THE GOVERNOR

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 304, 18 September 1860, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR

In our review, in our last number, of the Papers relative to the Native Insurrection, we took occasion to show from the Governor's published despatches the lamentable inconsistencies into which he had, been betrayed, the precipitation and weakness .which had marked his.conduct., r:

But in order more fully to appreciate/MS policy it will be necessary to take into account sbmeiCircumstances which were excluded &pni,.o,ur T prtK vious review. Efom other Papers Ta'ft!before> the Assembly it appears thatfrom his first arrival in the Colony, especially during the last two years, his Excellency had made repeated and u> gent but unavailing applications to the Home Government for an increased military force in New Zealand, as indispensable to ensure the peace of the Colony and prerent any Native; disturbance or outbreak. These applications were so oftert repeated that his Excellency felt it necessary to apologise for their frequent reiteration, lest it might appear like want of respect to her-.Majesty's Goyerement, but pleads as his excuse the danger which existed of a collision with the natives which any.accident might provoke, owing to their highly excitable state, and "the wide spread prevalence of the Maori King1 movement. A. spark might fire the train, and unite the tribes in armed hostility to the Government; and yet, after having made these earnest representations of the . state of the native tribes, and his inability to'control .them without a much larger force than had been placed at his. command, his Excellency, in spite of the warnings lie receives from Taranaki of the nature of the struggle, which he treats as mere rumors aad as unworthy of serious notice, deliberately precipitates the collision, the bare prospect of which had previously filled him with such deep concern, i How the Colonial Minister will be able to re-concile-these conflicting statements, we are at a loss to determine. . V • •• But this is not the worst. If his Excellenc} r really believed New ;Zealand to be in.so. critical a state, it was his bounden duty to have strictly en- v forced Sir George Grey's wise law to prevent the: sale of arms and ammunition to tlie natives. When Sir George Grey left New Zealand the natives were practically disarmed. During the present Governor's administration of the affairs of the Colony, this law has been allowed to be systematically evaded until,at length it was openly repealed, notwithstanding the native 'wars at-Ahuriri, TaranaLi, and other places, and a,free-trade in arms and ammunition allowed tb"i the natives until at last they were sa fully' Supplied with these articles that they became a drug in the market. Then, and nq't till then, his Excellency enters into a wav, for wliich, according to his own showing, he was most inadequately prepared. Doubtless, as the Native Minister assures us,— 2he issue has been carefully chosen ! Whatever we may think of the chivalry of allowing our enemy every, possible advantage before beginning the fight, such a. course is hardly consistent with that prudence which ought to mark the administration of the affairs of this Colony. ' But this is not all. Ina letter published in the Southern Cross, which -we reprint, Archdeacon Hadfield states that the Governor gave him a positive^ assurance that "nothing would induce him to use force in order to obtain land about which there was a dispute, or yield to his responsible advisers if even they should endeavor to press upon him such a step.'' Comment on this is unnecessary; we will only ask what hope is there of the permanent pacification of New Zealand, when the deliberate pledges of the Governor are not to be depended on ? -

It is with great reluctance that we write thus. About the war there can be no two opinions. It must now be conducted with all vigor, and at any cost, until the rebels are compelled to submit to the Queen's authority, and British supremacy is established without question or dispute. Then, but not before, Peace, an honorable peace ought to be established, on such terms as will convince the natives that the Government is merciful as well as strong. . .. . i But we conceive a very great responsibility in j these proceedings attaches to the Governor, a responsibility which he cannot get rid of by attempt- ( ing to share it with his advisers. The settlers of' New Zealand in this crisis have shewn the utmost loyalty and determination, at every sacrifice, to suppp'ort the Queen's authority; but they cannot afford to have one province blotted out after another, and themselves involved in a war of extermination with the natives, through the incompetency of their rulers. We have traced the Governor's policy, from his own despatches, and by facts patent to all, and we feel deeply impressed with the conviction, that the sooner he is recalled, the better for New Zealand. In the appointment of his ,successor, we sincerely hope the British Government will allow no other motive to influence their choice than the desire to send a man equal to the emergency—a man of proved ability and energy; We suppose, it would be almost too much to, hope that Sir George Grey should return to New Zealand, yet he might be sent, as Mr. Gladstone was to the lonian Islands, for a time as Special Commissioner, to restore order and establish peace. Such a mission'would be productive of the happiest effects, as Sir George Grey Would carry with him the unbounded confidence of the natives. But if this cannot be done, let us have a man at least equal to Sir George Grey, and through.the range of public men, surely some few of his stamp are to be found. The salary ought not to be a matter of consideration. Let xis have a man of first-rate ability, and let him be worthily recompensed. The present Governor receives a thousand a year more than bir George Grey did as Governor of New Zealand; and it will be found a wiser and more economical course to appoint, a man of firstrate ability who.should be adequately remunerated, than that the Colony should be ruined and the British Empire drifted into one of these "little wars " by such a policy as has been disclosed in this examination.— Wellington Spectator. _ .