THE IMPERIAL TROOPS.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 16, 22 April 1867, Page 92

THE IMPERIAL TROOPS.

Notwithstanding the uncompromising nature of the despatches received in this colony from the Home Government for the prompt and entire removal of the Imperial forces from the colony, failing the agreement of the Colonial Government to the terms proposed for the retention of even one regiment, it seems that His Excellency the Governor c&nnot feel jnstified in accepting the too literal reading of the terms therein contained.

It is certain that the state of feeling existing in the native mind on the east coast of this island is such as to necessitate the retention, for the present, of at least one regiment,, if not for the purpose of actual warfare with the tribes still in rebellion, at least far the moral support their presence will afford him in his diplomatic relations with them. It is also equally certain that, taxed as we are as a people to the utmost limit of our resources, we cannot agree to the proposal of the Imperial Government in adding to our burthens and the Governor, in deciding to retain in the colony on bis own responsibility the regiment in question, cannot have any expectation of the General Assembly of ihe colony agreeing to the stipulated conditions. Be this, however as it may, it is at length certain that one regiment is to remain, and to be apportioned to the several garrison towns in this island. Full particulars have not yet reached us of the details of the contemplated arrangements, but we are assured that 200 men of H.M. 18th regiment are to be stationed at Napier. i

. : We are sure our friends will read the above announcement with feelings of satisfaction, for it cannot be denied that'the' indications of hostility on ..the, north-eastern, coastare.yery decided, and have increa^ed

exactly tbie »m'pj<^i:tioii‘'hsyhd

indications of the 1 removal ofJthe Imperial forces have'been more and more decided, so that there has been no room to doubt that the total departure of the troops would have been the signal ‘ for: another extensive ’ outbreak. What the result of such out* break would- Have been to the infatuated rebels we may be pretty well able to guess, but it is mot'any part of the policy of Sir Geeorge Grey,—nor should wo‘sUppose of the Imperial Government, —that such outbreak should take place, and we suppose His Ex-i cellepcy feels that 'the circumstances will be his ample justification in the eyes of Her Majesty’s Government. If the retention of these troops in garrisons will spare the colony the evils of a rebellion, however soon or decisively the colonial forces may have succeeded iu .quelling it. we shall have cause to be exceedingly thankful, but we do trust that the decision of the last Assembly, that the terms offered by the Colonial Secretary could not be accepted by the colony, will be fully and strictly maintained. Rather than depart from that decision we should say let the Home Government take away the troops—let the infatuated rebels rise and let us do our best with them—we believe that the result of the next and final struggle with them would be something different from the last, in that it would leave us with terri torial possessions, which would ultimately pay the war bill, and perhaps a something more towards the cost of governing the aborignes, and securing their subjection.