GOVERNOR WELD.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 855, 31 October 1870, Page 2

GOVERNOR WELD.

The Weßt Australian correspondent of the Argus writes as follows: —Governor Weld is beginning to find that his term of office is to be no bed of roses. A storm has arisen from a very trivial matter, and because he did nqt at once revoke a decision at which he most properly arrived, he has had to undergo a torrent of news* paper abuse, and a verdict has gone forth that the " Shepherd King " has been trie4 and found wanting. At a trial held in Perth, one who had been sent to Australia, for his country's good, and whose conduct had caused him to be entrusted with a ticket-of-leave, gave evidence of such a nature as. induced the Attorney-General to recommend that this ticket of leave should be revoked This can only be dune under the Governor's, authority, and Governor Weld, in an evil moment for his popularity with a certain portion of the Western Australian press, endorsed the recommendation of the Attorney-General* Whether the advice, of the Attorney* General was wise or unwise is a matter fairly open to opinion, but it is question* able how far a Governor would hesitate to act on the advice of one of his respou" sible advisers who reported something bordering on? perjury on the part of a prisoner of the Crown. The unhappy man, thus torn from the " bosom of his family," had,' unfortunately for friends connected with one of the newsfriends he would probably have been liberated in a day or two* and warned to, consider beforehand what evidence he D&peis, feuj; for. &e conduct of &%

might in future give in courts of law. The newspaper in question took up the cudgels for him, and threatened all sorts of proceedings. It animadverted on the conduct of the Governor, questioned the legality of the course, abused him for not at once succumbing to the popular clamor it had raised for the man's liberation, threatened to expose his conduct and to prove on the dictum of the highest legal authorities in England, that he had exercised a power to which he had no right. Governor Weld may be led; I doubt if he is one likely to be driven. He has gone through a good deal of popular abuse in New Zealand, and has survived it, without much loss of credit, and none of character. He is not likely to be turned aside from a course he has considerately adopted by threats or clamor, and probably cares as little as any man for the mud with which he has been bespattered. Meantime the victim lies in gaol, chewing the cud of reflection. If ever a man flight to sing " Save me from my friends!" lie is the man.