THE Otago Daily Times " Inceniam viam aut Jaciam."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 211, 12 August 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times " Inceniam viam aut Jaciam."

DUNKDIN. TUKSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1852.

The defeat which led lo the resignation of the Fox Ministry, was evidently brought ! about by circumstances which were not altogether clearly brought to the surface. It was a moral, if we may use the expression, more j than a political defeat. The resolution antro- ; duci'tl by Mr. Fox, and the shelving of which, I by tiic carrying of the previous que-tio:i, led j the Ministry to re.-hjn, was of so exceedingly ' vague a nature that its meaning was only to be ranstrsicd by a knowledge of the opinions lof those who we re its authors. Tiie principle *it established was baneful, harmless, or even ! advantageous, according to the hands to whom its enrrying out should be entrusted. Ik-fore j | proceeding further, it is as well tv quote the \ I resolution: — " Tuat v.hily t'ni.? Ilousa <H-ehim«, on the part of tlw (U !ony, II.L- tXL'luiivc ic;[- n.-ibjliiy of t! li3 cost cf ! c.hi'"it'.:>,'/, .•iviliztii^. an t t ii;in^ the Native ra:-j : \.i ik- U- ."I'kJ.lv <!; -.:l'ii:a;i HaMiity fir the principal Mm:" of t!;t* <v-t »'f •'"'/■'!■•■'^in n ' hisiirr.-cijiijis if v. i p-e .pie ov-.-r v iioia U.c liuperifil l*ovcriiin>:iit h:ia ! i.wcr ]>nuti«-a'!y •- U-.ii-hfjii rruLnritv: i*. vvi.ll ;a ai! uui>- :h<. trfui'y rt.\i.'»iz»; it; duty U> cc-opor;»U: to the 1 <-xtuil i>l'\:-> a':>U:ty a:;«l Hn,,ui.> »-ii*i t].-.-.u ili'.iir.s, f-r ill'; :.'! ■:i:;iii'':jt <>f t])»M • ely -!;, .v> *.-.. -atinl f» the _ v.-l.'.ruof Cii ck-ny ; j; ..<.!, in c r.f.rniHy with th .<• vit,\..<, it i:: (it v; mi in thai the Isit-ru"^ »>f tac liupori ,1 tjovurniii'-Jit «m-.1 <..f tiie N:l':.t;-> l!i!--ius--Sv<M, :u* ! v...'. :ri of lii.' CvhiJiy, r.-i|uire ih.-.l (re^-i-vin^ t«> ti<<i..-,. ni-.r if,»tli the ijjils.ili ,ji an i d>.vi i»n of^u-tien, | \. h r^ iiapori.-i! luicruAti a.-j *• <irvntc i), tlj.r ;>r.iin,uy fjjn!n<:t of ii'i.tivc iilFiir.t : ii-mM );..-j.l to. i u:i k-r :hc Hili!»inUtrati^;j of Ih *i>jii.4','.e Miui*icr/i." I It is envy to sec that the series of n'.ititd'.lus of uhic'u this re-oiuii.Mi is co:iii>o.»^J. mi-^lit be tortured into purp-xe; of a wi.Uly Jitfercnt nature, according- to the {lispo.ihio.-i ofthise with whom the cirryi,.^ into db.t its vicurhl | pnnUiun* would rot. On the one h;md it ; would indemnify a mmbtry that chose to iu-i-i on the largest and most injuring intormed'llinj; with Native aiiYir.-i; on the other, it would be jllrt suinVscnt authority to the ■ Ministry th.it would limit iM interference to thi; discreet watchfulness ofoUmi.il interests. It was precisely, we take it, be: m^cr tiie Vox .Ministry were its authors, a.i.l bc-enu^e they 1 would h:tve its e.irryiug out, shnt the House rejected it, and this co:ir«..» was the more induced by the tone of the ; members of the Mini.-try who adu.»eatcd 1 it. There never was a ministerial crisis k'»s designedly brought about. 11-id Mr. Fox and his vUeUitci contented themselves with pro- , poking the resolution without speaking to it, it might have pa but the arguments which .« ere u^ed to enforce it, i:<\ !f"l to the nature of tin: action whi^h fhe Parliamentary papers , i!i-closc-d tint the Mini-try had u!rj vly taken 1 on their own responsibility, showed members ■ the imperative necessity of utterance Ito a decided opinion of disapproval. Even then it was done in a manner which it was I thought might obviate the necessity of a 1 chin(.re of Ministry. Instead of nc'ativin^ | the-resolution by a liostile division it was • shelved by moving the previous question. 1 According to strict Parliunentary etiquette | the Ministry were p.rhaps not bound to | reM^n, hut as Mr. Fox very sensibly put it, the House hn 1 unmistakably shown disap- | proial of the Ministry's Native policy, and it was no good their hoping to carry it. In fact j they discovered the cloven-foot under the clo.ik in which it was enveloped, and the ! fou <c hud recognised it. Thus it will be heen that the defeat in reality carried far more J as we have previou>!y stated, than was suffered ! to b-> readily apparent.

That the Fox Ministry richly deserved the expulsion, we have only recently strongly insisted on. The policy which they have taken it upon themselves to pursue, as disclosed by the papers they have laid before parliament, was of a character utterly ruinous to the colony. ..They had suffered themselves to be trapped into the position of taking a responsibility that it would be criminal of the colony to undertake. They had laid themselves open to be saddled with all the blame, in case Sir George Grey's policy should prove unsuccessful. Every step he had taken he could charge them with ha vim; authorised whilst, on the other hand, the Home Government could, and even did, repudiate responsibility. ' The despatch which Sir George Grey sent home announcing thut at the Ministry's request he had granted them the responsible charge of Native affairs only required the endorsement of the Legislature to lix for ever on the Colony the responsibility of Native Government. Henceforth the Colony would be a suppliant for Imperial assistance, the aid accorded would be grudgingly bestowed as a favor not a right. The Colonists might count, Sir George Grey said, on the generous assistance of the Home Government. But now they ask it as a right —they ask it in virtue of the mismanagement that lias never yet reduced to a state of order the relations between tho Maori and European races. It was indeed necessary for the House to uttc its protest against the folly which led the Fox Ministry to give the shadow of acquiescence to a change in the relative positions of the English and New Zealand Governments in the conduct of Native affairs. England's credit is now at stake to complete successfully the colonisation g he has undertaken. Let the colonists give

what assistance they may, nothing bnt their own a?eent would nia'le thorn responsible for whatever resnlts might follow the policy pursued. But Sir George Grey asked the colonists to take the responsibility, and trust to England for the generosity, and the Fox Ministry fell into the trap. And what was one of the first results. The publication of despatches that ought not to have seen the light during the lives of a generation after the present difficulties are settled. To secure Parlinmentary^support, papers have been circulated that place the British forces, and the British colonists in the most humiliating position. The acknowledgment has gone forth invested with an official stamp, that the resumption of war with the Maories would he disastrous to the Europeans. That the representative of the Crown is conscious that 2*is Sovereign's cause met with defeat in. the late struggle, and that expediency makes him disinclined to renew. That the war was originally an unjust one, and the present policy is to acquire strength for the striking of a sudden blow should the occasion for it arise. These despatches tell that no retribution will be sought for the plundering an 1 murdering of the Taranaki settlers. The King movement jwill be winked at. General Cameron's tactics are exposed, and the mode in which the Natives could best defeat them sho-.vn. To add to the security of the Natives, they are let into the secret of the difficulty of obtaining money to carry on the war, and they are made to understand the divided counsels of the Colonial and Imperial authorities. All this these despatches will carry to the Natives to stimulate them to a policy of resistance. Had the Ministry been impeached as j well as dismissed from cilice, \j?Bv take it they would oiily have had their due for pnblishing papers, which no temptations of vanity, or fear of unmerited obloquy should have induced them to consent to. Could the House in consideriuji§Mr. Fox's resolution forget the tendencies, which the papers presented to Par-'ament disclosed ? Air. CroibiuWard might with truth Have said, as he is rcpyrlcl to have doac, that it u-oald have been a good thing fui hw colleagues if the papers by the White .Swan were irrecoverably lost; and perhaps the exception that the on dit says he inviw* in hi? ovn fr/or, referre 1 to th* Xuh;, with which in one of the despatches, Sir flc>rge specially referre-1 to the then Po?t ; M.istvr General. But to reurne, J<tr. R»x hid jseircely Idt any reason to doubt, that il the ! House hil as«e:jtvsd t> the je->>! itian he i proposed, its operation wuuSd hj exceedingly injurious if kTc in his hind?. i Although the ex-PrvmLT h sMu^thne-* oh- ! iiviomof what he ha* hitnsilf advocated, and is ipt to ibr^ct despatches pr.med iVo:n the pj.rtlienun Club, anl other pro-lfi;:;.io:i» sUw!i as

•* The History of the: six Province,' yet tiic House was no*, likely to allow to c»c:ine I !z\Ky it> rocuiio^lion th? rc<olmi):H which i Mr. Fox was si anxious to secure the passage of I the previous yeir. !Ih s uhj ja^i-; ?» v.\ iu-t has sVowe-1 eSeiriy enough that although the renditions were not passe.], Mr. Fox h;is | acted on thfi:a. We extract t\v--> of them, by I which it will be sevn that Mr. Fox is not | newly aa advocate for the* imdurtikiug the j Colonial responsibility of the conductor th. 1 | native afl*n»r.-i. Fortunately they were nut carried, or the tone ad opted by the Duke of Newcastle mi^ht be yet stronger. Th.it i!ti.~ llou*e Wieves tlia.'. tlu solution of the f»r."-.':it X;it:-.v <lini-.jhiH «n o-,ly \<j J,>ok."i for fr.ia th<; !<v.m! <lc!i i)jrati..;tv -,f tha tJeaert! As«:iab!y, aa i tli*- ].",>,-,;! no;:-:) of the {'o!o:ii:il Gy.'cmus -rit, v/or*;iaj in iinrmvny with i'nt .Val-Vv* K:i*.-, an 1 in co.ii'.r;n!ty, ti% f-ira; ju^ib:-?, witli their ojiinions and Mi;r ;■•-:" ■ins. Tiiit tlie i"?->;.?rifi)n of the Oilonsn! Lfjislature «.'V.;:i >:!>•: c::jn.—•■■• I, viili any >y^L'.u <>,"" Xuiiv,» :vi-!tiini;t!-:ri>n i;iip<--1 uri-iji the Cjl-;-iv by the a-ti^n -I' th; Ini-.->i-I:i! P;iv'.iarn'';nt, tikea i'l th? e-uhe L'tiorance uf tbu' fact on t!io p.-ift of the C.tl.i:i::i! bin -Jiiture, au'l ia oppj-'t'oa in many lvsp.c^ to its I views. Xuw for a few \voi\!s concerning the Xew | Cabinet. It-* le.uliii-j; c:ur;io!cristic i-, that it> | policy will resemble that of the ostensible | one of its predecessor in Xntivc uifliirs. In | other wonls, it will go witli Sir George Grey in nil fiis cJorts to ilenl with the Native dif!iculty, but it h to bo hoped will have the discretion to avoid undertaking the responsibility which Mr. Fox wis sj reily to stcc^nt. It proposes to administer Native ailnirs under the direction of Sir George Grey, but not to tike any responsibility or ! to 1.:: ml the Colony. The remarks -winch j we have male above, concerning Mr. Fox's ! resolutions, are applicable to those that Mr. j Domett was on the eve of proposing at the daie of our lust advices. They may be used to very good purposes, and they are capable of bein;{ much abused. Less vague fch m Mr. Fox's and more clearly repudiating the responsibility of Colonial interference in Native affairs, they posses.? also one notable characteristic. They distinctly state that tho assistan*.e they offer Ls in conformity with Imperial instructions; whilst Mr. Fox based his resolutions oil inherent ri^lif?. Still, it must be remembered (and Mr. Domett's Ministry cannotloo strongly bear it in mind), that the ! Home Government will not attach much I weight to the wording of the resolutions, | the action founded on them is what it will look to. The object of the Ministry should therefore be, to avoid even by implication, the appearance of undue interference in Native aflfiirs. To render any assistance to his Excellency in carrying out the policy he intends to pursue, to offer advice on the same when asked, and to protest against any invasion of the rights of the colony are functions, that j no one can take exception to their performing. jln other respects the programme of the new Ministry, embraces, we believe, the charging sums spent for Native purposes on the district iin which they are expended, law reforms, extension of representation to Otago, and other measures of domestic policy.

The composition of the new Ministry compares rather favorably with that of the old. Mr. Mantell and Mr. Domett are men of acknowledged ability. Mr. Bell, besides being an effective speaker, possesses a larger knowledge of the past history of the colony than perhaps any other man in it. Mr. Gillies will probably yield his place to Mr. Sewell as he only consented to take office during the currency of the session; By-thc-bye, in his speech on the reso-

lutions, he most emphatically expressed his disapproval of the colony undertaking the^ responsibiHty of Xatire ■ Government. Some Auckland member is likely to be installed in the 'Treasury-ship, and, altogether, if the Ministry withstand the attacks to which, doubtless, they will be subjected by the infuriated Fox party, who bitterly complain that the very measures they proposed will now be carried into effect by their successors, a useful aud lengthened career may be antici- '• pated^for them. It is to be .hoped that if Mr. Fox and his followers, who were afforded • ample opportunities for joining the newMinistry, offer factious opposition, 4hat his i Excellency will assent to a dissolution.

We are glad to find that the long and reiterate* complaints of the public, of the dilatory manner in which the road contractors have been allowed to cany on their operations, have at last induced the Town Board to resolve upon inflicting fines ior excess of time in completing contracts. The High-street cutting is to be completed within two mouths, under a penalty of £5 per day for so long ' as the work remains uncompleted beyond that time. A preliminary meeting of the licensed victuallers of Duaedin, was he-!d last evening, at the Queen's Arms Hotel, for the purpose of forming an association for the mutual protection of their interest*, and similar to those already in operation in Melbourne, and other lirge towns. The meetin- was presided over by Mr. A. Griffiths, and the following persons were duly nominated as nienibjra of the committee, for the purpose of carrying out the object of the meeting: S. Jones Provincial Hold; A. Griffiths, Australasian Hotel; J. W. IVjer, EJiabur-jh Castle- J M'Neill, Queen's Arm?; Thos. Little, Exchange Hotel; G. Davis, Friue.- of Wales Hotel; J. Crawford, Glasgow Arms; V. Koss, Melbourne* Hotel; F. Martin, Jldrtin's Hotel, and J. M'Gubbln, Oil-.) Hotel. The meeting then adjourned until iloaday next, at the same time and place. We direct the attention of our readers to an advertisement in another cuhi-.aa, iv reference to the sufljrers by the late fire in George-street The c>isi;>3 of the individuals fur whose relief the appeal for aid is made, are invested with great hardship ; and vrs feel assured that the public wiii res-i'ju'l to the appeal th.it Lj made to their sympathies, on beh-jf of those who, in a few moments, were rendered penniless by that dread enemy—lire. We are compelled to hold over our reports of th> Town iijurd Meeting, the Jtesidsnt Magistrates' Court, kttsrs lro:n oar Gjld Fields' Cor-rcspand-.nt aud others, uatii to-morrow's issue. Til? *' Colleen Bi'.ra" was produced last night at the Theatre li-jyal iur the uuh time, but owing » to its boiug the opening night of the Princess Theatre, there was but a thin audience. For the ' after-piece a novelty was produced, entitled the " Wandt-ring Min^rd." Mr. R. U. J)aie, as Jem U.iggs the Wandering Minstrel, favored the j nudjcnee wku some h-amorous songs and recitatives ; and, though suffering from a severe cold, did not Iml to play with his usual success. The same .prog iMinrne is un:ioa:uel for this evening. Tiie diggings at. 1112 Buller River on the West I Coast of 3eLsun, are imprjving. The JYelson. ' JZsamiter, of July 30th, says:—"The Gipsy arriv,-1 y^.rl.-y iVom ths West Coast, with j more^ivuurable intei3:gencs of the prospects of » the diners en-i^ A l iv that district, than any | that have bef;re rt-achel us. A nugget of 14 ozs. jl3 d-.vt£. l ldS beoa found, slightly intermixed j with quartz, and was sold on the diggings for j Lm. Upward of 200 ounces of gold was brought up by tliL- Gipsy, among irhich Vas a handsome nugget waigjiiajr 3 ozs. 3 d.vts. We are satisfied mat with the return oi spriagthe quid fields on I vie U«t Co^i will employ a large number of I diggers." } A request is published in the Xcv Zealand Gazette, from the C.ilouial Secretary's OSc , that person-, not in the public service^wi lo have' ] received letters from the Colonial Secretary's Oince, sine,- the 3rd of October, will be good I enough to farwar.l copies of them, to replace those lost in the White Swan.

His Excellency, the Governor, has • appointed Major Dwyer. 2nd battalion, uth Regiment, at present stationed m Wellington, to be his actin^ private Secretary. ? It is notified in the New Zealand Gazette that His Kxcene:icy, the Governor, has appointed Vmc-jiit I'yke, Esqr., to bs a Justice of the Peace for the Colon- of New Zealand. As the gist'of the latest reports of the General Assembly appeared in our issue of yesterday, and as the circumstances attending the change of Ministry are fully detailed in the letters of our Wellington Correspondent, we continue our consecutive report of the Parliamentary proceedings in the usual form. We shall publish to-morro°w the proceedings up to our last advices. We give the important speech of M i;or Richardson, on the state of Tarauak". verbuiim. The following Order in Council, dated July 16, is published in the New Zealand Gazette, -prohihit::ijr the importation of cattle into Stewart's Island and Ruapuke Island, in Toveaux Straits:— " Whereas by the * Diseased Cattle Act lSGi' it is enacted that it shall be lawful for the Governor by Order in Council to make such regulations as to him shall seem lit for prohibiting the importation of cattle into the colony irozn districts infected with disease within tha meaning of the said Act: Now, therefore, his Excellency the Governor, Avith the advice and consent of the Executive Council, doth hereby order that from and after the date of this Order the several colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria South Australia, Western Australia, and the Cape of Good Hope, so far as relates to the importation of diseased cattle into the Southern or Stewart's Island uml the Island of Ruipuke and other Islands in, near to, and to the south of Foveaux Straits, be deemed to be intected districts within the meaning «f the said Act, and the Governor with such advice and consent as aforesaid doth hereby make the following regulations, that is to say,—No cattle after the date hereof until further notice shall be imported from any such districts into the said Stewart's Island. Ruapuke and tho other Islands in, near to, aud to the south of Foveaux Straits under a penalty for each oSence not exceeding lire hundred pounds (£500). E. L Layard, for the Clerk of the Executive Council."

Dr. Buchanan of Chingforcl,North-EastValley Dunedin, has been summoned by the Governor to the Legislative Council of New Zealand. The appointment may be characterised us ''killing two birds with one stone," giving "a member to both Otago and. Auckland at the same time—-Dr. Buchanan having till lately been a resident in the latter Province. We believe he has not hitherto moved in public life, so that his political opinions are unknown. However, as the anointment is made by the late Fox Ministry, it will be derigeur for him to support them.

A case of some interest was partially heard at the. Evident Magistrate's Court, Port Chalmers, yesterday, before T. A. Mausford, Esq., E.M., W Thomson, E-q., J.P., and E . Chapman, Esq., J.P The plain tiff w as Mr. Edward Casper, Dunedin' and the defendants a number of workmen who had been engaged-at the saw-mill at Sawyer's Bay, in Mr.; Watt's employ, and who' refused to give up possession- of the place. The summonses were for the ejectment "of the defendants, and their defence was that they were in possession according to a written agreement with Mr Watt .who had given then a right to occupy and work the mill as a consideration of wages due to them xt was also contended by Mr. Patten, his agent' that Mr. Casper did not hold the property on such terms as to entitle him to sue. On behalf of the plaintiff, it wa3.shown by Mr. M'Gregor that he aid not hold the property by lease, and that, thoughMr.;,Yatt had given possession to the uefsnuants to work the mill, he had no authority to do so on. his own responsibility, and without the ns?ent of others concerned " The Bench considered the case of the defendants a hard one, but gave credit to Mr. Casper for having made reasonable and creditable offers to them and held that, according to the facts of the case' a fine would require t 0 be imposed upon them for illegally holding po jession. It would, however be nominal, and, for an arrangement between the parties, to which Mr. Casper seemed disposed, the decision m the case was adjourned until the following, day.—At the same Court,. John Reynolds a laborer, was committed for trial for the theft of two sovereigns, the property of Mr. Burrows, of the Comiiic-rcial Hotel. The Nelson Chamber of Commerce have appointed a ■ committee, to address the General Assembly, on the necessity of providing the inhabitants of Nelson, witli a "court for the recovery i of debts up to *ioo, without the necessity of annealing to the Supreme Court. The Chamber also adopted a resolution to make application to the Xelsou Postmaster,-to keep the Post Office open unsii G p.m., upon the day previous to the despatch of the English mail, when the mail steamer leaves early.the following morning, and that upon the arrival of any foreign mail, a notice be posted outside the Post Office, of the hour at which it will be delivered.