INTERPROVINCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 1492, 3 July 1879, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per " Timaru Herald " Special" Wire.] Ashbukton, July 2. At a meeting of the County Council this afternoon, dissatisfaction was expressed by members at the remarks made by the deputation that waited on the Hon. the Minister for Public Works at Christchurch re the Oxford andTemuka railway. The Minister's uncalled for reply, as reported, which, it was stated, reflected upon the character of the Council, was commented upon at some length. Ultimately, a resolution was passed — " That Mr Macandrew be informed thai thia Council never expressed an opinion as to the proposed route of the Oxford and Temuka railway." The Ashburton County Council have accepted W. Benham's tender of L 2935 for the bridge over the north branch of the Ashburton, on the Mount Sotners road. The Council have decided to erect chambers, &c. , at an estimated cost of about L3OOO. Last nifeht another overcoat was etolen out of a room at an hotel here, making the third within a week. Three men, arrested on this charge, will be brought up to-morrow at the Resident Magistrate's Court. A man named William Johnston, charged with obtaining money under false pretences, was remanded until Friday. The Borough Council have decided to call for applications for the office of solicitor to them, for twelve months, at a remuneration of LIOO per annum. A public meeting, for the purpose of forming a volunteer corps here, will be held on Friday. Oamaru, July 2. A man named Minnin was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, Dunedin, to-day, for alleged robbery from the person. The weather is still very fine, with no sign of rain. The s.s. Ringarooma is expected here to-morrow to take passengers for the North who have been detained through the stoppage of railway traffic. Ditnedin, July 2. It is reported that Mr James, clerk at the City Police Court here, will be transferred to Wellington shortly. The Daily Times m a leading article dealing with the political situation, after expressing its regret that the details of the dispute between Sir George Grey and Mr Ballance were ever published, says : — " The responsibility mußt rest upon one or other of the parties concerned, and it is impossible not to attribute the publication to Mr Batlance himßelf, as Sir George Grey, and the other members of the Ministry had no reason for making known the details of such an unseemly squabble. We cannot but think that Mr Ballance would have consulted his own dignity and the public good, if he had simply resigned without vouchsafing any explanation except that he could not agree with the Premior. v There is a strong personal animus running throughout the whole account, and Sir George is made to look ridiculous, while Mr Ballance is represented bs calmly dignified throughout. We are not prepared therefore to heap unmeasured blame on the head of Sir George Grey for his share m this particular transaction until we hear the other Bide. It seems that his other colleagues are not at present willing to desert him, and that Mr Macandrew, who it was reported would resign yesterday, still remains m the Cabinet. There are, however, strong grounds for believing that Sir George Grey has displayed far too much of the autocratio spirit — a desire to control everything by his own personal will — to leave much room for hope that any Government under his presidency will long hold together, unless the members are of a far more subservient character than Mr Macandrew. We believe, therefore, it will not be long before

; that gentleman will find it necessary to retire, and the last link that binds Otago to the Government will then be broken. We wish it had been otherwise. We consider that Sir George Grey is throwing away the influence which his standing and reputation had legitimately given to him, and that he is giving to history one more conspicuous example of inconsistency. Since he combines m his own person the most ultra-demo-cratic opinions, and the most exalted ideas regarding his right as Premier to the position of an absolute ruler over hia colleagues m the Cabinet, we can hardly imagine that Sir George Grey will, at his advanced age, either alter his conduct or put forth the energy necessary to give his views full effect. He may, it is true, obtain one or two subservient colleagues, humble worshippers at his shrine, but he will not command a majority m the House. He is regarded now by friend and foe alike as an impracticable man, m whom no reliance can be placed, and has utterly failed to make good his title to be a popular leader. It is idle to speculate on the course such a man may take to retain the. powe,r which he feels, slipping from his grasp. The most probable! conjecture is that he will go to Parliament with a grand policy, by means' of which he will make an appeal, not bo much to the House as to the people, and he will then probably do his utmost to force a dissolution, m order that he may once more test his popularity, and come m triumphant, as he no doubt believes he would, on the shoulders of the electors. This, we can readily believe, would be his greatest delight and ambition. ' But even Sir George Grey cannot stand alone ; he must have the support m the House and m the Cabinet of men of weight and standing m their respective districts, and this is where he will fail. Besides, there is a widespread feeling throughout the colony that our financial position is such as to require the most careful handling of the ship of State. It is no time to be fighting battles about abstract questions when we are likely to be placed m a position of extreme danger and difficulty between two impending troubles — an empty treasury and a native war. It will be of little avail if Sir George Grey talks to us eloquently about the rights of the people, the franchise, the reform of the Upper House, or th incidence of taxation, when we have practical questions such as these to face. Can we avoid a native war 1 If not, can we, m the face of an ative war, obtain another loan, and failing this latter, the serious question arises, how are we either to carry on or to suspend our public works without bringing the colony into a state of most serious difficulty ? With matters such as these staring us m the face, we may be pardoned if we express somewhat forcibly the views of a commercial community. When we say that a free breakfast table, or a franchise, or a reformed Upper House, are but leather and prunella, they will have their time and place, but not now. It is especially true just now that ' that which is best administered is best,' and it will be nothing short of a calamity if the public mind is diverted from the measures necessary for sound administration at ths present crisis of our affairs, to discuss policies and plans that have no relation to the practical and the present. If these views be correct we can no longer disguise from ourselves the fact that the colony requires a change of policy, and if necessary to that end, and we tear it is necessary, a change of Ministry. It is almost hoping against hope to look for a change m Sir George Grey, and m view of the interests at stake, we think the time has come for Liberals and Conservatives alike to unite m seeking another leader. We shall take an early opportunity of discussing the position of the present House m regard to the formation of a coalition Government, and must • content ourselves for the present with expressing our reluctant conviction that we can no longer conscientiously support the Premiership of Sir George Grey. We have no fear that all our difficulties may be met if only dealt with by a prudent and united Cabinet, and we are obliged to believe that neither one nor the other of these desiderata are likely to be characteristic of the present Ministry, if such it can now be called." Cummock, late assistant librarian at the Dunedin Athensaum, has been remanded until Friday on charges of arson, larceny, and embezzlement.