The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1869. "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 87, 9 October 1869, Page 3

The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1869. "Measures, not Men."

The news by the English Mail is, if we are to judge by the telegraphic summary, of the most commonplace description. The only item of genuine importance is the new Constitution yielded by the Emperor to the French people. But this concerns us little, and we have no doubt the public attention will be more attracted by by the paragraphs which more specially refer to New Zealand affairs. We are told that a debate took place in the House of Lords, when Earl Granville again declared the fixed resolve of the English Government to afford no aid to this colony in its struggle with the Hau Hau fanutics. Against this decision we have nothing to urge. We believe a selfreliant policy, however painful in its present effects, to be the one best qualified to prepare New Zealand for Independence. The British taxpayer may justly grumble at being compelled to pay the expenses of a war on behalf of a community who are supposed to be so wealthy as the New Zealand colonists are declared to be. He can answer the plea of poverty by a reference to Government publications, and, according to his lights, he judges well. The shameful system of deception used to attract immigration has on the heads of those who made use of it, and we are almost inclined to rejoice at this instance of poetical justice. But while we hold the English Government guiltless of the downright brutality at..^aibuted to it by many, we cannot •^JcTan apology for the tone of deliberate insult used by English officials in their communications with colonial authorities. By this, more than by the arguments of those who regard the existing tie between England and her colonies injurious to both, is the supremacy of the Old Country endangered. The ignorance and insolence of Downing-street is in truth the best ally to the Separationists. As such, we are almost inclined to view it with favour, although certainly the medicine is at at times more aggravating than the disease. This land of insolence has attracted the attention and called forth the condemnation of that English journal which may be justly called the organ of the highly educated classes. The "Spectator," which at once avoids the vulgar crudity of the Manchester school and the flippant commonplace of Cockney journalism — as shown in the " Pall Mall " and " Saturday " — exercises a very powerful influence. Its proprietor and editor made his mark in connection with Indian journalism, and the paper has always devoted considerable attention to colonial questions. It advocates the severance of the present tie between England and her colonies as the best means of attaining a more perfect union. Such a journal can hardly be accused of favouring the whine for Imperial aid which formed the warcry of Mr. Fox when he was out of office. Yet it is the first to speak, in terms of generous indignation, of the tone adopted by English statesmen in their despatches. It characterises the Blue-book containing these documents as a " repertory of carefully-worded and apparently intentional contempt," and we who have to grin and bear the insults can hardly be expected to gainsay the truth of the accusation. But how is all this to end ? Are we, in accordance with Lord Carnarvon's suggestion, to submit ourselves te a military dictator ? or are we rather 'to follow the meek council of that mild prelate the Bishop of Litchfield, and relinquish all to the dear though mistaken Maoris ? To the first proposal the fact of our having still some slight prepossessions in favour of .civil liberty is.;an irisuper/% objection; the second is

only fit for discussion in Exeter HalL In fact, daily it becomes more and more evident that we must stand or fall by our own merits, and to give us a fair chance in doing so independence is absolutely necessary. We have little faith in the congress of influential colonists which another paragraph of the telegram informs us has met at Westminster, and less in the assemblage those gentlemen have invited to consider the relations between the colonies and England. Such amateur gatherings have never resulted in anything, and are never likely to belie their past history. The other intelligence by the mail is of more European than colonial interest, the most important items being that Her Majesty still remains at Osbourne, and that the Princess of Wales is drinking the mineral waters of Wildsbad.