CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 91, 20 February 1863, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the HawTce's Bay Times. Sib, —The observing of Hawke's Bay say they can discover at one glance a mighty change both in men and things of late, and really the few who remain fully endorse the sentiment of the worthy gentlemen, for they tell us they saw her in the hour of affliction, groaning under the fearful tyranny of Wellington misrule, and watched the poor suffering creature wasting her strength in the great struggle for separation, until her state of exhaustion attracted the attention of a noble array of worthies who assisted her in the wonderful fight at the eleventh hour, just as she was sinking under the abominable impostures and cruelty of her hard task master. To restore her to health and vigor again it was deemed recessary she should manage her own affairs, sell her lands, and expend the money without any farther control whatever. The great boon being granted, she soon recovered from her sickness, and was healthy and young again, and able to join the happy and the gay. Then nothing but great display would do to inaugurate the new institutions, and a rich display she gave at the separation ball; nothing but exuberance of spirit was manifest, and like all gala days a fearful amount of talk about extraordinary land revenue, to which there was to be no end, and triumphant boasts of cheap administration. As the misrule of Wellington was to be the text book, they woidd guard against all dangers, and the new state ship was to be commanded by the most experienced gentleman in the colony. To prevent the vessel being wrecked among the fearful shoals of stagnation or penury, and Wellington misdeeds, they were to be particularly noted on the new chart, and much attention was demanded from the commander to avoid those dangers. As the state ship was now launched and afloat, she was to be manned for comparitivcly nothing ; but that nothing being multiplied by something soon reached the little sum of fortyfive thousand pounds, as wo find published in the blue book issued by the careful Provincial Government; thus showing how sickly was the boast, and how short-lived her immense revenue, and proving the truth of the old adage that the “ remedy is worse than the disease,” for in a surprisingly short time we find an empty chest, and very little land left to replenish it. The wonderful road making came to a stand still, roads were left half finished, and many worse than they were at the commencement, and were abandoned by passengers and the old tracks preferred. The greatest of all her absurdities, the piled monument of her folly, shared the fate of the other works, and the harbour improvements, (so-called), in spite of the display of engineering skill, assisted by the mighty efforts of poor old curiosity shop, the harbour got daily worse and worse, until curiosity was told that, considering the small amount invested, £3,000, she, with the province, might take breathing time, together with all her costly family, only some nine in number. The peop'le would no‘t think that she was doing any harm by being quiet until another experiment was tried with another go at piling at some future day, not at present, as all the money was gone or in requisition, in order to carry out existing contracts to borrow a few thousands. As difficulties existed on every side, it was quite necessary to find a new commander for the fine state clipper, which was much damaged, both in frame and rigging. This was not done amid so many difficulties in a moment, but as at all times of great trial great men have been found, so did Napier find a courageous man to come forward to take the helm of affairs, who now boasts of having a balance in favor of the ship and her little, but smart and experienced crew. But here the boast ends ; nothing is said respecting roads or other improvements, but the great idea of clearing the Petano river, or the much more difficult task in the Mangaone, which has been pronounced by every man who has been in the bed of those rivers to be impracticable. All other boasting is at an end, and soon the province will be left to regret the departure of the last son of toil; for instead of immigration to Hawke’s Bay, it has for months been emigration, and the desire is now stronger than ever among the class which is most wanted in all new colonies, the labouring class, few of whom are disposed to stop if they can raise the money by any means. Notwithstanding the diminution in the labor market, there are still numbers of good house carpenters out of employment, with very serious families, and a goodly number of other labouring men, glad to do anything that offers to gain a shilling or two to provide for their offspring, who are really destitute of .many of the necessaries of life ; and all these things can be seen in the model province of Hawke’s Bay, which was to bo a bright example to all other provinces. But I hear one of her great advocates saying—“ Stop your declamation ; we have a counterpart if you please.” “ Well sage, proceed.” “Well, sir, we are of opinion as a body that we did quite right in getting separation, and of course to manage our own affairs; and are convinced that we have done a great deal of good, for all the revenue has been spent in the place by our own salaried gentlemen, and has created a great stir in the place. And out of the revenue we have made wonderful improvements j —look at the Government buildings, hospital, immigration barracks, gaol, meteorological observatory, fine churches, and banks, three in number, and all their staff, which is a credit to the place.” “ No doubt, sir, the people in the place reap a deal of credit from them.” “ Well, if so, these things would never have been but for separation.” “ Yes, but you forget—” “ Do not interrupt me now, sir.” “Go on with your description— go on, friend.”, “Well, besides the banks and other buildings which I named, there are a number of other things—there is the new fire engine establishment—” . “ Don’t say anything about the engine then, but proceed.” “Then look at the great advantage of the public pumps and troughs

and numerous other little things, and a strong and ciu#-police force, sober and watchful men who never leave their beat in town to drink or gamble. All these are consequent upon separation, and the introduction of gentlemen of the profession, who have settled in the province in consequence of the number of difficult questions that have arisen between the Wellington people and the people of Napier. They are surely a great acquisition to any people, but particularly so to Hawke’s Bay, where all things are settled very satisfactorily, with very few costs. You must not, dear sir, forget your childish story of Little Red Riding Hood, as the “ immortal Bob H.” would say if half-cocked.” At present wo have a new steam company, who are desirous of having a new kind of a steamer with a long flush deck and a high poop. Some sea-faring men may understand what that is, but we landsmen cannot. And last, but not least, is the establishment of a Supreme Court, the want of which was much felt and fully appreciated with judges, free from local trammels, desirous of administering impartial justice. But as we are now just about to hear our new members speak, wo decline saying any more until then, and when we find the “right man in the right place ” wo have no doubt we shall tell you a good more, especially if our Superintendent should be Mr. M'Lean. 4 ’ Now, friend, you have put the finishing stroke on the lot, but as you say he say he has had a deal of experience among the natives, and has considerable influence among them, and knows fully all about the matter, apply to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and ask him if ever he had to ride after the said gentleman ; or put your question in a more manly form, and ask him if he ever expressed any opinion about him or his business habits, and when you return his answer I will hear the remainder, and reply afterwards, respecting the mighty deeds of this great man, —not forgetting the expression of the wonderful Dickens, that “we are not as we were, and we shall not remain as we are.” Waiting your answer, Sir, I am, &c., NO POLITICI AN. Napier, Feb. 17, 1863.