Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY, JULY 18, 1864.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 183, 15 July 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY, JULY 18, 1864.

Me. M’Lean, in a series of very elaborate speeches, has endeavored to vindicate the claim of his Government to be classed amongst the benefactors of mankind, particularly’that section of the family which is to be found in this Province, and by way of proof he complains, probably with truth, that Mr. Colenso has not studied Adam Smith. "Whether these assumptions and assertions be true or not, one thing is certain, —if Adam Smith’s system of Government is anything like Donald M’Lean’s system, it is extremely fortunate in the interests of humanity that few people practice it, and still fewer, if possible, can understand it. Mr. M’Lean was the administrator of a kind of Government to the Maories for more than twenty years, and we need only appeal to the present state of the country, and the ruinous war going on in it, as a sufficient indication of what sort that was. Immediately Mr. M’Lean was seated in the Superintendency of this Province, his first to turn Mr. Tiften out of his office, probably to prove some of Adam Smith’s theories ; a fatal error. Mr. Tiften, everybody knows, administered the Waste Lands here for many years, to the great advantage of the runholders, if not to the country, and as a surveyor he is probably one of the most able men in New Zealand. Had Mr. M’Lean placed in Mr. Tiffen’s official shoes a gentleman better fitted to wear them, no just ground of complaint could be found upon the score of loss to the public service I but it is unfortunate for the Governmental endeavours in that direction that Mr. Tiffen’s successor is by no means brilliant, in fact we should say that lie is the antithesis of brilliancy, decidedly cloudy, and he is, moreover, a mere creature of the Government. As touching the Survey Department, the less said about that the better, for it would seem from the present arrangements that the duties of the Chief Surveyorship have long since lapsed, and that that important department has to take care of itself. It does not appear from these facts, that Mr. M’Lean has vindicated his claims to be considered a follower of Adam Smith, with any credit to that political economist’s system of Government. Sir. Colenso was also sacrificed. In both these cases, setting aside Adam Smith altogether, and confining ourselves entirely to Donald M’Lean, we detect so palpable an evidence of personal feelings, supported by

so exceedingly feeble an attempt to improve upon the condition of the then existing state of things, or rather, we should say, sheltered by so extremely flimsy a veil of decency, that the Government has only succeeded in this matter in covering itself with obloquy and derision. Mr. Colenso’s vacant office is now filled up by a personal friend of the Superintendent, a gentleman principally remarkable for his usefulness in cases of contested elections and for making up very astonishing balance sheets.

Every sound principle of Government has been sacrificed by Mr. M’Lean to personal feeling; and whether we turn to the disgraceful state of the public departments, or whether we look upon the unchecked occupation of native lauds, and consequent closing of the Province against immigration, or whether we contemplate the course pursued in the nomination of officers for the Militia, —turn whichever waj we we will, we discover such palpable, such monstrous instances of favoritism and petty personalities, that whatever good might by possibility accrue from the changes effected, the appointments made, and the deeds done by him, is utterly negatived and neutralised by those illiberal, ungenerous, and shallow motives which have led to the action taken.

It is perfect nonsense for the Government and its supporters to make such a fuss about the dangers by which we have been threatened, and most supremely absurd on the part of the member for Clive to illustrate that state of things by affirming that live stock was going begging, not long since, in consequence of those dangers, at 25 per cent, below the market value. We suspect that the speculative individual (taking advantage of the agitated and alarmed state of the eloquent speaker for Clive) who fancied he could get that gentleman’s stock for anything less than 25 per cent, above the market value would have found himself grievously mistaken, notwithstanding the dangers with which that stock might be surrounded.

The careless manner in which the Militia are drilled in the Country Districts—the systematic manner in which the Volunteers have been snubbed—the monstrously expensive, ridiculous, and weak structures which are dignified by the name of “ stockades” — the careful ignoring of so many gentlemen who have but recently left the army to settle here in the appointment of militia officers, and the general feeling of security which pervades the minds of most men, are sufficient arguments to show that there is more of pecuniary speculation in the doings of the Government in making such a to-do about dangers by which we are supposed to be surrounded, than any real wish on their part to make the most of the materials at hand in case those dangers eventuate in actual hostilities. One of two views of the case must be correct —either the dangers of which the Government attempts to make so much capital are purely imaginary, or, if that is not so, then that Government is criminally and palpably negligent of the safety of the Public* by the gross manner in which, as we said before, it has neglected our local means of defence. Again, the Government party boast of their endeavours to forward immigration. We don’t see much to boast of in attempting to introduce large numbers of laborers into a country where money is so particularly scarce. The Provincial funds are done up, so there is no money to be got in that direction. Private capital and enterprise is systematically kept out of the country by that system of squatting upon native lands, and by the mismanagement of the Crown Lands, which is liberally countenanced, and largely participated in, by the Provincial authorities. So that really very little labor will suffice for the requirements of this Province in its present state. If we had lauds to sell, and were those lands sold openly and fairly, capital would readily find its way hither, and labor would follow in a healthy and

natural stream, without the assistance of the force-pumping process proposed by the. Provincial Government.

Nor can we agree to importing women at the public charge. If the Provincial Government or the Provincial Council are in want of women, they had better get them at their own expense. The chances are, that if the Council vote money for this purpose, they will have at no distant day to vote more money for the erection of a foundling hospital.

In spite of all the speeches made by the Government party, they have not succeeded in substantiating their case. No doubt they have relieved their minds of a great deal of small wit and vulgar facetiousness at the expense of Mr. Colenso ; but that sort of conduct is a very weak and unconvincing method of supporting a bad cause and attacking an able opponent.