SIR GEORGE GREY INTERVIEWED.

Evening Star, Issue 9472, 17 August 1894, Page 1

SIR GEORGE GREY INTERVIEWED.

[From Our Special Correspondent.]

London, June 30.

“ There is a statement going the rounds of some of the newspapers, Sir George, that you will not return to New Zealand. May I ask if you intend to settle in London “ Oh, they think I am going to die here, t suppose.” I expressed a strong hope that they would have no reason to expect such a contingency for many years to come. “ No,” he replied, in a tone of philosophic resignation, “ I cannot expect to live much longer, but though I may prolong my stay here over the summer months, I think I shall hardly care to face an English winter. If the Gothic is in London when I make up my mind to leave, and her date of departure suits, I may return by that vessel, but at present I have decided nothing on that subject. At present I am here to impress my views on the minds of the leading men, especially on the great questions of local self-government and the federation of the English-speaking people.”

COMING MAGAZINE ARTICLE. “Imay tell you,” continued Sir George, “ that I have written an article expressing my views at some length on these important subjects, and setting out the details of my kcheme, and that the article will shortly appear in one of the magazines. I don’t know whether I should be justified at present in mentioning the title of the magazine, but you will know all about it in good time.”

ONE MAN ONE VOTE. “ I remarked that I found a very inadequate idea of the magnitude of these questions of federation and local self-government in the minds of many educated persons in England whom I had met.” “ That,” said Sir George, “is because the struggle for existence here is so keen, and the paramount idea in the minds of a vast majority of the people is how they are to live from day to day, or month to month. In regard to taxation and many other matters 1 do not think they will reach any terminal point unless they secure the principle of one man one vote. That was what I strongly impressed on the minds of the people in Sydney, but they have gone away from ray advice, and are being led into labor struggles and complications which obscure and retard the main issue. That was the danger I foresaw in New Zealand when I carried the Land Act, the most liberal of the kind in the -world, and the most just as regards the unearned increment. The main principle enunciated was that while we declared that the unearned increment derived from expenditure or improvement outside the individual owner’s personal efforts was public property, the improvements by a man’s own energy or capital were left untouched. That Act only remained in force for two years. It was cunningly swept away by the substitution of a property tax. Then I saw that the remedy for this was one man one vote. Under that system, when once a step has been gained and a reform effected, there is no going back ; it cannot be snatched away. That is what 1 wanted the people of New South Wales to bear in mind, but they seem to have forgotten it, and now their progress is clogged by labor troubles.”

THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT CARNOT. “ What inference have you drawn, Sir George, from the assassination of President Carnot?”—“lt is horrible. Bat it shows that the Anarchists will exact terrible revenge for any of their number who are put to death. These men have no fear of death, and if they would direct their energies in some wiser direction they would rise to the position of heroism. At present they only retard progress. I agree with an excellent article in the ‘Chronicle,’ that the true remedy for Anarchism is not increased severity, but an extension of the principles of democracy. Even the laboring classes are enraged at the violent methods adopted by the Anarchist#, which increase doss animosities and retard legitimate reforms. Bub I regard Anarchism as only a temporary craze, which will wear itself out in time, and it will never find much favor with the Anglo-Saxon people—or rather the Englishspeaking people, as my American friend would always have it—because they have been accustomed by ages of training and education to follow peaceful and more lasting and effectual methods of reform.” The arrival of a distinguished visitor interrupted further conversation. But 1 am pleased to be able to add that I found the veteran statesman in excellent health and spirits, and that be had quite recovered from his recent cold. In fact, bis geniality, sprightliness, and excellent., voice carries me book to the memory of- bis old vigor when he was in the thick of the political conflifct nearly a score of years ago.