RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT UNDER MR. FOX.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 65, 25 September 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT UNDER MR. FOX.

To the Editor of the Advertiser. "Wanganui, lath August, 1862. Siu, —Sir George Grey's despatch of the 30th Nov. 1861, to 11 ic Duke ot Newcastle, taken in connexion with the reply made by Mr. Fox in the House of Representatives, on his motion regarding a certain (?) amount of responsibility in native matters being handed over to Government, fully explains, to those who are not wilfully blind, that Responsible Government under Mr. Fox is a sham in itself, and a snare to the Colony. Mr. Fox, in the reply alluded to, states that, in the Government motion on the subject alluded to, his Government had simply reduced into form the relations that had existed between the Government and the Governor during the past year. This is an admission that Mr. Fox’s Government had, during the past year, been really responsible for native affairs, and, consequently, Government was responsible for the despatch of* the 30th November, in which Sir George intimates that ho has utterly disregarded the votes of the Assembly in native matters, under the plea that he does not deem it for the good of her Majesty’s service to carry out the publicly-recorded determination of his predecessor, whose determination was certainly agreed to, if not founded, on the almost unanimous vote of the General Assembly—in other words the Governor states that the votes of the Assembly are as nothing to his own will, and thereby he justifies the vole of those who have refused to accept any responsibility in native affairs, or, rather, to play any part in the responsible Government farce, with Mr. Fox as Manager. Had the House sanctioned this proposition of Mr. Fox, it would have rendered the Colony justly bound to pay part of (he expenses of a war, which—terminated as it has been against the express wishes of the country, through its representatives ; also against the injunctions of the Duke of Newcastle —has served only to injure the colonists to whom Mr. Fox desires to attach responsi-

[ bility, for a matter in which they are not responsi’ j ble. * If Ministers tvere really responsible to the coun--1 try in native mutters, could they have sanctioned j the despatch of the 30th Nov. 1 SGI, and retained I their places one day after the despatch was known j to the House / And if the Colony had been rei sponsible in native affairs would the war have ter- ! tninated as it has done '! Would the natives have j been allowed to retain the plunder taken from the Taranaki settlers?—to occupy land purchased by -j colonists from the Crown, reclaimed from its wild j state by the labor and money of those colonists? j In short, sir, would Taranaki be allowed to remain as it is so well described by a member of the Assembly to be, a disgrace to the British name, and a standing menace to the Northern Island? Sir. neither Ministers nor the Colonists are responsible for native matters, nor is it easy to see how they can bo responsible while Sir G. Grey remains Governor, with a British army at his command ; therefore it is the duty of those who represent the people to resist the payment of one farthing for the late war, or to sanction any responsibility in native a flairs, while responsibility can only render the country responsible to pay, but not to act. It must not be thought from these words that. I desire to see Sir George Grey remain a Dictator and that I am opposed to the people having real responsibility ; I conceive it would be better if a real responsibility were established, provided Maoris, as well as Europeans, were consulted by a Governor, who would fairly consult freely elected members of either rece ; but this, I believe, will never be done by Sir George Grey, as Governor, or with Mr. Eos, as Minister. The one is openly a despot, and the other secretly so despotic, that he would never retain office without so packing the House, through the influence of paid ollieials, ami political magistrates, that a vote of the House would not long represo ;t the voice of the people. 1 believe that Sir George Grey, as Dictator, will display the same truckling policy, the same Punic , faith, for which he has always been celebrated. To his truckling policy may chiefly be attributed William King’s action with regard to the Waitnra question ; to his Punic faith with regard to Governor Eizßoy’s land regulations may chiefly be attributed the general willingness on the part . of the Maoris to repudiate their agreements with Government and individuals. If the Maori don't know how to keep agreements, Sir George Grey has taught them the knowledge, and for these reasons I am not desirous to see Sir George Grey remain Dictator of New Zealand. If, however, he is to be Dictator, it is better that lie should remain Dictator in name as well as in reality, then the people will know to whom reproach is due. Sir George will not be able to send Taranaki members to Ministers, that . Ministers may again refer them to the , Governor—the convenient farce lately acted at Government House and in the Assembly—the Governor having said, when consulted by Taranaki members, “ Ministers are the people to go to Ministers having said, when questioned in the r House, “O ! that involves a question of employing soldiers, the Governor is the person to go to.” 1 As long as Sir George Grey remains Governor, ’ our best men —such as Richmond, Stafford, Weld, ! and Whitaker —will be unable to accept office, and inferior men—like Mr. Eos.—will hold ofllee. , Therefaro Ido not desire to sec Sir George Grey remain hero as Dictator, but even that is better than a sham responsibility, that would merely give I much patronage to Ministers, by which they . would probably be the more able to enslave the people. I am, Sir, 3 Yours. &c., 1 I. R. COOPER.