THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Issue 18, 22 December 1857, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1857. ■

" As truth is truth, And, told by halves, may, from a simple thing By misconstruction, to a monster grow, . I'll tell the whole truth." Sheridan Knowles.

Paternal Governments, or mild despotisms, of which our Alfred's and Edward's were fair samples, are mostly regulative in their more direct appliances, and prospective in their chief provisions. Where siich predominate, it is well for ameliorations and reforms to work downward through society. In free states, that is to say, enlightened realms of justice and right, where men have past their nonage, where there is a large preponderating class of thriving, industrious people, the more fraternal feeling of equality producesa correspondent condition of reflection on the main offices and duties of life.,* and hence arise social and_political changes, formed, not for a national' childhood, as formerly, but for a common brotherhood, where improved rules of Government are occasioned,—that operate both upward and downWard, and. also onward, in the ranks of the great family confederacy. The grand duty of the Press, in such a body politic, is to keep in healthy play a zeal for popular interests; to divert attention from more selfish individualism to more liberal generalities ; to urge the real governing class, the class most suggestive' of permanent conservations and most needed amendments or additions in the fraternal polity;—to urge; we say, this' class of older, or rather more practical and experienced brethren, in the obvious necessities of the times,-—fo study and promote the most useful means for accomplishing the general advantage. Now what are' styled, by the courtesies of olden usance, aristocrats, or the elders of patrician origin or association, may be surprised by measures of public utility shaping themselves under the hands of men accustomed to labour for bread, but when; these are guarded by industry and good sense, —after all, they commence just where they ought. They spring up, and flow out.into the scenes of human welfare, from, the same kind of men who unsealed and directed the fountains of Christian benefits; nor are the blessings- they usually impart, in an unselfish order, unpervaded by truest light.l • The justness, we think, of the foregoing remarks is illustrated, not inappropriately, at the present brightening phase of our Nelson experience, by two meetings of Gold Diggers, &c, in two differ-, ent places -, —One, at the > VAnatoM Gold-fields" ©n November 2Tet, supplies " A Code of Laws/

almost in a nut shell; the other, da November 26tli,—ninety-three'"diggers beiiig present, produces, " Laws and Regulations to-be Observed ori the Quarts Ranges." The "Code" of the former* has -eight regulationSj-^some we\feaV; rather-too: narrow for general practice ; the "Laws', &c.,". of the other meeting, aid more ample severally, and Of a more generous character^—they are ten in mimber, and are, we fancy, likely to give more satisfaction to fresh diggers. We call attention to these voluntary efforts at local rule, in the absence of legislative Ordinances, as a credit to all parties cohcefiWd, as a pleasing indication of Anglican rectitude, and as good hints to our Council. It is to such practical sources of legislation as these that English Governments have to look for guidance, xather than to theories, however plausible and symetrical, springing in imagined perfection, equal to Pallas from the parental brain of Jupiter, from the fruitful cranium of some ambitious Minister of State. After the working of such local measures has been observed for a season, and has been carefully compared with similar pro r visions elsewhere, something maybe effected satisfactorily, for more, enlarged and more diversified fields, by the Council. . But that collective wisdom will not, we flatter ourselves, either neglect or mar the efforts of the diggers to keep "all right."

Seeing, too, that" the blacks," so called,—-those spoilt children of circumstances, who need to be treated with a firmbut considerate policy,—are now getting up fights and frays,-it behoves qur^ authorities tdt^ll*to'tlie'il ra!i| a^^nce^^itiio&i losing a day—all the lawful voluntary and' other kinds of ifud tha^can bequietly andsecurely brought into prudent, action, at least into readiness.

> Whatever a thoughtful solicitudemay provide to check and control the fearful inroads and disorders 6f Chinese brutality, we suspect our most onerous task will be found in dealing with a race nearer our doors. From the highly practical and, after all, wonderful people within the " great wall," our myriads have yet, spite of okr Celestial pride, much, very much to learn, aye to learn beneficially ,' in:the meantime, their convicts and cast-offs should be treated strictly here as tiicy would be at home. But as to the others, —crafty, fro ward, and impudent, as nearly the whole Oceanic Family is to whom they belong,—they will not astonish us by any overt act committed within sight of a bay with anything but an auspicious name. Fools cry a false alarm, but wise men prepare for every thing alarming. It must be Nelson providence to be fortified, in wise precautions, 'vtithout -talking about 4t.- ■ Had England learned by Indian experience,'tlie5 dear payment of a thousand misfortunes resulting from neglect, had our philanthropists taught the native children English, iming the last fifty years, instead of exhausting all their strength on languages doomed to obsoleteness, —had that been done in India, and New Zealand, with the earnestness, zeal, and ability which, with the highest intentions, have cultivated native tongue, but so as to shut out lamentably innumerable tribes and nations from the sympathies of Colonies of a far different speech,—had the living and known tones of Colonial British enterprise,- fallen from, day to day on the understanding hearts of native tribes, what a far superior position, and feeling'df security, should we have enjoyed. But regrets are now vain. Good men did their best; and after all perhaps unavoidable errors^ merit due applause,. ., ..,We must now take things as they are permitted to occur, and steer accordingly. The nearest approach to security which now appears to remain to us, yes to us in Nelson, is to appoint, a subordinate constabulary fox the Maori visitors and diggers, of intelligent, Englishrspeaking Maoris. Pay them; fairly, and through them act strictly, kindly, boldly, and fear not. Avoiding allrashness, or idle musters and flourishes of a physical kind, let our quietly prepared power at once keep them in awe, and be entitled to their confidence. But the Maoris are too fond of gold, are too much fascinated by that Maoi, the god that shakes the land every time he turns in his subterranean bed; not to offer all zealous devotion to his powerful cause. When they still more .fully see. how devoted we are to the golden god,—rivalry, jealousy, covetousness, and the flaming sulphur of all fiery passions may kindle an evil deep as the pit of common dread. No remedies are so effectual or so cheap and easy as the early ones ; let us then as a settlemerit bestir ourselves, in quick time, to prevent mischief by adopting at once good precautionary regulations.