Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1864.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 204, 9 December 1864, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1864.

It is difficult to gather from Mr. Weld’s speech, which will be found in our columns to-day, what the intentions of the new Ministry are, but that they seem keenly alive to the startling fact that something must be done, is clear enough. We never remember reading such a speech as that; it is the most unintelligible jumble of words that probably was ever put together. His policy would seem to be composed of bits of every man’s policy, and to present a beautifully confused combination of small pieces of all the ideas of all the Ministries which have gone before him for the last ten years, the whole to be finally cemented and eternally bound up by the united wisdom of this Weld-Sewell Government.

We nticipate a speedy failure of this kind of Government. Without a distinct course marked out, without any definite plans, without courage, weak, vacillating, and undecided—such would seem to be that Ministry which now steps into office at this most startling juncture of our affairs standing upon the ruins of Fox, Domett, and Stafford.

That Mr. Weld’s highly theatrical appeal to the good-will of the House and of the people at large, by way of conclusion to his long-winded oration will have effect is not very likely, for although we are prepared to find it difficult for any Ministry, whatever their policy, to retain the reins of power in the present state of the country, yet we are by no means prepared to find that the people will support a Ministry which has no policy at all.

Weld has made a fatal step at the outset —he has made a most important, in fact, the only important part of Ins policy, viz., the change of the seat of Government, a party question. Yes ! while the Colony is shaken to its very foundations by party struggles and contests, while the cause of our present financial difficulties, an inglorious war with the Maoris, and the general unsettled state of affairs, is to be traced to party tights, still Ministry after Ministry, Government after Government blindly and perseveringly pursue the same course.

The question of the seat of Government at the present crisis of affairs, is a matter of no importance whatever, and we think that at any time, so long as the Government is sound, good, and wise, it is of little consequence where it is located, or in what part

of the Island it matures its able plans. Neither again, on the other hand, is it of much consequence where such a poor, weak, miserable Government as that which now sit s shaking on the Ministerial Benches, hold their unstable council.

. Until we cease party fights and the representatives of this Colony in that Assembly in Auckland pull together with all their might on the one great point—the settlement of our native difficulties—it is impossible to foresee how-far our misfortunes will yet extend.