The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2074, 29 December 1869, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1869.

The Colony can no longer complain of a want of attention by either the press or the statesmen of England, The despatch of Earl Granville, positively refusing to New Zealand Imperial aid, has, it would appear, become the leading topic at Home in political circles. This may be gratifying, but it is of no earthly utility. However much the policy adopted by the noble Earl may be condemned in England or the Colony, there is not the slightest chance of it being departed from. It finds favor with the Times and other leading journals, and is sanctioned by the mass of the English people. We are not among those who regret the turn events have taken. We can almost endorse the sentiment of the Times —“That ere long the Colony “ will think Lord Grenville has never “ been more kind than in pursuing his “ present course of seeming unkind- “ ness. That if Great Britain granted “ help whenever solicited, it would “ retard the growth of that manly “spirit of self-reliance, without “ which Colonial self-Government is a “ mockery.” That there is truth in this assertion is most certain; and we do believe that even now, a large majority of the colonists are prepared to accept it. Had the self-reliant policy been forced upon us [ten years ago, it would have been far better for the country and the people. However, there is much to be objected to in Earl Granville’s despatch. It is not the policy determined upon, but the way in which it has been applied that is objectionable. The policy on the whole is a sound one, but there are cases in which a departure from it would be a virtue. At the time New Zealand first sued for Imperial assistance, our case was one of those exceptional ones. Short as the time that has elapsed since then has been, it has wrought changes of a character which renders it degrading to the colonists to seek for aid, and justifies the Imperial Government in refusing it. The discussion now going on in England upon this question will, we believe, do New Zealand far more harm than the granting of Imperial troops could ever do it good. It will tend to lower the credit and character of the Colony. The arrival of the Commissioners will be the signal for the Press to revive with increased force, and increased reason, the charges so often made that New Zealand does not want the Avar to be brought to an end. The very fact that Commissioners accompanied by their private secretaries Avere allowed to leave the Colony at the time Avhen the Avar had virtually ceased to exist, and just before the refusal of the Imperial Government to entertain the appeal they are sent to ask, had been received is strong evidence that their intended mission Home is more for their especial benefit than for any good they Avere expected to do. There are manj’ - in New Zealand avlio Avould, if they could, perpetuate the rebellion to the remotest possible period —many who profess the most nervous anxiety for its termination—men who have fattened on the spoils of a Avar expenditure, and others avlio hope to do so. There is one phase of the discussion now going on in England that is assuming considerable importance. We allude to the formation of the Royal Colonial Society. This organisation has taken up the subject Avarmly, and it proposes to hold a “ series of public “ meetings to slioav that the policy “ iioav pursued towards Ncav Zea- “ land Avill tend to the dismem- “ berment of the British Empire.” We are not inclined to vieAV the object of this Society Avith favor, but are rather disposed to think any interference in our quarrel, hoAvever Avell intended, may be productive of great evil. The proposal to hold a conference of delegates from the various Colonies is ill conceived, and it can not be of any advantage to this Colony. That the relationship betAveen England and her Colonies must be more clearly defined than it has been hitherto all will concede ; but would it be either Avise or practicable to depute the consideration of this question to an irresponsible body sitting in England ! We think not. The Colonial Society might be of service to the Colonies by keeping the English people posted up in Colonial matters ; but if they assume the position of Colonial reform agitators, and constitution makers, avc are better Avithout than Avith their assistance. It is folly the most intense to imagine that a conclave of delegates from India, Canada, Australia, Ncav Zealand, and a score of other Colonies, even with the assistance of the Royal Colonial Society, ever can come to any agreement upon the question of the relationship of the mother country to her Colonies. The diversity of interests betAveen the Colonies is as varied as the bits in a kaleido-

scope, and the political opinions of the delegates are bound to be as miscellaneous as the. choice wares, in Pandora’s box. The Australian Colonies are quite able to settle their own terms of partnership with the British Government, without the intervention of the Royal Colonial Society or of delegates from distant Colonies. The Conference of Australian delegates, which is, or ought to be, now in session, is the body to whom we should look for information to guide our future actions. If an Australian Federation can be formed, the terms we shall be able to dictate will be widely different from any that the Royal Colonial Society would be likely to adopt. Victoria has decided to refuse to recognise the proposed Conference in any way : we hope Hew Zealand will do likewise. Our contemporary, the Daily Times, who has often with unctuous smiles congratulated the Colony upon the extraordinary benefits to be derived from the services of the Hew Zealand Commission —Messrs F. D. Bell and Dr Featherston —finding they have been sent on “ a fool’s errand,” grasps at the idea of their services being of 'some value to the Colony as delegates at the proposed Royal Colonial Society’s Conference. The thousands of pounds that will be spent on the Commissioners useless trip to England might better be ten times over thrown into the sea than that they should be allowed to participate in the proceedings as representatives of Hew Zealand, at the proposed convocation of colonial delegates. True it is that holding no commission they could not commit the Colony to anything, but their presence might prove highly injurious—it might materially interfere with. any future arrangements it might be desirable to make between the Home and the Colonial Governments.