The Southland Times. TUESDAY, OCT. 25, 1861.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 63, 25 October 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, OCT. 25, 1861.

I The . condiict of Sir Gteoege G-ket i immediately preceding, and subsequent i to, the acceptance of responsibility in | native affairs, by. the. Colonial legislature, will form an interesting though rather complicated page in . the history of New Zealand. ' Evidence is not wanting in the shape of Gazettes, -&c, to show that previous to the session of ; the Assembly in which the " Confiscation policy " was adopted, Sir G-eoege G-eet had come to the conclusion that such a method of dealing with the native difficulty was expedient and justified by the circumstances. We find him' in July, 1863. publishing conditions on which the Oakura block, where the murders with which the pre-sent-war commenced svere perpietrated, would be granted ho settlers — he haying confiscated that portion of native territory. . . We find him again in the same month " issuing a proclamation to the rebellious _ natives, in which' he' threatens them with the forfeiture. oj ? tJiei? • j lands,- "should" they hot " 'submit to the Queen's authority. Subsequently 'he ! assented to the "Confiscation policy,"/ •after it -had- received the' sanctidri' of the i .Assembly. , It-would seem- that; rat this time, however - s strong may have been His Excellency's liking for the Maori race, and however unwilling "lie may have to proce"ed 'to extremities 1 with . them,,, Jie. r ..could -discover 'no 'other means of restoring ■■ tranq oillity ' to the Colony. What, then, J are we to think of his actions during the past few months, more especially s ;smce the receipt ofyiMr. Caedweu/s despatch ? Do they ;ppt;clearly: show that rthe present ' Groveriior has deservedly forfeited the confidence of all parties ? Had lie from the first set himself against the policy of confiscating native territory, there would

l^aileasiiiare been the which iniglit have commanded the respect of those who differed from him. There would have Jbeen a manliness and-earnest--ness displayed -which would have foundsympathy', Cifl'not- support,^ with a iDortionj in pf . .the jcolonists..- * „ TJnfortuiiately Sir "G-EOEGE-d-EEy' a reputation, he could not jnal^ejipJKjj^ La peace or .a jT -war policy. .- G-uided in a "measure by tne pressure of public opinion and a wisir to~stand well with the coloTaJshowL/of [adopting "ihe: Views of the majority,.- He gav.e. repeated assurances 'that, the war would be vigorously- prosecuted and .the > natives made to suffer by loss of territory for their coil 1 -' tumacy ; but as -time passed -on and mail after mail brought tidings of the light in which the Colonial policy was viewed by., a large majority of the^people, of England, and 'of both Houses of Parliament, the Governor gradually changed his tactics. He begun to weigh the value of the applause of the colonists' against the good, opinion of the ■-. authorities in the Home country.., ,.. He did not take long to make 'his choice. Throwing on one side every -consideration of good faith, aud .sacrificing, the interests of the Colony and' a chance of permanently reducing the 'Maoris to subjection, he 1 sought only how he might best- win- the good opinions; of the. -Colonial \Oifiee' and of that section of, politicians and- philanthropists whose tendencies, .are "always in favor of an aboriginal race, when opposed to tlie interests of theEuropean settlers. We have before ■shown' how the Whttakee Ministry, after vainly endeavoring to Tiold their ground against the constant opposition they met with from Sir G-eoege Grey in carrying out their . plans, were finally compelled to tender their resignation, which was ' not, ' however, accepted. His Excellency, contrary to all the rules of constitutional Government, called on them for a statement of the financial position of the Colony, which they, . foolishly enough we think, furnished as far as they were able without due prepai*ation. It is to the Assembly this statement should have been rendered, to whom -fclie MliTiisfcry.p.a.re re- 1 e^onsible. The feet of this siatement being asked for would seem to indicate that Sir G-eorge Gbjsy did not contemplate calling the Assembly together, if he could', possibly avoid it, till March next, the date to which the estimates were voted. Independently of its being a violation of the principles of the constitution for the Governor to continue to act for any lengthened period without an Executive, (and there is apparently no hope of an Executive being formed before the next session of Assembly) there are grave reasons at the present moment why the Eepresentativea of the people should be summoned. On the Ist of January the expense of the military expenditure will be ' quadrupled to the colonists, if the same number of British troops are maintained. From that date England will charge us £4*o per man for all the Imperial troops in the islands. The Assembly will have to decide whether it is expedient to maintain so large an army, over which the Colonial legislature has no control. It is very doubtful whether it would not prefer raising a far larger colonial force than has hitherto been employed. Past events prove that, on the score of efficiency, what are termed the bushrangers and similar corps are fully as useful, if not more so, as the regular troops in these desultory contests with a savage race. However that may be, the question is not one for the Grovernor to decide. He has no right to pledge the Colony to a longer engagement with the Imperial troops. We have besides this the fact that the Panama Company are waiting the action of the Assembly on Mr. Ward's contract, and tlie credit of the Colony demands that no time shall be lost before a final determination is come to. Last, but not least, there is the whole question of New Zealand finance to be considered, a subject which will tax the patience and ability of our legislator,? to the utmost. It is not certainly known from what quarter the funds are being obtained at the present moment for carrying on the colonial expenditure, further than a vague report that oue of the banks is advancing, and a still more vague rumor that it was lately the intention of the Ministry to apply to the Bank of England for advances. That is about all that is known of the present expenditure ; and then the million of the unguaranteed loan is taken up but very slowly in the London market ; and the guaranteed portion cannot be dealt with until the Assembly has signified its acceptance of the terms proposed by the Imperial Government. We repeat what we have so strongly urged in former articles; Sir George Gj&jgt should be petitioned by all the Provinces to convene the Assembly, unless the next Northern mail brings the intelligence that he has already done so. .