The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2107, 5 February 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1870

There are two classes of men who invariably damage every cause which they profess to support, viz., the amiable mediator and the impetuous enthusiast. Mr Firth is a fair representative man of the first class, and Mr Charles ITulke of the second. Both arc well-intentioned, earnest men, but their earnestness does positive harm, not being directed or tempered by wisdom. The draft memorial drawn up by Mr Hulke, calling upon the Parliament to refuse to vote the Governor’s salary is about as stupid and childish as it is well possible to conceive; and for that reason we should have left it unnoticed had it not been that a number of the leading

journals have given it an importance and prominence it does not deserve. The memorial says.—“ That whereas “ the Imperial Government has thought “ lit to withdraw its troops from this “ Colony, your memorialists are ol “ opinion that the cost of the (fover- “ nor’s salary should in future be de- “ frayed OUt of the ‘ Imperial ’ instead “ of, as at present, out of the f Colonial “ exchequer. Your memorialists there- “ fore most respectfully request that “ your honorable House will refuse to “ pass the estimate for the Governor’s “ salary, save for such period as will “ afford His Excellency ample time to “ confer with the Imperial Government “ on the subject, say for six months “ from the commencement of the scs- “ sion. Your memorialists further rc- “ quest that in the event of the Home “ authorities declining to sanction the “ principle indicated above, your ITonor- “ able House will not allow itself to be “ intimidated or cajoled into continuing “ the payment of the said salary.” If such a document as this was penned as a skit for Punch , it would have had little to recommend it ; but it would have been harmless. When, however, it is issued in sober seriousness, and treated by the Press in this spirit, it becomes almost a necessity that its evil tendency should be exposed. The question of the future relationship of the Colony, with regard to the Mother Country, is fairly before the public, and should be dealt with, but only in the spirit of calm deliberation and statesmanlike caution. The peurile vindictiveness recommended in the “memorial” might meet with support at an “Octagon stump meeting,” but we are disposed to think that oven Mr J. G. S. Grant would hesitate before committing himself to support such a mode of procedure. If the Colonics are to become independent States—there is no doubt they must—time, caution, forbearance, and subdued wisdom will be indispensable to an amicable settlement of the partnership accounts. The Imperial policy of the existing Government is in favor of those Colonies that have attained a position that would justify them in seeking independence, to throw no obstacle in the way of their obtaining it. But England would be recreant to all the principles it has made its creed, if it did not see the Australias federated before the question of Independence was seriously considered. The “ con- “ stitntional method of bringing the “ whole question of our relations with “ the Mother Country before the Colo- “ nial Legislature,” says the Southland Times, “ is that proposed by Mr 0. “ Hulks.” If it had said instead, “ the best way to bring the Colony into contempt, and prove the incapacity of the people to govern themselves,— adopt the memorial,” it would have been far nearer the truth ; and we hope that no member of the General Assembly will be sufficiently insane to present the memorial to the House, even should the people be foolish enough to sign it. The question is too serious a one to be toyed with. The greatest calamity which can beful this and other colonies may arise from the mistaken zeal of the class of political busybodies to which we have alluded. It was only the other day that the maudlin interference of Mr Firth with the pursuit after Te Kooti threatened to still further complicate the Maori difficulty. Again we find an enthusiastic ex-official from Nelson burning with indignation forcing himself into the presence of Earl Granville, and on behalf of tho people of New Zealand, telling him “ that the Maoris must “be put down, and that if Eng- “ land would hold out no hopes of “ assistance, we must separate in dis- “ gust and despair, and apply for aid “to the United States.” There is not a colonist from the Bluff to Auckland that will not feel humiliated by the bounce and impertinence of this unknown ex-Governmcnt official. We express the sentiments of ninety-nine out of every hundred in this Colony, when we sav, the idea of separating from England to join the United States or any other country has never even flashed across the minds of more than a few unthinking admirers of “Yankee “ notions” and “tall talk.” The position the people to which we have alluded, hold in the political world, is what tho criminal does to the social—“ dan- “ gerous classes ” ; and it should be the aim ©f journalists to suppress their evil tendencies by ridiculing their political vagaries, rather than putting the stamp of°“ dignity” upon them by seriously discussing them even for tho purpose of condemnation.