THE MEETING OF MONDAY EVENING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 327, 27 November 1865, Page 2

THE MEETING OF MONDAY EVENING.

After the efforts of the anti-popular party in Hawke’s Bay to create a feeling of dissatisfaction in the minds of the Napier electors with the conduct of their representative, Mr Colenso, in the late session of the General Assembly,—it must have been a source of great satisfaction to that gentleman to find that be was so cordially received; and that, with the sole exception of his vote on the Separation question, his course of action throughout the session of the Assembly had met with the entire approval of the electors, —as, indeed, it deserved. We can believe that he had some reason to suppose that his cause had been injured by misrepresentations and plausible sophistries on the part of his enemies, when, as he said, he saw the “Requisition with the names of many of his supporters and old acquaintances attached”; but he finds, on meeting his constituents, that they are as warm in his favor as before. The one exception that we have referred to—his vote on the question of Separation—demands a passing notice, for we know that much misapprehension exists on the subject, which, if it could be removed, would set him right on this as on other points. It is, in fact, not so much a question of things as of words. He does not advocate, nor would he vote for —as we understand him—an actual division of the Islands into two or more Colonies, which is the light in which certain parties delight to put it. It is but the legislative separation of the two grand natural divisions of the Colony, and may be defined to he of the nature ot an extension of the system of self-government, already acknowledged in the Provincial system;—to give, in fact, the management of its own peculiar interests and affairs to each branch of the Colony-—while, as a whole, it remains “ intact ami undivided.” -The working of such a scheme, it wisely devised and carried out, would be an undoubted boon to both the Northern and Southern divisions of the Colony.

the NEW ZEALAND GUARDIAN, t No. I We notice with pleasure the appearance of this periodical, devoted to the cause of Religion and Temperance. It is published on the Ist and 15th of each month at the Press Office, Christchurch; and occupies the place for some time past held by the Southern Record, which has been discontinued. The number before ug has eight pages of demy ; but this will not be always the case until its circulation will warrant it; until that time, it will consist of six pages only. We notice that a considerable portion of its matter consists of reports of the progress of religious and temperance societies, and another portion of correspondence—the theme of twoletters, occupying nearly three columns, being “ Christian Unity.” It has also, besides its leader proper, another on Dr Foster’s lecture on “ Truth v. Falsehood,”—a subject that has caused a good deal of discussion in Canterbury of lateanother on “ The Theatre j and last, but not least, on the Permissive Liquor Bill, and the new British Parliament, in which the question is discussed whether the United Kingdom Alliance has gained or lost ground by the late elections; and the conclusion is that they are gainers ; although they have lost Messrs Lawson and Pope. The Guardian also contains a report of a lecture on Socrates by the Rev. W. L Habeus; and Mr C. J. Foster’s lecture before mentioned, besides a variety of other interesting and instructive matter. We cordially wish the spirited and well-intentioned undertaking all success.