MR. FOX AND THE PUBLIC PRESS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 699, 12 July 1869, Page 2

MR. FOX AND THE PUBLIC PRESS.

' Our local contemporary, on Tuesday . last, observes that three journals, and as far as it m a ware three only, out of the eighty odd which flourish i in New Zealand, are attacking the! new Ministry. "These,"-adds our contemporary, "are the Wellington Independent, the Nelson Examiner,' and the Havvkc's Bay Times." So' far is this from beins the true state of the case, that it would be a difficult matter co find more than three of them that are giving Mr Fox and ' his now Ministry their support. Our exchanges comprise a large proportion of the "eighty odd" journals referred to, and include some from every Province in die Colony ; and 'yet we cannot find more than that. The three supporters of Mr Fox and party which have come under our notice are the Wellington Evening IPost, the Wanganui Times, and the Hawke's Bay Herald. With the' latter journal it is a matter of course, sin-ply from the fact that Mr Donald M'Lean is connected with Mr Fox in the new Ministry. We havei 'sought in vain through the columns' of the Colonial press—the abovenamed three journal:} excepted—for ,indications of approval of any Minis-,

try of which Mr Fox may be Premier, or of a definite policy, winch can be fairly supposed to be his. The Colonial press in this matter is in very much the same position as parties were in the House of Representatives,— sufficiently dissatisfied with Mr Stafford to approve of his dismissal, and even to unite with Mr Fox in effecting his ejectment from office; but at the same time without confidence in Mr Fox. This was evinced in the latter case by the difficulty he has experienced in forming a Cabinet ; and in the other case by the almost universal dissatisfaction which lias been expressed at the change of men. A very large and influential section of the Colonial press, of which the Otago Daily Times is the type, regards the question as one of men merely; it sees no other course open to any Government than that indicated, and so far followed up, by Mr Stafford, —the only question being whether Mr Fox or Mr Stafford shall be the man to carry it out. This party can have no confidence in Mr Fox or the men associated with him, and they do not scruple to say so. The Times considers that rather than this perpetual change of leaders, it would be better for the Colony to adopt the American model, and make heads of departments subject to definite periodical appointments. On the other hand there is another and still larger section of the press, represented, we may say, by the Lyttelton Times, which advocates the desertion of the Northern Island in its present troubles. These have still less confidence —if that is possible —than the other in Mr Fox. It dreads the appropriation of Southern land revenue for the purpose of suppressing the rebellion, and it fancies that this has been threatened. Rather than that it would contribute another penny for "shooting refractory Maoris," or "preserving North Island estates," it would see the-whole of the North Island abandoned to the rebels. This party regards Mr Fox's accession to office with considerable alarm, seeing in him a " thoroughbred North Island man," who cannot be expected to sympathise with it in its jealousy of spending Southern money for Northern purposes. They have carefully scanned the speech made by Mr Ormond, which they regard as the expression of the \iews of the new Minister for Defence, and they find that there is no indication of an intention to abandon the confiscated lands, while that is what they 'regard as but the first step in the way of pacification. ; Besides these, there is the Stafford party proper, which was only defeated through the temporary union of all the others, This party, as such, is stronger than either of them, 'and their temporary union can only he aptly compared to a "rope of sand." In illustration of the above views we append a few extracts from some of our contemporaries, from which it will be seen that the "no policy " of Mr Fox is regarded as most unsatisfactory by the Colony, and it is consequently wanting in the elements of stability. The Sonthern party, will not work with it because it will,

not abandon the confiscation policy ; nor will the Colonial party do so because it refuses to take the necessary measures to end the war and establish peace on a permanent basis, New Zealand Herald, Auckland. We would lain have seen the Assembly devote itself to some more woithy work than that of ranging its members, on one side or the other, iu party warfare. The Colony was never in a more serious crisis than it is at the present moment,

worn out with years of heavy war expenditure, &»$ depressed by disaster within, and heartless indifference without. Mr Stafford spoke truly enougV when he said that the question was " not v j MJ< should administer the- affairs of the country, h a t what should he the plan to get out of our difficul. ties." * * * It is not the change of men, the change of measures that we need. And herein we believe that Mr Fox has acted an unwise part, He may show his ability in party warfare by a t, tacking the Government and pulling to pieces impolicy without propounding one of his own, b tt { such a course will not satisfy the Colony. The mere change of men only will effect no good end unless when we change the men we have some guarantee that we change the measures also, and for the better. Mr Fox has a great advantage over a Government that has had more than ordinary difficulties to contend against with imperfect means, and the Government no doubt deserves some of th» : censure cast upon it by its denouncer, but we much rather would have seen the House of Representatives deliberately resolve itself into a committee of the whole to consider what should be done in the present grave crisis of the history of the Colony and having resolved on the course open to them—for there is but one, and there is no escape from that course—then to have placed in power the very best men of either or any party that could be chosen from the Assembly to carry out the policy agreed upon. Thus vvitli the Assembly rests the remedy i for the present unhappy state of affairs. The Co. lony needs a bold, straightforward, decisive policy in native matters. It looks for vigor of actionsome unmistakeable sign that the palterings and falterings of the past will be no longer continued, * * * that military commanders shall no longer be held in check, and their plans frustrated in the moment of fruition by semi-Maori officials of the Native Office. We have been too iongpos. turing and fencing. It is time that our blows and thrusts were made direct to the heart of the rebel movement, which keeps the Colony io alarm. * * * But for the loose, unsettled character of our relations with the Maoris the reverse at Opipi could not have taken place. We fight and move about under the disadvantage that we do not know friend from foe till the blow is aimed at us. Men taken with arms in their hands must ba treated as such men would be when so taken re. helling against the authority of the State were their skins wlii.e instead of black. In a word, what we need is a war policy—short, sharp, and decisive in its results. The party proposing such a policy, and pledging themselves to it, would receive, we believe, the support of the Assembly and the country. Money would be forthcoming from the former, and men would be found in plenty to do the work of conquering a lasting peace.

Taiiahaki Herald, We do not suppose that there has been another journal in New Zealand which has so persistently opposed the Stafford Ministry as we have; yet we eanuot defend a member of the Opposition who uses expressions winch we feel might be turned with greater force against the gentleman who uttered them. It is difficult sometimes, especially to those at a distance, to judge between the goad and evil intentions of an Opposition member who seeks the portfolio of- a Minister; for one maa may call out fire that he may save a house, whilst another may raise the' alarm that he may run away with the furniture. Although we feel that the present Ministry, as novr constituted, have shown their thorough incompetence to steer the state barque; yet we should be sorry to see the member for Ilangitikei with his hand on the tiller, remembering how miserably lie carried out his " face-to-face " policy in 1862, We are sure that there are many who remember Mr Fox's boasts on that occasion. * * * The gentlemen on the Opposition benches who have really the interest of the Colony at heart, may make make use of Mr Fox to attain their purpose, but are not likely to be influenced by his inflated speeches, or to accept him as a leader when their object is effected.

Lytteltox Times, Canterbury. Whether Mr Stafford or Mr Pox is victorious it will be much the same to the Middle Island. Tha part we shall have to play in the political drama, if not very exciting, is certainly important. . The mantle cast, off with so much energetic haste by the Imperial Government is about to be placed on our shoulders. The Middle Island is to be appointed to the position of paymaster to the forces vice Gladstone resigned. * # * Nor is it difficult to surmise what Mr Fox will do. Hitherto, he has carefully refrained from showing his hand. What" ever were his opinions a few mouths ago, as to the possibility of inducing the Imperial Government to send troops to the Colony, we cannot supposa that so shrewd a judge of men and things any longer believes that there is a chance of obtaining any such assistance. When, therefore, we fiw Mr Fox still talking of asking for two regiments, we are justified in believing that he refers to the matter more for the purpose of avoiding the real point at issue t'.ian for any other purpose. Mr Fos feels that his followers are so divided in opinion as to require great circumspection in order to W them together. He cannot venture to comifl» himself to a definite declaration of policy, lest ha should offend the scruples of the various section! who agree in little beyond their mutual objection to Mr Stafford and his colleagues. Bnt * * * Mr Fox will have to make up his mind anddeclaW his polioy. In that case it is probable that Ht Fox's policy will not differ very materially that of Mr Stafford. The war will be a legacy which must either be carried on or given "PTaking into account all the antecedent circumstances of Mr Fox's political history, and reined jbcring on whieh side his sympathies and inters*

is impossible to conceive that he will 10 narty to ailY P°h c y which includes the abanent of the confiscated lands. Mr Fox is a blooded North Island settler. The key-note f every successive Northern policy has been tli9 msition of land. We may feel perfectly sure, k refore.thatMrFox will not betray theiuterests f the North. No land will be given up that can uibly be kept at any cost by the Colony. If Mr lj 3 ca lled upon to frame a policy and form a fovernmenfc, it follows that it is unreasonable to „pose that it will be in the least degree more f vorable to Middle Island interests than that of the present Ministry. On the contrary, there are ood reasons to fear that it may be more hurtful. The immediate stoppage of the war, and the conqueQt reversal of the confiscation policy, is the only P°^ ic y ft t he useful alike to North jail South. As it is certain that Mr Fox will jjver consent to these measures, it follows that he CS tt ouly hope to pacify the South by temporising und attempting to deceive their representatives by [j ie adoption of vain and futile expedients. Forced to attempt a novel policy of some kind or another, jjr fox will probably try to persuade the House l that he can " conquer peace " for much less than jlr Stafford, and end by plunging the Colony into ' itill heavier liabilities than are being incurred at the present moment. * * * Mr Fox shows jo colors, though lie bids for office, and for that reason alone, if there were not others of sufficient weight, we fear that he will prove more dangerous , f vea than Mr Stafford. Evening Star, Dunodin. In the present struggle a great principle is at stake —a principle requiring the most energetic , and decided expression of opinion on the part of | t very colonist of the Middle Island. The princi- 1 pie involved is one the equity of which cannot be « gainsaid, That those for whose benefit money is , expenJed, should be compelled to bear the burden c f taxation necessary. * * * The advantage ] (o the North Island would be the expenditure of t Southern revenue in making roads, paying for ■ Government contracts, and shooting refractory c Maoris. Now we totally object to Southern pro- ' pert)' and income being taxed for such purposes. t If the North Island estates are worth preserving, the proprietors must submit to the cost of preser vution. If not, let them be abandoned. Divested j of its sentimentality it is a mere question of pounds, t fallings, and pence. r

We had mailed extracts of the same kind from many other papers, both North and South, sufficient to show that the New Zealand Press is almost unanimous in its condemn afcion of the new Ministry; but we have not space to-day for more than those above quoted.