EXTRACTS. EARL GREY AND MR. HAWES WHEN OUT OF OFFICE. (From the Hobart Town Courier.}

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 354, 13 September 1849, Page 3

EXTRACTS. EARL GREY AND MR. HAWES WHEN OUT OF OFFICE. (From the Hobart Town Courier.}

It is perhaps unsafe to speculate in reference to the details of the constitution which Lord Grey's late despatch has taught us to expect. The professions made by his Lordship and by the Under-Secretary, Mr. Hawes, wo Ud indeed justify the highest anticipations. In the debate on the government of New ZeaUnd, in June, 1845, Mr. Hawes concluded hit speech in the following terms •— . " What was the remedy they proposed for ths pretent ss k ate of things ? They proposed to send out a new Governor, unfettered with initructiom. However, if they sent an angel in any way under the control of the Colonial Office, he would not succeed in remedying the confusion that existed. If they gave municipal institution arid a representative legislature, and established local independence of Government, they would take the course which would insure the "prosperity of the colony* In our colonies, generally, there was a growing desk c for local and independent Governments, which would soon press itself on the attention of Government; and, sooner or later, our colonies mutt be freed from the influence and control of the Colonial Office." On the same question Lord Howick concluded hit speech :— •« In order to make his (Captain Grey's) Government successful, it must remove the staff of feeble and incapable officers who had acted under previous Go* vernoru Having appointed such a Governor as he had desciibed (one of influence and ability), the next thing the Government ought to do was to follow the course of their ancestors, and leave the colonies to go vern themselves. The colonies might make mistakes, but those mistaket could easily be corrected. The experience of past times was strongly in favour of colenial self government. No man in Downing street, however ; could govern a colony at the Antipodes ; and m his opinion the establishment of a separate Board would only be jumping out of thefryingpan into the fire." It will be seen from this that those gentlemen, when in opposition, adopted tke political opinions held by the complaining colonists in all their comprehensive, ness — a Governor unfettered with instructions» the bubstitution of bkiltul and intelligent, for feeble and incapable officers — the imitation of the ancient colonial policy, which left the colonists to govern ihemselves. Without these concessions, not eve n Gabriel himself, in the opinion of Mr. Hawes, would be able to cure the disorders and extinguish the disaffection of the colonies. That gentleman, in one sentence, included all we ask,— municipal inititutiom, a repressntative legislature, and local independence of the Imperial Government. An administration based upon such a system would reduce the intercourse of the colonies with the mother country to the healthy and harmonizing relations of commerce, and their communications with the supreme authority to an exchange of compliments; the colonists on the one side sending epistles of loyalty and reverence, and the cabinet returning answers ot kindness and approbation. The principles of free trade have extinguished the preferences in the English market which the colonists once claimed, but only pa.tially realised. They have therefore nothing to demand of Mr. Hawes or Earl Grey, but to have the above quoted speeches engrossed in an Act of Parliament, and the commission instructions of the Governor. There will then remain scarcely a fragmentary grievance to deprecate, or a boon fa ask.

But our readers have watched the proceedings of parliamentary chieftains too closely to expect any such thing. It is by another and a different process that the liberation of the colonies from the destroying 11 angel" of the Colonial Office must be accomplished. We may, however, accept the smallest instalment without extinguishing any portion of the claim. We may appeal to these declarations of right, promulgated by members of the Cabinet, to prove that cluim is valid. Time is the great victor, and imroitunity the most potent element of prayer. Three things then are to be sought : — the free voice of the people, expressed by municipal and legislative institutions ; the independence of their local government, in reference to its internal working; and tlio substitution of useful for feeble and incapab'e official men.