GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 699, 12 July 1869, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9. TELEGBAMS FROM THE GOTEUNOB TO THI IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT. Mr Fox said he had been induced tc give notice of the motion standing in his name, because he thought it would be well that the House should be made acquainted with the information which might havt been conveyed to the Imperial Government from his Excellency the Governor, acting, he presumed, under the authority of his responsible Ministers, and by Ministers themselves, through the telegraphic wires, in relation to events connected with the native war. There was no doubt whatever but that the action of the Home Government and the sympathy of the British people had been much affected by reports which had come from the Colony, and which had exercised an influence injurious to the best interests of the Colony. It was only by the last mail that he had received papers from England, of higli standing, including the Examiner, the London News, and others, in which there was a report, under the head of "New Zealand News," to the effect that the Poverty Bay murderers had received a severe chastisement—that Naytiapu, they called it, had been taken by Colonel Whit more —that upwards of 200 natives had been killed and taken prisoners, with a loss of only twenty Europeans j and then the report wound up with a statement that the war n.ay now be considered virtually at au end. Now he could scarcely believe that, whatever his Excellency's advisers might have done, his Excellency would have forwarded a telegram to the Imperial Government, in which the fact was represented so entirely foreign to the true facts of the case as the last part of that announcement of the English news from New Zealand that there was any prospecs of the war being at an end, or that he believed the war was now at an end. With the events which have recently transpired, he did not know how anyone could have been rash enough to have expressed such an opinion. Erom the fact of publishing those telegrams in the English newspapers, and judging by the private letters he had received by the same mail, he had no

doubt that the expression of such an opin iou Lad a great effect upon the miud oi the Imperial Government, and upon the sympathizing mind of the English pubhe, so as to cause them to relax their efforts in urging the Imperial Government to do all they could to assist the Colony iu the severe crisis in v.hich it was involved. The geneal tenor of the papers, the announce meut that the war had terminated, an i that they had gained such success, which the facts of the case did not ju-tify, had an unfortunate effect upon the mind oi the Imperial Government and the syuipa tliies of the British public towards the Colony. Since that time, it was true, the Home Government and the English people would have received news very contradietary to that which had been published ; they would have received news of the horible massacre at the White Cliffs and at Mohaka, and of the continuation of tlv war on the East and West Coasts, and of the little success that had attended thai war on both coasts ; and very shortly they would receive copi l s of his lixcellency's speech to that House, which contained a most desponding view of the future prospects of the country, and justly so too. But what would be the effect in the meantime of the telegram which appeared to have been put into the hands of the Home Government, it was not for him to surmise He could only regret that any such tele grains had been forwarded', and which certainlv did not justify the highly-colored views which appeared to have been conveyed in them, or inferred from them, lie thought the House would agree with him in thinking that he was quite justified in asking for the production of those telegrams which had not yet been laid on the table of the House, and of any other tele grains which had been forwarded to the Imperial Government by his Excellency ."he Governor or by the Ministry, or by one with the advice of the other during the progress of the present war. Mr Stafford would gladly second the motion of the honorable gentleman because he recognized that it related to a subject >n which the House was entitled to have all the information that the Government or his Excellency could afford them. He ■night observe that the Government was not aware that his Excellency had sent more that two telegrams. His Excellency not being in Wellington, the Government iiad not had an opportunity of applying to him for any information respecting the motion of which the honorable gentleman hud given notice. Speaking entirely from what he knew of the matter up to the present time, he thought it was a pity that the honorable gertleman did not restrain his lively imagination as to affairs in connexion with the Government until he actually knew what they were. Ihe lion, member had referred to a telegram which closed with an intimation that the war was at an enc". oS'ow he (Mr S.) had read that telegram as having been sent by a Melbourne correspondent and not having come from the Government. As far as ho knew from anything that had fallen from his Excellency, no such intimation had been sent by him, or by any member ot the Government, that the war was soon to be at an end. The hun Table gentleman had said, "of course, with the advice of the Ministers." Now the honorable gentleman knew bo was not stating a I fact—

Mr Fox rose to a point of order. He thought the words uttered by the honorable member were not in accordance with par- , liamentary usage or the dignity of the House. Mr Staffokd would repeat that the honorable gentleman knew, from his own , experience as a Minister, that when there was a crisis in the country the Governor did write to the Home Government with out the advice of Ministers. He did not mean to say that as imputing that the hon. gentleman had made a wilful mis-state-ment. The honorable member's official experience had made him aware of the fact, and papers amongst the records of the House would prove that he was aware of it, he had himself complained, during the period when he last held office as a Minister, that the then Governor had communicited, either confidentially or otherwise, with the Secretary of State ai home without the advice of Ministers, and without their knowledge expressed opinions which were not those held by Ministers on the subject. From an examination of the records of the House, it would be seen that Governors had been expressly authorized and ordered to make confidential communications to the Britsh Government. Therefore, if the honorable gentleman thought that was an improper position lor the Governor to hold, he should have taken direct and decisive means of caLing the attention of the Legislature to the relation which existed between the Govern* meat of New Zealand and the Imperial Government at home, and invited the Legislature to express its opinion on that position, which had existed since the commencement of Constitutional Government in the Colony, and winch at no period was made use of to a greater extent than when the honorable gentleman himself was last. in office, and when the communications, confidential and otherwise, written by the Governor, expressed opinions in direct antagonism to those of the honorable gentleman and his colleagues. The telegrams that had been referred to as sent by the Governor, or others which his Excellency might have sent, were not only sent without the advice of Ministers, but were sent without their knowledge—that is, without their knowledge until after they had been despatched. They had not therefore an opportunity of giving advice upon them. Knowing that the Grovernor had communicated his personal view of the case, it was not their duty to intimate to him that he should not continue to do so. The Royal instructions authorized his lency to communicate liis private views or opinions, but at no time was the Government implicated in the m itter. The sending of telegrams in cypher was a part of a

system of communication which the Governor had adopted with thj Governor oi Ceylon. The telegrams were sent by the Governor in cypher. It was only very recently that he (Mr Stafford) had become aware of such a system having been adop ted by the Governor. The Governor had communicated his opinion, without thei knowledge or advice of Ministers, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, through the medium of the Governor of Ceylon. It was not until after they had been sent that Ministers became aware of the fact that his Excellency had sent telegrams tie (Mr Stafford) believed, indeed, thai he had never seen the telegram referred to until he read it in the English newspapers as having been read by JLord Gran ville, on the occasion of a dinner being given to his honorable colleague the Colonial Treasurer. That was the first occasion on which he had seen it. The Governor alao sent another telegram on the occasion of the capture of iNgatapa. Those were the only two telegrams that ho was aware of that the Governor had sent. He willingly seconded the proposition of tne lion, member, that a respectful address be pre stmted to his Excellency, requesting him to supply copies of telegrams sunt by him to the Home Government. Motion made, and question proposed, " That a respectful aduress be presented to his Excellency the Governor, requesting him to supply this House with a copy of any telegrams sent by him to the Imperial Government during the past year." (Mr Eox.) Mr Carleton wished to call the recollection of the honorable member for Jbtangttikei to tho fact that when he (Mr Eox) was under a vote of want of confidence, he (Mr Carle ton) had put a series of questions to the honorable gentleman, one of which was, Whether tho Government savv all the despatches of the Governor? and the honorable member was not able to say that they did. Mr Eox, iu reply, said he did not see what the observation of the hou. member of the -Bay of Islands had to do with the subject before the House. The honorable member at the head of the Government had, with the usual adroitness, argued at some length against statements which he (Mr Eox) had not made, and against arguments which he had not used. He (Air Eox) had said that lie presumed that certain telegrams had been sent with the assent of Ministers, and the hon. member got up in rather a disoorteous manner—which was not unusual for him—and said that he (Mr Eox) must have known that his Jixceilency was in the habit of sending uespatches and telegrams without the advice of Ministers. He had said nothing at all about despatches. With regard to telegrams, ho w s perfectly ignorant ot die fact of any Governor of jNow Zealand having sent telegrams without tiie advice of his Ministers. He said it was mos; reasonable to suppose that when there were disturbances in the country, that his fixcellency would have consulted with his Ministers upon the course he should pursue in the matter —that however his Ex cellency be at variance vita. Mini*

? ters on other matters, he would hare con , suited with them as to the information or . on the prospects of the war which he wbk , sendimg home. His Excellency not hav ing done so, there was nothing whatevei contradictory in what he (Mr Fox) had stated, and the honorable member at tin head of the Government had not auswereu any observations he had made. As foi the honorable member for fc tlie Bay of Is lands, who was the champion of the Go , vernment, the only point he had tried to make against him (Mr Fox) had no bearing whatever upon the case. He was glad the Government had supported the motion, and hoped they would have full and com plete returns of all telegrams, in relation to the present war, that had been forwarded by his Excellency the Governor, either with the advice of Ministers or by the Ministers. Mr Caeleton explained that he understood the honorable member to have said " of course by the advice of Ministers.' It he had misunderstood the honorable gentleman he had only to apologize.