New Zealand Parliament. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1865.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 300, 24 August 1865, Page 2

New Zealand Parliament. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1865.

EESUMED DEBATE ON NATIVE COMMISSION ■RTT.T., The Phemiee (the Hon. F. A. Weld) said he should not have thought it necessary to take up the time of the House with any further ramarks had not the Government been somewhat pointedly aHuded to, during the course of the debate. He was extremely sorry on this occasion not to see his honorable friend and late colleague (Mr Mantell) in his place; he would therefore compress what he had to say with regard to what had faUen from him (Mr ManteU) into the smaUest possible compass. He had heard his remarks with the greatest possible surprise, but he would not allude to it in his absence, were it not imperative on the Government to state the position in which he (Mr ManteU) had left them. It was not his (Mr Weld’s) fault that he (Mr ManteU) was not present. On a former occasion when his hon. friend announced his resignation to the House he (Mr Weld) had availed himself of the opportunity of expressing to the House, his sense of the services he had rendered to the Government, but although his hon. friend had used words which might be possibly considered an imputation on the Government, he (Mr Weld) thinkmg he might have spoken harshly on the spur of the moment had considered it fitting at that time to take no notice of that imputation, and confined his remarks simply to the expression of that gratitude which the Government felt then, as now for the services he had rendered them, but it now became his (Mr Weld’s) duty, in delence of the Government against accusations brought against them in an unprecedented manner, to state that those thanks were not accorded by him on the ground that his late colleague had proposed any native policy. It was unfortunate that hon member should have risen and blamed the Government for not having a more definite policy to lay before the House, where he had retained his seat up to within three davs of the meeting of the House, and up to that moment had never proposed any native policy whatever. (Hear hear). Ear would it have been from him to have aUuded to this tact, for ho would have been most anxious to cover the retirement of his hon friend, but since he had fired in his retreat on his late colleagues it was necessary for him (Mr Weld) to state the true facts. They were these : that his hon. friend, even with the groat ability which nobody recognised more than himself (Mr Weld), had, up to the time of leaving the Ministry, never on any occasion to his (Mr Weld’s) knowlidge or that of his colleague, proposed any native policy whatever. This was an unpleasant subject to speak on, but he did so under provocation, and nothing but a sense of what was due to the House and colony would have led him to say what he had done. Having thus spoken, he would drop the subject and never recur to it again unless it was rendered absolutely necessary in the course of debate. The hon member (Mr Mantell) had stated that the hon member at the head of the Government could at any time sit down, and in two or three days elaborate a cut and dried native policy. He (Mr VV eld) was not given much to cut and dried plans, as he did not think they were suited fcj the emergencies of the colony in crises like the present, but even if he had so thought, it would be vain glory on his part to imagine that he, P' s jed as he was w.th the tares of various departments, on the eve oi tho House meeting could elaborate a cut and dried native policy. He would be making a false and unjustifiable comparison between his own abilities and those of his late colleague, who had many months to prepare such a policy if he had entertained such an idea. Ho agreed, however, with the member for EUesmere (Mr Fitzgerald) in deprecating tho adoption of cut and dried plans. The best way of dealing with questions so environed with difficulties as native questions would be for the Government to consult with the race first, and then mature their minds, and come down to the House and lay their plans before it for their calm decision. Had his hon. friend (Mr Mantell) been in his place, he would have said it was an extremely easy thing to civilise a native policy but very difficult to elaborate one. It was the propeny of small minds to criticise but of large miuds to make propositions. Auy proposition of his (Mr Weld s) would be made with great diffidence in his own judgment and with great respect for the criticisms (not, however, to refrain from criticism,) and bear in mind that the task of dealing with native questions was one that might task states men of the highest order. He would ask them to look into the history of the relations between civilized and uncivilized nations, and see if these questions were easy to solve. The Bill did not pledge the House to any particular mode in carrying out the views of the Government. Those views which were held (he believed) bv every member of the House, by which they should try to elevate the native race, and bring it more in unison with that race which would, day by day, fill a larger and more prominent position in the country. It might be said that there was little to be hoped from this proposal; if so, he would deeply regret it. He did not say it would be successful, but he would ask anyone who thought it would not to propose some other plan more likely to be successful. Were the Government to come down to the House with some doctrinaire scheme without informing themselves of die mind of the natives, without adopting sucli means as would lead to success. He was sure any other plan would have led to results which, if not disasterous, would at least not have been successful; he therefore once more asked the House to consent to this plan by winch the Government would be put into communication with the natives and by which they might hope to some extent to ascertain theii views, and to trust to the Government to do their best to tiring tho matter to a prosperous conclusion. The Bill was -then read a second time, and ordered to be committed the following day.