COLONIAL SELF GOVERNMENT. [From the Sydney Atlas.]

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 26, 29 November 1845, Page 3

COLONIAL SELF GOVERNMENT. [From the Sydney Atlas.]

" What Wiis the remedy they pioposed for the present siaie of thing-, ? They (imposed to send out a new Governor, unlettered with instructions. He did ! uut me vi td doubt the ability of Captain Gr.-y, but he ' was of opinion that the responsible duties ot »ucl> a Governorship, required the appointment of a matt ot a higher position. However, if they sent an angel, in any way under the control of the Colonial Office, he would not succeed vi remedying the confusion that existed, if they have municipal mstitu'.inns, and a rcprc^eiuativb legMiture, and esUblUbe'l .ocal independence of govern incut, they would take the course which would ensure the prospeiily of »he co buy. In our colonies generally, there was a growing dcs re for local and independent governments, which would soon press nself on the attention of (.•«- vciuineut •, and sooner or later our oo oiiies. uui&t he fieed from the iiillueuee and control of the Colonial ! Oifict!..'— S/wec/t of Mr tJawcs. ' " In order 10 make his (Capt. Gtcy's) irovernment sueccsslul, it must remove the staff ot feeble and incapable officers who had acted under previous Governors. JJav:u« appointed such a Governor a-, he had di'Seiibed, (one of influence and ability), the next the Uuvernmeut ought to do, was to follow the ex<un

pie of their ancestor*, and leave the colonists to govern themselves. (Hear, hear.) The colonies might make mistakes, bui those mi -takes could easily be conected. The experience of past times *as strongly in favor of colonial self-government. No man in Duwniug-strcet, however, could govern a colony at the antipodes, and in his opinion, the establishment of a separate Board would only he jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. 1 ' — Speech of Lord Howick. We copy the above concluding pottion of two speeches, delivered in the course of the New Zealand debate on the 18th of June laU, by Mr. Hawes and Lord Howick. When we hear of 1 in<rua<je such as this used, and used with approbation, in the House of Commons, by two of its leading member.*, we are justified ii» believing that the last da) s of British colonial despotism are drawing neir. The Colonial Office ha* lately orrnpied a large share of the attention ol Parliame'it, an I its petty tuannv, its ignorance* and its incapacity, have at length become generally know n. The shameful inig<«venitnenl of the neighbouring colon\ of New Zealand, with the inplanchoh luss of life and destruction of propert\ that have resulted from i , liave given rise to an enquiry w hich hrtsshewn the British public that the coloni s cannot be well governed, while they are allowed to remain under the control of the clerk in the Colonial OlhVe It is uo« nearly eighty yeais since, the h'»st Secretary of Slate for the colonies was appointed, and the remark* which Jnnius made at the time ate, in a great degree, as applicable to Lord Stanley now, as they were, to Lord Kllenborough then. '• Under one administration," said the ni)sierious letter writer, " the Stamp Act is made ; under these«\>nd it is repealed ; under the thitd, in spite of all experience, n new mode of taxing the colonies in invented, and a question revived which ought to have been buried in oblivion. In these circumstances, a new office is established for the business of the plantations, and the Karl of llilUborough. called forth ai a most critical period to govern America. The choice at least announced to us, a man of superior capacity and knowledge. Whether he be so or nof, let his despatches, as far as they have appeared, let Ins measures, a« far as they have operated, determine for him. In the former,— we have strong assertions without proof, declamation without argument, and violent censures without dignity or moderation, but neither correctness in the composition, nor judgment in the design. As for his measures, let it be remembered, that he was called upon to conciliate and unite, and that when he entered into office, the most refractory of the colonies were. still disposed to proceed by the constitutional methods of petition and remonstrance. Since that period they have been driven into excesses little short of rebellion. Petitions have been hindered from reaching the throne;— and the continuance of one of the principal assemblies rested upon an arlitrary coudition, which, considering the temper they wire in, it was impossible they should comply with} and which would have availed nothing as to the geneial question if it had been complied with So violent, and I believe, I may call it, so unconstitutional an exertion of the prerogative, to say nothing of the weak,injudicious terms in wliich it was conveyed, gives us as humble an opinion of his Lotdsjlip's Capacity, as it doesoflris temper and moderation. While we are at peace w ith other nations, our military force may perhaps be spaied to support the Karl of Hillshorough's measures in America. Whenever that foice shall be necessari y withdrawn or dimished, the dismission of such a minister « ill neither console v* for his imprudence, nor remove the settled resentment of a people, who, cnmplaininj of an act of the legislature, are outrac/e.'l by an naioar rant able stretch of prerogative^ awl suppintinj their claims by argument, are insullel with declamation I" While reading ihis passage, who can tail to recall to his recollection, Lord Stanley and his Squatting Despatches? Who ctn help seeing 1 hat the 'same system of misgoverning the colonies, which Junius thus condemned,"isstill carried on, without the slightest alteration ? — carried on, too, in the face of all experience, and in defiance of the lesson taught by the achievement of American independence. But the security in which the Colonial Office ha«so long slumbered is at an end The New Zealand disnsters have led to an enquiry into its wot kings, and this inquiry is a sure forerunner of its dissolution. Thesyttem of governing large sections of the empire by the edicts of ine.»ponsible clerks, was too monstrous to bear exposure to the light, and it is now beginning to be perceived that local self government is a privilege, to which every colony is entitled, not more for its own benefit, than for the general welfare of the empire. To obtain that self government, — not the sort of self government that we now enjo>, — but Kesponsihle Government,— it is only necessary to show tint it isearnesth desired, and that with nothing less will the people be content. Over and over again, have we, in the pages of this journal, urged the claim of this colony to the ehjouneut^ of responsible government, untrammelled by the ignorance ami despotism of a. Secretary of State, in the confident expectation that the time would come, when that claim be conceded. That time, we predict, is not far distant now. Ihe opinions expressed by Mr. Hawe<aiid Lord Howick are uol enteitaiued by them alone. There are. other statesmen i;i England equally enlightened— equally ready with them to eulogise the wisdom of their ancestors, who left the colonies to govern themseves. Under this s\ste/m of responsible self-government the old colonies grew and flourished — under this system, the descendants of the pilgiim fathers, became a wealthy mid, a powerful people, re* fleeting by their intelligence, their morality and and their pet severance, the highest honor upon the stock from which they sprung, and showing by Iheir example, that British Ireedom, when transplanted to the new world, wai capable of producing the same glorious results by which it was distinguished in Hie old. Under this *y*tem only can the colonies and the parent country be bound together by the strong ties of syiupuUiy and affection, — tne only tie» that can Bccuie* happy and permanent relationship bet* een thbiu. — that can make them share with alacrity in tuo same daggers, and rejoice in the same Biu:i % es*es. While the colonies aie dependent, tuey arc sure to be misgoverned, — mUgovefmnent naturally produce* discontent, ami dwconleut in doe tim<*

npons into resistance find revolution. II it be tho desiie of British statesmen to avert such conbequenceb of these, they will give to all their colonies a responsible government, and thus make them integral portions of that great empire whose language, civilization, and interest they are contributing to spread to the uttermost bounds of the eai th. We rejoice to see that this great truth is at length recognized in the House of Commons, and on the part of all the colonies, we tender to Lord Howick and Mr. Hawes our t auks, for the wise and constitutional opinions which they have expressed with lespecttorespoiibible colonial government.

The important discussion in the House of Commons, on the aflaiis of New Zealand, has at length been brought to a close. It will be seen that a majority of the House decided against the motion of Mr. C. Buller, thus rescinding, in a great ineasiue, ihe conclusions of the commitee of 1844, as far as they vi ere embodied in the resolution propounded by Mr. Buller. The tide of emigration which would necessarly be checked bj toe late disastious intelligence from that illfated colony ,may again be directed towards New Zealand, under Hie arrangements now proposed for its better admimstiation, and the stronger assurance now held out of protection and security for propei ty and life. Captain Grey, the new Governor, is to be invested, it appears, with large discretional) 1 poweis, and to be left, to a Hi eat extent, to the exercise of his own judgment and foresight in averting the dangers and remedying the evils which at piesent threaten the ruin or destruction or destruction of the British lesidents. Much, therefore, will depend on the prudence and energy which Captain Grey, in the discharge of his high ipsponsibilities, may possess and exhibit. The tieaty of Waitangiis to be observed ; and, at the same time, it is piotmble, that measures will be taken to secure the natives in the enjoyment of their occupied lands, «nd for the gradual absorption of the unocupied districts by the Crown. It seems also to be intended to introduce a modified system of municipal or representative government, under which the natives, as well as the settlers, are to be trained, as far as practible, in the science of selfgovernment. This proposition, however, in the present unsettled and embarrassed position of the colony, and u ithsiich a vast preponderance of natives, seems to be sunounded with great, if not iusupeiablc, difficulties. As an ulienor measure, it may be pi oduclive of much benefitThe claims of the Company may still inleifeie ■with the full settlement of the question, and with the advancement of the colony. How this difficulty will be adjtuted, remains to be seen. The proposa l to place thorn in possesion of a pnmafaao and contingent title, subject only to the p» oof of a better title vesting tn other parti et ., it is stated, has, been rejected. At all events, the bi iel hibtory of this infant settlement, replete with disasters and niatked with blood, should show the desiiableness, if not enfoice the necessity, of making some concessions of prescriptive right or prospective advantage, in order to place on a footing of peaceful secutit) a colony that requires little else to become pioiperous and powerful. On the 28rd June, the first monthly mail direct to China was dispatched, via overland route, and may be considerd as an epoch in the history of our intercourse with that vast empire. It will be conveyed to Ceylon by the Oriental Steam Company's vessels canyingthe Calcutta mails ; and at Ceylon will be transferred to one of the same Company's vessels forming the branch line between Ceylon and Hong Kong, touching at Penang and Singapore By tlu& anangement, Hong Kong is brought within Joit> -eight da)s' post of London. The Times of the 3rd July, in a paragraph noticing the dopaitnre of the Equestrian, with convicts for Van Diemen's Land,sa)B :— "The convict guard consists of a detachment of the lit!) llegt., from Chatham, the coips being under orders for New South Wales: a large portion will do duty on their patsage to that distant colony as convict guards A detachment of the lloval Artilleiy belonging to Captain Turner's company, 6th battdllion, embark at the same time in the Equestrian, for a pabsage to New South Wale», being the first artillerymen ever sent to that colony. The company was relieved, on Monday, from duty at the Tower a fortnight before their regular change for the purpose of faciliating their einbai Iwiion, and the remainder of the company, under the command of Captain Turner, are expected to embark neU week in another vessel for the same destination. Government has acted wibely in resolving to strengthen the forces in New South Wales, now a colony of great importance, in consequence of its vicinity to New Zealand "