Colonial.
TAKASrAKI. ■ (From the 'TaranJn Herald,' March 21.) ,; I The Colonial Secretary's Despatch, of the 7th instant/published in our issue of this day declares'the late Election of Members of the Fro-
vincial Council to be absolutely void; The result confirms our anticipations of the 20th ultimo. No other legal decision could have been arrived at. The Elections being void in law require no proclamation to annul them. The issue of Writs by the Governor is in striot accordance with Sir George Grey's Proclamation. It will not diminish the inconvenience that new elections will entail on the Electors should we discover that blame is attributable to the late Superintendent for omitting to issue the requisite Proclamation, and to the General Government for issuing the writs before the publication of the Proclamation Avas duly notified to it. The gentlemen returned by the Electors are still untried, the objeotion to the validity of their election 'having debarred them from ' taking action, consequently they cannot possibly have forfeited.the confidence of the majorities who formerly returned them. By electing the same candidates, the constituencies will maintain their consistency, and our industrious population be exposed to the least possible inennvenience. We have heard it asserted by one whose wish is father to the thought, that the Executive Council Bill has lapsed by not having been proclaimed within the period prescribed by the 30th clause of the Constitution Act. The assertion, however, is without foundation, as the Bill was presented to the late Superintendent on the 20th November last, and the Governor's assent to it proclaimed by the present Superintendent on the 19th February, one whole day withjn the prescribed period. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 7th March, 1857. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that the Government has had under its consideration your despatch of the 23rd of February last, and its enclosures in reference to the question of the validity of the Elections foi the several Electoral Districts of the Province of New Plymouth held in January last. It has been the desire of the Government to avoid if possible, the necessity of subjecting the Province of New Plymouth to the inconvenience of new elections, but it does not appear to be open to question that all the elections of Members for the Provincial Council held under the Writs issued on the 15th of December last were absolutely void, and can only be treated accordingly. In conformity with your Honor's wish, the Government have lost no time in issuing the Writs necessary for constituting the Provincial Council. (Signed) Fredk. Whitaker, (In the absence of the Colonial Secretary.) His Honor the Superintendent, New Plymouth.
After a lapse of nearly three years, the Kaipakopako Natives have visited our town. In the natural course of events, peace haying been made with the majority "of the late Arama Karaka's adherents., we were prepared for this visit. The neutral, and we do not hesitate to declare, mistaken policy pursued by the General Government towards the assassins of their „ Native assessor Kawiri Waiana, induced us to believe that the 'innate feelings of horror and detestation the crime of murder usually inspires would have ensured for these men a frigid reception from the Provincial authorities. We must confess we were totally unprepared to see them f&ted and honored as heroes, and their •flags, the emblems of their defiance of British authority, flying in front of the Superintendent's residence. Such policy must lower us in the opinion of the whole Native population. It plainly declares that loyal Natives, recognized British subjects, servants of the Crown, may be murdered with impunity on the boundary" line line of purchased districts, provided their murderers be sufficiently powerful and audacious to set the authorities at defiance for a period. That defiance of British authority successfully earned out, converts an assassin into a hero,'an outcast from society into an honored guest. If land can only be obtained at such a fearful sacrifice of honor, itwere better to postpone its acquisition to an indefinite period than acquire it by offering a direct premium on crime. It is impossible, we maintain, to estimate the baneful effects the .reception of the Kaipakopako Natives will have on the Native population of this and the adjacent districts; it must tend tp strengthen the position of those adverse to the sale of land, and to weaken and disgust Ihaia and the party favour-able to its alienation and our interests.
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Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 463, 11 April 1857, Page 7
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736Colonial. Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 463, 11 April 1857, Page 7
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