Page 4 Advertisements Column 5

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 331, 21 December 1860, Page 4

J With regard to the measures that have recently I been proposed for the future management of the na--1 tives, you will readily believe that I should not have i! felt disposed to subject myself or any of my fellow 1 colonists to " three years' imprisonment, and a fine of ! five hundred pounds'* at the option of a Bingle Justice lof the Peace; but I should have been quite disposed | to support a very stringent measure to ensure the preJventionof any more arms being sold to the natives. I The Native Offenders Bill I should certainly not have ; supported. Anything- that would have compelled [the natives to make themselves independent of those : European comforts and luxuries, which they have ; now so largely adopted, would have necessarily made I them more dangerous and unmanageable enemies in this inaccessible and mountainous country. The nominee native council, which is tqposseßsno practical power, is simply an addition to the frightful number of officials to be supported by this small community. The same amount of money spent in giving a complete English education to a few hundred native children, would have been infinitely moire likely to accomplish some useful purpose. The amount of debt incurred by the present ministry in time of peace, appears to me to be quite sufficient to prove to any thinking man that such an administration would take but a very short time to bring the colony to a state of hopeless insolvency. Borrowing money for their successors to pay, except in cases of great emergency, is not only an imprudent, but a decidedly unjust course for any ministry to pursue, and one which would never be allowed by any House of Representatives that did not contain by far too large a proportion of tax receivers, of men who are more interested in the emolument to be obtained from Government, that in the solvency and ultimate prosperity of the colony. No British;ministry would have dreamt of proposing to a British parliament, even in a time of war, to borrow the same amount of money in proportion to the population which the present ministry had been allowed to borrow in a time of peace. I believe borrowing money to be a more dangerous and delusive expedient for a community than it even is for an individual, and I should always, be more disposed to support a Government that Would honestly and courageously meet its own expenses, however great, than one which took upon itself the very pleasant and profitable business of spending, and left its successors to find out some means of paying their debts. , One of the first things which I should be anxious to reform in the House of Representatives is the constitution of the House itself. Nothing appears tome made more self-evident than that the measures proposed by any executive should besubmitted to the consideration and. examination of those who are quite at liberty to adopt, alter, or reject them as they please, and therefore not to those who, holding office.under, and recjeiving payment from the Government, can only be expected to aid as the mere servants or assistants of the Government by'which they are employed; and itappears even more unconstitutional and absurd for taxes to be rkised and debts to be incurred by those'who have to receive and not to pay them. A Colonial Secretary, a Solicitor; and perhaps a Treasurer are necessary evils in this way; their presence in the House is necessary to explain the measures and intentions of the Executive of which they form a principal part; and it is perhaps as well that they should be allowed to vote, as their own votes will generally be only about a fair set off against the votes of the place-hunters who are anxiously endeavoring; to supplant them, and who are therefore pretty sure to be dissatisfied with everything they propose, but nothing can be more undesirable than that the votes and wishes of the independent members of tho House should be nullified by the votes of Land Commissioners and other paid servants of the Government; nor can I Bnderstand how any intelligent constituenciescan be induced to commit such a suicidal act as to choose for their representatives men in such a position; men:who are not at liberty to consult their intrests, but who will naturally and almost necessarily support whatever government happens to have their office and salary at their disposal. iThe District Court has, I understand, been condemned by a resolution of the late House, and will, I '.trust, be abolished by the new one. The hardship aijd suffering endured by some unfortunate debtors; the improper expense incurred by the colony for the stippovt of themselves and their families, and the unnecessary loss sustained by creditors, should long since have pointed out the necessity for some new law relating to insolvency. I should be disposed to support a law that abolished imprisonment for debt altogether, bat rendered a fraudulentdebtorliable to be punished as a criminal. Such a law should offer every encouragement to an early and equitable compromise between a debtor and his creditors. \l shall not trouble you with any remarks about the Ntew Provinces Act. I see its wannest supporters do not now attempt to defend the manner in which it -has been made to apply to this Province. lit is I am sure unnecessary for me or any other resident in the Middle Island to say that he would npt consent to the land fund of this Island being taken for the purchase of land in the North Island, nor do I believe that any member of the House of Representatives ever seriously proposed anything of the sort, although I see that both parties in the House now accuse their opponents of having some design of, that kind. And this reminds me that I ought to s<iy something about what I cannot designate by any more appropriate name than the electioneering cry which the late representatives of this Province appear to have so unanimously agreed on. Two of the members for the.province of Wellington, Messrs.: Featherston and Fox, are painted by them all in the blackest possible colors. Mr. Kelling could •'discern their bad motives afar off." Dr. Monro has now discovered that the man he used to hold up to our poor common-place Superintendent as a pattern of eloquence, enterprize, and statesmanship, is very extravagant and very inconsistent, and has succeeded in bringing his own province to a state of bankruptcy; and that Mr. Fox is all this and a great deal more. Mr. Curtis has exhibited such an extensive knowledge of the '• Wellington party's" motives and intentions that I should think he must have been extremely intimate with them, although Mr. Wemyss informs us!that they were guilty of the most traitorous correspondence with the rebel WiKingi. . But, notwithstanding all these grave charges, we are told by, the same honorable members; that these very black legs would be the " inevitable "successors of the present ministers. : : I think you will agree with me that these,gentlemen are endeavoring to .prove by far too < much for their own case, and that if these Wellington men are one twentieth part so unreasonable, so unjust, i so tin-English, and so traitorous as'they are representedl tto us; it would be a great insult to the Governor and jto ithe House: -of Representatives to suppose;for one. i mqment that such men would be deliberately choseu byithe;Goyernoi!, and supported by a majority of the House of Representatives; both of which: must be done ■. before they could become the "successors" of the present ministers. I must however admit that if I go to the House of Representatives, I shall go by no means prejudiced in favor of Wellington men or Wellington pretensions;' which are not always of a very ' modest description; but no dread of them will prevent me from attempting to" stir-up" or even to weed any^Mihistry that I may conscientiously believe to require it. I hope the new House of Representatives will not be without men of sufficient common sense, prudence, and : honesty to form more than one Executive;- But there is nothing that I would more anxiously avoid than the slightest approach to that purely factious opposition to any existing Government,; which is generally more mischievous than the most servile and unenquiring support. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, ALFRED SAUNDEKS. Richmond, December 8,1860. rpo THE ELECTORS OF COLLINGWOOD. By an Act of the .late General Assembly, the district extending from the West Coast to the Watershed of the Takaka Valley has been constituted an Electoral District. I beg to announce my intention of soliciting your votes at the ensuing elections. A district so essentially mineral requires a representative conversant with your wants and habits. Forty years passed in the pursuit of mines and minerals, justifies my plea of a knowledge of the subject. The present position of political matters in New Zealand requires the grave consideration of matured judgment; it behoves you, therefore, to look well to whom you return as your representative in the new Assembly. The only profession I will make, is that I will servo you faithfully, and will never become a place-hunter." W. J.ONQ WSBT, $<LWiK«TOm.to2& HlO