South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3314, 15 November 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1883.

M. Jdles Ferry, the late Premier of France, has a good deal of the “wisdom of this world.” He told the Paris correspondent of the “ Daily News,” that in his opinion England ought to consider herself under an obligation to France for occupying the pirate-infested coasts of Cochin China. It is always on journalists that these clever fellows try to work their little points. Most likely M. Ferry thought the “ Daily News ” would be rather struck with the philanthropy and disinterestedness of France, and would administer to those unbelieving dogs who set down her operations in China to a desire for territorial aggrandisement, and the establishment of a rival to the Indian Empire of England, a very severe castigation. The “ Daily News,” so far as we know, did not administer this correction, and doubts and distrust remain. But M. Ferry is a clever man, a sort of political Uriah Heep. “We’re very ’umble people, mother and me,” rendered by M. Ferry, means—- “ France wants nothing for herself, but would like to secure the safety of other people.” The French Premier is a man of resources, and no doubt there will be some people to swallow even this very huge pill.

Sir George Grey, ever alert in the interests of the colony, has been spending even his leisure and employing his opportunities in her service. He has lately, it appears, been in correspondence with several eminent persons at Home (writers and thinkers on political and social subjects) among whom is Mr Herbert Spencer, the celebrated philosopher, and with a number of residents of various islands of the Pacific, and part of Australasia. Mr Spencer has, it is understood, replied very fully indeed on the subject to Sir George, and other opinions from the quarters mentioned have also been received. Had we enjoyed a Government that considered the interests of the country at large, and not the preservation of its own party; a Government that looked at these matters in a statesmanlike manner and not in a mere parochial spirit, Sir George Grey would have been asked to represent this colony at the Conference to which Major Atkinson and Mr Whittaker are departing, or at least to take part in the representation. We go further, and add that if the people of the Colony had taken the interest they ought to take in the

matter, they would have demanded unanimously that the Knight of Kawau should be of the party. As it is, Sir George Grey holds in his hands the materials for a grand deliverance when the occasion arises, and it would be doing a great service to the community if he would place before the Colonists and the people at Home the conclusions at which ho has been enabled to arrive, on the subjects of federation and annexation, by the aid of observation, opportunity and research.