THE NEW REGIME AND THE HERALD.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 103, 3 April 1863, Page 2

THE NEW REGIME AND THE HERALD.

To the Editor of the Hawke's Hay Times. Sib, —The Herald of the 14th instant con tains a “leader” that may be deemed to be an echo of the views of Sir George Grey, and at the same time a manifesto of the new sovereign of Hawke’s Bay. Amongst other things, we are told that “ the issues of peace or war lie with Sir George Grey alone,” and an opinion is cautiously ventured that he is not likely to be influenced by the press, &c. Well, sir, it is satisfactory to find that the Herald is coming to the same view as your correspondent. There is no doubt of the fact; Sir George Grey is as much an autocrat now under so-called Responsible Government as he was formerly without it, but with this important difference, that he can use the Responsible Ministry as a screen when it suits his purpose. Ho can do, or undo, and write home that his doing, or not doing, is by the advice and consent of his Responsible Advisers, thereby making his policy appear to bo that of the Colony, aud involving the Colony in the responsibility, so as to give valid reasons for our being saddled with a large portion of the cost. At the same time the Colony is being humbugged equally with the Home Government, the colonists being told that Sir George Grey is obeying his instructions, so must not be hindered. Such is Governor Grey’s policy, and such the position of affairs ; yet it is somewhat surprising that the Herald should stand forth as the champion of such a system, particularly so

when it has come out strong in a different light. The inspiration under which the Herald speaks and prophecies must now jbe of a somewhat different nature to that which prompted it to write about “ justasses justice,” and “ serfdom to the Maories,” and the necessity “to speak out,” and “ not to be mealy-mouthed,” &c., &0., at the time of the decision in the Civil Commissioner’s Court on the Awapuni case, better known as Mr. Colenso’s homestead. What a blunder the Civil Commissioner of that day committed in not retaining the Herald to prove that all was right, strictly according to Sir George Grey’s views and intentions, and consequently ought to be borne without a murmur.

The paragraph about “ the few, the very few, who would settle the difficulty by fire and sword” may be taken for what it is worth, with tins 'opinion, that if the policy of continual concession does not end in fire and sword, it will be an epoch in the history of the world. The remainder of the article is somewhat in the “ peace, plenty, and prosperity” style, according to the way the Featherston party put it when they elected and re-elected him. What has been the result of the Featherston rule in Wellington but the opposite from plenty and prosperity, as the present state of that Province too surely shows —but the cry may be still be used, may still be successful in turning an election or bolstering up a Government. The talk of immigration and re-established confidence is but a variation of the old Featherston cry. There are two important considerations connected with immigration, first, the attractions and inducements to emigrate ; secondly, how to retain the immigrants. Several of the Provincial Governments advance the whole or a part of the passage money, with or without a promise to repay. This “ promise to repay” system has failed where it has been tried on a largo scale, in Welliington and Otago, hence it is necessary to fall back on the advance without repayment, as was the rule in the Australian Colonies, and, I believe, in Canterbury. There is one other plan, the Auckland Forty-acre system, but Hawke’s Bay has no land fit for that purpose, and under the direct purchase rule Auckland itself will soon have to adopt some other plan. To expend large sums in immigration may be good policy in some cases but only when the bulk of the immigrants are likely to settle permanently in the district that imports them. Does Hawke’s Bay in its present state and prospects offer sufficient attraction to retain a large number of immigrants, even supposing them to come freely, and no repayment of passage money sought? Is Hawke’s Bay able to retain those who are already here ? If not, what better fortune is to be expected in the case of new importations? It may bo granted that nothing, .not even the “smiting hip and thigh” alluded to, would so completely settle the native difficulty as the introduction and settlement of a large population. But has the past history of Hawke’s Bay shown any honest attempt at anything likely to attract and retain population ? The Herald saw everything was good, or to be good, under the reign of King Fitz Gerald, and supported his schemes and countenanced his extravagance. Under King Carter, and a necessarily more economical system, the Herald was still the Government organ ; now, also, following the system of worshipping the rising sun, King M’Lean is to be the restorer of the Province. Something is said about “ restoring confidence between the two races,” but to allow one race to defy the law and successfully resist its officers, appears to me a left-handed method of establishing confidence, and one not likely to be very successful in inducing “free Britons” to settle in a district where it is being tried. The passage alluding to the probability of the Natives being some time or other willing to sell may be rightly valued by any thinking man. Is it likely they will sell much valuable land when they can obtain large rents for it ? When they are allowed all the advantages of freeholders under civilized rule, without being in any way tied or restricted as a pakeha freeholder is ? When they are scot free of taxing ordinances ? Before concluding, it may be noticed how Mr. M’Lean’s praises have been sung, and how it has been asserted that he possesses the confidence of the whole native race as well as a large majority of the Europeans. How long ago is it that the Herald contained proofs that Mr. M’Lean and the Governor, whose adviser he was, were as unpopular as possible with a very largo section of the Natives of this district. The Herald cannot but be aware that Mr. M’Lean, and his management of the Land Purchases, were the theme of numerous complaints from the Maoris and their sympathisers within the past three years. How comes Mr. M’Lean to now possess their confidence ? Has it been by more concessions, or bv the only arguments that they appreciate, bags of sovereigns. Mr. M’Lean’s knowledge of Native matters," and his tact in dealing with them, has been, and is admitted, but before “ bowing the knee” to him, we may ask how so skilful a tactician has let Native affairs come to the state they are now in ; how the chief adviser of the Government should have made the blunder at Waitara, in sending the Waikato people home on a truce, and that when they were very desirous to end the war, and might, by a little more perseverance have been brought to submission ; how when terms might have been enforced on the assembled warriors, they were allowed to disperse unbeaten, and futile attempts made to coax them in detail ? 1 Yours, &c., A SAXON. Ahuriri, 21st March, 1863.