“The Press” In 1864

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30469, 17 June 1964, Page 16

“The Press” In 1864

SUSPENSION OF THE CONSTITUTION Lord Palmerston is celebrated more than any other man for upholding the servants of the Crown in the discharge of their duty on distant stations. Will he stand by the Governor or by the colony? England has before now interfered in a period of war in a colony, by a temporary suspension of its Constitution. That was the step taken towards Lower Canada in 1837 and 1838, when a Provisional Government was established with large powers, both legislative and executive. We cannot disguise from ourselves the probability of such a course being adopted towards this colony. The Home Government appears to have had little idea of what it was doing in giving up the Government of the Natives to the colony. It did not perceive that in taking that step, and at the same time lending its

army and navy to carry out the policy adopted by the colony, it was virtually allowing the colonists to tax England to any extent they pleased. The old colonists of New England .had full powers of making war and peace with the Indians, and they did so at their pleasure; but then they never asked for, and never received the assistance of England in any struggle which they provoked. They, took the consequences of their own acts. We challenge any one to produce a single instance in the history of England, or indeed, any other Sovereign State, in which a Provincial Assembly has had the power of casting a large burden on the mother country by the policy which it was permitted to pursue. So monstrous an anomaly in Government is seen for the first time in New Zealand. Had matters not come to a crisis, it might have been overlooked; but the duration of the war and the serious losses

of officers and men which it has entailed on the mother country, will call public attention to the position of affairs; and, once called in question, so untenable a position will we are persuaded be at once abandoned. So long as England was really or nominally responsible for the Government of the Natives, there was a sort of claim in justice that she should defend the colonists from the consequences of her policy in governing them. That claim can be urged no longer. And if the Home Government should determine on such a policy, how, we should like to know, can the colonists object to it, who have tamely submitted to such an act as the Suppression Of Rebellion Act of . last session? They would not have one word to say that would be listened to. For our own part, we had as lief the constitution were suspended by the British Parliament as by the General Assembly.