New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, November 23, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 554, 23 November 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, November 23, 1850.

The proceedings of the late meeting at the Britannia Saloon have reduced to a somewhat more tangible and definite shape the views of the party opposed to Sir George Grey's measures. Instead of their former cry of Representative Institutions, the Alpha and Omega of their creed, the panacea for all the evils which afflicted the colony in times past, or which might interfere with its growth and impede its prosperity in time to come ; instead of their old watchword, which was so pregnant with meaning as, in their opinion, to require no explanation, we are now informed that Representative Institutions in themselves mean nothing, and are but the shadow of the subatance at which they are aiming. ~ The objections which they offer to Sir George Grey's proposed measure may be gathered from the first resolution and the observations addressed to the meeting by Mr. Godley, the mover of it, to which we shall chiefly confine ourselves, the other speakers merely ringing the changes or what he had previously advanced, their remarks forming the variations to his theme. Before discussing these objections, however, we may advert to the tribute paid by Mr. Godley to Sir George Grey's sincerity and good faith, and to his anxiety to make every possible concession in his power to the settlers, an admission which, while it is but bare justice to Sir George Grey, administers a severe and well merited rebuke to those whose stock»in-trade of agitation consisted in accusing him of insincerity, dishonesty, and breach of faith, in putting the worst possible construction on his acts, and imputing to him the most dishonorable motives. It is a positive relief to find the miserable system of misrepresentation and personal virulence, which has been hitherto palmed off on their credulous followers by the leaders of the faction as a constitutional opposition to the Governor's measures, discountenanced and discouraged by one whose influence and assistance they believe lends additional weight and importance to their cause ; and if Mr. Godley can do nothing else, he may at least effect this good — he may teach those with whom he is acting, that they will best prove their fitness for those privileges for which they are contending by the right use they make of those they already enjoy; that freedom of discussion, one of the most valuable of them, does not mean personal rancour and systematic and unscrupulous misrepresentation ; and that, if they would claim the full enjoyment of the institutions of their fatherland, they must make them as well " Their great example, as they are their theme." Mr. Godley's objections to the proposed measure are, that it withholds from the : settlers a complete control over the revenue; . that it compels a conformity, in their legislation, to Colonial-office instructions; that ■ it contains " that ridiculous and inexplicable : provision against making any laws repugnant to the laws of England;" that it makes Nomineeism a part of the constitution of the colony ; and gives a veto to the Governor upon all local legislation ; and he expresses his belief that any measure which contains these restrictions would fail to satisfy his

expectations, that any measure short of "full powers would be worse than a mockery and a delusion." But when Mr. Godley defines self-government to he the power given to the settlers "of appointing their own officers, disposing of their own revenues, and governing their own country,'* when he seeks to deprive the Imperial Government of any control, and the Governor of any check, on colonial legislation, it is worth while to consider whether these demands are not so extravagant as to preclude any expectation of their being granted — whether, in fact, these pretensions, if allowed, would not amount to a virtual independence of the Mother Country, who at the same time is called upon by a large amount of military and naval expenditure to maintain the tranquillity of the country, and to assist in defraying the expenses of the Government. The question as to the amount of self-government to be granted has been fully discussed in the debates in Parliament on the Bill for the Government of the Australian Colonies, a measure the provisions of 1 which the colonial reformers wished to extend to New Zealand, and we may therefore accept that bill as the standard of self-govern-ment which they would feel disposed to grant us. »Nor, when we compare the circumstances of New Zealand — the youngest and last founded — with those of the neighbouring Australian colonies, when it is confessedly, with one exception (that of Swan River), inferior to them in the number of its European population, its wealth, and amount of its exports ; when the Australian •colonies are found to defray the expenses of Government from their own resources, and do not require the Mother Country to maintain a large military or naval force for their protection, is it probable that a greater amount of political power will be granted to us than has been given to them. It would seem wiser and more in accordance with the example of the parent state, whose liberties were of slow growth, to adapt the institutions of the colony to its varying circumstances and- progressive advancement, and not to expect those privileges and that political power to be given to an infant colony which have been withheld from those of greater maturity, or that those checks and counterpoises are to be excluded which make provision, for opposite and conflicting interests. Besides, it may be doubted, to use Sir George's expression, whether it is not something very different from disposing of their own revenue, if the settlers were to have the entire control of that contributed by the Natives and by the Home Government, and that indirectly derived from the military expenditure. Sir George has offered, in the qualification for electors and members, so low a political franchise as virtually to give to< every settler a voice in the management of the affairs of the colony, and proposes to placethe revenue under their control, with the exception of the Governors' and Judges' salaries, and the reserves which he considers to be necessary on the part of the natives. If these substantial offers are refused it may be questioned whether, in reaching after shadows we do not suffer the substance to eludeour grasp, and spend in unprofitable agitation that time and those energies which would be much better devoted to the improvement of the colony and the development of its resources. But Mr. Godley seems- entirely to overlook the natives, and takes no account of them in his views of the question. But when we remember the native population exceeds 100,000, that the proportion of adult males is greater than in the Europeanpopulation, that these adults are mostly armed, and that many of them have within the last four years been in open hostility to the Government, we cannot suppose that any plan is likely to meet with attention from the British Government or to work well in the colony, if put into operation, m which no provision is made for their interests, or in which they are lost sight of altogether. Sir George proposes to obviatethis difficulty by making what he considers a sufficient provision for them, leaving the disposal of the revenue (except the Gover-

nors' and Judges' salaries) to the settlers, and the natives repose sufficient confidence in him to lead us believe that any arrangements which he may deem adequate would satisfy them. Any measure, in which they are disregarded, or deprived of all political consideration, must be admitted to be incomplete and unjust, while in their present state of imperfect civilization it may be doubted whether their interests would be so well protected as by the present Governor-in-Chief of New Zealand, who has done so much to improve their condition and rai«e them in the social scale.

In last Wednesday's Independent is an allusion to the fact stated in our previous number (and -which, we believe, was pretty generally known in Wellington when we stated it) of Mr. Fox having suggested to the Governor that his Excellency should allow him to issue Conveyances to the Company's land purchasers, and that these illegal titles should afterwards be rendered legal by an Ordinance to be passed for that purpose ; and Mr. Fox sees in our statement the clearest evidence of the direct influence of the officials in the conduct of the Spectator. No doubt Mr Fox may be very willing to consider the Spectator the Government organ, and though he and his friends have often made the charge, they must be conscious of its falsehood while making it, since it is well known the Spectator is as free from official influence as it is from that of Mr. Fox and his party. If Mr. Fox had done anything to promote the interests of the settlers, he would have made no secret of it, but in trying by this job to put them to the expense of some thousands of pounds for what they will obtain from the Government for nothing, he would doubtless serve them by stealth " and blush to find it known."

A ball was given last night at the Mess Room, Te Aro, by Col. Gold and the Officers of the 65th Regt. The invitations were numerous, and soon after nine o'clock the suite of rooms were filled with guests and presented a gay and animated appearance. The rooms were very tastefully decorated, and the supper tables were leaded with a profusion of good things. Quadrilles, polkas, and waltzes, followed each other in quick succession, and dancing was kept up to a late hour, and nothing was omitted by their gallant and hospitable entertainers which could possibly coutribute to the comfort and enjoyment of their guests.

By the Twins schooner, information was re • ceived of a fire which broke out on the 13th instant, in one of the emigration barracks at Port Lyttelton. By the prompt measures adopted the fire was prevented from spreading, and was speedily extinguished without doing any considerable amount of damage.