Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1864.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 179, 17 June 1864, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1864.

That Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald holds very poetical and highly fallacious notions about the Maories, their customs, their feelings, and ideas is true enough ; but the statement that that gentleman's influence in New Zealand politics is, in consequence, on the decline is, fortunately, not at all true.

It would indeed be a truly lamentable state of things if the opinions of that section of the press which embraces such naners as the Hawke’s Baij Herald , the Wellington Independent, and the like, were of any moment in cases in which the merits and demerits of men far above the standard of comprehension vouchsafed to that class of journals are concerned. It is fortunate indeed, in the interests of good sense and sound reason, that these our contemporaries carry little weight, otherwise it would fare badly with superior intelligences. It is supremely ridiculous to find such an insignificant paper as the Herald presuming

to judge a man like Fitzgerald by tbe standard of its own merely mercenary opinions—opinions, such as they are, open for sale to the highest bidder, and ready to change in any way to suit purchasers at any moment. The writer of such articles as appear in tbe Canterbury Press is too far removed by virtue of his great ability above the influence of the vituperation of low* scribblers—men without princijfle, either moral or political, —men without public spirit, and without even so much mediocre ability as to make themselves understood, except in those cases wherein they adopt the Billingsgate style of argument, in which line we dare say that, to those who understand it, they, the scribblers, succeed to admiration.

We agree with Peter Pindar, that “it is no use whipping pigs with velvet.” We are therefor,' obliged, when it is our unpleasant duty to chastise animals of that sort, to be rather more urgent in our language than is consistent with the velvetty touch, but which is not the less admirably adapted to the obdurate ignorance and stupidity of tbe animals to whom it is applied. The Press, of Canterbury, is an ornament to the press of New Zealand, and we, although differing widely from many of the opinions expressed in that journal, and holding views entirely opposite to those entertained by it upon Native matters, cannot refrain from offering our meed of admiration on the shrine of genius. Genius is a rare and direct gift from the Gods, and the pos sessor of it is worthy of regard amongst his le : s fortunate follows, no matter to what end or purpose that genius be directed, so it be not against the instruction and enlightenment of the people.

To those narrow-minded and bigoted men who at present hold sway in this Province the Herald is a lit organ, but we should as soon expect to lind poetry in a cobbler's dog or philosophy in a ratcatcher as anything like a respect for abilities which did not pander to those individuals or their exponent. Between them, Hawke’s Bay has been sold, and the thirty pieces have been divided amongst those devotees of Mammon. When the He. aid has succeeded in exposing some ot the many home-made abuses under which this Piovince is rapidly perishing, it will be time enough to attack Mr. Fitzgerald and his harmless whims about the Maories. It is a very good way of keeping up an equivocal claim to be looked upon as a protector of the public weal, amongst a certain questionable class of politicians, that of abusing able men who are free from the foul stain of selling themselves or their country, or being in any way a party to the innumerable corrupt “jobs” which are a disgrace to our Government.

A corrupt and licentious press has contributed not a little to the ruin of the Republic of America, founded by the great Washington, and to the same cause will assuredly be laid the ruin of these colonies if we do not watch and guard against it. It is fortunate that the grossness of some of our contemporaries is well balanced on the other side by a few enlightened journals of the Press order, otherwise we should speedily get whirled off into that vortex of lawless extravagance wherein is destroyed all real freedom of thought and expression, and substituted for those blessings a foul, libellous, and rapacious press.