THE STANDARD. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 84, 3 September 1873, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1873.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

The action taken by the Government in re the recent disturbances in Gisborne, must, when fully known, commend itself to the approval of all candid and unjaundieed persons. The telegrams which had already arrived for Mr. Locke and the Commissioners, by the Opotiki last week, were supplemented by fuller instructions by the Rangatira on Saturday. These, of course, are not made public for obvious reasons ; but we are permitted to state that the Government have expressed great anxiety on behalf of the settlers; they fully appreciate the offers of assistance which have been made, and they are making such arrangement as will maintain the dignity of the Court; conduce to the peace of the district;

, and protect the settlers from further trouble. The first distinct movements were to send I re-inforcements to the Armed Constabulary Camps at Ormond and Wairoa, as early instalments, and guarantees of continued support; to order the Luna to be in readiness for service on the Coast in case of necessity; and to give Mr. Locke the requisite authority to carry out the behests of the Government. These, however, are not likely to be required just now ; and, seeing that it hath pleased Mr. Matva and others to change the scene for the present, we look to the Government ratifying their promises by the only other action left for it to take on the arrival ot the deputies in Wellington. While we are very glad of an opportunity in which to approve of what the Government is doing for us with regard to the future, we cannot but remember that it is entirely its own fault that we have been forced into expressions of disapprobation as to its conduct in the past. If the Government had kept ahead of the men who were moulding circumstances to their will for the purpose of opposing authority ; if they had taken such precautions as were necessary to vindicate themselves in the eyes of the Colony, and had taught the Maoris a lesson of subjection at the beginning; if they had listened more attentively to public opinion, and had telegraphic communication extended to this place years ago, they would have possessed the means and the power to handle this tempest in a tea-pot themselves ; and the settlers would not have had to risk hostilities with the natives which are always to be avoided if possible. There seems to be a determination-now to fight this question out to its logical consequences, and not to show the-white deaj&ec by shutting up the

Court. Arrangements are being made by which the machinery of the Cession Court may be carried on in another form. The Government cantemplate appointing either a permanent resident officer, to conduct the business of investigation from day to day, as claimants may desire, until the whole of the schedule is gone through; or to invest some one with the powers of the present Commissioners, to open a Court periodically and at short intervals, for the same purpose. To our mind the former would be the better plan; and if the same official were accredited as a resident agent, to conduct, the business of the Government in all other matters, it would tend more to increased confidence in the Government than anything that could be devised,

The Commissioners have done but. little during the past week. The frequent, in fact daily, adjournments of the Court that take place after an hour’s futile attempt to do business, are perplexing in the extreme, alike to clients and agents. Mr. Hamlin, we believe, has evinced much tact, and indefatigable energy in keeping the claimants together; and would possibly have, succeeded in a satisfactory settlement of some of the blocks intended to be investigated, but for the unfortunate, chaotic, state into which things- have been allowed to drift. In fact, we think, we are not wrong in stating our impressions, that it is in a great measure due to his exertions that the Court has been able to put a single block through ; and, seeing that the Government have been the primary cause of the present, state of affairs, it. would be wise on their part to consider" any possible claims for pecuniary loss which may have been sustained in consequence.