The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1855.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 308, 21 September 1865, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1855.

Singular doctrines, enunciated by persons of peculiar views, are sometimes found to be echoed by other persons after a lapse of time, and in connection with a different set of circumstances—plainly shewing how widely a fallacious principle may be entertained, and to. what false conclusions it may lead. Our readers will remember that, during the last session of the Hawke’s Bay Provincial Council, the question of the advisability of enforcing the law against the illegal squaters of the Province was considered and discussed, and that, during the debate, aa hon.

member argued that auy law systematically violated became, ia consequence of such violation, obsolete, and that it was impossible to enforce any law whatever against its violators should they happen to be of a large number.

The t fallacy of the position was sufficiently exposed at the time by a suppositious case, involving a serious crime, as that of murder, and it was satisfactorily proven that mere numbers would not suffice to screen the guilty. But, self-evident as this proposition is, an advocate for the opposite principle has been found in the highest places of the Colony—being none other than Sir Weld ; and it has transpired in the following manner:— In several proclamations of indemnity offered by the Governor to such of the native race as would, by a certain date, submit themselves to her Majesty, certain well-known murderers were specially excepted ; but in a more recent peace proclamation issued by the present Government these murderers are, in common with other rebels, declared to he pardoned! This course seemed to be so extraordinary to our respected representative, Mr Colenso, that he brought the matter before the House on Thursday, the 14th inst., in the form of a resolution of the House calling on Ministers for an explanation of so strange a procedure, which we publish this morning, together with a portion of the debate on the same. Strange as it may seem, the Government warmly opposed the motion, and upon the self-same fallacious principle as that of which we have before spo ken, —the number of persons involved in the crimes referred to, as though it would be too much to expect a Government to bring the law to bear against so many. It is some consolation to know that the House will in all probability affirm the motion of Mr Colenso, in opposition to the Government, as it would be sad indeed to suppose that principles, such as these, are extensively held by those who hold the destinies of the Colony in their hands. If there is one principle more than another that has tended to strengthen and perpetuate the native rebellion it is this of the weakness of the Government, and its inability to enforce the law upon offenders. The native has been taught in words, the law’s supremacy, but he has universally found that this supremacy has existed in theory only. He has seen the squatter among the settlers defy it with impunity. He has himself defied it, and found that, instead of being enforced against him, it is twisted and strained to set him free from its requirements ; and he has concluded that it is a bugbear to frighten but a coward to touch him. Yetup to this time there has been one crime for which even he has had to hear the punishment—a punishment he has been taught he could not escape from. That crime is Murder, and that punishment Death. He knows that in the several oases in question the law has already adjudged him guilty of that crime, and he has been led to believe that the punishment, though tardy, was sure; and be has, therefore, expected his doom. But now he is informed in effect that he has rightly estimated the feebleness of the Pakeha, and will be confirmed in his rebellion, laughing at those who can threaten so loudly and severely, but whom he has long learnt to despise, as too weak to inspire fear, and whose threats to treat as idle words.