The New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 91, 13 June 1846, Page 2

The New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1846.

In the phraseology of the late Lord Castlereagh, " the fundamental feature" of the character of his Honor the Superintendent, in his official capacity, is helplesness. Happen what may, let the necessity for action he ever so pressing, and the mischief from doing nothing be ever so great, he at the prompting of his own mind, motu suo, would not stir ; he cannot help himself. For proof of this truth we may refer to the experience of every one who has observed the career of his Honor during any portion of the period of his supei-intendence of, or rather of his superincumbence upon, the Southern district. We were, therefore, somewhat startled at learning that he had shewn a symptom of life and activity by writing to the Police and other Magistrates the letter which, with the magistrates' reply, we published in our last number ; of course his Honor did this without a suggestion from any body, and there is evidence of this in the letter itself, and what is it? Although in form it is an inquiry from the Police Magistrate why he did certain acts, coupled with an implied censure of that officer and of the other magistrates for a

breach of discipline, it is in substance a complaint that any thing at all had been done. The Police Magistrate and his colleagues had bestirred themselves on an emergency, and the vis inertia of the Superintendent was alarmed thereat. " Aide toi le del t'aidera," " put your shoulder to the wheel," and similar maxims, are not favorites with Government officials anywhere, and we doubt not that his Honor has a most sincere aversion from them. The facts on the occasion wheu the Magistrates stood forward to protect the public weal, and for which the Superintendent has reproved them, are known to us all, and have been stated before. They will, however, bear repetition, and cannot be stated too often until the drivellers who have brought the settlement into its present disastrous plight are removed from office. A picquet on the Hutt had been surprised, several soldiers and a settler had been killed and wounded by the Maories. They were still firing on the troops when the news arrived, and it was universally believed that they would either destroy or drive all the white population from the valley, and then attack the town. This intelligence roused the Superintendent, who proceeded to the Hutt, and did not return for eight hours. During his absence the place was greatly excited, rumours of all kinds from the friendly Maories were afloat, and a public meeting was called, at which the necessity of taking immediate steps for the protection of the town was strongly urged by all who spoke, and a request was made to the Police Magistrate to attend and inform the meeting what steps he had taken. The Police Magistrate did not attend, but requested Mr. Lyon to state that in conjunction with the other Magistrates he had caPed out the Volunteers, directed the Militia to be embodied, and had done all he could to succour the settlers driven from the Hutt. Now we ask what was wrong in this ? If the Maories had beaten the troops, would not all that was done have been deemed good service, and therefore because the troops ultimately got the better of the natives, would it not have been ungenerous, unjust, and malicious to find fault with proceedings adopted with the best intentions at such a juncture on account of their irregularity ? But this could not be done, for there was no irregularity. By the Militia Ordinance the Police Magistrate is authorized to act for the Sup« rintendent in his absence, and as the other Magistrates have shewn in their letter, they were barely doing their duty. Therefore his Honor could not find fault with them, he could only carp at and regret what they had don.° •*""' \L motive for so doing is evident. The activity of the Magistracy was a tacit reproof of his own inertness. This was so plain and unmistakeable that " the dish of skimmed milk" was stirred to action. Fmough, however, of his Honor's letter, which, considering that he confirmed the arrangements made by the Police Magistrate, to whom the thanks of the community are due for his conduct on the occasion, would not be worth a thought at any time. Just now we have more important matter for discussion. By the ineptitude of the functionaries entrusted by Captain Grey the settlement has been shaken to its foundation. One hundred and fifty or two hundred Maories, whom the Governor left blockaded at Porirua, have been allowed to turn the tables on us, and have spread ruin over a great part of, and dismay throughout, the district. Yes, it ought to be known at home that five hundred soldiers, five hundred militia and armed police, the Calliope Frigate and its gallant Captain, besides some hundreds of friendly Maories, have been paralyzed and rendered useless by two elderly ladies. Mesmerism is nothing to it. No professor of hydropathy in Europe could shew such an instance of the efficacy of wet bankets. To be serious, however, the events that have happened, since the Governor left Wellington, have not only done incalculable mischief, but are pregnant with mischief ■till greater, if not with ruin to us all. We write advisedly when we say that if the do-

nothing system be persevered in, the present settlement of Port Nicholson must perish. The last thought at night, and the first in the morning, not only with women and children, but with men is, where are theMaories ? Such is the absolute and total want of confidence in Government protection, that no one can attend to business of any kind, or even talk of any thing save powder and ball. In such a state of affairs; all thoughts of cultivation by the outsettlers have been dismissed from their minds; and we know that many, besides many in the town are scraping together the amount of their passage money in order to leave the colony as speedily as possible. We feel sure that hundreds would do so immediately if an opportunity offered itself, and almost any number of vessels bound for Sydney would be crowded with passengers to-morrow. The bulk of the inhabitants would leave the place if they could, and the settlement for the present time, would be almost annihilated. A certain number, doubtless, would remain, and might form a nucleus round which many old settlers as well as new ones would congregate at a future period. This might happen when peace and tranquillity had been restored, and almost inevitably would take place. The resources of the country, tested during six years of unexampled difficulty and obstruction, forbid the thought that it will be abandoned, or that it would not flourish under ordinary circumstances. Those existing now, however, are most extraordinary, aid the swift descent from anticipations of prosperity to dismal forebodings of ruin since the Governor's arrival amongst us is most remarkable. Nevertheless the cause of the change must be obvious enough. Captain Grey's first movement against the natives, undertaken before he had become imbedded as it were, amongst the drivellers and drones who subsequently became his advisers, was attended with complete success. No second step of the same kind, however, was taken. Indecision trod upon the heels of action, and from that moment the Maories took courage. Soon after his Excellency, in the face of out-spoken warnings.gave the affairs of the settlement into the_ hands of his Ho.nor the Superintendent ; in other words, into the 'hands of nobody. The result has been thatwe^are-^^" where we are.

The friendly natives have been busily employed during the week in collecting the potatoes which had been left in the ground in the clearings on the Hutt district. On Tuesday they had got twenty of their canoes up the river for the purpose of loading them with the potatoes which had been collected. On the position on the hill which had been in the occupation of the rebels, a large ware had been built by them, in which a quantity of baskets were piled up evidently brought to be filled with potatoes from the Hutt district, and to be afterwards- sent to their camp at Porirua. Capt. Reid the officer now in command in the camp has strengthened its defences, and dug a drain round it, which renders it much drier, and the quarters of the men much more comfortable than they previously were. From the quantity of rain which has fallen during the last few days it is very probable there will be a flood in the valley, in which case it is not unlikely that our forebodings respecting the Hutt bridge will be realized, and this ricketty structure either swept away or rendered impassable. When it is too late, but not before, the Superintendent will then bestir himself, and endeavour to do something, but in what condition will the settlers as well as the troops then be placed ? The former exposed to the inroads of the rebels and cut off from any assistance, the latter cut off from their supplies. However obvious the necessity of any measures, it requires a constant iteration to secure their adoption. Perhaps the utmost that is done is the publication of an advertisement requiring tenders, as in the case of the Hutt stockade, which are not accepted. There appears to be no attempt to prevent mischief; the neceesary preparation is generally made after the mischief has occurred — when it is too late.

Wellington Savings BA«.-Dr. Doreet, Mr 1> M Hervey, Mr. William Hickson, & Mr! John Johnston, the Managers in rotation, will atte.nl to receive deposits at Mr Ross s office, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 13th June, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o clock on Monday forenoon, the 15th June.