The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1868. THE RESULT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY STRUGGLE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 93, 12 October 1868, Page 247

The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1868. THE RESULT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY STRUGGLE.

Although the efforts of the Opposition to remove Mr Stafford and his coadjutors from office have proved abortive, the opposition they have shown to Government measures has not been altogther unproductive of good results. This is particularly the case with regard to the modification of their policy in relation to the Native'-question, which has been reclaimed from .that of passively drifting down the current of events, and made one that we trust will cope with-the difficulties of the situation.

It is somewhat remarkable that, as at the opening of a former session when, in the address from the Governor, the country was being congratulated on the cheering aspect of Native affairs, the Colony was shocked by the report of fresh aggressions and murders committed by the rebels, so on this occasion, when Native matters were not even thought of sufficient importance to claim a paragraph in the Governor’s speech, the. rebels should he on the point of open aggression, and a state of affairs about to commence as terrible as had existed at any time during either of the late campaigns. A reference to the debate on the address in reply to that speech will show that Ministers had not the most distant notion of the volcano that was trembling under their feet; rather, they rejoiced in fancied security, and felt it to be a remarkably good sign that for the first time during several years they were able to get up a Governor’s speech which should not contain any allusion to the Native question—little dreaming that if at any time from the first settlement of Europeans in these islands it was necessary to attend to that question, that time was now, and as little expecting that they would .be so rudely awakened from their dream of security as they were % the course of events both on the East and West coasts of this island.

One thing has, it seems; been forced upon the inind of Ministers, and that is that- Defence is not a matter .on which it is wise to exera cheeseparing economy. .We, of course/ cannot • shut our eyes to the fact that the House is partly to blame for the way in which the defence force has been reduced and the sinews 'of war withheld; : We know; that a large section of the members, particularly those from the; South,’ regarded the. Native question as a great-s bugbear, .and either-’ refused or grudgingly gave a vote for. any appropriation in this direction; but it is also evident that the Government -were ■ < altogether unable to -appreciate; the -situation, or they would not so readily have yielded to such a pressure. * If-they had understood > ours-relations with the natives ."they, would have vacated before they. would have r so re-duced'our-means of defence as to leave ..the. outlying settlements of the, colony virtually at. the mercy of a vindictive -enemy,,. and one smarting: iihder the - conscioushes's' of’ia' recent.

We : trust ; that the steps now taken and resolved on will be found more nearly equal to the situation thananythingthat has yet been done. A moderate rate of pay is offered to induce young men to join the proposed force, which it is intended to raise to the number of 1,000, to act during the present crisis of our affairs, to be reduced when that is past to the number of 500, at which strength it will be maintained. The few British troops also left here will be retained, pending a reference to the Home Government, and an attempt will be made to retain at least a single regiment of them in the colony. Of course this latter Step is the death-blow to all the grand ideas of self-reliance in which it has been the pleasure of certain parties to indulge; but even so, we have found to our cost that we are not strong enough to carry out the principle, and, burdened as we are, must thankfully accept such aid as our mother country may be willing to bestow.