The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1868. MR FOX AT WANGANUI.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 60, 24 February 1868, Page 49

The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1868. MR FOX AT WANGANUI.

A short time ago we gave an account of the reception awarded to Mr and Mrs Fox by their fellow-residents at Rangitibei on the occasion of their-re-turn to the colony. The neighbouring settlement of Wanganui, resolved not to Jbe surpassed by an outlying district, has since celebrated the event by a public dinner, at which Mr Fox has enunciated his political sentiments more at large than he felt to be necessary on the former occasion. After going to some extent over the same grouud as in his Rangitikei speech, and referring to his defence of the New Zealand colonists against their detractors at home, and showing that the British public were ready enough to accept the truth when fairly presented to it, he gave a rapid sketch of his travels and mentioned the ardent longing felt both by himself and wife to return to the land of their adoption, and at length approached the subject of colonial politics. He said that as during the past three years his information concerning such matters had been mainly derived from newspapers and private letters, it had necessarily been but partial and meagre, still there were certain broad principles which he held to be sound, and whose details only could require a little modification to adapt them to varying circumstances. He had helped to obtain the constitution of 1852 for the colony, and he still adhered to its general principles. He approved of a General Government and provincial institutions, as he believed them eminently suited to the geographical nature of the - Colony, divided as it is into separate islands, and by its extensive sea-board sand mountain ranges, which prevented it being governed so •well from' one point as under the pre-. sent system. Its great fault appeared to,be that, an" over-riding power was placed in the Central Government, which enabled it to ride rough-shod over tho Provincial Governments. He had always been a - Provincialist, and believed the salvatidn of the Colony , depended on the right working of Proivincial Institutipnf, *Sfill J3 ne,w cir-

cumstances had arisen, population had increased ‘ in certain districts through the discovery of gold; and some Provinces .were in difficulties, and seemed ready to abandon their political privileges and submit to degradation, these institutions might need some modification, but should not be swept away. There were men who are fighting against Provincial institutions; he would warn the public against such; they were those who had always opposed. Representative institutions in any shape, and if they succeeded were ready to hand over the Colony, bound hand and foot, to the Colonial office. On the Native question he said at the time of the Waitara war he belonged to the peace-at-any-price party, and believed that Governor Browne had made a mistake. He took office under that Government hoping to re-open that question and submit it to arbitration, but the natives refused all offers of that kind, and resolved to try their strength against us. It then became evident that they must be taught obedience. The great point is to deal with them as with other British subjects, and if he had again to deal with their government that principle should be the rule of his conduct. On the Financial question he said the fact was, and it could not be gainsaid, the Colony owed seven millions of pounds sterling, and has it to pay, principal and interest. The best thing that could happen the Colony would be for its credit to become so bad as to render it impossible for it to borrow another shilling. He and his Government had been charged with being the cause of great part of that debt; but when they took office they .found the Colony was involved in an expensive war, and the Colonial Parliament authorised that loan of £3,000,000, of which his Government spent less than half—the greater portion having been .spent by their successors. However, the Native war was enough to swamp a much larger Colony. He had studied the Constitution of America, which country had just concluded the mightiest civil war that has ever taken place, and is now prosperous and increasing. There are faults in our Government and our rulers, and there would always be faulty superintendents and fanlty road boards, but a central Government would be found to be worse still. He hoped to live and die a good democrat, doing all he could for the advancement and prosperity of the people. He then thanked them, and assured them that he wonld do all in his power for their welfare.