Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1884.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 196, 14 October 1864, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1884.

Whatever may be the opinions of the English press, English people, or {English Government upon the subject of the present state of affairs in this country, there is but one'opinion upon that subject here, and that opinion is that unless Sir George Grey is removed, and that very'soon, the consequences will be more serious than 'may appear at first glance on the surface. From the first landing of Sir George we have ever maintained that he was not the man we wanted, —he, seeking to support that reputation which the success of his plans at the Cape had made for him, —he, before whom every interest, every principle, and every decisive and wise act of Government would be sacrificed to his standing in the eyes of the Home Government; it was not probable that under such circumstances he would do other than he has done. Moreover, Grey has ever been but a lukewarm supporter of the interests of the white population' in this island. From his earliest time to the present day he has had a strong leaning towards the Maori. Whether that leaning is to be attributed to a morbid desire to see fair play between the two races, and rather to support the Maories against us, as being the weaker party, or whether it is to be attributed to the influence of the Missionaries, whom everybody knows are diametrically opposed to the colonisation of this island, it is difficult fairly to determine, and probably after all of not much importance ; but that he has no real and warm sympathy with us is perfectly plain and self-evident. Here, then, in consequence of the vaccillating and undecided—we may almost say the criminal conduct of Sir George Grey on the great matter of the Maori war, we find that after having been three years engaged on that war, and having expended thereon vast sums of money, and shed great quantities of good British blood, and sacrificed many noble and valuable lives, destroyed whole settlements, and ruined many industrious families, we are in a far worse position than before that war began. There was always a great deal of absurd cant used in reference to the conduct of the war. The hackneyed and clap-trap phrase, “ short, sharp, and decisive,” has been the pass-word and war-cry of every one of our politicians who has had anything to do with a say upon this matter. But what has come of all this fine talk ? Where is the sharpness, or shortness, or decisiveness of the great fight? It has not been brought about, and never will or could be brought about, and for a sufficient reason. Those very men who most often used those words, and talked the loudest and longest, using those words as a text, have proved themselves after all to be perfectly worthless and perfectly helpless, when called upon by circumstances to put into immediate practice their magniloquent speech.

That the Fox Ministry have resigned from motives of policy is pretty clear, but that that political motive, whatever it may be, is a sound one, a just one, or one which carries with it the actual and positive interests of this Colony, we very much more than doubt; —we don’t believe it at all. We question the right of that Ministry to resign the trust given to them at the general meeting of the

Assembly. We cannot admit that, without the sanction of that Assembly, or at all events without first consulting the opinion of that Assembly, the Ministry had any right to resign. On the contrary, whatever may be the causes, or motives, or reasons, which have led to their adopting that course, we are decidedly of opinion that they have grievously failed us at our utmost need in thus deserting their post. There remains now but two courses open at the present disastrous conjuncture. Either the Home Government will support the Go-

vernor against the Colonists, and suspend for the time the Constitution Act, or he

must in bis turn resign bis post. We think it by no means unlikely, judging from the tone of the last despatches from Mr. Cardwell, that should Grey recommend the adoption of the first of these courses, it will be adopted by the Home Government, while, on the other hand, taking the same despatches as our index, we don’t think it all likely that Sir George Grey will be recalled. It is very clear from the tone of those despatches that the Home Government rely a great deal more upon his tact and judgment for settling our difficulties, than upon the abilities of our own home-made legislators. It is not at all probable that any Ministry can be formed, in the present state of public opinion, to pull with Sir George. His views upon the subject of Native Government appear to be extremely vague and undecided, and when not that, so extremely and absurdly partial towards the Maories that it is hardly likely we can possibly form any kind of Ministry which will work with him, and at the same time follow up the war with vigor and terminate it quickly and skilfully.

We shall of course soon hear that it has been found necessary to call the General Assembly together, but we do not anticipate any very satisfactory results as likely to ensue from that cumbrous piece of machinery being set in motion. Still, if only for form’s sake, it must be called together, and therefore the sooner the better.