The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1865.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 313, 9 October 1865, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1865.

The arrival of tlie Lord Ashley early on Friday morning put us in possession of our Auckland files to the 4th inst., by which we learn that the English mail had arrived there. We are enabled to give the principal items of news elsewhere. • The news of the arrival of the mail in Auckland led the town folk to look for the Napier mail on the arrival of the steamer from Southern Ports the same evening; but in this were disappointed; as, although detained for twenty-four hours iu Wellington harbor, the mail had not arrived there at the time of her departure. We have our most important intelligence from Wellington, which consists in the doings of the Parliament. Our readers will remember that we were at the lime of last arrival enabled to state that the Ministry had been defeated upon Mr Colekso's mo-

tion respecting the pardon of the Oakura and other Maori murderers ; and that the Premier had given notice of the intention of the Ministry to resign if the motion were not rescinded. It not being any part of the intention of the opposition to bring about this result, after a fight of some three hours, in a full house, they gracefully yielded the point, and the motion was rescinded.

But perhaps the most important item of all is the final overthrow of the Masters and Servants’ Act. It had been torn limb from limb in its purgatorial ordeals, yet, like the rest of the feline tribe, was hard to kill; but it was conquered in the final struggle on the motion for the third reading. Beside this, the Ministry have suffered several minor defeats; in particular on Mr Fitz Gerald’s motion for the introduction of his new Maori Provinces Bill; and on the New Provinces Abolitary Bill of Mr Macandrew’s, which it seems be was able to carry through, and thus deprive Wanganui of her remedy against the mismanagement of the Wellington faction. During Mr Fitz Gerald’s speech on the motion for leave to introduce his new Maori Provinces Bill, he took the opportunity of enlightening us as to the intentions of the Government regarding the proposed annexation of a part of the Auckland province to Hawke’s Bay. He has blown that idea to smoke, having twice, as reported in the Independent, stated that it was not the intention of the Government to do it. And we do not believe that they could carry the measure, even though inclined to do so, against the very formidable opposition that could be brought to bear by the Auckland party against the disruption of their Province, and the separation of so valuable a district as Poverty Bay. There can be no doubt but the wishes of the settlers of that district will ultimately be granted ; but important changes of this character are seldom effected at their first mooting ; and we cannot blame the Government for refusing to risk the loss of their seats on this question. Another most important occurrence in the House, or rather in both houses, was the reading of a despatch from Mr Cardwell to Governor Grey. The Governor has had to submit to some rather severe snubbing from both the present and the late Secretary of State for the Colonies, and this seems to be one of the same class. It was at all events a most important despatch, and the public owe the early knowledge we have of its contents to the fact of the Assembly being in session. The Home Government are evidently displeased with Governor Grey for disagreeing with General Cameron, being probably of opinion that the time had not yet come for the exercise of Ministerial responsibility, as the troops were still here; but he is only gently rebuked. All their aid, both in men and money, is to be at once withdrawn; the troops are ordered home ; and Sir George is told plainly that the responsible ministry must abide by their propositions of self-reliance, and entire independence of Government aid. This must be a sad blow, both to Sir George and the ministry, who were calculating upon the Imperial guarantee to the remainder of the three million loan, and also to a further loan of one or two millions, but of which all that has yet been said was said by the Governor in one of his late despatches home. There was yet one other measure on which ministers suffered some severe defeats—this was the Militia Bill. The opposition succeeded in effecting some very important alterations in it during its passage through commitee. Particularly Mr Colenso’s amendments, substituting 18 for 16 and 19 for IS years, as also to remove the exemp.. tions from J.P’s. and medical men not in practice.

On the whole, the news by this mail is highly satisfactory, showing hard and successful fighting for the public good by the opposition, and not least by our independent, practical, attentive, faithful, and indefatigable member— Mr W. Colenso.

Drowned. —By the arrival of the schooner Eliza, from Wairoa, we have intelligence of a death by drowning, the victim being Mr Walter Riddell (brother of-Mr : R. Riddell,) a very respectable gentleman, and well-known in-Napier. We have no particulars of his death, farther than that he was drowned in crossing the Huruonua creek, Wairoa, on the 28th ult., —three days elapsing before his body was found. An inquest having been held on the body, a verdict of “ Accidentally Drowned” was brought in. We believe deceased was perfectly sober at the time he met his untimely fate. Mr Colenso and Separation. —The New Zealand Herald’s Hawke’s Bay correspondent thus remarks upon Mr Colenso’s late vote on separation, and its probable effects in regard to that gentleman’s re-election to bis seat in the Assembly :—“ lam sorry to say that the late debate on separation in the House of Representatives has, in my opinion, been a “ settler ” for our worthy representative, W. Colenso, Esq. The feeling of the public here is greatly against separation, and Mr Colenso’s vote on that occasion, together with the vigorous efforts the Government party here are making for Mr M‘Lean, has, I greatly fear, sealed his doom as M.H.R. for this province. However, the opposition—the “ factious” opposition, as the M'Lean party delight in calling it—are hopeful, and you may depend upon it will not give in without a struggle. It is a great pity to see so much apathy displayed by any community in matters such as this. Were the electors of Napier to pay but the slightest attention to matters political, and take the trouble to carefully consider, for once in their lives, the the inestimable services Mr Colenso has rendered to them since he first entered the political arena, I believe—nay more, I am sure —the result of the next election for members of the General Assembly would be the ignominious defeat of his Honor the Superintendent, and the triumphant return of our much respected friend, Mr W. Colenso. However, as it is, his friends have this consolation, viz., that even if they (the Government) can keep him out of the Assembly, it is beyond their power to keep him out of the Provincial Council. Without him this same Council would be a mere sham and a humbug,— which is not saying much for the legislative talent of Hawke’s Bay, O tempora ! O vxores /”