THE PRESS.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 314, 23 October 1860, Page 3

THE PRESS.

On September the 26, in the House of Representatives, Mr. Fox called attention to the following observations reported to have been made l>y Earl Granville, in the House of Lords, on the occasion of the order of the day for the third reading of the New Zealand Bill being called—and asked the Ministers whether the despatch referred to could be laid upon the table of the House :— Earl Granville said ho had no objection to postpone the third reading of the Bill until the papers in question shonld have been produced. With respect to the information for which the noble lord asked, he had only to state that according to the latest accounts which had been received at the Colonial Office no more fighting had taken place between the Maoris and the European forces; and the Governor had returned to Auckland, the inhabitants of which place had become reassured on finding that it had been put into a state of complete defence; but the Governor stated that the difficulty of effecting a complete re-establishment of peace had been considerably increased by the hostility of the colonists towards the Natives, and their demand of " blood for blood." Tlih Colonial Secretary, in reply, "emphatically denied that in any despatch written by his Exce lency the Governor, there occurred any such expression." No expression of the kind had in fact been used by the Governor, or any words which jould be construed even by implication, as conveying any such meaning. There had been an evident misconception on the part of the speaker, which, we presume, originated in this manner. Here, in the month of April last, there appeared in a local journal a leading article, from which we think it worth while to reproduce an extract, and which w s headed by the words quoted by Earl Granville':— BLOOD TOR BLOOD! Latest on dit is that Land Commissioner McLean has yone to Waikito to endeavor to accommodate matters and procure iriitant cessation of hostilities. Can this be possible? Does the Government mean to brave public opinion ? In presence of the Biitish blood, by sanguinary savaged so wantonly shed, vvil, utter shamelessness and abnegation of right, of justice of interest, and of humanity, permit these time-so ving politicans, these panderers to dishoner, to stand, forward and propose peace on any terms short of " indemnity for the past and security for the future.' Let this community stand forward and demand, as first basis of peace, the head of Wiremu Kingi. With-all our force, we denounce the mischievous, the dangerous, the wretched policy of His Excellencp, the Right Honorable Colonial Gore Browne, who when the best interests of this Colony are at stake, neglects them, and when the majesty of national honor has been insulted, • lets I dare not wait upon I would.' How dare he publish n requesD to the inhabitants of Auckland—even a request —that they should endeavour to conciliate brown-skinned ruffiaus, whose recent conduct is a standing menace to the peaceable and wellrdisposed traders of this city." The exciting cause of the above outbreak of editorial ferocity was the publication of the following :-— NOTICE. '■ Friendly Natives visiting the town complain that, during the last few days they have been treated with marked rudness by the Europeans, and are frequently to:d that they will be turned out, and no longer per mitted to carry on their trade as heretofore. His Excellency is satisfied that it is only necessary to call public attention to the subject, to ensure friendly treatment for individuals of the Native race. By His Excellency's 'command, HeNEY JOBJN T^NCRED. Tq this particular article, reference was made by the Governor, in a despatch, as showing how

such publications' complicates the difficulties of maintaining amicable relations with the Maoris ■it being a fact perfectly notorious, that whatever appears in the Auckland nowspapers relative to the native people, is regularly translated to them, aud that, not unfrequeutly, in such a manner as to render it most mischievous aud most offensive to them. We see thus to what extent, the reputation of a community may he affected in the eyes of persons at a distance, by the character of the press which it supports. It is hardly necessary for us to say that at no time, even when our war fever was at its height, were such sentiments shared in by any portion of the people of this Province. Their publication, at the time, created general and unmitigated disgust and indignation amongst us, and it is with shame that we find them referred to in high places in England, as being indicative of the feeling entertained towards their native fellow-subjects by the colonists of New Zealaud.— New Zealander.