The Lyttelton Times. SATRUDAY, March 8, 1851.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 9, 8 March 1851, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times. SATRUDAY, March 8, 1851.

We confess we think our fellow colonists are taking the matter of Government rather quietly. It is quite true that they are very busy about their own affairs. Luggage has to be dragged, carted, or carried In boats from one place to another; goods to be placed under cover, houses to be built, fences to be made : a thousand occupations tread on the heels O f one another, till the bewildered colonist scarcely knows what to do first, or what may be delayed without loss. It is quite true that amidst all this the settler has little time or inclination to trouble himself about politics. .Nor should we, under ordinary circumstances think it right to distract his mind from the occupations which become him best; but_ the circumstances under which we are living, are not ordinary. We have come out to Canterbury at a remarkable epoch in New Zealand history. The form of S.°Jnn?v Undei'- Which Aye are to liv* to Ijt t n commS^sion of parliament: under that Government, whatever it be, we must live for many years to come. Should we find presently that it is one wholly unsuited to our requirements, no complaints will then avail us ; we shall be told, and truly told, the proposed form of Government was before you; it was published; you made no remonstrance against it; you musHot complain now. If the officials whTare to administer the affairs of the colony are to tlersirTt T °f the P-P^ the *£ tiers are to have no means of checking

extravagant expenditure or of punishing official delinquency ; if the colonists are to be practically and really debarred from the management of affairs which no one can manage well but themselves, and which it is no one's interest to manage well but their own ; if the Canterbury settlement is to be subject to that abominable mis-govern-ment which has been the temporary ruin of several colonies in recent times ; if this is to be our history, and we are content that it should be so: why let us fold our 'Uands now, and say no more about it; let us go one to his farm, and another to his merchandise; only, remember, we have debarred ourselves for ever from the privilege of protesting, or the comfort of grumbling hereafter. We have endeavoured to place before our readers in several articles a true account of political affairs. We believe that most of our fellow colonists agree with us in the opinions we have expressed, but we are unable to say whether there is really much interest at all in the matter. We now, however, urge them to lose no time, but to call a public meeting without delay, and to convey to the Home Government their sentiments as to the form of Government which they desire to live under. . Recollect that in the debates last Session upon the Australian Colonies Act, the great question in dispute was—what do the Colonies themselves want ? The Ministers said they wanted ihis\ the Colonial Reform party declared they wanted that; and so they were given something very partially resembling what they really did want. Now let there be no such mistake about us. When the New Zealand Bill is discussed in Parliament, let there be no mistake as to what the Colonists themselves desire. Let there be no pretence of a mistake. Wellington and Nelson have spoken their minds most distinctly; let us. strengthen their hands. There is yet time, but there is no time to be lost. The New Zealand Bill may not, probably will not, be passed before July. A petition to the Houses of Parliament might reach England before then.