The Lyttelton Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1891.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 9431, 4 June 1891, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1891.

Sib Geoegb Geey has performed the difficult task of successfully appealing from the Australian representatives to the Australian public. In the Convention none so contemned, after the glamour of his first appearance, as he; in the subsequent popular assemblages none, on the other hand, so exalted. As to the first, it is an open secret, not alluded to in the public prints, but perfectly well understood by all who were at the Convention, that the representatives of Australia habitually referred to Sir George in terms such as have never been employed by his most bitter opponents in New Zealand. In the lobbies of the Parliament House, at Wellington, the worst enemies of Sir George Grey never forget his post greatness, and invariably preserve their respect for his present abilities. In the House many of his speeches are listened to with profound respect, and often it is admitted that he has enlarged horizons and thrown new lights. There is. moreover, a personal prestige about the veteran: which prevents even the most irreconcilable, not from criticising his acts and words that they do with vim and gusto always—but from doing so with violent contempt. Hatred there /may be, but contempt never. In the lobbies of the Convention there was nothing for him but contemptuous language. Men, to the sorrowful anger even of those political opponents of his who found themselves in Sydney, regarded him as a driveller and dotard. “Superfluous lags the veteran" was the only sentiment inspired in their minds by his really great history. In, the Convention his speeches were the signal for a fleeing as from the wrath to come; and as the men fled they muttered remarks much the reverse of complimentary. , All this in the popular assemblages is changed. The Convention was the decorous, serious pioce preceding the pantomime. Now,, nothing can be heard but roars of applause, clapping of hands, popular demonstrations of all kinds, while the old voice we knew so well here rises into the air in the old cadence with the strong sentences smoothly flowing; the polished, pure English language caressing the ear, the warm periods going straight to the humanheart. Dotage I Nodotardcould have produced such effects, even by diligent parrot-study of the most stirring orations on record. The Australian proletariat is without reverence as without knowledge. But it is keen and it . is eminently fair. It knew nothing of Sir George Grey’s career—except., of course, in Adelaide—it was incapable of capitulating to any shadow of a name; it was, at the same time, perfectly aware of the poor opinion held by its representatives regarding the man. Probably it entertained the poorest opinion off its representatives—in most oases the only opinion they deserve. But it determined to judge Sir George Grey for itself. Sir George was given a fair hearingmore than was accorded to Mr M'Millan, the Treasurer of New South Wales. The latter was groaned down at his meeting for no other reason than that the people refused to hear about Federation, the subject on which Mr M’Millan hid undertaken to talk to them. “ One-man-one-vote” was the text of Sir George’s orations, and Sir George captured the masses with the ease and completeness of success which marked bis stumping campaign of 1878, the first occasion of his introduction to the masses in New Zealand. The _furfcher:resalt o.

the fortunes of the Parkes Government and Australian Federation it is difficult to foresee. But at present it is clear that, owing to Sir George Grey, “ one-man-one-vote ” stops the way of everything in Australia. Every politician who contemned in the Convention, from Sir Henry Parkes downwards, confesses it in every word that ho utters, and every act that he * proposes to do. Sir Henry makes a promise to introduce a Bill to abolish plural voting. His numerous critics protest because the Commonwealth Bill does not propose to establish single voting, and on all sides there is a rush for the “ one-man-one-vote.” The Convention dispersed openly expressing undisguised contempt for Sir George, after having refused him his one-man-one-vote, as impracticable, irregular, ill-advised and incompatible with anything and everything. Immediately the silver voice, weak with age, strong in its cause, proclaimed aloud the one-man-oue-vote. There was a noise of multitudes in determined revolt. Straightway the shallow politicians turn with their usual facility, and race for the newly-opened goal. What a month ago was impracticable, irregular, ill-advised and incompatible with anything and everything, is now the dearest object of their souls, the guiding star of their political existence, the one thing they are content to live for, and, if politicians ever died for a cause, to die for. It is a great tribute to the power of Sir George Grey. We in New Zealand know him well. We know that this kind of success is the very sort of success which he is most fitted to command. As a popular tribune in a strange country among a strange people, without any political responsibility. Sir George is without a rival. His is the force which carries multitudes over to the side of the more practical men ready to carry out great reforms. When it comes to the details of great things, the prosaic part of great works, it is invariably found that the line drawn by Nature in the path of the old man eloquent has been passed. Whereupon Sir George subsides into a position, such as we have described in the opening of these lines. When he returns among us,, he will come to his pla.ee in the House not as the popular tribune of 1878 in New Zealand, 'and 1891 in Australia, but as the statesman who has missed his chance from 1879 to the present hour. Ira other words, he will return as the man who has, while preserving power within limits for good, ces.aed to be a disturbing element in <vur politics.