Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1892.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5204, 10 February 1892, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1892.

A cablegram received last evening states that the Earl of Glasgow will succeed Lord Onslow as Governor of New Zealand. Now, although the cable message states positively that the Earl of Glasgow will be our new Governor, we can scarcely believe that a final selection has been made. The Premier, it will be remembered, asked that before the appointment was made the names of proposed appointees might be submitted to the New Zealand Government. In taking that step, Mr Ballance was but following the example set by the Queensland Government a few years ago. It was understood that, as was done in the case of Queensland, Lord Knutsford would comply with the request. As the Government have not received any intimation of the Earl of Glasgow's appointment, we must either conclude that Lord Knutsford has treated the reasonable request of the Government with unbecoming disrespect, or that the appointment has not been made. Of the alternatives, we prefer to accept the latter, and believe that, while the Earl of Glasgow may have been selected for the position, the announcement of his appointment is premature. \Ye cannot conceive that Lord Knutsford would deny to New Zealand a right conceded to Queensland. Supposing for a moment that the cablegram is correct and that the appointment has really been made, the Imperial Government have certainly not done a thing that is calculated to foster in the colony a feeling of affection towards the Mother Country. On the contrary, it will create a strong feeling of antagonism. The appointment and the manner of making it would be highly objectionable. The time has gone by when any impecunious and brainless political follower can be foisted upon a colony as a Governor. As they have to pay dearly for the honor of having a lordly representative of her Majesty in their midst, the colonies have a right to insist upon having men of capacity as well as good social standing as their Governors. There is sound reason for this, for though any noodle might be capable of discharging the formal duties of a Governor, something more is demanded than a mere figure-head. It may that a Governor in his official capacity is incapable of doing either much good or much harm, but there can be no question that such men as Lord Onslow, for example, may become powerful levers for good to the colonies on their return Home. Of course, it would be unreasonable to expect that men who had already made their mark in the Imperial political arena could be sent out to the colonies as Governors. Such men are not over plentiful in either political party, and those who can be spared from the turmoil of Imperial politics are required to represent the Empire at the Courts of foreign Powers. But that does not constitute a sufficient reason for bestowing colonial Governorships upon men who have been political failures, and whose only recommendation for appointment is steadfast adherence to party requiring reward. Of course, this does not apply in full to the Earl of Glasgow, who has really no political record good, bad, or indifferent, having only succeeded to the title on the death of his predecessor a little over a year ago, and having been previously a captain in the navy. But this fact does not lessen the objection to his appointment, for the very fact that he has spent the best part of his life in a profession wherein he could play the autocrat unfits him for the Governorship of acolony possessing responsiblegovernment. The system that has lately been followed of selecting for colonial Governorships promising and rising young men is the proper one, because it enables those who are destined to take an active part in guiding the destinies of the Empire to enlarge their store of wisdom, broaden their views, and carry into the councils of the State a knowledge of distant portions of the realm that must prove of great advantage—knowledge that can only be gained by practical experience. Why the Earl of Glasgow should be even suggested for the position of Governor of New Zealand is a puzzle. His past services, as we have seen, afford negative evidence only as to his fitness for the office. We know that lie comes of a highly conservative family. We know also that he had a distant relation who was an eccentric sport. To which of these virtues are we to attribute his .appointment as Governor of New Zealand, if he lias been appointed ? Our objection to the man does not arise from disloyalty. Loyalty to the Old Country does not mean that we have to suffer meekly any indignity to which the British Government may choose to subject us. It is our very loyalty that makes the reported appointment revolting. Those sticklers for constitutionalism who arc shocked by "the bare mention of an elective Governor should not tempt people to revo't by an abuse of the privilege of selection.

The Church of England services at Livingstone will <be regularly conducted again, commencing on Sunday evening next. According to the Lyttelton Times' Wellington correspondent, the Cabinet were to meet yesterday to decide the question of the Legislative Council appointments, as far as they can decide it, and the names selected were to be submitted to the Governor at the end of the present week. The following team has been chosen to represent the Oamaru Cricket Club's first eleven in their match with the combined schools to-morrow on the North Road Ground, viz. : Hewat, Francis, Ferens, Murdoch, Evfery, Meek, Ogilvie, Sumpter, Jones, Laurenson, and Crawford. All members of the club are invited to take part in the game. • Mr Phillip Mennell has returned Home an enthusiastic champion of the labor parties in all the Australian colonies, but especially of Mr Ballancfi and his co-workers in New Zealand. On 'the subject of Sir George Grey Mr Mennell is simply overwhelming. Amongst our £reat men in this effete old country we have, he declares, no such wise, beneficent, and, ; above all, liberal-minded statesmen. Marriott Watson (a hieh Tory, as a contributor to the National Observer should be) shakes his head sorrowfully, and says Mr Mennell has fallen a victim to Sir George's personal charm. " I have known many such sad cases," he avers ; " men who went down to Wellington fully intending to vote against Gray's party, but who were magnetised by tli'e old man's personality." " Why not say convinced by his arguments?" I ventured. "Because, my dear fellow, his arguments were and are absurd and irrational; "-wouldn't convince anybody."—Dunedin Home correspondent. 1 Tfre Dunedin Stag's London correspondent says 4—Mr Duthie'M.H.R., of Wellington, is spending Christinas in the North of Jingland. The team to represent the I Battery on Monday next, in the battalion match for Mr Perry's trophy, willfbe picked from the following :— Captain Cfeagh, Lieutenant Rice, Q.M.-Sergeant Condpn, Sergeants Every and M'Diarmid, and Gunpers M'Gregor, Taylor, Irving, M'Kenzie, and Harding. The first thing that strikes one on reading of Mr Muldrew's courageous action on Sunday night, by which 'several lives were, in all likelihood, from drowning, is that he is fully entitled, jf anyone ever was, to the Royal Hunjane Society's medal. His Worship the Mayor will probably take action in the matter.

Lord Onslow passed through Oamaru, by special train, at noon to-day. A few people were assembled on the platform, but there was no demonstration. The following will represent the combined schools in their match against the Oamaru Cricket Club to-morrow : Rice, Earle, M'Donald, MacdonaUl, Fergusson, Riddell, Fitzgerald, Campbell, Watters, Holmes, Maude, King and Murray. A complaint has been made to us that at one of the schools of the town the custom obtains of sending pupils after absentees. The parent of a little girl who was sent on such an errand desires us to utter a protest in her behalf. We are sure that it is only necessary to mention that this custom exists to secure its discontinuance. No teacher has any right to turn pupils into truant officers, and girls of tender age, more especially, ought not to be sent anywhere from school, except to their homes. The garden fete in connection with St. Luke's Ladies' Guild will be held in the Chelmer-street Gardens to-morrow afternoon. Admission, of course, will be free, and as the site is both convenient and essentially a charming one, there will, no doubt, be a large attendance. The attractions will be numerous, and those who still bear a lively recollection of the fete held at Mr Shrimski's last year will need no further recommendation than i.n assurance that the present one will be conducted on very similar lines. In addition to stalls, at which much beautiful work will lie displayed for sale, there will be a produce stall, upon which the barn door fowl will lie down with the succulent sucking pig, pending disposal ; there will be a flower stall, the floral beauties upon which will be rivalled by the attendant blossoms —culled from the " rosebud garden of girls" ; a stall presided over by the children of the Sunday school; a refreshment booth whereat the inner man can be comforted, and side-shows innumerable. AN c recommend the fete to the public as an admirable opportunity of " putting in" the weekly half-holiday. During this afternoon the weather improved ; the sun shone brightly, and a brisk southern breeze sprang up. The change is just what is required for the crops after the warm rains. Mr B. B. Welsh, of Dunlroon, will run a vehicle between that township and Norton's, to connect with the railway, until the railway department is able to resume running right through. Westgartlrs Circular of the Ist. of January last, contains the following paragraph : —■ " We regret to announce that the Oamaru Municipality do not find it possible to pay more than L.2 out of the L 3 10s on account of interest due Ist proximo.