AUCKLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 164, 25 February 1854, Page 9

AUCKLAND.

[From our own Correspondent, Jan. 25.]

The model Governor is gone at last. He sailed for England in the "Commodore," on the last day of the old year. The question that now occurs to all is this :—What has he done? 'I he answer is ready as a borrower's cap : he has composed despatches. After keeping the colony, from the Kings to the Chatham Islands, in a state of turmoil for eight years, he has left the really difficult questions to be solved by his successor, and even the routine work of Government, so far as Auckland is concerned, in a state of utter confusion. The Constitution incomplete ; the land claims unsettled ; the Company's debt, so far as Auckland is concerned, unadjusted still ; the province uusupplied with land, although the native title might have been long since extinguished to large tracts with manifest advantage to both races; the Collector of Customs helpless on the horns of a dilemma, and the far-famed wharf—his triumph of engineering—after the waste of £GOOO, crumbling into the sea. And more than this, he has left the colony, the older portions of it at all events, very much less fit for Representative Institutions than it was some six or seven years ago. The long though successful struggle for that self government which he succeeded in staving1 off to the eve of his own departure, the employment of influence to sow dissension, the acrimonious feeling engendered by the bringing to light of his despatches, and the example of untruth in high places, have been duly followed by their demoralizing effect. But let alone the past: from this epoch a new era commences in our colonial history. Quod felix fauslumque sit. The last, of temporal prosperity, was ushered in by discovery of the Australian gold fields ; the present, winch opens with the departure of Governor Grey, may possibly be one of moral and social improvement. Active exertions were made, after His Excellency's return from the Islands, to grace his exeat with a bene dixcessit; and have been attended by their natural consequence, —a renewal of uproar in this much-vexed community. The success, indeed, has been but partial; and such as there was, is attributable to the profitable working of his divide ut imperes policy. For he has brought matters to such a pass in the North, that one party can be turned out against the other, almost at the word of command, like the Mussulman against the Hindoo in a Sepoy regiment ; —a good security against meeting, but a security rather too dearly bought among Christian English. The Wyuyardites, ov to speak more strictly, a section.of them, proposed a valedictory dinner, —not indeed, as they admit, for love of his Excellency, hut because it was " necessary," to counteract the effect of the Brown Testimonial —the tribute of the opposition to the unsuccessful candidate for the Superintendency. This, I believe, was the true motive of the dinner giving; and I am sure that the recommendation, seriously offered in our Provincial Onuei!, to '■ ina'e friends of the Mammon m' ;:i:ngntcousnes.--," because Ma nut-on was reiuiiiiiiir to England, and that it was politic to put him in goud humour, in ordor ihai X- ir.iuhl ni;b:e a favourable report t;t Auckiru-: ;u i.oiiU1 — lam .muv ihat this was not thu m<iiiv<.'. i :'■■*< clkis piiriu-'-iiai1 in siaiiiig wii.it sv- : - i.-ot, u>c yuii

should be misled, in reading: the reports, into supposing that there was no distinction between right or wrong: to the north of Taranaki. The dinner was attended by from seventy to ei-Hitv buna lido settlers, mostly connected with the town, the country people holding ••»»»'• The supplement of the paity were military ana officials. Considering the strength of our electoral roll, about 2,000, and the various means that were adopted to swell the attendance,— dinner tickets having been hawked about gratis, and what is oven worse, at half-price, the number is not imposingl. Two of-the representatives, out of twelve, wore present. The Chief-Justice and the Speaker took a neutral position, the former having signed the invitation, but sending an excuse for 'noil-attendance ; the latter haying refused to sign, but attending as a guest. The Bishop signed and attended also. His postprandial speech, (altered and softened down by the way,) was curious. He praised the administration of Governor Grey, but as if by way of qualification, was indiscriminately profuse of eulogy towards all the preceding administrations." When he came to speak of the opposition, he let drive in right srood earnest, hitting out riirht and loft, in a style that Tom Cribb might have envied. He was the mainstay of the demonstration ;

si Pergamn doxtra Dofemli possent, c«rte hao defensa fuisseut.

Biit the effect was weakened by the fact of Ills having no choice but to make common cause with his Excellency. They were joined in the attack upon the missionaries, and nuw that the missionaries are getting the best of the light, must be joined in defence, for the sake of mutual support." Without the Bishop, however, the dinner had been a failure ; for some of the advocacy received by his Excellency on that occasion was of a character somewhat less valuable.

Non tali auxilio, nee defousoribns istis,

As you may suppose all this could not take place without rousing the opposition into action. To bovrow a homely expression, it was determined upon taking the gilt oil" the gingerbread. A public meeting- was held, "for the purpose of si Hording an opportunity of expressing opinion as to the propriety and eft'ect of the address and dinner to Sir George Grey on his departure from the colony-" Among the several resolutions carried, and ordered for transmission to Downing Street, the following was the centre piece: [The resolution referred to by our correspondent was given in our last week's paper. No. ~ is the one intended.]

This resolution was moved by James Busby, Esq., lormeilv British Residentin New Zealand. It is worthy of renxuk that he was not, in consequence, dismissed from the Commission of the. Peace. For a dismissal might have provoked enquiry.

The demonstration in favour of his Excellency was imprudent, to say the least. For the Opposition was resolved upon letting him "o awuy quietly, and would have adhered to their purpose, had they been allowed. But Quos D<us vult fwtlen\ pn'tts dementat.

The si'ivnt event of the day is tlic suininouin«of the General Assembly,—ton hue indeed for much sjo-idihat mii^ht have boon done, hut not too hue fur imu'h yood that remains to he dune. Shortly before the departure of Governor Grey, several members of the House of Representatives addressed a letter to him, ivquesting an interview, for the purpose of putting a question oomvnmiij- the ending- of the Assembly. He declined receiving them, on the "round of heinsj unwi'iioj;- to " embarrass his successor." Shortjv after his departure, one of the representatives ca'ii;-.5 on Governor Wyuyard. requesting iufovni:»:i>i:» .>;i she .<;n»o subject. The answer was. iim: ! avi:;^ been so siioit a time in office, lie had •■iot yet made up his mimi ; but that the matter *:;■..i 5-ee:: :ef; entive-iy to lu> own di<oreiio«. \h-.\: he hid no wish 10 keep any iln-.v» mu'K, an-.; w.Mi\i infortn the representative's \viijuy;i: o;' ;:y v\r-;'n he sii,n::d iiave come ton «.-<-i-->:.^K 110 k;-:n bi< word, and introduced the t\«n-n:i;::o':, }-\>r uiuver was t?f i\jef<? m;n>ttwiv.: ;.ri: ;;.mv. The deed sh.-d". be duiv rei«c:;r> : < : a i^ h;:n : 'or aUi'vUch kar.iiotbo *)^^.<r:^i n>- S-vevijren.-e:?!. h^l;Hi>>r a sw.j he w.-: ':-> : rv in-;irs;'.v s«r'> vTled a> (levern--"'-' r .r^v-.; rt : .V-w,i< :\:m "h^ l-nvo she o-.v.tr.is^ t* s-^;v:,v-. :.: : -,v, :! ; ; vi : -:H,: s-sm e-\^:io-:'.;\r-vs-'"^-••■c ;"-4!v.s'.y av...i s;^!;hvr«ra^v - _ j;ii _-- *^-;-- ,•:" <^r:>o- V ;%- n

inent will no longer be borne with. In a Buti^h colony, there is no occasion for any tinny whatever being- kept back. At home, a certain reserve in official communication may be sometimes expedient, or even necessary, for the simple reason, that England has relations with foreign countries, and that international questions'may depend upon it: the convenient ami trite excuse —we quid detriment respublica capiat, may possibly be a valid one in Downing: Street, but must be worthless here. Our external relations are with the mother country only, and between mother and daughter there need be no reserve. We must be informed of all, not only concerning; the present,but concerninir the past likewise " Upon this point only do I fear collision with the present Governor. He has served as Lieutenant-Governor under Grey, and has acquired bad habits, which he may feel loath to cast aside. We hope that it may prove otherwise; for we'are weary of opposition here, and only ask to be allowed'to give it up. With regard to the summons of the Assembly, it is supposed that the Attorney-General has cast his influence into the scale. The learned counsel may possibly recover himself in public estimation, now that his evil genius has left the colony ; for, when he does contrive to think for himself, he thinks lucidly enough. But lie is a very chameleon, and takes his colour from the nearest Governor. From Grey he took a very strong colour, and a very bad one : but as Wynyard has no colour at all, Mr. A.ttorneyGeneval, for the future, may be able to appear in his own ; not white indeed, yet not entirely black ; a kind of decent drab.

But the Canterbury influence must have been also not without its effect. I cannot sufficiently admire the bold and decided course which you have adopted,.in refusing to vote illegal estimates. It is worthy of the Province. When I say that the. Canterbury course has been continued throughout, qualis ah incepto,! have said everything. But you have had Mr, Godley for a leader; we have been indoctrinated by a Governor Grry.

The latitude permitted to the Governor, as to tlie periods of calling together the Assembly, appears to involve an inconvenience. A certain amount of hurried legislation may not improbably result from it. For the representatives, not knowing when they shall meet again, will be inclined to take time by the forelock, and make sure of all their work during the course of the first session, whereas a portion of it might be advantageously suffered to stand over for one year, perhaps for two. But they have already "been taught a lesson, and may feel disinclined to trust the tender mercies of even a new Governor, after the narrow escape they have had from not being called at all.

Grey, of course., will be fertile in excuse for not having- complied with the' Act. It rests with the Assembly to «-ive a practical answer, and to cut the pound from beneath bis feet. Let us trust ami hope that every member will rise superior to Provincial jealousies, bearing in mind that bis duty is to legislate, not for local interests, but for New Zealand as a whole; and that within the walls of the Council Chamber all distinctions between North and South will be obliterated. Great pains have indeed been taken by some of the Government party —apt pupils of their departed master—to blow the eonl again into a flume ; but T can assu;e you, of my o\n knowledge, that they are not supported by the community. Pray do not allow yourselves to be prejudiced airainst the North by the very imprudent and very objectionable expressions thai have been used in our Provincial Council, concerning the supposed control that will be exercised over the Assembly by 3:1 Auckland Superintendent. They have' excited an almost universal feeling of reprobation. Opinion with regard to Provincial separation is still very strong in the North, but not so active as it was. The great majority wish it, but avo no ;o"<rer confident of obtaining- it. A <<ivi»veis more ea<iiy talced of than effected. The present ieeHng oi the Auckland province wav Wwei! expressed by the puhy aphorism: — Qh^s tii.ibr;us twsjsrijris. Dats nm s-fKiraMt. An Or-,i::j:unv is about to be passed," s-ivjnjr a!? \- X!\°-;'-' Vc> tV.nidl to our Superintendent". »_•: w::?o;i ;u least jw,i members must be chosen :r<v-i :;:e Pr^vj^obl Council. Cvi bo-to ? If ;-i;-!c- ;uU^ce be warned, it d<»es iu>- iVJIfUv ;_;v.a :.:-:e Ws: ;s shaula ueves^irUy be :' n:"'l.'" s::o Ca.suu!: Cai.-tni:>er. It hss been v-c.^: :^y <,mse. j:-<a; the 0.-disiaKee i:s q;^s- \' !:> 5 :i!""? '»'! ">^>u;oe towaais re«po?»siMe

step, diminishing the Superintendent's resp on sibility? Responsible Provincial Government appears to me a phrase without a ineanin.r By responsible government in Eiigla lv ) f understand that although the Queen can do' 110 wrong, her Ministers can be impeached. Few however, will maintain the doctrine that a Superintendent can do no wrong; that he is entitled to keep " whipping boys," like the heirs apparent to the throne of Franoe in days of yore ; that a Superintendent should be made clean by the simple process of driving scapegoats into the wilderness, or that the Provincial Council should be obliged to supply a certain number of rams, ready caught by the horns to be offered up instead of him The Constitution Act has provided a remedy against the Superintendent himself, in case of misconduct; therefore responsible ministers are not required. But responsible ministers are required for the General Government, for there is no remedy against ihe Government.