THE HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1862.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 42, 17 April 1862, Page 2

THE HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1862.

Political capital is so eagerly sought after by a certain class of journalists that no event is of too trivial importance to be seized on by them and appropriated to this end; thus the recently expected visit of His Excellency to Wellington and the popular excitement consequent thex-eon was immediately taken by the Fox party as proofs that the Native Policy now being attempted to be in-troduced-was acceptable to the settlers, and even met with their cordial approval, thus by a sleight of hand movement substituting one thing for another most entirely distinct from it. The old settlers of Wellington cannot fail to regard Sir George Grey with feelings akin to gratitude when they reflect on the benefits he conferred on the town and district during the term of his former administration, and this totally apart from his dealings with the natives, even then the one thing, or at most one of the few things, that met with their disapproval; and this consideration is of itself quite sufficient to account for the popular feeling being in favor of giving him the most cordial welcome in their power, altogether apart from any considerations connected with the Native question. And yet, as the leader of the movement was no other than Mr. Fox's coadjutor, the Superintendent of Wellington, it* is not to be wondered at that the public were to some extent made to appear identified with his views. Neither is it surprising that no exception was taken to Dr. Featherston’s speech on the occasion of its delivery, much as many must have felt it as committing them to views that did not meet their approval, as they would of course feel a repugnance to the committal of any act which would tend to mar the harmony of the meet■ing, which was professedly called together on non-political grounds, and for an altogether non-political object; and now that the excitement of the occasion has passed away, all parties are able to cast a retrospective glance at these proceedings, and enquire calmly whether the welcome they were desirous of giving to the Governor implied any approval of the late dealings with the natives ? And, first, there are not a few who refuse ‘.altogether to believe that these dealings are 'in any sense the exponents of the mind of Sir George himself, preferring to consider them as an experiment of his Responsible Ministers which he is permitting to be tided (perceiving its certainty of failure) before taking the matter into Ins own hands ; and this view is borne out by the little that has as yet transpired with regard to his own doings. His Excellency being singularly cautious of committing himself to any line of action renders it a matter of great difficulty to penetrate to his intentions, and it has been well remarked that probably no person is more in the dark as to what those intentions are than Mr. Fox himself. One thing, however, is certain, that is, that there has been an amount of determination in his proceedings which contrasts forcibly with those of Mr. Fox. The road to Waikato, well known to he the Governor’s own scheme, is an instance in point, and another is to he found in the expressed determination to have the road by the West Coast open to the public, and if needful to establish a line of military posts for its protection. Probably the time is not just yet ripe for this to be done, —there are doubtless good reasons for the delay of taking the questions of the West Coast in band—questions. evidently reserved for himself to deal with, and which the approaching winter will now necessarily postpone for some months.

Meantime, an excellent opportunity is given to prove the failure of the runanga system, at all events as far as Europeans are concerned, —to develope the desire said to exist in the native mind for law and order, and which, if it does exist, can be shewn by their accepting the unprecedented concessions now offered to them, as well as for any further preparations Sir George Grey may feel it necessary to make for future operations against the incorrigible. Until then, it may reasonably be supposed that there will be no probability of discovering with certainty whether His Excellency is identified with the Native Policy of his Ministers or not.