TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 47, 22 May 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

TARANAKI.

The principal item of news from Taranaki is Mr. C. W. Richmond's reply to the request made him by the electors of New Plymouth, that he would continue to represent them in the General Assembly. Mr. Richmond, we regret to see, lias felt bound to decline the invitation. The following is Mr. Richmond’s letter, addressed to C. Brown, Esq., Superintendent of New Plymouth; Dunedin, 21st April, 1862. Dear Sir,-—I have .just received a letter from a numerous body of Taranaki settlers, headed by yourself, in which you ask me to stand again for the Town of New Plymouth. I feel this mark of confidence the more deeply because it is given in despite of a course on my part, which, on a less generous construction, might appear an abandonment of your cause. ° The great kindness thus shown to me binds me more than ever to Taranaki and its warm-hearted people. I trust I may be enabled to prove in the long ran, that however. much they may overrate my ability to serve them, they do not, and cannot, overrate my will and my desire.

I have now to beg of you to inform our fellow settlers that the obligations I am under make it impossible for me to accept a seat in the House, conveying to them at the same time my most grateful sense of their kindness towards me. I am glad to believe that my absence during the ensuing session will not prove hurtful to their interests. Indeed I can see that my absence mav be attended with certain advantages to them. With the political sentiments expressed in the letter I entirely concur. The native question, we cannot too often repeat, belongs to the Empire, tor I set aside, as visionary, the notions of the Ultra-Colonial party, here and at home, in favour of the entire abandonment to the colony of native affairs. I say the question belongs to the Empire, and the Fin pi re (after hearing what we colonists have to say) must and will, choose its own mode of settlement. Only we are entitled to insist that the question be really settled, and are bound to expose all sham settlement of it. “Groby Pool” (we know) “cannot be thatched with Pau-cakcs.” Any Ministry which simulates satisfaction with mere patching of the question ought at once to be repudiated by the colony. I remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, 0. W. Ricuixoxd.