THE RECALL OF SIR G. GREY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2568, 7 September 1867, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE RECALL OF SIR G. GREY.

[Indepehdent, August 31.] The manner m which the Duke of Buckingham conveys to Sir G-eorge Grey the intimation of his recall, is alike, weak, unsatisfactory, and undignified. Nothing can possibly be more annoying to an earnest man, than to find that all his exhaustive arguments and earnest protests fail to call forth anything more than a mere acknowledgment which evades all discussion of the points at issue. This is the more galling when, as, in the case of Sir George Grey, an able man seeks to vindicate himself from the unfounded charges which have been brought against him, and to show that his action was justified, both by the experience of the past and the existing circumstances of the present. "When Sir George Grey pressed upon the Imperial Government his views . relative to the retention of a portion of the troops in the colony, and pointed out that a ceramount of control over them , should be vested in him as the Queen's representative, it was at least due to a public servant of his distinguished reputation and ability, that his representations should have been treated with due consideration and properly answered. Again, when the colonists were calumniated by Colonel Weare and attacked by Lord Carnarvon, the complete defence made for them by his Excellency should not have been disposed of merely by a few lines of rejoinder. The last despatch, which lies before us, is a specimen of cool official insolence. In a single sheet .of foolscap, his Grace replies to six lengthy despatches, by saying, that as her Majesty's forces,— with the exceptionof one regiment, — as well as General Chute, would probably have left the colony before its receipt, he deems it unnecessary to renew the correspondence with reference to the control of the troops in question. The single regiment is to remain in the meantime and be under the control of the Governor, till his further views on military operations are received at Downing street. "I shall then," concludes the writer of this remarkable production, "be able to inform you of the appointment of your successor in the Government of New Zealand, and of the time at which he may be expected to arrive in the colony." This is the manner in which a distinguished public servant is treated by a new Secretary of State for the Colo- i nies, who has scarcely vet had time to familiarise himself with the routine duties of his office, and is profoundly ignorant of everything connected with the New Zealand question. Appeal, argument, and expostulation have been entirely disregarded, and the man who had the courage to übo them, is given notice of discharge with as little ceremony as an employer would use towards a junior clerk. It is hopeless to struggle against arbitrary and irresistible power. A less able or conscientious man than Sir George Grey would, for his own sake, have long ago ceased to press opinions which were distasteful to his superiors. But his Excellency had a reputation to maintain, and preferred adhering to his views, even though such an attitude involved a probable loss of position. In so doing he has judged wisely. He could not, without a failure of duty, have said less on behalf of the colony, his Ministers and himself, than he did ; and, having taken a certain stand, he could not have abandoned it without disgrace. The sympathy and good will' of the colonists will therefore follow Sir George Grey into his retirement, and amongst his reeolj lections there can 'be none which he. will I recall with greater satisfaction than those connected with the last two years of his administration in New Zealand.

At no period since his arrival in the colony for the second time in 1862, has Sir George Grey stood so high in the estimation of the colonists as he does at present. Specially selected to the post, owing to his great experience of the native race, he came to the colony to attempt a peaceful solution of its greatest difficulty. The Imperial Government, and a large number of the colonists had high hopes of his success, aud even those who were less sanguine, felt disposed to hold their opinion in suspense, and to do nothing which might in any way hamper or frustrate his schemes. "The new institutions" were therefore called into existence with the object of directing the efforts of the natives at self-government into a legitimate channel. They were provided with schools, churches, and the machinery j of law. They were to be made educated Christians and law observing men. No expense was spared to accomplish those objects, and no one worked harder to ensure success than Sir George Grey, while no Governor ever found a more able and active coadjutor than he did in Mr Pox. But the circumstances of the case

made failure inevitable*.* The" natives Had fought without being beaten,- and they did not want to be at peace. The longer the olive, branch was held out; by us, the more energetically did, they, flourish the tomahawk; We think Sir George Grey committed a serious error in not again sending for Mr Fox during the political ', crisis of 1862; when it was in. his power, to do so — an error that he must, often afterwards have seen cause to regret. But in truth, his Excellency hadthen little liking for a responsible Ministry in native affairs. He wished to. act unfettered, and his desire ,was gratified, by the accession to office of Mr Domett and his colleagues who, in terms of the Assembly's resolution, left native affairs exclusively in his hands. Events hurried on; Sir George Grey renewed his exertions ; the natives every day became more antagonistic, until, in little more than a year, the colonists were shocked by. the massacre at Tataraimaka, and all hope of peace was at an end. Sir George Grey and his' irresponsible Ministers in trying to, patch up a peace had drifted into war. Up to that time, his mission had been a failure. A change of Ministry followed, the policy of 1863 was adopted, the Waikato campaign commenced, and it was resolved to make a great effort to suppress the rebellion once and for ever. With a. really responsible Ministry in office, that policy would have been successful had -it been fairly tried. But this was not to be. At this 1 point, Sir George Grey adopted a course which was justly and severely condemned. Regardless of the fact that the policy was in a great measure his own, he turned against it, hampered operations in the field and stopped confiscation. His action was entirely unconstitutional, and his Ministry in resisting it, had the warmest sympathy and support. # The struggle that ensued was on their side a bitter but hopeless one, and ended in their resignation. Backed by the Imperial authorities, Sir George Grey effectually frustrated their efforts, and forced them to abandon a position in which they were powerless for good. It is little wonder if at that period, the colonists, after spending treasure and blood freely to accomplish a certain object, should bitterly upbraid the statesman who had made their hopes impossible . of realisation.

The colonists have been slow either to j forgive or forget this, but after events showed that Sir George Grey was anxious to be their friend. The danger of further Imperial interference was avoided by offering to dispense with Imperial aid, and the colony resolved to provide for its own defence. Sir George Grey, however, still used his influenpe to have the troops retained, although the Weld Ministry were completely against it ; his apparent object being to see jjif it were yet possible to completely suppress the rebellion and secure a permanent peace before they were removed. That was defeated through the antagonism of General Cameron, and then arose that series of quarrels which has embroiled the Governor with the Imperial authorities, and brought about his recall. In this period of his administration Sir George Grey showed himself to be a warm and earnest friend of the colony. In every instance he became their unflinching champion. When. General Cameron calumniated us, Sir George Grey made our defence j when tlie magnates of Downing street treated us with neither generosity nor justice, he protested j against their proposals, and insisted upon our claims to redreßS ; when Colonel Weare charged us with the responsibility of alleged atrocities perpetrated on the natives, he compelled a retractation of| the wicked slanders. For all this the colonists are deeply grateful, and at the present moment, when Sir George Grey is about to retire from his high position, they judge him less as the ambitious statesman — who sacrificed everything that stood in his way, and yet failea to accomplish the task entrusted to his care — than as the man who, in the last stages of his official career, perilled position and power to protect them from Imperial injustice. '