Grey's Authorship.

Sir George Grey was doubtless prepared to take further steps in the way of constitutional legislation, but he held his hand when he learnt that a constitution for New Zealand was being prepared in the Colonial Office. Though of English origin, it was of colonial parentage. The putative father of it was Sir John Pakington, who had succeeded with the Ministry of Lord Derby to a brief tenure of the Colonial Secretaryship. The real author of it was Sir George Grey. On this point the evidence is conclusive. Here is the English evidence. In February, 1852, Earl Grey acknowledged that the page 80Provincial Councils Ordinance "has been of great service in preparing" the Bill about to be submitted to Parliament. Meanwhile, a change of Ministry took place. On July 1, Sir John Pakington transmitted the new constitution, and he acknowledged in writing to the Governor, that the measure "owes its shape in a great degree to your valuable suggestions." The Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Sir Frederick Peel, went still further. He asserted that the "bill just passed was framed, excepting in one particular, by Governor Grey himself, and it was to him that the colonists were indebted for the constitution which Parliament had granted them.''

It is difficult to understand why Grey should have set such store by his claims to originality in connection with the constitution. These circle round the Provincial Councils. Earl Grey had anticipated this feature. Wakefield identified himself with it so passionately that he might seem to be claiming it for his own. It was through Wakefield's persistent advocacy that this part of the Act was carried, notwithstanding the opposition of Sir W. Molesworth and Robert Lowe; while Molesworth, Cobden, and Bright, we may interpolate, voted against the clause that provided for a nominee second chamber. But the provincial system was forced upon constitution-makers by the different origins of the various settlements and in part by their geographical situation. There would seem to be little merit in accepting the dictates of history and nature.