The Hawke's Bay Times, Published every Monday and Thursday. MONDAY, 19th MARCH, 1866.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 359, 19 March 1866, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times, Published every Monday and Thursday.

MONDAY, 19th MARCH, 1866.

“NTTLLIUS ADDKTUB JURAUE IN TESSA MAGI3TKI”

The mask has fallen ! Our model Superintended who, to evade a legal penalty, denied the fact, and placed the responsibility upon the shoulders of “My Brother,” has at length confessed to the crime,—stands before the public pleading guilty to the charge of himself violating the laws he was bound to administer, —and glories in his shame ! He has hitherto occupied a false position ; —that of professing innocence in spite of charges again and again reiterated, and the truth of which was patent to all. But- he has now thrown away the flimsy veil, confesses himself guilty, and gloeies in his SHAME ! ! We have proof of the soundness of the position we have always maintained—that the illegal occupancy of Native lands has been tho bane and incubus of the Colony,—the curse of the Native race, —and the grand source of all the evils now endured by the Colony;—its Native wars, and its millstone debt. All this has been brought upon it by those who, for the sake of private gain, have set aside all regard for law or public good; and deeply dyed as these are with guilt, those are doubly worse who, armed with the power and duty of executing the law against offenders, have yet (from favor, or some other unholy motive) permitted the system to exist and extend. But what shall be said of that third class, combining in itself the guilt of both the others ? Who, well

awaie of the intention of the British Crown in reserving to itself the right of dealing with the Native race, —of the duty of its officers to maintain that right in Us integrity,—and of the ci nsequenes involved in the permitting of its violation, —have taken advantage of their official position to lead the way in setting at defiance the laws they should have executed against offenders ? Of this third class, —thrice-dyed with guilt and shame, — the very “ head and front” comes with unblushing countenance before the electors, and begs to be allowed to represent them in the General .Assembly of the Colony! O-tem-pora / / O mares !! ! We do not exaggerate. The extract from the official correspondence published in the ‘ Hawke’s Bay Herald,’ IGth Sept,, 1862, referred to on the hustings by Mr Edwards, shows, as plainly as words can show, that ho was —as, indeed, he must have been—aware of all the evils attendant upon the permission of “ a practice so injurious to the welfare ot “ the community,” and which caused the Native race to oppose the cession of land to the Government; and, knowing this, he has, and can have no other reason than private gain‘ax the public cost for his subsequent illegal occupancy. The editor of the * Herald ’ too, at that time, was quite willing to endorse the sentiment, aud, in its leading article of the-above date, informs us that:—“ We have been “ struck, as no doubt will our readers also, “ with the anxiety manifested in those days. “by the Chief Commissioner to prevent the “ leasing of Native runs, and with his prog- “ nostications (how literally since fulfilled !) “of the evil consequences that would result “from the introduction of such a system .” But, at that that time, we presume, Donald had not fallen a victim to the temptation of seeking to enrich himself by “ a system so injurious to the community at large.”