COLONEL THOMAS GORE BROWNE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 95, 26 October 1868, Page 257

COLONEL THOMAS GORE BROWNE.

t f < .Jy&tom the Hobart • THEiipecial telegrams received by the last , English' mail brought the rather unexpected , intelligence! that we are about to exchange | his Excellency Colonel T.Gore Browne for Mr DuCane, who is supposed to be the gentleman to' whom reference is made in ; the Parliamentary Companion for 1868, and of .whom we are there supplied with a brief biographical and political notice. It often colonists in these distant dependencies have been favored with a representative of our most gracious sovereign who has more faithfully or diligently dis- | charged the duties of his distinguished station than cur present highly popular and esteemed Governor j nor can we recall any ’ one occupying the important Bocial position of the charitable and universally respected lady who shares his honors as well as his responsibilities to society, and who has set > a more edifying example for the imitation of the gentler portion of our population. The changes and conflicts of parties have placed his Excellency in many trying and perplexing situations, buthis cool judgment, clear head, ready tact, assisted "by that . characteristic urbanity which distinguishes the true-bred gentleman, have enabled him to carry himself through the moat difficult trials without giving offence to any one, or exciting other feeliugs even in those from whom he differed but increased respect for his character and person. ISis Excellency is a man possessed of more real practical ability than those who have not closely watched his official career in Hew Zealand would at first be inclined to give him credit for. His removal from that colony during the very period of a crisis, which required just such a man as Colonel Browne to deal with, was a great mistake, and one which even his censurers and opponents at the time now candidly admit. His are the qualities which he, who may hope for success in dealing with the cunning, wily, and clear-sighted Maoris ought to possess. Of all characters, that of a “ temporiser,”—a man of Bmall expedients-, of petty and wavering resolves, and undecided views,—was the least suited to combat savages possessed of the extraordinary natural attributes of the New Zealand aboriginals. Such a man was Sir G-. 1 Grey, who superseded his Excellency Col. Browne as Governor of New Zealand, and the history of that unhappy and disturbed colony ever since that fatal appointment was made is too well known to now require recapitulation. Had Colonel Browne been allowed to remain, the conflict would have 1 befen^shrort,-sharp, and decisive; and the treacherous, crafty Maoris taught a lesson which they would not have easily forgotteu ; but which, at the same time, would 1 have been the means of saving mariy valuable lives, and hundreds of thousands’ of pounds worth of property. la the end, the native race would have been greatly benefited, while the interests of Europeans would have been placed out of all peril from the effects of a long, ill conducted, and sanguinary war. We have heard many highly respectable ' and wealthy colonists from New Zealand express their regrets at the mistake made ' by the Colonial Office in removing Colonel 1 Browne and rep’acing him by Sir George 1 Grey—a man, above all others, entirely unfit to deal with such a people as the Maoris. And those who thus expressed themselves acknowledged that they had 1 been clamorous against the policy of Col. Browne ; but that experience proved him ' to iiave judged the best, and to have re- j commended the wisest, and ia the end the 1 most humane policy for controlling the 1 refractory natives. It is a matter of great 1 moment to the welfare and peace of colonial communities that the representative of the Sovereign should be a man of conciliating disposition, and imbued with enlarged and enlightened views of the privileges and duties of his position. No greater misfortune could befal the colony than having the post of Governor occupied by a zealous political partizan, with strong prejudices, and a too narrow conception of his obligations as chief of the Executive Government. We have experienced for many years the good effects of having impartial arid liberalminded Governors—men of the world who 1 thoroughly understood the true nature of ' the responsibilities voluntarily accepted when they were honored with trie commission ot their' Sovereign. His Excellency Colonel Browne, like one of his predeces- 1 sors, Sir W. Denison, is a man influenced 1 by independent and.enlightened principles, wholly free from all partizan or personal prejudices, and who, by the impartial administrations of his Government, and the strictness with which his publio conduct is regulated when dealing with, his Ministers and Parliament by, constitutional practices, has proved,Himself to be a worthy representative of the great and enlightened country whose servant he is j and he has, therefore, justly earned the confidence and thanks of the people of; Tasmania.