The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 196, 15 April 1848, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not : Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

SATURDAY, APRIL IXYB4B.

Le mot de l'enigme. By what art has the Governor of New South Wales contrived to win the affections and secure the confidence of a whole colony ; of men more impatient under control, more suspicious of the intentions of their government, than are perhaps to be met in any other portion of the British Empire ? How has he lamed them, or managed to quiet that uproar of opposition which seemed to be kept up without intermission against all former administrations ? There is no doubt about the fact ; even if there were, the late debates — so mild as haidly to deseive that name— at the opening of their Legislative session ; the tone of the Address in answer to the Message, together with the observations of their public prints, would suffice to remove it. All seems to work smoothly and pleasantly; differences of opinion must still of course exist ; but the acrimony with •which they used to be expressed is no longer to be perceived. The secret lies in this ; that Sir Charles Titzßoy is not only personally liked, but trusted likewise. With him there is no affectation of mystery ; no painful anxiety to shew himself off as superior in ability to every one around him ; no bitter displays of personal feeling, or heaping of humiliations on the heads of subordinates-, he is the easy and affable English gentleman, too secure in the plain integrity of Jhis own intentions, to be tormented with any desire to conceal them. It seems to he a iule ivith him, to tell the Colonists as much as he is able ; he communicates his instructions from home simply, openly, and as early as possible ; even should they be unpalatable, the community feels that he is bound to obey them, and accordingly vents its displeasure, not upon him, but upon those who sent them. His art consists in refraining from an unbecoming and useless "meddling overmuch/ from tricks of government and shifty manoeuvres. Let us quote part of the Herald's comment upon his last address to Council. " It is decidedly the best production of the kind which it has been our province to notice for many years past. It is full of business, and of business, for the most part, more than ordinarily impoilant. Its statements too, are clear, concise, and exactly to the point. There is about it an air of sincerity, of candour, of plain dealing, which at once wins the leadei's confidence." And if Sir Charles has given us a lesson in government, Sir Harry Smith has given us another not less lemarkable, in the composition

of despatches. Having been able, in an inconceivably short space of time, to put an end to the war in CaiFer-land ; having tiiumphed, and ended all with the fairest promise of a lasting peace, he has doubled our admiration by his complete abnegation of ! self ; by the good taste and feeling displayed m his modest attribution of that success to the I conduct of his coadjutois and predecessors. He takes no pains to pomtiay himself as the ! central figuie on the canvas, with careful o\ershadowmg and thrusting into the back ground of e\ety figuie that might distract attpntion from the single one upon Avhich all the lesources of art are too often exclusively laushed ; he is too full of honours to be greedy of the acquisition of more, at the expense of those who shared his laboius and his counsel. A lion himself, he does not think it incumbent upon him to airogate the lion's shaie. For him likewise let us quote an opinion which has travelled hither from the scene of his exploits. " In announcing this gratifying intelligence, Sir Harry Smith ascribes the happy termination of the war to the wisdom of his predecessors, the valour of the forces, and the talents of their commanders. He bestows upon them thanks and praises with glowing cordiality, for having completed the rough work of w ar, and left him the more genial woiks and labours of peace. Such applause is as honourable to him who gives as to those who receive it, and coming from such a judge, it cancels all inferior criticisms, and will be at once received and ratified by the world." We may say, with Hamlet, " Look here, upon this picture, and on this."

The new system which it is now attempted to introduce, of providing rations for the Native labourers on the roads, deducting the price from their wages, has been productive of some practical inconvenience. It appears not to chime in at all with their inclinations, or ideas of independence, for they refused, one and all at first, to accept them, insisting upon full money payment as-here-tofore, and struck work with as much unanimity as if they had been Newcastle colliers or Manchester spinners. It was expected indeed, that they would soon tire of idleness, and that they would fall contentedly into work again, at first, by twos and threes, and then in a body. We are sorry to find, however, that the expectation has not yet been fulfilled ; about forty only, out of three hundred and fifty, having given way, while great numbers of those who still hold out have taken the decisive step of returning to their homes. As it might be supposed, this matter has given rise to much difference of opinion, and to much discussion of the policy which dictated the measure in question ; the prevailing disposition seeming to be a leaning towards the native side of the dispute : still, we cannot help thinking that Government was imperatively called upon to interfere, not only to check abuses that were creeping in, but likewise to secure efficient performance of the service required. In the first place, it appeared that something very like the truck system of our own manufacturing districts — now disallowed by law — had been introduced by the overseers, (one among them excepted,) in the sale of flour ' and other necessaries to the woiking parties, at prices which were considered exorbitant by Government. In the next place, the well known improvidence of the Maories, consuming or wasting two or three days provision in one, and then remaining half starved until pay-day came again, was only to be guarded against by some arrangement that would insure regularity of distribution. An honest ten hours' work on a fast day was not to be expected, nor was it obtained. The necessity of providing them with a better quality of food had been likewise made apparent. Flour or potatoes only are insufficient aliment where hard work is to be done ; meat, which natives will seldom buy for themselves, is needed to give sufficient stamina, to endure the labour required from them. As it was, the hour before dinner, and the hour before sunset, proved to be completely thrown away ; they were exhausted, and might as well, or better have been sleeping, than going through the semblance of woik with tools almost dropping from their hands. The natives urged objections to the new airangement with their usual ingenuity. And the arguments are plausible enough. They declared that they were not slaves ; that they were the Queen's subjects equally with the white men, and that they would be treated and paid like white men : neither were they soldieis, — meaning we believe, that they had entered into no kind of engagement, like those who had enlisted in the police force, — but were at liberty to save or spend their earnings as they pleased. Some had provisions sent in from the country by their own relations as a free gift ; to those of course, any deduction of the price for rations from wages, was a dead loss of money. One among them urged that he had a wife and children, which obliged him to live more cheaply than he could upon government allowance ; for, said he, if it takes five shillugs. m, week U> feed me, how am I to support

the rest of my family on the remaining foui. It was likewise shewn, that a trade had sprung up among themselves, supplies being regularly biought in from distant settlements for the use of the road paities, which would now be left on the hands of the provideis. That difficulty, ho\vc\cr, was soon got ovei by one of our townsmen offering to take every thing that they could bring off their handb at once. Argument pioved ineffectual on either side, and the consequence has been, thai the public works aie now at a stand still; how much longer they will lemain so, no one can say. The malcontents have ceitainly held out much more stiffly than had been expected ; still the probability is, that most of them will ultimately return to their employment, or that their places will be supplied by fresh hands. The mistake appears to have consisted in the suddenness of the change. A little quiet preparatory management would have brought all round smoothly enough. Maories are not yet to lie managed by word of command ; they are as hard to drive as they are easy to be led. They reason so pertinaciously on every subject, that the off-hand, dictatorial tone is by no means the surest of success ; they have their own peculiar notions of right, which must he satisfied, before they can ever be induced to yield a point. It is unlucky that the system now proposed, was not enforced, when the natives were hist engaged ; all difficulty would have thus been obviated. The suggestion was actually made to the Governor, but he then objected to it. He has however, seen reason to alter his opinion, and is now resolute to gain his point, declaring that even if he stands alone, he will carry out his purpose. It is at all events, too late to give way.

We are unwilling to let pass this opportunity of mentioning the liberality of our townsman, Mr. George Russell, in presenting a copy of Rees Cyclopaedia, of forty -h\o volumes, to the Mechanics' Institute. The present, valuable in itself, was rendered doubly so by the kind manner in which it was offered, and by the anxiety of the donor for the well doing of a young society, which we believe is already not without its influence upon the tone and character of this settlement. The acquisition of a good library will be the surest guarantee of its success.