PRESS versus STATE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 81, 15 January 1863, Page 2

PRESS versus STATE.

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times. Sni,—A free and honest press is the best guarantee fur the liberty of a community. subjects of Britain, are proud of the means whereby we explain our own views, and learn those of our neighbours. That we occasionally give umbrage to the “powers that be, l ' is a fact that tells in our favor, as it is highly necessary that our rulers should be occasionally reminded of their conduct, when they appear to forget that their duty is to be a terror to evildoers, and a praise to them that, do well; when they substitute favor for justice, feeling for law. Although the liberty of the press is sometimes abused, we ought still to maintain its freedom, and enjoy the good it produces, even though it beslightly alloyed at times with evil. I hat a free press is obnoxious to an aristocracy is well known and admitted ; hence censorship and fetters curb it in many countries. While we see numerous examples of the utility of the press in our fatherland, we occasionally see instances of mischief; but for the latter we need not go beyond New Zealand. It. may be worth a few moments consideration to consider the relations of the press and the late and present governors. When Governor Browne asserted the sovereignty of Victoria against that of Eangitake (W. Kingi), a portion of the colonial press opposed him, and (indirectly if not directly) encouraged the natives in their resistance to the Queen’s forces. How much additional blood and treasure this cost the- colony will never be known, but no sane man will deny that it must have done a great — very great—amount of mischief. The duty of a loyal subject, to avoid weakening the hands of his countrymen when actually at war, was forgotten or ignored. ’1 he most sweeping assertions were used, the most unfounded reports circulated, to demonstrate that Governor Browne was guilty of a great crime. Vet the facts of the case, when fully known and understood, quite cleared the Governor, and justified his conduct. Had he attempted arbitrarily to gag the press, and to punish the sowers of sedition and abettors of rebellion, his conduct would not have been altogether unjustifiable. In times of emergency some of our dearest rights may have to give way for the public safety. Yet his greatest interference with the press was a manly and straightforward request to those who disapproved of his conduct to avoid irritating the natives and so causing unnecessary bloodshed. Even this request was but partially heeded by his opponents. On the other hand, Governor Grey has re-introduced a policy (as it is called) of conciliation, and yielding to bullying all it can ask, our rights being sacrificed to meet the demands of the jUaon, our money being lavished on them, our property and even our persons being subjected to violence, and their demands ever increasing with our concessions (as was certain to be the ease); the authority of our laws and our Queen and her representative being treated with the utmost contempt; yet the press of the colony has shown a disposition to hope that the Governor would yet put all to rights, and had, until lately, considerable confidence in him; the General Assembly of the colony meanwhile passing the measures he proposed, and voting the money he asked. Now it appears he has been rewarding the colonists and the press by charging on them the failure of bis plans, because they can not, and will not, shut

their eyes to the fact that submission to a half-savage race is producing its legitimate result; —a state of anarchy and violence, of bullying and fawning, of irritation and alarm. Contrast the manly declaration of the soldier Governor, published in the colony, with the underhand accusation of the diplomatic Governor, sent home, but concealed from the colonists, and even from the General Assembly, for eight or nine months. There is another subject which hangs on these despatches, the so-called responsibility of ministers. Governor Browne was the author of his own despatches, and his advisers avowed it; there was nothing underhand in that, but the opposition (if my memory does not fail, it was Fox himself) made a great fuss about such a breach of etiquette as they want ed to prove it, a Governor writing his own despatches. Well, Fox was minister last March : was he the author of the despatches attacking the press of the colony, or was he consulted and his advice taken on that question ? If so, how is it they were not produced during the last session of the Assembly? Or are we to accept the alternative that Governor Grey used Fox as his tool when he thought lit, and did not use him when such was his pleasure. William Fox’s explanation of this matter would be very acceptable. Yours, &c., A Saxon. TuawLenua, Jan. 1, 18G3.