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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 397, 26 July 1866, Page 4

The Auckland Phalanx. —lt is very licird to make out what the Auckland luemhers moan. It would appear from the observations of their leader, Mr Whitaker, that they are not a “ phalanx ” in the present session, and will very likely be seen to go oa different sides of the House in case of division, except on the question of Separation and one or two others which Mr Whitaker did not enumerate. The journals of that province, however, have declared that they are a phalanx, and with all respect for the assertion of the Superintendent, we doubt very much whether it will not be found that they are so, aud that they will do that which we have before predicted of them, but which he deprecates, namely, represent their own province in all things, no matter how the general gcod of the colony may suffer thereby. It is a fortunate thing tor them that they do not intend to let one of their number speak for all, or if they have, that they have not chosen Mr Hewmuii for the oliic?, as he has already made two over-long speeches utterly contradictory one of the other. In seconding the reply to the address none could be more bold than he in affirming the spirit of self-reliance, and the House was thunderstruck to hear such sentiments from an Auckland man, hut in opposing Major Richardson’s motion on the defence of the Colony, each word was retracted, and the whits feather again was visible in lb pinion of this youngest nestling of the northern brood.—Now Zealand Advertiser, 9th July, Shropshire Down Eams. —We notice an advertisement in another column, announcing some of these valuable rams for sale. As many of our readers may not know this particular breed of sheep, we have made enquiries and lind that they are looked upon as a first-class description of sheep in England, and have taken the silver cup tor three years’ running, at one of the largest Agricultural Shows. The sires of these rams were purchased by W. L. X-ucena, Esq., at the Eoyul Agricultural Show held at Worcester, and took the gold medal, and were imported by that gentleman, in the Wild Duck, in 1884. The sheep are pure Downs, with improved carcase and long \voul, and are both prolific and hardy.— Wellington Independent, 14-th July.

HEW ZEALAND PATRIOTIC FUND. (From the Now Zealand Advertiser, 6th July,) It is with no littlo regret that wo take up our pen to write the following remarks on the apathy that has been shown throughout all the parts of the Colony except this with regard to the Hew Zealand Patriotic Fund. More than four months have passed since the public meeting was held in this city, at which steps were inaugurated for raising a fund to show the gratitude of the Colony for the gallant services rendered to it by the troops, both Imperial and Colonial, and the Royal JSTavy 5 and what has been done ? Literally nothing, except in the Province of Wellington. Ho response has been given to the vibration of the chord which was to have thrilled thi’ough the heart of every colonist, but which, instead, struck upon dull surfaces, and gave back no answering sound. In four of the smaller Provinces—Helson, Marlborough, Taranaki, and Hawke’s Bay—the Superintendents complied with the request of the Committee, and called public meetings, formed Committees, spoke in favor of the movement, and there' stopped, while the contributions from one small tom. in this Province were more than was collected in all of them put together. Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, held their tongues aud made no sign, aud though we may feel that the spirit winch instigated them to do so was narrowminded in the extreme, we can also feel that they have seme show of excuse in the fact that they have not immediately seen the gallant deeds that were to be acknowledged, or appreciated the difficulties aud endurance in supporting them, which tins Fund was intended to recognise. But what excuse has Auckland for her apathy in the matter ? She, of all Provinces in this Colony, has had a better opportunity of judging what the troops went through during the long war, which we hope has now terminated; she has. benefited most by their gallant actions; and she cannot deny that had it not been for their presence, she m ight now be guttering hardships which it is terrifying to think upon. Yet she, whom we must confess we looked most to in supporting this Province in this noble movement, has held aloof, and has not even condescended to call a meeting to consider whether she ought to do anything or not. We are at a loss to conceive why th 13 should he. The undertaking was no visionary one, and was not without precedent. When the Crimean Patriotic Fund was sot on foot the subscriptions to it throughout the Colony were most liberal, although no question of honor or gratitude was involved in New Zealand colonists taking no part in it; yet when both are concerned, Wellington alone has shown herself worthy of the occasion, and at a time when depression of no ordinary kind was known to exist even witniu her boundaries, came forward in the most liberal spirit, and headed the subscription list with over two thousand pounds. We have a right to feel proud of those of our fcilow-colomsls wiio nave settled in this Province for acting as they have done, and we have reason to congratulate ourselves that if the Patriotic I 1 und should bo a failure, as it seems only too likely to be, they at least have done their duty. Of all the Provinces in the Northern Island, Wellington had the Bint-.liost.need of assistance of the troops, and had the least reason to be grateful for their gallantry, and yet she alone lias responded to the cry cf honor winch called for such a land ns this one. She looked at it in the li-rht of a colonial matter, as all such questions should be looked at, and, while initiating the movement, renounced, through those who spoke for her, all right to boast as a Province for having done so. li it had been a question of the tactics of generals or the wisdom of military operations, the people of Wellington could with the greatest justice have held back. i.t is well known how bitterly public men and the press of this Province have complained of the inaction cf the General who, as soon as lie bad brought his forces away from Auckland, seemed to have lost ail interest in the success of the war, and devoted himself to political intrigues and personal disputes with the Governor, which have injured this Province more perhaps than any oilier. It was, nevertheless that Governor who instigated this Province to open the fund, looking at the matter not as one in which he, the Governor of the Colony, was to be influenced by personal motives, but as one in which the honor of the whole Colony was concerned. The Colonial troops were as much considered as the Imperial forces, and surely they are entitled to something more than tae mere luifilment of the strict terms under which they took service in the cause of Hew Zealand; but by the apathy in tins matter their claims are totally ignored, and if the words are strong, wo use them with the lull sense of their meaning, when we say that such apathy is a disgrace to those who have shown it. Had the other Provinces shown the same feeling as Wellington has done, and contributed in proportion, the whole sum would still have been small when apportioned amongst the numerous claimants to a share of it; but this was only a secondary consideration, and that which it was intended most to mark was this, that Hew Zealand when accused, as she has been, of getting the troops to fight her battles that her inhabitants might fill their pockets by preying on the Maori, could show that no such motive ever actuated her, and that when the battle for the lives of those inhabitants tens fought, they could prove by giving liberally in reward that no such incentive had ever prompted them. Our fellow-colonists both v orth aud south have lost the opportunity of doing this, and it must pass, while the calumny that has been uttered against them must rest unanswered until they “Jive it down.” Vve had intended to have recommended the Legislature to supplement the voluntary subscriptions to the fund by a grant-in-aid, but it would be perfectly useless to do so now, as the amount would still remain, inadequate to the purpose for which it was intended, mid would only have to bo repaid into the Colonial Treasury.