English and foreign Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 762, 17 February 1870, Page 3

English and foreign Items.

English and foreign Items.

We are not in the season of politics, nor have we been able to manufacture any—the grave Irish question standing alone. But what we have we make much of. Mr Gladstone, at the dinner already mentioned, happened to say that Ministers felt a deep sense of the responsibilities they had undertaken —in fact, he has recently recovered from illness and talked rather more solemnly than is his wont, which is needless—so it was resolved that Mr Glad stone was depressed, and all sorts of foolish rumors were set flying, and Minister after Minister has had to explain at meetings and elsewhere, that the Premier meant nothing but that the business of the nation was important. The new JEdile (as he expressly refused to be called), Mr Ayrton, lost no time in making a blunder in his new office, and to the disgust of the cultivated world delivered a speech in which he deprecated the spending of money on works of art, and used contemptuous language about sculptors, architects, and gardeners. This from a Chief Commissioner of Works was felt to be horribly out of taste that Mr Ayrton has been the victim of satire ever since. Some faint attempt has been made to show that he was joking, but nobody who knows his absolute belief in the doctrine that gravity means wisdom will believe that. We are, as yet, allowed no information as to the measures contemplated by Government, except that Mr Stansfield said at Bristol that it was determined to take some bold action with a view to the repression of drunkenness, a point on which Mr Gladstone, and, we believe, Mr Bright, hold strong views. It is not very probable that we shall have an education bill this coming session. We shall most likely have the ballot, and there be signs that the Universities desire to give up their tests. But it is the Conservatives who are most exercised on the subject of politics. Lord Derbv's death has unsettled his party very much, as we ventured, in the face of emphatic contradiction, to assert that it would do. Lord Cairns was put up asjthe leader of the Opposition in the Lords, but he was a failure. He is a capital speaker, but he has not the faculty of leadership, and moreover the bold barons prefer to be presided over by one who was born in the purple. It was said that Lord Malmesbury was deposed, but he has written to

the Liberal papers to deny this, and declares that he resigned, but with an excellent character from Lord Derby. There are but two men to whom the Opposition peers can look. One is the new Lord Derby, and the other is Lord Salisbury. The objection in the first case is that the Earl, though an aristocrat to the backbone, is by no means a staunch Tory, and has travelled and seen men and cities, and sat many years in the Commons, and in short knows better than to ally himself to a policy of tradition and obstruction. Lord Salisbury is an able man, and a good hearty Tory, but he has just been writing an article in the Quarterly Review, in which he calls on the Conservatives to abandon the policy of Mr Disraeli (whom he hates, the sentiment being liberally returned), and be content to abide as an Opposition, because they cannot obtain power, except by the sacrifice of principle. This may be very true, but whether they will care to be led by a man who declares that he will not fight is another matter. The only thing is that the Marquis is so much stronger than anybody else on that side of the House that he may compel them to follow him whether they will or not. If he takes the headship it will be abso lutely nece?sary to make a new treaty between him and Mr Disraeli, as it is awkward to have theleader in the Lords reviling the leader in the Commons. On the Continent there is trouble in addition to what we have set down. Italy has been very near losing her King. Victor Emmanuel lay for some days in nearly a hopeless state, and received the last rites of a church to which he has certainly not shown any particular devotion, and which sought, in his supposed last moments, to make a bargain with him. He was to receive extreme unction, but only on condition that he would endeavor to undo all Italian legislation which had been hostile to Home. This the stout hearted King refused, declaring that he would take his chance, on which the priest seemed ashamed to deny longer what he believed necessary to a dying man's salvation. But he was sent back by his superior to endea- ; vor to get some kind of promise out of Victor Emmanuel, and this time the King said that if the priest had come to talk about religion, he should be happy to listen, but if about politics, the Ministers were in the next room. The King hns since recovered, and has appeared in public. The Italians are full of delight because their favorite, Princess Margherita, wife of her cousin, the heir apparent, has given them a prince. He is called the Prince of Naples, and presents are pouring in from all quarters. But the politics of the country are by no means so satisfactory as the court news. The Ministry of Menabrea has had to resign, in presence of hostile votes in Parliament, and Signor Lanza, who is Conservative, is trying to form a Cabinet, but up to the present time lias not succeeded. >

Very Latest News, ENGLAND. London, December 15.—Three Cabinet meetings were held for the consideration of the state of Ireland. It was resolved to proclaim County Tipperary and County and City Londonderry in a state of insurrection, and to increase the army in Ireland to 30,000 men. Lord Clai*endon is about to renew negociations for the settlement of the Alabama claims. President Grant's message to Congress has produced a favorable impression in England. liinderpesfc appeared amongst cattle at one of the national shows of stock. IRELAND. Dublin, 14th December.—Two gunsmiths' shops have been entered, and arms therein taken away. The shopkeepers were resisted, and were fired at j one was killed. FRANCE. Paris, 15th December.—Carlist insur rectionists are active on the border, and arms haye been seized. The Duke of Coburg is dying. His Royal Highness Prince Alfred is his heir. Baron Lesseps denies that the Suez Caual Company is short of funds. ITALY. The Pope has issued a Bull containing regulations for the guidance of the (Ecumenical Council. Decrees that the right of introducing propositions belongs alone to the Pope and the court of Rome. The majority of the bishops are dissatisfied with this decree. Pere Hyacinths has given a lecture in which he spoke in favor of an unseetarian Church, and the reconciling of religious and liberal idea 3. Intelligence received at Ariti states that the proposal Congress at Naples attracted 500 delegates. President Riccardi delivered the inaugural address. Victor Hugo and Garibaldi sent apologies for their absence. The ceremony passed over with the greatest enthusiasm. PORTUGAL. Lisbon.—A rebellion is expected in Portugal. AMERICA. Washington.—A resolution has been introduced in the House of Representatives authorising President to make arrangements for receiving Peabody's remains in a befitting manner. San Francisco, Deo. 16. Flour is quoted at $-1 50 cents for superfine j wheat, $1 50 cents to $1 60 cents. Markets are steady, and there is a good demand for England,

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY. [Prom tlio Evening Post, 2nd February.l Oub relations with Te Kooti seem to have reached the acme of absurdity. Wehaveanumberof small armies under various leaders—native and European—in the field, engaged at enormous cost to the Colony in pursuing him ; and, although the published Government despatches and telegrams are silent on the point, we know that these troops are enduring great hardships, are ill-clothed and almost starved, although, the 7 O causes which led to similar results to che forces engaged in the Waikarimoana expedition in the depth of winter no longer operate. Still, these troops, mismanaged and illsupplied as they are, are always reported to be on the point of doing something but they never do it. Kooti has been surrounded fifty times in despatches, and his escape rendered impossible on paper, but he always does escape, and re-appears in a new place, and then we hear that he never was at all near the locality in which he was hemmed in, and which was to have been his| place of doom. So far as we can really ascertain, none of onr Colonial forces have, of late, ever been within miles of him (with the exception of the accidental rencontre with M‘Donnell, which seems to have been a mutual surprise) and when they have been nearest they were utterly ignorant of the fact. They may have seen the camp fires of a few scattered outposts or scouting parties, but we have no certainty that they have ever been near the main body of the rebels, and they know literally nothing of Kooti’s movements or intentions. He is represented as a fugitive, but is decidedly misrepresented in that character ; and while McDonnell and other leaders are wandering about in search of him, he exhibits no particular desire to hide himself. We do not know that he was personally engaged in the skirmish with M‘Donnell, and the latest reliable news of his whereabouts we derive from his voluntary communication to Mr Firth, when he spoke to that gentleman of Ins wrongs, offering to forgive their pakeha authors, and settle down quietly. Magnanimous Te Kooti! How proud Mr M‘Lean must be of the title conferred on him—Kooti’s friend i How pleased he must have felt, after long es trangement, to receive a telegram from him soliciting reconciliation? We are not joking. Kooti, the miserable, hunted fugitive, who, of course, ought to be afraid to show himself, and whose every effort should be devoted to hiding from the armies which are scattered over the country ostensibly looking for him, has actually made use of the electric telegraph as a means of offering terras of peace to the Government! The. Auckland papers assure us that the telegram 'was written in Kooti’s own hand, and was sent to the office by Mr Campbell, Mr Firth’s interpreter. Whether it was prepaid, or whether it was passed free as on public service, is not stated. The original message ought, at least, to be framed and sent home to the Aborigines Protection Society, as a convincing proof of the civilised manner in which war is conducted in the colony. Usually, also, in civilised countries, it is considered a high crime to hold friendly communication with the enemies of the Government, and even here an idea has got. into some people’s heads that Mr Firth ought to be arrested and severely punished. Deluded people, to imagine that any oidiuary laws or ordinary rules apply to native affairs in Now Zealand ! Mr Firth, so far from being punished, will, no doubt, be thanked and highly rewarded, and another Parliamentary paper preserve the account of his interview with the cannibal chief. Now that Te Kooti has shown an inclination to use the telegraph, we fully expect to see in the next Gazette an intimation that he has been 1 authorised to receive and send tele--1 grams “ On Public Service,” and also ,to frank letters. Probably the next thing will be the extension of the telegraph to Tokangamutu for the special convenience of King Tawhiao. [ What a great deal of time, for in stance, might have been saved hac

his Majesty been able tocommuuicafce by telegiaph, instead of by letter with the Manawatu natives. The . sight of the Royal letters is singularity suggestive of telegrams. Even telegraph operators would be puzzled ■ to make them more obscure, or un- , intelligible, than they are. {"Prom the Evening Post, 7th February.] The latest news from Auckland contains nothing decisive as to the position or proceedings of Te Kooti. Tauranga seems to be the base of operations directed against him, and there we hear of constabulary, militia, volunteers, and friendly Maoris being moved about in all direction*, according as the ever varying reports come in, but nothing actually. being 'done. The only thing that seems j certain, according to an Auckland jpaper, is "that a game of warlike ! hide-and-go-seek is being carried on jin the bush, and this is called pursuing Te Kooti." The treachery of the jKing natives is now beyond a doubt; they have evidently kept Kooti j ported up in all our movements so j well that he could lay his plans accordingly, and, by their scheming, the efforts made to surround him were rendered abortive. So far as can be learned, Kooti is still potent for mischief, and instead of being a fugitive; broken and dispirited, he is able to present such an alarming front to several of our East Coast seti lements that the services of some of the sailors and marines of the Blanche - have been abtained to assist the local forces in holding fortified posts. The present Ministry took office under pledges of reducing the enormous war expenditure of their predecessors by more than one-half, and of adopting a policy of conciliation towards the doubtful and sulky portion of the native race, which would convert them into fast friend. B . We were told that the force the last Ministry kept on foot, besides being useless, was beyond our ability to maintain ; that a model foi\e of 600 men would supply their places and do their wc.rk efficiently, while a body of Imperial troops would remain as a reserve and by their awe-inspiring influence prevent a general rising of the disaffected Maoris. Well, 7 months have passed away, during which time the colony has waited for the fulfilment of these promises. Mr M'Lean has had ample opportunity for exercising his influence on the King party, and the transient succeKs which followed his first efforts was loudly applauded by the whole colo- ' ny; but we are now beginning to find . out that we "hallooed before we iwere out of the wood"—that the King natives are pretty much in the same position as they were, that they deceived Mr M'Lean with all his acuteness, and instead of assisting us in good faith to put down the Irebellion, they took advantage of the 'information gained by the negotiations to aid and abet Te Kooti. 'The Imperial troops are gone, and not a man in the Colony is now foolish' enough to believe that they will ever return. Then "the six hundred." To quote the Nelson Examiner, " Who are they ? What are thev ? Where are they ? Who knows?" The Government, when they took office, professed their ability to keep the war expenditure down,to £150,000, but who have they made good their professions? The Thames Times tells us that at the present time the Colonial forces actually in receipt of pay number 2,500 men. This number includes the armed constabulary, military settlers, friendly natives, and volunteers who have been enrolled as a temporary force to meet the emergency which Te Kooti's sudden appearance on the Waikato frontier gave rise to. The average pay per diem of each man is about five shillings: We may then allow one officer for each hundred men, at say a . pound a day. To these amounts ! must be added a large sum for arms,* • equipments,ammunition,and various l other contingencies; and we shall ■ arrive at an expenditure of some»thing like a chousand pounds a day ; for defence purposes." " Three huns dred and sixty-five thousand pounds i a year, the expenditure still increas- , ing, and Branigan's force only com- * mencing to be formed ! Really the I most cordial supporters of the Go-

may well begin to look grave at such a state of affairs. The Var is still a chronic cancer eating inio our vitals, and the scheme for its eradication not propounded. What it feeds on principally is our 1 .anomalous position with regard to the natives; those amongst them jmosi friendly to us are still connected 3by mysterious ramifications with the bitterly hostile; supplies, information, and recruits, are constantly passing over the line where they come in contact, and thus it is that the war k kept alive. Much as we owe Co some of Maoris, it will yet be seen that we shall ne~/er have peace till we cease either to arm them, or employ them to light for us; until the Anglo-Saxon colonists pf New Zealand place themselves as a body against the aborigines, and tell the latter plainly that they are the weaker party and must either submit to the restraints of law and order, or eke suffer annihilation.