THE ASSEMBLY.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 99, 9 October 1863, Page 6

THE ASSEMBLY.

(From the SoutlieimUlpnthhj Magazine) \ For ' many- months fiast a sense of uneasiness at theexistingstate of affairs has .'manifested itself ;on the part , of the public, which ; has ■;, found expression in a very general desire lov a session of the Assembly; It would, perhaps l*e difficult to analyse this feeling, and sl'.ll .more difficult philo* sophically to account for the remedy, which the Assembly would afford. Former experience has shown that the time of the House is too much taken up with party and personal discussions, and too little with any business-like endeavor to provide for the real wants of the coioay. To turn a particular Government out is the aim of one-half of the House, to maintain it in office. is the object of the other-; but whether the Government that is to go out, or the one that is to come in is best adapted with success to administer the affairs of the colony is a matter apparently of no consequence to either p-irty. Whoever has watched the proceedings of the House must be satisfied of this. If a question is to be discussed which involves the fate ef the Ministers, or which by ho >k or by crook can be turned into a party attack, every member is Fn his place ; the debate is conducted with interest ; the combatants are in earnest; arguments, sophistry, and invective are exhausted ; the interest never flags; and the result is waited for with eagerness and anxiety. Let a measure be brought forward of the utmost importance to the colony,. but upon which pavty cannot be brought to bear, and every one is at Bellamy's, the house is thin, the few members that are in attendance for mere form's sake to prevent a count out are chatting idly by the fire, or lolling still more idly on the benches, and the only person who seems interested in what is going on is the Minister who happens to have'eharge ot the Bill. No measures of greater importance to every inhabitant of New Zealand, during the last session, came before the Legislature than the Marine Boards Act and the Steam Navigation Act ; yet these were allowed to p^iss without debate: they appeared to excite neither attention nor interest, and the consequence is that they are both utterly unworkable, and that no proper regulations can be issued for the safety of her Majesty's subjects while travelling in the steamers now plying unceasingly up and down the coast. No questions were over of less importance to the public at large than Mr Fox's responsibility resolution, and Mr Domett's resolutions on the sime subject., for the simple reason that no one uninfluenced by party fueling has ever been able to. find any "difference between them, and yet each became the subject of long and earnest debating, and the voting on one of them turned out of the ablest Governments New Zealand has yet seen ; and the voting on the other secured in their seats one of the worst that has yet held office. At the close of the last session the Appropriation Act was extended beyond the limit of the 'ordinary financial year to the 30th March next. "The main reason thai was alleged for this by the Colonial Treasurer was, that as the Parliament had agreed to support Sir G. Givy's policy, and as his Excellency required time as well as money to work it out. ample time as well as ample means should be given, and the Parliament voted the time as liberally as they had pveviou-Jy voted l)ie money. Now fair play is a jewel valued highly by every Englishman, and the colony frit it had a right to demand that, if within the time allowed Sir G. Grey's policy failed, the Government ought not to taker ad vantage of the liberality of the extension when the reason for that extension no longer held good. Ministers appeared to be, in fairness, bound to summon the Assembly if at the end of that period the pacific solution of the Native difficulty had become impossible. The impossibility of the pacific solution was clear on the 4th of May last. The attack on the escort at Oakura must have convinced those who most tenaciously held to the creed that the Maori could be governed by law and justice, and bribes and coaxing, and all that that they were wrong; that their theories were flimsy, and no good in practice That it was a bitter experience there can be no doubt. Large numbers of intelligent and thoughtful men clung to their theory in the full assurance that they had indeed discovered the true cause of the wars of the North Island of New Zealand. But to every clear judgment, to every evenly- | balanced mind, the events of that day must have shown the utter hopelessness of peisevcring, of any longer indulging in the lofty hope of satisfying barbarians by justice and mercy. All that the most anxious solicitude could do to stave off war has been done — no si one has been uuturned, no device missed, to maintain peace. Justice to the Maori till it bordered on injustice to the European has been done and overdone. The Courts of Law, while close! against a European seeking redress from a Maori, have been opened wide to the Maori as against our- , selves. Money has been lavished on them till they have ceased to appreciate its value. Magistrates, assessors, police, and all the machinery of Jaw have been given to them, without asking them to contribute a copper to the cost. Medical men have been sent amongst them at our expense lo teach them the firstsimple principles forthe preservation of health. Money has been lent them to aid, if possible, in their civilisation. If they desired a mill, or a ship, or cattle, or ploughs, the Treasury was ready for an advance. Civil Commissioners were sent into lheir districts to hear and to redress any grievances they might have, or fancy they might have, and to communicate their views and wishes to the government. By the Native Lands Bill of lasi session an enormous boon was conferred upon them, by securing to them forever the right of property in their own land. Untold wealth was thus placed at their disposal, and yet all has been in vain. England has been reproached for her treatment of aboiigines. Theorising philan thvopists point with scorn at the treatment of the North American Indians, of the original inhabitants of Tasmania and Australia; and yet the practical man may now turn round and appeal to the history of New Zealand to prove that the civilisation of savage race is impossible. That they possess no sense of gratitude ; that they have no desire for improvement, no elevation of feeling ; that they are crafty, grasping, and treacherous to the last degree. Kindness they attribute to fear, aud it is only through fear that they can be prevented from obstruciiug the extension of a civilisation which they are unable to appreciate. As soon, then, as this was apparent, when it was absolutely necessary that the policy of the country should be changed it may be fairly aigued that it became tlu duty of the Government to summon the Assembly. "We have good reason to believe that, notwithstanding what has beer written to the on'rary, this was the Governor's view, and that more than once his Excellency urged it upon his Ministers

•• : #erfii*ps : -'it : '-wa3, that power was sweet and they did; •- riot like to '.relinquish ifc) Perhaps it wasthat from their point 6f r view they did not appreciate the necessity, for an early spsion, public business was not in a state for one ; and perhaps it was for another reason altogether. We dontt like to -.attribute low motive*. We do not like to educate, the public into believing that our statemen are actuated only by mean and selfish considerations in^ their decisions on important questions, as is the constant habit with the New Zealander newspaper* It is possible, we think) to discover a motive of a very different kind f>r postponing an immediate session. Rightly or wrongly— and we suspend our judgment until the papers are laid before Parliament -~-the crowning act of justice or concession to the Ma >ris was done when the Government determined not to go on with the ■ Waftara purchase. From one end of the colony to the other there arose a howl of* indignation at this. The thing,, too, was done in the most clumsy manner possible. A bare proclamation was issued abandoning the purchase, but nohint was given, no cine afforded, to the steps which induced the Government to take such a st-p. Nor up to this time, months after the purchase has been abandoned, can men do meivthan guess. No Gazette has been published showing the reason why — no statement has been made of the " circumstances" so darkly hinted at in the proclamation. The Canterbury Press has published a brilliant article, in'wich it compares Will 'urn King to Hampden, and assures the public, with characteristic inconsistency, that nothing more is wanting now that Teira has confessed, and yet that the Governor has done wrong. Ministers probably felt that if the Assembly had been summoned immediately after Waitara, they would not have anted fairly to themselves. What followed Waitara? The successful fighi south of Tataiaimaka. What followed that ? The aband<nnent of Tataraimak", and the return of the General and m my of the troops to Auckland, Another howl of indignanation rose at what was thought by many to be a traitorous abandonment of that which should have been held in spite of fate. Attain the Government made no S) V n — surely these gentemen's skins ate thick ! but gradually it came to dawn on the minds of many that all these things were but parts of a wisely foreseen and well-organised plan. The seat of dissafectian was the Waikalo, — the scene of operations was to be removed from Taranaki there, and the while plan was developed when the General crossed the Manugatawhiri, and Ministers published the proclamation setting forth conditions upon which the confiscated lands of the Waikato rebels would be occupied by settlers. The rubicon was then ciossed. From that position there was no le'reat. The Ministry which took office to carry out Sir G. Grey's peace policy, which saw that policy fail, determined with promptness and vigor to define another before they submitted to the criticism of the representatives of the people. No sooner is this done than, wi.hout any li3sitation,a proclam ition is issued summoning the Assembly for the despatch of business. We are no strenuous advocates of the Domett Ministry*. Native matters have been bungled s idly, and Mr Domett's | former official experience seems to avail j him nothing now in the ordinary admi- ( nistration of public affairs. But justice demands that we should say this. When these little matters of detail sink into their natural insignificance, and when we have forgotten that letters remain unanswered and much that should bo attended to has been neglected, it will be remembered, to their honor, that the Domett Ministry was the first New Zealand Government to advice, and the first to take steps to carry j into execution, the great principle that will, if -anything can, settle once and for ever the Native question in this olony, that the land of the natives must he held responsible for its owners keeping the But after all said and done, what is it that the Assembly is to achieve? What is the practical good that is to be done by the next session i The press from every quartet demands it, but whether it is that, the papers may be filled with floods of talk or for any better purpose the public is left to guess, It surely cannot be absolutely necessary for the salvation of the State that, regularly every twelve months, a number of people should be got together, who know very little about it, to pass from twenty to eighty Actsj most of which prove unworkable when put to a practical test. We have been struck with the absence of any definite statement of what it is the Assembly is expected to do in all the articles we have seen suggesting a session — of the absence of any attempt to shadow forth what it is likely to do. What measures will the present Government bring forward? The landmarks of party are broken down. ' The old ties, such as they were, which united men, are loosed, and instead of the Assembly presenting now two clearly divided compact parties, it will prove, or we are much mistaken, a fortuitous collection of human" beings, with scarce any recognised bond of union or any object of division. The present Government really is neither supported nor opposed ; there is no party organisation either in their favor or against them ; there are none to excuse their blunders, none earnesly to support and make the most of their successes. The consequence of this is, of course, that before the end of the first week the places that have known them will know them no more. Powerful to destroy as a Representative Assembly thus constituted undoubtedly is, what out of the chaos can it create? Who, in fact, is the coming man ? Stafford is a beaten horse, and a beaten horse once beaten does not easily win,— besides, Mr Richmond w<is the strength of the Stafford Ministry, and without him its nomi nal leader was nothing In our jndgmeut Stafford could not command a sufficient following, in the House to enable him to form even the semblmce of a Government. Fox mi^ht do it, and may be the man ; he is business-like, able and clear headed, his power of debate is amazing, and his ability recognised by all ; but somehow or other, statesman as he undoubtedly is, he does not possess the faculty of inspiring others with full confidence in him. Sincerity, that first of virtues, that grand characteristic of all who would lead others, is not generally attributed to him. He does not seem to have set any one great object before, him as an aim of his political career, and pursued it through good report and evil report to the end. He has worked spasmodically, quickly seiz-'ng an idea. J energetically pursuing it, and then aban--1 doning it for another without reference tc

ts.conststency 'with the ffiTsjtf; ; iliis his bpen . he maid characteristic 'of his^ pubjic ':. life. Besides he is too; zealous, to eaj?er ; and by itlie power of an iriyebtrye,./whlcbjsometimes degenerates into Billings^atey he lisis wounted the amour prppre ai too many not to insure always a violent opposition.: ■ against him. He forgets or riever'knew i the value of the maxim, always treat an. enemy as if he might one day become a r friend, and a- friend as if he mighkone day become an enemy. In private life he is. charming; free from all superciliousness or . conceit, genial in his manners, fascinating; in his conversation, and those who e3teem r ; him most, and most apprtciate his noble , qualities, most regret the varnish which conceals -them from common view, Feaiherston,we suppose, is out of the question ;. those barren, hi Us and that bleak beach of .: Wellington occupy all his attention and absorb 3 all his thought ; so that he who i might be the great statesman of the colony i is satisfied to be the Superintendent of an almost insignificant Province. Fitzgerald — he 'is understood to bean eager bidder for office ; the impulsive Irishman proc'aims it in every p'ige of the Canterbury Press, and in ev*ry page he bewilders his r.-aders by the brilliancy of his writing, aid the'cimelion-like hues which his policy assumes; never twice the same, fertile in idea-, to profusion, he is the very" r&odel of political inconsistency. Providence in its bounty has endowed him with every sense but common sense, and with every kind of ability but that practical wisdom which is revvarded in this world when genius goes a-begging. Lastsession at first bis power in the House was enormous, but soon it began to he felt thnt his light was as unsafe a guide as that of the will o-th -wisp. Majorßichardsonmakesan amusing speech, but fails utterly to inspire people, with any belief that he is a leader of men. Such be your Go ernment, O people of New Zealand, from whom you are to get such salvation as you can. Our sympathies are with the Northern Island,* and we tremble for its fate. The Miridlo Island is rich, and safe, and strong, •and says, " What have I to do with thee, thou poor and feeble but lovely Northern neighbor \ Rave not I goldfieldsand sheep runs and population ! Am I not prosperous in the extreme, and what hast thou?— a soft and genial climate, abundance of the richest soil which you cannot use, and a native difficulty. Begone, thou art an unholy thing." Separation in some form is sure to be tried, perhaps not in its worst of a complete division politically of the two islands ; but if we can forecast at all, two things will be aimed at by the Southerners— a fixed pecuniary contribution supplementing the heavily-burthened revenues of the North, and the removal of the seat of government to Christchurch. Auckland need no longer fear Wellington; if they are w'isj they will both unite their for :es against the teouthrrn combinations which are at this instant being being made. Probably ancient jealousies will prevent this, or render it lukewarm in the extreme. In that case they will become an easy prey to their united opponent?. We must confess we view the nppro.icl.ing session with inisi>iving — with more of apprehension than of hope. Great and organic changes will be attempted, and if not fully, at least partially achieved— changes which must necessarily be prejudicial to the interests of the North Island of -New Zealand. SCANDAL IN HIGH LIFE. The case of the 'Countess Delia Seta v. Lord Vernon," is now before the public. An injured woman appealing for justice against a beardless sedacer who leaves her | to support herself and her offspring at best she may, must always be an oh.e.et of j sympathy, anJ the more so if the accused party be a wealthy nobleman. Such was the picture which had been painted by some overzealous friend of the countess. In the year 1 842, Lord Vernon formed a connection with an Italian lady, Mademoiselle Lavoignat, by whom he had four daughters, and with whom he appears to have lived for ten years. In 1852 this c >nnection was broken off upon terms which certainly cannot be considered unfavorable to the interests of the la'iy. By a deed dated the 30. h of August in that year, Lord Vernon covenanted to pay an annuity of LIOOO for her separate use during' her life and his own, and an annuity of L2UO to each of the daughters after her deat i. In case any of them should marry or attain the age of 21 without marrying, LlOOayear out of the LIOOO was to be pud to them respectively during his lordslvp's life. He further covenanted to leave L 20.000 in all for the benefit of their mother during her life, and after her death, to be divided among her daughters. These provisions were clearly expressed to be made up, on condition that the mother should maintain and educate the young 1 idies during their minority to the satisfaction of the trustees, who were empowered to n ake any deduction from the allowance which they might think fit for this purpose, if that condition should be broken. So far, then, whatever may be thought of the morality of euch an alliance, there was nothing unhandsome in ihe way of terminating it. A jointure of LI, OOO a 3 ear to no despicable pension for the widow of an English gentleman, and in Italy such a sum represents something more than humble competence. We need not follow the history of the present Countess Delia Seta, further than to say that in the following year she married the count, from whom she appears to have been afterwards separated, still retaining the custody of three survivors of Lord Vernon's four children. Some months ago he heard that " they were not happy with their mother," and had left her house at Cairo. Thereupon he instituted proceedings in Chancery, with a view of making them wards of the court and obtaining a scheme for their education. Pending this, some part of the monthly instalments hitherto paid regularly for the joint benefit of the countess and the daughters was withheld during two months, without the slightest apparent intention to violate the spirit of the settlement, and only un:iJ the court should designate the proper recipient of it. Meanwhile an order was made for the appropriation of L4OO annually, to the support of the three sisters. It is this order which the countess has sought to get modified, at the same time claiming access to her daughters, one of whom has been seriouly ill. The ViceChancollor gave a finding on the entire case on the 14th July. He decided that the children or the countess shall remain under the care of p.esent trustees, and that she should be paid, as he arranged, L4OO a year instead of L7OO for which she prayed. It was incidentally slated by Mr Malms that when Lord Vernon seduced her he was a married man, and that he effected her degradation under promise of marriage.