THE ENGLISH PRESS ON SIR G. GREY AS PREMIER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5020, 18 December 1877, Page 5

THE ENGLISH PRESS ON SIR G. GREY AS PREMIER.

The Tim's says :—lt is a somewhat singular position which Sir George Grey has now assumed. That an ex-Governor should descend contentedly to the rank of a private citizen and should 2*ise on his merits to the Premiership is an incident of politics not likely to recur very frequently, it is almost as if the Commauder-m-<Jhief of an army were to quit his post and enlist as a private soldier, and were to be promoted subsequently to a leading staff appointment. He would be well qualified, 110 doubt, for such a place, but his holding it might be a source of some embarrassment both to those under whom he was to act and to himself. We hope this analogy will not hold good in the preseiit caseSir G. Grey's career as a colonial governor has been a very remarkable one. In Western Australia, at the Cape, aud in Xew Zealand he has had to deal with '* the Native Question" in many forms, and he has always shown himself equal to tho.dilfitiulfc task. There has been no governor more popular among the natives of the colonies he has ruled. On more than one occasion, when native troubles have cropped up after his departure, he has been lixed upon, almost as a matter of course, and sent back again to quiet them. His work on the Polynesian Mythology contains good proof, direct and indirect, of the pains he took to tit himself for what he deemed the imperative duties of his governorship. Not lightest among these was a perfect acquaintance with the language of his native subjects. When he lefo Sew Zealand and settled down finally, as it was supposed, in England, it was scarcely possible to help feeling how great a pity it was that all his studies should have been thrown away, or should have borne fruit only in the past. What mark, however, he is likely to make in his new post as Premier is another question. He comes to it with high antecedents, but not, perhaps, with just the kiud of antecedents which may now be thought most necessary for it. The administrative policy to which he stands committed is, to say the least, an exceedingly doubtful one, aud one which the course of last year's legislation has rendered more doubtful than ever. But Sir George Grey may, perhaps, content himself with modifying in detail what he will not attempt radically to alter. It is likely enough to be some temporary back current which has carried him into odice ; aud, as home experience shows us, those who take ofiiee in such circumstances must be satisfied not to govern, and must often keep in the back ground their most distinctive party principles. The European Mail has the following : — The New Zealand Ministry having been defeated, Sir George Grey has been called upon to form a Government . In some quarters it is regarded as a down for a man who has served his Sovereign in the capacity of Governor to accept the Premiership even of such a progressive colony as New Zealand, but to a mau of progress nothing could be more gratnful than promotion to a post which depends upon the good will of the people, and wo feel sure that Bir George, without bating oue jot of loyalty, will regard his present position as second to none in the gift of t>'C Crown. Some time ago those who were opposed to him in politics, took occasion to ; make his opposition to the abolition of the Provinces Bill appear in an eccentric light, and Sir George was reported to have said many things at that time wliieh those who knew him could scarcely reconcile with good sense ; but however that may be, it is j at an} r rate now certain that a persistent ! advocacy of the views of his party has brought him into power, and this being so, there are a good many here and in the colonies who are anxious to See what he will do with it. With the sole exception, perhap, of Sir George Grey, we doubt whether there are many ex-Cape Governors who could work themselves £up to a similar position in South Africa. Sir George, who is now sixty-five years old, is still young enough to be very useful to his adopted country.