The Governor and Ministers.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4007, 1 November 1881, Page 2

The Governor and Ministers.

The Wellington Times sayi:—" We hope and believe that the good sense and diplomacy of Sir Arthur Gordon .will preserve him from a collision with his responsible advisers upon so delicate a subject as native affairs. Rumor yesterday (20th) was no doubt full of lies aa she ' always is. Certainly she was monstrously exaggerated. It cannot be that Sir Arthur seriously contemplates attempting to reverse the decision of the Ministers. Interference on the part of the Governor would rouse the Colony from one end to the other. It would be argued, and justly that upon the Colony the responsibility rests, that the Colony will have to pay the piper, and that in a matter so vitally affecting its interests no heaven-born native protector would be permitted to meddle. W hat can a comparative stranger possibly know of native affairs. He but reflects, perhaps inadvertently, the views and opinions of men, in common with whom he entertains certain fixed principles relative to the government of i aboriginal races. When such is the case it is both wise and polite, to abstain from attempting to control events; indeed, it may with much (ruth be said that the business of a colony possessing a constitution is not to oppose but to assist the Ministry of the day to carry out the policy that the colony has decided upon. No greater mistake could be made than to imagine that the question was effectually settled by the Imperial Government when whether we would or not, the management of native affairs was thrust upon the Colony in the midst of a native war. The responsibility of the then very serious position was accepted by the Colony with alacrity, and, relieved from the effects of Imperial blundering, greater progress than was ever made before attended the local management of the native difficulty. It is not at ail likely that the Colony will now retrograde a' decade and a half at the bidding of one man. Enough, and more than enough, has been done in the way of pandering to Maori idiosyucracies, and, as is admitted by all who are capable of forming an opinion on the sub* ject, nothing can save the choicest of the West Coast districts from anarchy, but a, resolute opposition to Maori' fads'. as put forth by Te Whiti. This has been initiated at \ last, and we confidently predict an early and permanent settlement of the difficulty if the line of action adopted by the Ministry is consistently and fully followed up. The Governor will interfere at his peril, and should he be tempted to so blunder, he will find that he has made the Imperial authorities directly responsible for whatever results may ensue. The lives that may be lost cannot be restored, but the pecuniary loss caused by the meddlesome interference of the Imperial representative will clevrly have to be made good to the Colony out of the Imperial Exchequer. We hope, however, there will be no necessity for extreme measures but that whatever difference there may be between Sir A. Gordon and 1 his responsible advisers will meet with early add easy adjustment." ■ "r