THE HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1862.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 44, 1 May 1862, Page 2

THE HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1862.

Referring to our issue of the 24th ult., it will he seen that although that was the fourth day from the arrival in the roadstead of H.M. S.S. Harrier, the almost unprecedented rough weather then prevailing had prevented more than one communication with her from the shore, and even this was not accomplished without difficulty and danger, and the disembarkation of his Excellency Sir George Grey was from the same cause effectually prevented up to the time of our going to press. This, however, took place the same day at 1 p.rn., at which time the heavy rolling sea had greatly subsided, although the frequent violent showers which continued to fall, detracted greatly from the pleasure of those who were iu waiting to receive him. At this time (1 p.m.) a salute of 17 guns from Goi’c Browne

Barracks announced to the townsfolk that his Excellency had landed at the Spit, where he was received Ly a guard of honor from the Military stationed at Napier. Capt. Vivian, Capt. Carter, (the Superintendent of Hawke’s Bay) and several other gentlemen, who likewise accompanied his Excellency and Secretaries Messrs. Layard and Willis, on foot to the Masonic Hotel, which was already prepared for his use. The address, which had been previously prepared, and somewhat extensively signed, by the inhabitants (a copy of which will be found in our last week’s issue), was presented to his Excellency next day (Friday) at 11 a.m., by a deputation from the inhabitants of Napier who had appended their signatures, consisting of His Honor the Superintendent, Messrs. Catchpool, Brathwaite, Scaly, Tilfen, Wilson, Taylor, and Fitzgerald, and were graciously received by His Excellency, who replied to the address in the words subjoined:— To tub Gentlemen signing the Address, Napier. Gentlemen, —I thank you most sincerely for the cordial -welcome you have tendered me on my arrival at Napier. Under any circumstances, such a -welcome ■would have been most gratifying to me ; but it is peculiarly so, when I find myself, after the lapse of so many years, enjoying the so rarely experienced pleasure of standing on a spot which I originally selected for settlement, and of seeing what I remember an almost uninhabited waste turned, by the blessing of Divine Providence, and by the industry of its settlers, into a thriving and prosperous Province. I trust that a long career of continued peace and prosperity, such as you have hitherto experienced, still awaits j'ou. You may rely that no exertions on. my part shall be omitted to secure these for you, and that it will be at once my duty and pleasure to do my utmosfto advance the interests of a Province, in the welfare of which 1 must from old associations, naturally take so great an interest. G. Grey. Napier, 25th April, 1862. It is unfortunate that the continued unfavorable state of the weather should have prevented His Excellency from making such use of his visit as under more favorable circumstances he most probably would have done, especially as his intending to visit the Southern settlements, as well as Wellington and Nelson before the opening of the next session of the General Assembly on the 26th June proximo, leaves but little time at his disposal here. Circumstances have, however, almost compelled him to prolong his stay some days more than was at first intended, as we understand Monday last, was the day at first fixed for his departure ; but at the request of the Maori chiefs Renata and Tareha, who had an interview with him on Saturday, that he would visit them at their pa (Whakaairo) on Monday, he consented to defer his departure for a day or two. Bad weather, combined with indisposition, on Monday prevented His Excellency from fulfilling his intention ; but his promise was performed on 'luesday by a visit to the pa, accompanied by the following gentlemen—Mr. Layard, Private Secretary ; Mr. Willis, Under Secretary; Mr. Jones, Naval Aide ; Lieut. Swan, H.M.S, Harrier ; Major Douglas; Mr. McLean, Chief Land Commissioner ; Rev. S.Williams; Mr. Cooper, R.M.; Mr. Tuke ; and Mr. M. Fitzgerald. The Governor went out in Marshall’s gig, and arrived at Pa Whrkaairo about two o’clock, when the party partook of luncheon, provided by Renata in his wea-ther-boarded house, in which his Excellency took up his quarters. The party returned last evening. We understand that his Excellency purposes leaving for Wellington this morning. It is hardly possible that more unfavorable weather could have existed during his Excellency’s stay amongst us. With the exception of Sunday, not a day has passed without rain since his arrival. We must now refer our readers once more to the address presented to his Excellency, and to the reply which it called forth from him. It will at once be seen that the extreme caution exhibited in the wording of the address, lest those who signed it should be committed to an approval of the new Native policy, was the occasion of gaining many signatures which would not have been ap-

pended had the address openly avowed such approval; and even as it was we know that several who signed it did so with reluctance, considering that it was calculated to convey an impression of approval which it yet did not express. Now', although the greatest opponent of the new policy could not object to the terms used in the address, for we suppose each and all of us desire to see his Excellency’s exertions to adjust the present unsettled state of the colony, and to place the relations between the colonists and natives on a permanent foundation, crowned with success, and even sympathize w'ith and support him in hi s arduous task, we may be permitted to doubt whether the measures taken with this avowed end, are calculated to produce the desired result, and to feel somewhat annoyed that the address fails to convey the klea that any such doubts [exist. Again, in his Excellency’s reply, w’e arc told that we may rely that no exertion on his Excellency’s part shall be omitted to secure a long career of continued peace and prosperiiy—such as we have hitherto enjoyed, sc., and wo learn from our contemporary that “ his Excellency is impressed with the\ conviction that Hawke's Bay has a promtsing future before it.” History gives us several instances of two-edged responses from the ancient oracles, but wo think the above quotations wall bear comparison with the best of them—they may mean anything or nothing. Our “ promising future” is “ a career such as w’e have hitherto enjoyed” !! ! What that amounts to, let the recent debates in Council tell. The political (and commercial) history of the Province, especially during the period that has elapsed since the instalment of Sir George Grey as Governor, is all too fresh in the minds of our readers to need more than a bare reference from us. Sir George found us in difficulties—the acquisition of territory w T as almost suspended through the open violation of ms land regulations by the squatters, the lands of the province were being recklessly throw’ll into the market, and sold at a nominal rate, in order to raise a temporary revenue, and thus a fictitious prosperity was for a. period, (we all know’ how short) induced. The revenue so raised w’as right royally squaii- J| dered in salaries, instead of being made reproductive by important public works, and the encouragement of immigration. The grass money question (another evil fruit of the nonenforcement of the Land Purchase Ordinance.) was beginning to be a source of difficulty betw’een the Europeans and the natives, not to mention other traits of the peace and prosperity of our “ late career ,” which we have neither space nor inclination to refer to now. When the appointment of Sir George Grey as Governor of New’ Zealand was announced, every eye was turned tow’ards him to discover, if possible, what should be the remedies for our complaints. “ Now,” said the most sanguine, “ w’e have a pilot who can weather the storm. Now’ we shall see the law’s enforced, the squatter punished,landpui'chasesrenewed, and new territory acquired. Now r w r e shall have our Hocks and herds protected from native aggression. Surely now a career of peace and prosperity, such as we have, not liitherto experienced, is before us.” Well, w r e waited and hoped till our hearts w r ero made sick; each succeeding development of the intentions of the Government, as regard- * ed the native question put hope after hope to ’ flight. Instead of the laws being enforced by prosecuting illegal occupiers of native lands, these occupations were to be legalized; instead of the renewal of the acquisition of territory, and consequently of revenue, the pre-emptive rights of the Crown to purchase was given up, and territorial revenue at one stroke annihilated. Meantime, native aggression was on the increase, no settler whose property bordered native land w’as safe from having his cattle seized, his stockyards broken, himself and family assaulted, under the pretence of grass money claims. This state of things had become so serious as to threaten an outbreak and loss of life on one or both sides, Mr. Ward was sent on the peaceful mission to settle these differences by fa little straining of) existing laws, and which he very cleverly accomplished by yielding to the natives all they demanded against the settler, and justly - ing them in their acts of aggression, so much as to convince them that seizing cattle is the proper way to enforce their demands for grass money, and they do so accordingly to this day, the settlor submitting to them rather than resisting, as the lesser evil of tw’o. But the term “ hitherto,” used by Sir George in his reply, would seem to imply , Jm

that our present state of prosperity is something enviable : a very few words must suffice to show to wliat this enviable state amounts. Treasury empty; expenditure heavy; territorial revenue gone; acquisition of fresh lands hopeless; immigration at an end in consequence ; and the prospect of speedy, heavy, and increasing taxation ! While, if we turn our attention to our relations witlx the native race, if we are to judge by the result of Mr. Ward’s mission (and there is not any exception taken by the Governor to bis proceedings that we have been able to learn), it is clear that there is but one way of settling the native difficulties, and that is by constant submission to them. Satisfactox-y this ? Very ! !!'