THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1888.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9249, 31 December 1888, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1888.

The detailed statement given by our London correspondent in another "■olumn respecting our coming Governor will, in its varied and comprehensive minutiae, be read with considerable interest by the people of New Zealand. Her Majesty's representative does not now exercise that power, the possession of which gave in other times a grave importance to the character of the possessor of viceregal authority;

pt i BBWI *! nevertheless, whether .viewed t political or social aspects, the character of such appointments is earnestly can vassed ; and .whether as- affecting th" smooth course of our domestic po £ or the delicate ties" that bind us to S throne it is still of the very greatest - importance that the such office should ,be . one to adant himself* exercise' environmeht: now Xightly exercise the . functions now devolving on a constitutional Gnv*Z ' That _ the Earl of Onsfow,, our Governor, will be such a one we ffi every reason; to anticipate. fl e looks forward to office with £ evident inteS tion to do his . duty, and even £ declared purpose of dealing lenient with husbands', purees by S such extravagant entertainments s£ would necessitate the continual nuV chase of new, cresses for their wives? though it may tempt a smile. exhiSa ' a most laudable spirit of conscientioS ness on the part of His Lordship ££ which we augur much. , How the laS may feel on the subject we are not in * position to venture an opinion, butHLs Lordship has evidently fathomed'" t£ depths of human nature, and whether he has found it from personal ef perience or been told 1 0 'it w other people, ho has ' uncovered I tender spot, and has-applied the balm so deftly, that we are sure all husbands will rise up and call him blest. liidplri the advent of a nobleman of so 2 degree to viceregal office in New z£ land was enough to cause some trenkk tion m the male bosom ; and the mem array of His Lordship's numerous and varied titles . was sufficient 'to f ore shadow a portentous stormcloud of mil' liners'bills. But the assurance that there will be no necessity for the "continual purchase of new dresses for their wives" may be expected to quell the rising feelings or: dismay, and enable men to contemplate the inaugurationof the new regime with equanimity. " Apart, however, from this colonists are prepared to give a cordial welcome - to the new Governor. We are happily free from any ,of that feeling which, in a sister colony, prompted colonists to raise objection to the nomination of the Crown: Besides the prevalent spirit of acquiescence

on the part of the people of New Zealand in any selection that may be made by the Imperial Government, we have reason to believe that our new Governor is possessed of all those qualities which befit the representative of Her Majesty administering the aftairs of a free and self-governing people • and that he has a noble title has no doubt its advantages ; for we are human, and most of us doubtless are ,of those who " love a lord." : Still we say with confidence that the absence of such dignity would not have been to "this colony, a ground for either disappointment or dissatisfaction; for we do not think that either Lord Onslow or any other Governor, ; noble _or , simple, ' will over give more genuine _ satisfaction than we . have ' found ' in Sir William Jervois, though he does not bear a title; and if such Governors as ho were sent out to every colony to represent the Queen, there would be httlo demand for any higher dignitaries, and the agitation in favour of elective Governors would find very little publio sentiment to work upon. • Than Sir William Jervois we can hardly think of any character more entirely adapted to fill the position of a constitutional Go- r? vernor, so thoroughly imbued is he with v the best spirit of colonial life ; and if • the colonists of New Zealand had their way his term of office would, we believe, be indefinitely prolonged. At the same time there is no inconsiderable importance attaching to the principle in the new departure of the Colonial Office in * selecting for temporary occupancy of Colonial Governorships , noblemen and others who are likely to subsequently take a prominent, position in the administration of the affairs of the Empire itself. In days now happily past, absolute ignorance of the colonies was no disqualification for administering colonial affairs from Downing-street; and the blunders of those days were more from want of knowledge than perversity of will; and it is the growing knowledge of the colonies and of the real nature of colonial sentiment, and opinions, and desires among men of light and leading in the mother country, that has produced • the very satisfactory relations now existing .between the colonies and the mother country.' And now when everything is clearly moving in the direction of the formation of some ' nearer and more formal relation between the "scattered members" of the

Empire, it has become of paramount importance that those administering high affairs of State should have personal and practical knowledge not only of Great Britain, but of the " Greater Britain" over seas. With this object in view, the very best of opportunities is, afforded for familiarising rising politicians with the interests of the colonies, by appointing-, them to terms of office as colonial

Governors; - and we venture to think that so great ■will the advantage to the colonies themselves be, from their being intimately associated with those who may, subsequently, hold high office in the Imperial Government, that a new interest and a new value will attach to the Governorship in the eyes of ; colonists. Our new Governor is no novice in colonial questions. He has been intimately associated with the Imperial Federation movement, and has warm views in favour of the project that is bound to be the most interesting and the most * momentous in the whole history of the British Empire. Lord Onslow appears to be of those who do not desire to prematurely press the consideration of this question of the unification of the Empire; but by residence in the colony, and in such position as will bring him in contact with the minds that lead in political affairs, ; ho will be enabled to study this great problem from the colonial as well as the Imperial standpoint ; so that he and other rising British statesmen, who : have passed through similar colonial training, may be enabled to bring a comprehensive grasp to the settlement of what will prove to be the grandest question of the age, and the most pregnant with results, not to the Anglo-Saxon race alone, but to the whole world. Viewed from every point of view, the appointment of tlio Earl of Onslow to the

Governorship of this colony is a iudicious one, and we feel assured that he will not only receive a cordial welcome from the colonists, but that he will find the circumstances of the colony and the spirit of the people combining to promise him a happy and a prosperous regime. /j' .