The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1870.

Southland Times, Issue 1195, 14 January 1870, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1870.

Whatever differences of opinion may exist as to the justice or wisdom ol tbe Imperial policy now enforced towards jNTew 'Zealand, remarkable unanimity prevail?, amongst tbe colonists at leait, as to the ultimate results of persistence in such a course. The perpetuity of close cordial relationship between the two countries, in the face of such repulsive treatment as we have latterly received at the hands of the parent state, is en impossibility. By the action of the Home G-overnment, the strongest ties which bind the two countries together are being gradually seyered, and, whether we will or not, we are being sternly forced into a position of isolation and self-reliance — a position which, of course, can only find its fitting consummation in independence. So paramount are tlie colonial theories of G-oldwcs" Smith and the Cotton School of politicians at Downing-street, that the only answer to our repeated entreaties for assistance, entreaties which we have debased ourselves by urging upon our knees, have been a series of voluminous despatches, all ending ,in cold refusal. "While the colonists have been spilling their blood for the maintenance of their just rights, and the honor of the British name, hoping against hope that England would yet grant the asked-for succor, the Colonial Oifice has only answered their appeals by the issue of learned disquisitions on nice questions touching the principles of government ; arguments as to the precise meaning of particular words or phrases occurring in the Colonial Secretary's correspondence, varied by an occasional lesson in logic to that functionary. "Worse still, public opinion seems prejudiced by official procedure, and the British press generally approves the conduct of the supreme authority. The latest ministerial utterance should convince even the most patiently sanguine that if help we must have, it must be sought for outside the walls of St. Stephen's, if not outside Her Majesty's dominions. "We subjoin a few extracts from the despatch to which we allude, written by Lord G-j__NTiErLE to the Governor on the 7th of October last :— " These being the sources of the danger to which the colony is exposed from the natives, it is pressed upon her M ajesty's G-overnment that the task of reducing the natives is beyond the strength of the colony * and this is conclusively shown both by the experience of the last war, in which,"as you have frequently observed, the colonial forces had the assistance of nearly 10,000 regular troops, and by the present state of the North Island, where a few hundred insurgents suffice to impose a ruinous insecurity on large numbers of settlers, and a ruinous expenditure on the colony. " Meanwhile, I perceive that the average strength of the colonial forces on foot during the year preceding the commencement of these disturbances hardly exceeded 700 men, having, in the month of March, been allowed to fall to 496, and although it bas been of late greatly increased and improved, yet that your present ministry on its accession to oflice contemplated its speedy reduction. " Large concessions, therefore, are unavoidable to appease a pervading discontent with which the colony is otherwise unable to cope, and still larger concessions wiil be required unless a force is kept on foot capable of commanding the respect of the natives when the Queen's troops are withdrawn. " But the abandonment of land, the recognition of Maori authority, and the maintenance of an expensive force, however indispensable some or all of these may be, -are distasteful remedies, which will not be resorted to while the colony continues to expect assistance from this country, and a decision to supply the colony even with the prestige of British troops, objectionable as I have shown it to be on grounds of practical -principle, would, in my view, be also immediately injurious to toe settlers themselves, astending i to delay their adoption of those prudent counsels on which, as I think, the j restoration of the Northern Island depends. "It is in no spirit of controversy that I make these remarks. I should not gratuitously have criticised the proceedings of the colonial government, who are entitled to the entire management of their own affairs. But thi-? country is asked for assistance • it is asked for assistance to sustain a policy which it does not direct, and which it is not able to foresee. Upon such a state of facts many questions arise ; and among them it becomes material to inquire whether that assistance is for the real advantage of those who seek it. Judging from the best materials at my command, I am satisfied that it is not so, and that it is not the part of a true friend of the colonists, by continuing a delusive shadow of support, to divert their attention from that course in which their real, safety lies — the course of deliberately measuring their own resources., and, at whatever immediate sacrifice,- adjusting their policy to them."

wrath are poured forth ad nauseam. "We are ouite content to allow our contemporary the sole and entire use of such weapons, feeling convinced that the public knows how to appreciate such a style of proceeding. We can quite realise the annoyaace which it must give the News to be told that the hopes which it took so much trouble to raise are likely to be proved false, and we sympathise with it accordingly. We have no doubt our contemporary believed what it said, but as it is evident that " tho wish has been father to the thought," the result has been the only one that could bo expected under the circumstances. The Southland News, under its new role of apologist for the Government, has not yet ! got properly into harness. It chafes and i frets under the unaccustomed control, j It is to be hoped that the position of " Court Journal " will not he too much for it. It may do good service to the State even in that capacity, and, for the sake of the public interests, we heartily desire that it would perform its proper functions. Indeed, the delicate manner in which allusion is made to a rumored " marriage in high life " almost warrants the anticipation that it will yet accommodate itself to tf:e rules of polite literature.' "We have no wish to follow our contemporary through its very amusing remarks. If it is anxious to act the part of the mountebank, and perform a series of j evolutions for the amusement of the public, at the sm all charge of sixpence, j believing that we have other duties to discharge, we must decline joining ill the gesticulations.