MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1888. " SO MUCH FOR BUCKINGHAM."

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 103, 29 October 1888, Page 2

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1888. " SO MUCH FOR BUCKINGHAM."

The supposition that the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos may possibly may be the new Governor of New Zealand recalls the faots of his former official connection with this colony. Hia nanio is associated with some momentous inoidents in its history, and in 1867 ho was by no means very popular here. He succeeded the Earl of Carnarvon as Seoretary of State for the Colonies at a time when a serious dispute was raffing between the Colonial Office and the thou Governor, Sir George Grey, arising out of the differences between the Governor and the Imperial military officers then in command in the colony. A very strong feeling oxisted regarding the conduot of the latter, especially in regard, to certain slanderous statements made by Colonel Weave, C.8., and, as the Legislative Counoil in 18G7 declared, the action of the then Secretary of State for tho Colonies wa3 felt to bo "calculated to impair the authority of Her Majesty's representative in this colony, to preju^ico the best interests of Her Majesty's service, and to cause injustice to Her Majesty's loyal subjeots of both races in New Zealand." Sir George Gkey as Governor sided entirely with the people, and was, in the language of the address afterwards presented to him by Parliament, unwearied " in his efforts to proteot the constitutional rights of New Zealand and to defend its character," and in doing this he used a warmth of language in bis despatches wbioh was most strongly resented by the Colonial Offioe, and which he was called on to withdraw. This he in a measure did, but bofore his explanations reached Home tho seals of tho Colonial Office had passed to the Duke of Buckingham ; and it was he who, writing on the 18th June, 18G7, acknowledged reoeipt of the dispatch addressed to his prodecessor, at the same time informing Sir Gkorge Grey that he might by nest mail expect to learn the name of his successor as Governor of Now Zealand. This action on the part of the new Seorotary of Stato for the Colonies rendered it, as the Hon. Major Richardson, speaking in tho Council, subsequently said, "impossible to avoid the conclusion that this snperoession ia owiugto Sir George Gbbt's earnest defence of the honour of the Crown which he represented, and the honour and rights of tho colonists whioh he was commissioned to guard." Further on the lion, member declared it to be " abundantly evident" that the aotion of the Secretary of State was intended as a punishment of Sir George Gbst. Similar language was used in the House of Representativesby tho Premier, Mr. Stafford, and by many members of both Chambors, oaoh of which formally thanked Sir Gbobg* Grey for his conduct; and a suggestion made during' one of the debates in the Council, by the Hon. Mr. Holmes, that the Duke of Buckingham having only just taken office could not justly be held responsible for the treatment accorded to the colony and its

Governor, was very coldly received. It was felt that in practically punishing Sir Geobqx Gret for having stood up for the colony as he had done, the Duke of Buckingham accepted all the responsibility for his predecessors' action, and the general opinion entertained, coincided with that emphatically expressed by the Hon. Major Bichabdbon, that " it was hopolesß to expect justice even at the hands of Her Majesty 'b Secretary of State for the Colonies. " The name of His Grace of Buckingham and 'Chandos was' therefore in exceedingly bad odour in New Zealand from the v^ry moment that his appointment to the Colonial Office was known, and his subsequent action ia regard to the final removal of the Imperial troop 3 from tho colony certainly ;did not tend to restore him to popular favour. It is rather singular that now, after a lapse of 21 years, he should be spoken of as a possible successor to Sir Geoegk Gbet in the ofneo from which he removed the latter for taking the part of the colony, which now he may himself bo entrusted with the government of. Naturally, timo has done much to allay tho bittirneßS of the feeling which formerly existed so generally throughout New Zealand on this matter; and, alas, many of those who were most inlimately associated with the t-tirrintr events of that timo have pa-scd from amongnt n», but it may bo doubted whether all feo'iug on tho subject has absolutely dcd away. Sir Geoege Gbet, we imagine, would not particularly care to see the Duke of Buckingham filling his own former office, and the relations between them would probably be the reverse of cordial if tho Duke came here, and Sir Gbobob Gbbt either remained in or returned to the oolony. If we are to have the Duke of Buckingham as Governor, it is perhaps as well that Sir Geoege Geet is likely to be absent, for a time at leagt.