THE GOVERNOR'S RETIREMENT

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1902, 10 September 1874, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR'S RETIREMENT

[HEW ZEALAND TIMES, 25TH VL?,] The intelligence that His Excellency the Governor, Sir JamesFergussonhasresigned his position, will be received with regret by many persons in this Colony. Sir James, itwillberecolleeted, was a captain of the Grenadier Guardsin 1854, and after ■winning his lanrela on the blood- stained heights of tho Alma, left the army in 1855. He represented the County of Ayr in the Imperial Parliament from December, 1854, until April, 1859, and from October, 1859, to 1868, From June 1866, to July, 1867, he was Under-Secretary for India, and from July, 3867, till August, 1868, he was Under-Secetary for the Home Department. Then he was appointed Governor of South Australia, and was sworn in a member of the Privy Council. From this it will be seen that in the opinion of the leaders of his party at Home, he was qualified to hold high office. That he should have elected to send in his resignation as the Governor of this Colony is not altogether a surprise to those who have studied the course of politics. The Conservatives have, on more than one occasion, been compelled to put men into office who would not compare in ability with Sir James Fergusson. Mr G. Ward Hunt, once Chancellor of the Exchequer, and now First Lord of the Admiralty, is an instance of this. As Governor of South Australia Sir James incurred the dislike af the " tinpot " politicians of that Colony, but he was held in high estimation by all classes who were fitted by education, ex- | perience, or birth, to appreciate a statesman, nobly born, when they saw him. There the scope was too small for him. Although it was open to him, in his high position, to encourage and advocate public ■works of a most valuable description, such asthe telegraph line across the Colony, he must have felt himself powerless to accomplish much that he willingly would. Private works of a charitable character, calculated to advance the interests of the commuuity, found in him a generous and willing advocate. When he left, in two speeches he made, the one at a dinner in celebration of the opening of the Transcontinental Telegraph Line, and the other at a banquet given in his honor — speeches which were reprinted in every newspaper of note in Australia and New Zealand — he acquired a reputation that time could not efface, and that, gained him the estimation of many who had been in the habit of speaking against him. Before his arrival here he had expressed his opinion of the grand scheme of public works in process of accomplishment in this Colony. He admire it as being not one composed of isolate features, but as being integral. That he should leave the Colony so soon after coming to it is a matter for the regret of intelligent persons. Hitherto he has been principally occupied in making himself acquanted with our complicated political institutions and the natural features of New Zealand. Doubtless, in process of time, his riper experience would have been of immense value. Also he would, in social circles, have exerted an influence that could not but be beneficial. That he preferred New Zealand to any Colouy in the Australasian group is pretty well understood ; and it is simply a matter of public notoriety that he has openly expressed his high approbation of the great schemes of the Premier for rendering New Zealand the Greater Britain of the South. He leaves the regret, tempered by the consideration that he will in all probai blity, be able, whilst in high office at Home, to use his energies for its advancement, to a greater extent than at the present time. The exigencies of parties must be considered ; and it may well be understood that if the Conservatives, who have, in all probability, a long lease of power before them, required the service of Sir James Fergusson, he would consider it his duty \p obey a summons, even if indirectly onveyed.