To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 262, 8 May 1865, Page 2

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Sir,—lt is not very often that I turn my atten' tion to subjects of a public character, for the best of reasons ; —namely, I have something more cheering,'and at the same time mote profitable, to occupy my leisure moments, which, thanks'to good luck, happen at the present time to be pretty numerous. But I have just'been reading the local papers of last week, and came across the (to me) rather startling (and disgusting) announcement of the—what ?—yes, the “ Abandonment of the Campaign !!” What in the world next will tins most foolish of Governments do ? Have they, in the name of all that is good and just, gone “ clean daft.’, Their conduct is inexplicable. Hero we have had 10,000 British troops, besides colonial forces, knocking about the polony for God.knows how many years, and yet the natives of New Zealand (the rebel portion of them) areas far from a state of submission; to British rule as they were forty years ago. In fact, I believe that they are a great* deal farther from it now than they were at that period —a period before “ wicked pakehas” had an opportunity of traducing the “ innocent” natives of these fair isles. Well, there ore things which seem to be pretty generally known, and lain happy to observe rather freely commented upon by the majority of the public prints of the colony. But there is one part of this shameful affair that is not quite ;so comprehensible—namely, who is to pay for the war? Will our old friend John Bull takq all.the responsibility upon himself? England is generous, but the colonists would be very exacting certainly .if they expected she would pay so much'money for (some would say nothing, but I say) the disgrace which has been brought upon the best soldiers in the world, even though it is the fault of the English Government sending us as Governor such a character as Sir George Grey, of whom I observe the Wanganui correspondent of the Wellington Independent rightly speaks as the “ evil genius of the colony.” Supposing then, that England-will not “stand the racket,” whom can we expect to “dubnp?” The colony itself —that is the'Northern Island? She cannot, or if she does, trade and commerce will be crippled for many a lorig year to come. Let England pay for the droops, and*let the colony pay for - the colonial forotes, and let the troops bo •withdrawn altogether from the colony, M they are waited .elsewhere.” Let the General Assembly lie' convened at once, -and by a vote' of want of confidence let the bnngling and politically di»-

honest Weld Ministry be ousted, and a Ministry wedded to tno interests of the whole colony take its place--.a Ministry that will go in for fighting the rebellious Maoris with colonial forces, and reducing them to submission. Let the present good for-nothing Governor be withdrawn, and one appointed that will fulfil bis duty in a straightforward and conscientious manner—visiting the disobedient and unruly with punishment, no matter whether European or Maori, and not making the_if(>rmer .severe.sufferers through the rebellious doings of (he latter. 'When all these-things are fulfilled to the letter we may hope to. see-the subjugation of the rebellious tribes; but till then, never. We'have waited day after day, month after month, and year afteryear to see the natives finally subdued and faithful subjects of her Majesty Queeu, Victoria, and a permanent, peace established in the - colony ; but it appears we have waited in-vain. And who ia to blame ?- Not the poor- suffering t colonists, * surely ? Oh no 1 None other but the Imperial Government themselves. I do not for one moment wish to infer that they, as’well as the cpjo- : nists ■ (who’ have been blamed" for wishing to prolong-(lie war) do not wish the war all at au ■ end, and tiie. Europeans and natives living toge-.. ther (not in the same house*) on peaceable terms -. with each other; but still they are to blame for - the prolongation of tlie war, inasmuch as they have given full credence to the nonsensical rav- ’ ings of such men as Mr Gold win Smith, and also those of Exeter Hall, and checked,its prosecution - at times when it might have been successfully prosecuted. But, Sir, I mnst bring this letter to a conclusion. T nm afraid 1 have already encroached too freely upon your valuable space. One remark,’however, I must make beforeL finish. lam not in any way sanguine that the appearance of this letter, hearing as it does a fictitious signature, wilLba directly productive of any good in the way of removing the. difficulties complained of, but I do sincerely trust that the exponents of public opinion in Now Zealand will earnestly urge upon the attention of the “powers that be” the necessity that exists of no longer eating the bread of idleness, hut to be up and doing. “ Now is the day, now is the hour” for acting. And I also trust. Sir, that the Hawke's Bag Times will not be backward in this all-important duty. I have given a few hints, and I now- leave it to other ablerpena than my own to follow up this affair. I am, Sir, Yours truly, „ ENGLISHMAN. , Puketapn, May 4,.1865.