawau before acting. In Mr Buchanan we have a member who neither represents

himself nor the constituency that elected him. He is Sir George's shadow, and whether it is to turn the constitution of tho coloiry topsy-turvy, or hand over the native lands to a private company, whatever crotchet may enter the brain of Sir George Grey to dodge or worry tho Government, there will bo found his humble and obedient servant the member for Napier to help him.