THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1884.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7008, 3 May 1884, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1884.

The departure of Sir George Grey for the South yesterday carries withitsomo very important issues both for himself and the colony. It will depend rery much on the way he deals with the discordant elements he will immediately be brought into contact with, whether hs be reponed as acknowledged chief of the Opposition, and also whether he retain and increase or lose the influence he now possesses. One thing is certain, that the political non-contents in the South Island are eagerly expecting him, a"nd look to him rather than to any local leader to become the CoryphEsas of their hepea. So far as Christchnrch is concerned tils was made manifest enough at the meeting lately addressed by Major Atkinson, and the Dnnedin Opposition organ has openly declared that the only chance the Opposition has of becoming a. strong body, capable of formulating a policy, lies is Sir George placing himself at its head. There are, however, serious difficulties attendant on that position at the present moment, which, veteran politician as he is, are not likely to escape Sir George's eye. In placing himself at the disposal of the Christchnrch people he must accept the disability of being helclto espouse their clamour against the new railway tariff; while similarly in Donedm he' must needs adopt as bis own the programme of the Constitutional Association. It may, of course, be alleged that feta ebullition of feeling which boiled orei in Canterbury North on the occasion of the new tariffs enforcement was only temporary ; that it was simply the last straw which made the endurance previously strained by cumulative grievances snddenly develop into resistance; and that decentralisation is really what is wanted there. Of the accuracy of the explanation we take leave to express our doubts, bat even granting it to be true, Sir George Grey would not thereby, on becoming tho champion of Canterbury, escape serring himself heir to the antagonism which the tariff awakened there against the Ministry} Do or say rrhat he might, hs would most certainly in other parts of the colony be identified with Canterbury in that parti- ! cular, and to that extent would imperil his influence in these directions. And then 1 as respects the Constitutional Association I programme, though it may be contended ; thai Sir George Grey is not necessarily committed to that, by espousing in a \ general nay the cause it advocates, it is nevertheless true that oa the subject of decentralisation, feeling in Dunedin is running so strong that in assuming its lead he must either do so specifically or notatalL . What they do fear there is that he will content himself with generalities and not condescend on details which they might deem essential to success. The Morning Herald accurately gauges the situation when it says tha? in the present circumstances of the colony " the programme of the association becomes an Opposition programme." It now foresees what we some time ago pointed out, that, the character of the political movements, which have been lately initiated ip Canterbury. and Otago, is such that it is certain to induce a conflict between these ; two provinces on the one side and nearly all the rest of the colony on the other. The issue of such a conflict could not long re- ! main doubtful, and the only possible deliverance from the present political yoke which it can discern is in Sir George Grey's ability to effect an understanding t between Otago and Auckland. Coold these two extremes of the colony be brought to agree on a common policy m regard to local self-government, the other districts could easily be managed, and decentralisation would carry the day 8* tha polU There can be no doubt about the wisdom of the course thus suggested. The question is, can it with prudence be adopted, and if adopted would it be attended with success? Tα neither of these questions do circumstances warrant an affirmative answer. The truth of the matter is that both at Christchurch and Dunedin the game has been played too high. The demands made by the people of these centres have, in their bearing on the rest of the colony, been ungenerous and unfair; and their resistance to the Ministry was so overdone that the Ministry have virtually appealed from them to the electors in the other portions of the colony, and these regarding the Ministry as mar tyre, for championing their interests, are generally disposed to rally round them. This fact admits of little or no dispute, and tna political candidate who either despises or ignores it, will commit a serious mistake. In Dunedin and also in Christchurco t " they are neither despising nor ignoring it. In the former place especially, they have become fully alive to the disadvantage which their political excesses ha-

dreated for them, and they now: naturally look to Sir George Grey to effect for them an escape from the defeat which already it seems to. threaten, them with. Will Sir George undertake this much for them_ with its attendant risk? That question he mast answer for himself. All we say-at present is that they don't deaeiveiit.; in their anxiety for an escape from the complications with which - they find themselves surrounded, some of the Dunedin politicians, represented by the Otago Daily Times, are soliciting the advice 'of another veteran statesman now honouring them with his presence. ■ Sir Julius "Vogel is the Nestor who .ie .to guide, them at this crisis ; and it is just possible that the idea which we some, time ago hinted at may come to be realised in the returning of Sir 1 Julius to New Zealand political life. Should this possibility become translated into actual fact, it -will undoubtedly lead to new and unlooked-for combinations of parties. But as a preliminary to such a realisation the flags of decentralisation and financial separation which have for some time been flaunted so defiantly before the colony by Otago and Canterbury respectively will hare to be ignominiously lowered.