DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 10.

Otago Witness, Issue 1319, 10 March 1877, Page 14

DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 10.

The art of receiving deputations is one enough The Minister sits in his chair and nods affably M the depu fcation I ushered an, To all outward appeal petitioners who seek an audience are for the nonce, as it seems, in a position of infenonfcy, SH ch as they are often But all this is only seeming • in realifv Ac potions are^pleteVTS The Ifnnrt* isthe Jlavef Z&t tioners are the masters, 'ft used to be said that in Mr MacANDRBW we had a head who was abso.

| lutely unrivalled in the noble art of I receiving deputations. We are bound i to say that we think that Mr Geqege | M'Lean exhibits natural capabilities for the art, which, with a little cultivation and -practice, will enable him to eclipse all the late Superintendent's glories. There was a soft side to MxMacandkew, I and, if things could only be manipulated as to appeal successfully to that soft side, then he might be "had." Now Mr George M'Lean has no soft side. Cased in impenetrable armour, j the, arguments of Local Municipalities and Eiver Conservators, of the Managers of Seamen's Homes and Koad Boards, glance off him, and leave Mm unharmed. Of course, the great art of receiving a deputation successfully, is to send them away happy and contented without promising' them anything whatever.' The sooner this point can be reached the more accomplished in the "receiving art " is the Minister. Some men start an argument, and, yielding gracefully on a technicalpoint, allow the deputation to flatter themselves they have got what they want, because they have proved right in a minor matter. Other men assume an appearance of sympathy, and content everybody with their apparently heartfelt hopes that the deputation will get all their requests granted. Mr George M'Lean does none of these things. He has' two cards to play : he plays first one and then the other, and they seldom fail to take the trick. The first is the local self-government trump. This is thrown down with the grand paternal air, and means so much. You called us Centralists, assumed that w& meant to centre all power in. Wellington, and to have the most palty matters determined in the Colonial Downing street ; but as you want our help and our money, I caxi assure you the Colonial Government are. sincere in their desire that you should help yourselves. Local self-government, gentlemen, is our only correct card. The other is the " consult my -'colleagues " ticket. This is only used when a request is made which cannot •be trumped by the, loc f al iS '' self - government .card. To! 'niake^pxopei luse, of jt, : .the_directions | are : " Assume- a grandiloquent air, ! -thrust out the" under lip, frown, -place] Hie legs. farLunder the i tableland 'the; .thumbs 1 ihHhe -traces."/-! The- matfer^isi ■of^re*at:moment,' and the law^on,' the; subject ,is,,so. confused .-that— -infect, I ! should wish, to consult my colleagues,and' — we shall see' what can be done." Only ( a .very 'hard-hearted deputation fails toj •be-caught-by;this: It is a very-great jj satisfaction to have/started a point of* such diflftculiy s as to' corifuse a Minister. It is something to have started a^newj 'law 7 pbint^ almbsfr as satisfactory asi to. "have invented' a iiew crime. ' On' the whole; we'are inclined to think that! 'the promise 1 to " consult my colleagues" satisfies ,' deputations J better than any other answer they can get. " , " \ And it is jFor this reason, and because! Mr, George, M'Lean has taken so many! tricks thus, that we give him the highest! place in .the ranks of . deputation receiws,. -Mr Macandrew did some-; times premise outright to accede to the request made to him: 'Mr M'Lean: never does. This is an evidence of! weakness, that we have sever detected! in £he local representative of tW .Colonial Ministry: We are sometimes I appalled, indeed, to think of the vast 1 jx&eptiyity of that brain which can con<ai» fttt $c arguments .on both sides of 1 the r.** y *WBM?;o.us matters on. which' Mr M*LeaT fow MSBMaed to consult j his colleagues w" m % H pe and i trust he may forget some Ol .?* m ' J