THE Evening Star. MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1905, 14 June 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1869.

The proceedings in the General Assembly may thus far be considered merely preliminary. Nothing has yet transpired to test the relative strength of parties. The first number of the New Zealand Hansard contains the details of the proceedings during part of the first week of the Session. The address in reply to the Governor’s speech was moved by Mr Edwards, the member for Nelson, who described himself as one of the younger, “or “ rather one of the mors recently “ elected .vncinliprs of tllO-idOltee Jttt' 1 ' mAFFORD, listening to his speech, would hardly feel satisfied that the Government could rely upon his support. .Replies to the Governor’s speeches, are usually, merely re-echoes of the sentiments expressed in them. This, Mr Edwards, evidently felt conscious of, and it required no little adroitness on his part to say in effect : “ I hope you will vote for the reply I “ am about to move, although I do not “ altogether feel that the speech is “ what it ought to be.” One of his very first sentences breathed lurking dissent from the Government plans, and when the vote comes on Mr Fox’s motion, although as a matter of course, it is impossible to foretell what will take place, it is not at all unlikely he may be found against the Ministry. Fie said “he believed that it was “ usually understood, and indeed, “ accepted as a matter of fact, that the “ mover of the addresses in reply was “to be looked upon generally as a “ supporter of the Government. To “ some extent he admitted that to be “ the case as regarded himself, but still “ he reserved for himself his right of “ private judgment and vote, when- “ ever he was called upon to exercise “ political privileges in that direction.” It really becomes a question whether it would not be better to do away with tlm formalities of addresses in reply, wijen even members who move them, do] it only in deference to a custom jfeiived from Parliamentary usage at jlome. A mercantile firm receiving ||pocument that could not at once be Salt with, would content themselves saying to the writers, “We have Received your communication of such j||»date. The suggestions contained in Shlshall have our serious attention, ijgpyat until we have considered them BSra cannot express an opinion congaßi’ning them.” By such a businessHBBprocess much time would be saved, ■Bfmuch eloquence bottled up for the ■flßrtunity when its power would be likely to be effective. If this ■Hnse wore to be adopted there would necessity for members rising one anodier, and saying they do not Sfiwb with the address, but yet they ajßfcnot vote against the reply, and committing themselves to a jusHfoation of the course they take by mpiting out whufc parts of the address Hey do not concur in. Mr Edwakds i jppiily indicated that there was some fflßwho might be disposed to blame Bgpc'.sc in power for permitting themwßp'es to be obliged to meet the rebel with a force totally inadePfiftate to the emergency of the case— BfflßpMker which, taking into the departure of tin

“ never to have arisen.” We believe this to be the sense of the passage which has, however, been a little bungled in reporting, Mr Edwards has pointed out the fatal mistake of the Government; a mistake that cannot be explained away. It is easy to endeavor to gloss the matter over, and to put into the Speech the excuse, “ Every means at the disposal of the “ Colony have been employed in the “ prosecution of the war which has “ thus been forced upon us.” It was not easy for Mr Edwards to put it in its broad form, and to speak his pwn sentiments. He very judiciously fguarded his position by saying, “ since “ that time” (the commencement of the Avar) “ the Government had taken ad- “ vantage of every means at the dis- “ posal of the Colony.” It will be very difficult to exonerate the Executive from blame on many grounds respecting the war and its continuance. The public will not be satisfied that even ordinary care was taken to provide against an outbreak. Had that been shewn, the prisoners would never have escaped from the Chatham Islands. Had discipline been preserved, the attack on Patea must have been repulsed, and much blood and outlay saved. It required no extraordinary penetration to understand that Colonel M'Donnell’s successes had only reduced the turbulent Maoris to a sham submission. It would be closing the eyes to all historic precedents to imagine that the priso- | ners at the Chatham Islands avouM not : attempt escape, Avhen the guard placed over them Avas too Aveak for effective 'opposition, should the opportunity occur. And now that Colonel Win rmorg has driven the Maoris into the interior, and in the Avords of the speech, “ tracked and dispersed” their retreating forces, it is assumed, unless the Avar is prosecuted, the result Avill be “ to “ abandon the country to disaster and “ ruin, which, spreading far beyond the “ scenes of the conflict, will be felt by “ all sections of the community of Neav “ Zealand.” We are about to hold a public meeting to protest against the Middle Island being any further involved in che war; and it is therefore Avell that the terms of the Message in regard to it should be known. It is plainly assumed that the Colony is one, and that avo in the South will bo affected by Avhafc happens in the North. Perhaps so; but how? Noav avc only Avish i to nui _r! e om .ter hypothetically, hav- • .‘f.. if the’ troops returned

to ami raws io-i ioitow, and were judicious! v posted and always ready, any very serious consecpiences would result. But if the Governor’s gloomy forebodings were realised, and the disturbed settlements of the North Island abandoned, the probability is that the South Island would receive the retiring population, and within its peaceful boundaries they would be much more prosperous happy and safe. Great Britain spent many millions of money in rescuing some sixty of her subjects from the oppression of a tyrant. It was a noble sacrifice on the part of twenty-five millions of people; but it was a duty. The Middle Island, Avith a population of one hundred thousand, has become security for a large portion of there millions of money already wasted in prosecuting a Native war to its termination. This was going far beyond duty, and partakes of the extravagance of knight-errantry. To foster a scheme too great and expensive for any Colony, it is asked to join in another jloan of a million or a million and a-half. Now, as a mercantile question, is the property that requires protection worth half that sum 1 Or, supposing it released from danger, would it be worth the money ? And if the property to be saved be worth more than the outlay proposed, is there any reason Avhy it should not be taxfcd for its own security ? If property is in danger of fire or of loss by storm or flood, the simplest plan in the Avorhl is adopted to guard against ruin : a small percentage is paid by the OAvncrs of all engaged in similar risks, to ensure them against loss, But nobody pays towards this insurance fund avlio incurs no risk. Precisely in the same Avay, if the North Island property is in danger, let the OAvners pay a land tax, Avhich merely operates as an insurance upon it ; but do not let them ask those to pay who are totally free from every particle of danger, and cannot even he relatively injured if the North is destroyed. This seems to ns the only reasonable and equitable course, If the North Avill borroAv, let them boar the debt.