What Everybody Says.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2165, 11 December 1875, Page 2

What Everybody Says.

" In multitude of counsellors there is safety." — OID PROVJSRB.

Everybody can't be expected to agree; upon everything — not even upon Sir George Grey. Some may. imagine Sir George to be the pink of political purity; others that he is about as clever an oldstager as ever trod a platform. But whBV ever people may think it is unsafe to say anything against Sir George or even to - •criticise freely what he does, as there be some who are ever ready to jump down the throat of the first person who opens '. his mouth in disparagement of him who is at the present, time the pet of the ■ Auckland people, politically. : There as no doubt Sir George enjoys this sort of thing , immensely. Ife knows liow vastly differentwas the treatment he once received, and he knows that the revulsion of feeling; in his favor has been brought about almost without an effort on his part. It is only another instance of the liokleness of popularity lowai'ds public iucu 3 anil there

is no man better able to estimate ifc at its proper worth than Sir George Grey. Ho has seen many strange things in his day and generation, and if he made any one a confidant he would say that not the least strange thing he has seen is the change which has come over some people in Auckland regarding his own individual merits and abilities.

One of Sir George's most unflinching . advocates has conceived a strong antipathy for a 'gentleman on the Thames known as " Billy Eowe." Mr Eowe happens to hold opinions on political mattters differing from those advanced by Sir George Grey and his tail, and this is sufficient to rile a writer in the Auckland Star, who takes every opportunity of " walking into" Mr Rowe, who, it says, has not the ghost of a chance of being returned as a member of the Assembly for the Thames. It is rather early yet to make prophesies of this kind, as time alone will show what Mr Howe's chances are. But unkind people say that there is another reason for the Star's down upon Mr Eowe. City .^.West is believed to be a safe seat for **pne of Sir George Grey's following if Sir George himself should elect to stand for the Thames, and who so well qualified to fill the seat as Sir George's faithful henchman — the editor of the Auckland Star—at least so it is said the latter thinks. There is therefore more of self-interest in the said, editor's writings than appears on the surface, hence the opposition to Mr Eowe and his candidature for a seat in this district. Everybody believes that if Sir George stands for the Thames he will get in, but very few imagine that if Sir George declines to leave his old constituency, but sticks to them and tries to get one of his nominees elected here that he would have a ghost of a show, even as good as that which the much abused Billy Eowe might be supposed to possess. Sir George might be taken on trust even though he differs in opinion on some points from the people of the Thames, and because everybody has some confidence in his integrity and ability, but if it comes to a struggle between local men and men who have nothing to recommend them but a professed allegiance to Sir George Grey, why everybody will go in for local talent and abolition, as against provincialism and strangers. Sir George has now had a large and' influentially signed requisition in his possession for nearly a week, and it does appear strange that he has not either accepted or declined it before this. The political horoscope has no doubt been cast and recast many times during the week, and it is only fair to assume the auguries have not been favorable to his acceptance. It is a waiting game evidently, and amidst the multitude of counsellors safety is the thing to be considered: the wisdom is doubtful. Sir George himself spoke dead against coming down here for a seat, and his assurance that in him the Thames would have a " third " member was accepted by some as proof positive that he would not consent to leave his old constituency for one in which his chances are not certain, even if such action had not the element of inconsistency. ■ What some people consider a piece of meanness —characteristic meanness—was perpetrated in the columns of an obscure print known as the 'Tizer yesterday. A paragraph referring to Mr James Mackay was copied from the Herald, but mutilated in such a way that the writer would scarcely recognise it. It stated how that Mr Mackay had arrived to complete certain negociations for the purchase of land from the jffativesT'after which his connection with the Government would cease, and how ifc was probable such negotiations would occupy sis months. Here the 'Tizer's extract stopped,although the Herald had the following as a conclusion to the notice of Mr Mackay: «• During the time Mr Mackay has been in the service of the Government he has held several high and responsible positions, and has performed important services demanding great presence of mind, and often involving considerable personal risk." To omit this portion of the paragraph is no doubt correct according to the 'Tizer's ideas of generosity towards an enemy. It is characteristic of that high journalistic tone claimed by the 'Tizer, but some people say "it's mean." In one of the Auckland papers there has appeared for a number of days an advertisement for a young lad " competent to take charge of the petty cash in an office." It seems strange that there was no one competent to undertake such a very agreeable duty at once, without continuing the offer day after day. It certainly would not have appeared here many days without bringing out a host of intelligent and careful lads quite competent to take charge of any amount of petty cash. In fact if there had been no young lads or youths, some more experienced individuals could have been found. Petty cash is much easier to take charge of than to get, and in these dull times cash of any kind is a scarce commodity, so that if the advertiser is not yet suited he had better extend his notice and give people down here a show. Some of the gentlewaiting to do. business at the corner object to devote a little of their spare time to taking charge of all the petty cash in all the biggest firms in Auckland, and they could find means of investment too at the present time with ~ scrip selling for pence which some time ago realised pounds. One or two advertisements, of a local character have appeared lately which have suggested that the printer was rather foggy. One announced an old established "stationary" business for sale. It didn't say whether the expense of removal was to b& borne by the purchaser or seller ; nor whether it was intended merely as a means of ridding the present proprietor of something from which he couldn't move himself. There are a good many businesses " stationary " just now —not a move in them. Everybody would like to see a move, and this ".stationary " one advertised is no doubt neither better nor worse than others. Here's another curiosity' from the same .paper:—" The meeting called for this day (Tuesday) the 30th November, stands adjourned until this day (Tuesday) 7th December." As a puzzled reader was fain to exclaim— " "Will to-morrow be yesterday?" It looks like it. Of course it is quite correct. There are some people and some papers who can neter make mistakes.