THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1891. SIR FREDERICK WELD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2231, 23 July 1891, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1891. SIR FREDERICK WELD.

A cablegram informs us that Sir Frederick Weld is dead. He was once a distinguished New Zealand colonist, and lived in Canterbury. Me was Premier of this colony in 1864, that is 27 years ago, the other members of the Cabinet being Messrs W. Fitzherbeat, I. L. C. Richardson, H. Ar Atkinson, W. B; : Dy Man tell, J. C. Richmond, and *7- |?/'sjl£gerald. Previously to this a great cbnjtrayersy went on. It was just at the end of the Maori Wars, and the question was whether English soldiers should be retained in this colony or not. Just as now, there were people who cared for nothing but self, and some of these were doing well out of the English soldiers by supplying them with- what they stood in need of. There were others, too, so base that they were supplying the Maoris with the munitions of war, and both these did not want the war brought to an end. Sir Frederick, then known a,s Mr F. A. Weld led the party opposed to these, and brought forward what was known as the policy of self-reliance, that is, reliance on self instead of on English soldiers. This policy was carried out, an armed constabulary was got up, the English soldiers went home, and the Maori War came to a close. In this respect Sir Frederick Weld deserves well of New Zealand. A good deal of her indebtedness was contracted on account of the Maori War, and only for the policy of self-reliance, borrowing for that purpose would not have stopped as soon as it did. It is admitted on all hands that the policy of self-reliance saved the colony from ruin, and the name of Sir Frederick

Weld is still fondly remembered in connection with it. Sir Frederick was born in 1823, and was, therefore, 68 years of age at the the time of his death. He returned to England after having established his policy of selfreliance, and was appointed Governor of Western Australia. He subsequently occupied a similar position in Tasmania and the Straits Settlements, and was altogether a man of distinction,