The Marlborough Press. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1860.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 35, 1 September 1860, Page 2

The Marlborough Press. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1860.

The debate in the House of Representatives, on the Native Offenders Bill, shows a great diversity of opinion as to the justice of the war in which we are engaged. We have endeavoured to afford our readers the means of forming a judgment for themselves. What is meant by the “ mana." of which so much has been said lately, we are at a loss to say, but it seems to us analogous to the superiority of a suzerain over his feudatories, compounded for by some trifling act of vassalage, but implying no actual authority whatever, still less any territorial right. The Maories have put a somewhat ludicrous construction on the proclamation declaring martial law. They understand it as an invitation to come and fight, or, as Mr. Forsaith said, putting himself into a pugilistic attitude, “to have it out.” The challenge which they thus believed to have been offered them they have not, certainly, been slow to accept. In like manner, some of the members, who are good Maori linguists, differed materially as to the true meaning of some passages in certain Maori letteis. These facts stiongly show the necessity of great caution in forming conclusions as to the meaning intended to be conveyed in a language whose idiom is widely different from our own, especially when there is an absence of analogous ideas. All parties, however, agree in the necessity of prosecuting the war to a satisfactory issue. *

We have much pleasure in announcing that His Honour the Superintendent is about to take steps to procure for us the benefits of steam communication, of which the absence of the Tasmanian Maid has so long deprived us. In catering for our readers we are greatly embarrassed by the want of frequent and regular communication, and it is no small grievance that when arrangements have been made for the quick transmission of intelligence to our very doors we should be deprived of the consequent advantages by being dependant almost entirely on the Nelson Post Office. As one instance amongst many, we may mention that for our European news and other matter this week we are indebted to the courtesy of our contemporary in sending us last Satui day’s ‘Examiner’ by private hand. But the detention of the mail in Nelson is not our only ground of complaint. The time for the departure of the return mails from here, and the option of taking them or not at times, seem to rest with the postman, who left Blenheim on the 10th ultimo without the mail, because it was not made up when he announced himself ready to start, and on the last occasion he remained here for a day after the mail was delivered to him. We trust that any steamer whose services may be obtained will be able to ascend the Wairau river; if she cannot do so, she will very imperfectly meet our requirements. $ In our present number we publish the remainder of Mr. Godfrey’s letter of which we gave a portion last week. We owe an apology to our readers for giving so large a share of our limited space to one correspondent; but it treats of subjects of general interest, and with a moderation of tone and temper unusual with political writers in general, and we thank Mr. Godfrey for now setting' the example. It will scarcely be necessary to state that we do not identify ourselves with the opinions expressed by any of our correspondents. In our anxious desire to afford full and free scope to all, we have often reluctantly admitted to our columns matter more calculated to provoke feelings of resentment than to promote fair discussion. We trust that in future our correspondents will write in a courteous and temperate manner, without which discussion must fail of attaining its sole legitimate object, the elimination of truth.