THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1862.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 55, 17 July 1862, Page 2

THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1862.

Unquestionably the present session of the General Assembly is the most important that has been hitherto held, on account of the weighty matters that must he discussed and decided there; and this consideration lends an unusual degree of interest to-the question of our communication with the City of ‘Wellington. For some time to come we shall be anxiously awaiting the arrival of each successive mail, in order that w r e may learn what lias been the action of the people’s parliament

on the groat questions of the day, and their decision on the course pursued by the Executive Government since the pei’iod of their last meeting. The recent unfortunate loss of the mail steamer, will probably add greatly to the uncertainty and infrequency of our correspondence with that place during this period, though we do not believe that the to us unsatisfactory arrangements, of which this vessel formed an important item, could (apart from her loss) be considered as of a permanent nature, and, as the whole scheme will have to pass through the ordeal of discussion, we may yet hope for a more serviceable system, that is, as far as regards our Port and Province. One of the most interesting and important subjects that will have to he brought before the Assembly, is that of the responsibility of his Excellency’s advisers in the native affairs of the colony—at present the greatest uncertainty may be said to prevail in relation to this. We gather from the reports of statements made by her Majesty’s ministers in the Imperial Parliament, that the management of these matters, as well as others of a Colonial character, have been yielded by the Colonial Ofhce to the Colonists ‘themselves, who may be very properly supposed to understand best the requirements of the case, but, on the other hand, wo are very much in the dark as to when this transfer of responsibility was made, and from recent occurrences in connection with the native lauds at Coromandel, we may reasonably conclude that this responsibility extends just so far as the views of the Ministry are identical with those of the Governor, but no further—that as soon as they may presume to advise a policy differing from his own—he will practically show that such responsibility is a myth. It is not our intention on this occasion, to discuss the question of the Governor’s proclaiming the district of Coromandel a Gold I ield, notwithstanding the determination of some of the native owners (so called) not to allow of the occupation of the unalienated land, and the opposition of his Cabinet on this account —further than to point out on the one hand an instance of his independence of action in native aftairs when it so pleases him, and, on the other hand, a way he has of dealing with certain of {lie natives, (under pressure) very dilferent from what might have been expected from all else that we have seen of the working of the “ New Native Policy,” and which permits us to hope that it is not his deliberate intention entirely to sacrifice one of the best and most valuable of Britain’s Colonies to the whims or caprices of a few semi-savages, albeit they may he dignified with the rank of chiefs or the title of “ Maori Gentlemen'’! ! 1 Another question of the greatest importance to this Province of Hawke’s Bay, is the light in which the Assembly will see the unsatisfactory course of events that have transpired amongst us for several months past, in our relations with the native race, and the impotent remedy devised by the Government, which by constant granting to the native aggressor all his demands has only made the matter worse, until some of us are brought to the conclusion that the easiest and safest course is to yield to them ourselves, against their and our own conviction of right, rather than by appealing to a court to give their claims the semblance of justice" arid legality. : We shall be much deceived if the whole question from the Puketapu outrage (considered by a Court of of Justice (?) as a striking example of forbearance 11 1 on the part of the nathes) unto the late disgraceful proceedings against Mr. Colenso, be not brought out in all its deformity before the representatives of the people, and if this he done fairly, there is hut small room to question the condemnation of the whole new Native policy as exemplified among us. It will be remembered that at the time ot the decision of the Court respecting the outrage above referred to, Mr. Ward being amongst us, and the principal actor in the grand legal farce, that gentleman received great credit from the organs of the

Government party in Auckland and Wellington for the talent he displayed in arranging these matters according to the prescribed plan of of making the settler submit to the Maori, and doubtless these same organs will find equally good ground to express their unqualified approbation of the clever doings of Colonel Russell as Civil Commissioner, and strive in some such way as this to hide their disgust at the want of tact exhibited in not arranging matters so as to give at least a semblance of justice to his decision ; but we must own, that when the badly selected instruments of a party fail to perform the office that may be assigned to them in a satisfactory way, the blame rebounds on the heads of the party. Why is it that every office of emolument and honor in the power of the government is constantly bestowed upon (ex)-mili-tary or naval men, to the exclusion of those who by their long residence and extensive experience in the colony are the most fitted to fulfil the duties of such offices ? Is it only because such are more likely, from previous training and discipline, to respect more the authority of their superiors than justice or right ? Under an Autocracy such men make admirable rulers and governors, but are unsuited to the age of free institutions, and here we may note one of the greatest disappointments felt by the old settlers with the working of the Colonial constitution in that it has not abolished this abomination, as it was confidently expected it would do. Instances are of so constant occurrence, as to render it needless to particularize one more than another, but a recent case may be mentioned, where, on the resignation of the chief officer of a department of the public service, an ex-military man has received the appointment to the vacant office, to the neglect of the old and faithful subordinates, while, under a more wholesome regime a series of promotions might have been made so as to bestow a weil-mevited reward upon industry and fidelity in the service of the Government.