The Evening Star. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2938, 19 July 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1872.

Judging by the telegraphic summary of the proceedings in Parliament, the debate on the Reply to the Address has been a very tame affair. It appears to have passed off so quietly as not to elicit any remarks by Mr Stafford in the slightest degree indicative of the course which the Opposition intend to pursue. Apparently the mover of the Address in reply laid chief stress upon the strongest claim the Government has to support—its Native policy, which has the merit of being not only ably conceived but equally ably administered. It must have been very galling to Mr Stafford to find that the very opposite measures to his own, formed the chief theme of commendation of his successors in office ; but he has too much parliamentary tact to condemn what selfevidently is the light course. Not only in'theory, but in its results has that policy proved sound. It remained for the seconder of the Address to give a few bilious reasons why the Native policy was open to censure. His dissent from Mr Luckie’s warm eulogium was based on grounds as paradoxical as they are illogical, and he laid down a theory which sounded very poetical, but which is very unpractical. Whatever Mr Sheehan may imagine, he will find very few to coincide with his idea, that secret discontent is worse than open rebellion. !!• might just as justly reason that latent volcanic forces arc more dangerous than those in active operation. Yet the experience of mankind convinces to the contrary. It is surmised by many able theorists that there is not a spot of earth that is not liable earlier or later to suffer from subterranean disturbances. The secret forces are marshalling themselves unseen and unsuspected by the busy millions who live out their time generation aftergeneration, while the outburst of a volcano spreads ruin and destruction round it. Just so with seciet discontent. It slumbers foi ages, and bursts into violent action when the cause is not removed. It is not to be expected that the Natives can at once forget the wrongs that they have suffered through the misgovernment of former administrations. Maoris are human. The old men, contrasting present arrangements with their youthful associations, may, and probably will look back with some regret; and, like our early settlers, while acknowledging that in some respects there has been progress, may still cry, “ the former days were better than these.” The warriors amongst them, who have been overmatched in the contest between barbarism and civilization, will feel discontented, that they suffered defeat instead of gaining victory, and years will pass before their sense of mortification is blunted ; there will be others who have lost relatives, or friends, or property in the wars, that will brood over their misfortune, and nurse a desire for vengeance. There is another point also which should not be lost sight of: Every advance in civilization involves new and heavier responsibilities than before. The Maoris are not exempt from this social law. The breaking up of tribes involves new arrangements. Instead of tribal there is now more of individual responsibility. Each man in future will have to work to live. The pride of race will have to bow to the necessity of earning a living, and this for some time, perhaps for some generations, will not be palatable. So that there are ' plenty of reasons for discontent, more

in accordance with the facts of the 1 case, than with the possibilities sug- ‘ gested by Mr Sheehan. The whole of that gentleman’s speech seems to indicate that he was suffering from political jaundice, or else that he concurs in the opinion expressed by the Evening Post , that the Ministry cannot possibly stand, and that he thought it prudent so to trim his sails, as to be able to take advantage of a slant of wind, no matter whether it blew fiom north or south. As for Mr Stafford, he took caro not to throw away a card. The Government had been cautious, and would not give a challenge. The Governor’s speech was so framed that the leader of the Opposition could not see where to stiike effectually. Noi have Ministers been particularly communicative during the recess. Debatable points, or those on which there was a chance of hitting hard upon, were kept out of sight. Their strength was veiled as well as their weakness, and Mr Stafford knows well it is hazardous to fight in the dark. The chances then are that every blow misses the mark, or is merely directed against a phantom, the creation of the assailant’s own brain. So Mr Stafford wisely declined the combat, and, contenting himself with playing the part of Cassandra, warned ministers of their approaching doom. Troni the shoit debate, no conclusion can be arrived at on the state of parties in the House. It would appear that, if there be an organised Opposition, they took their cue from their leader, and gave no indication of the mode in which they purpose playing their game. The probability is that their organisation is incomplete, and that it depends upon the chapter of accidents what form their policy will assume.