THE COLONIAL POLICY OF THE HOME GOVERNMENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 106, 19 February 1870, Page 6

THE COLONIAL POLICY OF THE HOME GOVERNMENT.

On the 24th November, a piiblic meeting was held at the City Terminus Hotel, London, to consider the present l-elation of the Colonies to the British Empire. Mi-. Youle presided.

Mr. E. Wilson, of Melbourne, Australia, said that, in the present very unsatisfactory relations between the Colonies and the Home Government, it had been thought well that periodical meetings should be held in London, inasmuch as there was a turning-point in the history of the Colonies, and it would be advisable to give affairs a right direction ; for without such a movement the direction taken might be a wrong one. The Colonies were in a transitional position, and the points which were continually arising would require very judicious treatment. From periodical meetings of Colonists thoroughly acquainted with every point in detail, he anticipated the best possible results. Several movements were going on, the course of which it would be very desirable to watch with great closeness. This was particularly to be noted in reference to the position which had been taken by the present Government towards New Zealand, for this formed an admirable illustration of the new sort of views which were supposed to be growing into favour in tins country. He could not understand at all the sources from which the Government obtained its information on Colonial matters ; for himself he believed it to be an erroneous policy, and that it would be found to be not in accordance with the general feelings of the people of England. (Hear.) With regard to the recent despatch of Lord Granville on the subject of New Zealand, he Avas authorised hy- many correspondents to declare that they viewed it as insulting and unsympathetic, and likely to produce the greatest possible discontent in the Colony. It was quite a new idea that Colonies had become an encumbrance, a loss, and a nuisance ; but before a Government took the very bold step of throwing off its Colonies, public opinion should be consulted. It was not for Lord Granville alone, but for the people of England to declare what should be clone in the matter. (Hear, hear.) One course which had been adopted was to prepare a petition to the Queen and the Parliament against any separation of the Colonies from the mother country, and urging that a large xramber of people being without employment, and being anxious to emigrate, but without the means, ought to have the means provided for them of going to some of these fine countries through the sale of lands. These lauds had been handed over to the Crown in a very off-handed way, and people might naturally come to ask somewhat roughly what had become of them. Coirespondence had been entered into with Lord Grey and Lord Carnarvon, and Sir Bartle Frere had prepared a document, which would soon be in circulation, and which he believed contained a complete solution of the New Zealand difficulty. He concluded by proposing a resolution which affirmed that, considei-ing the present unsatisfactory state of the Colonies, it was desirable that there should be weekly meetings of Colonists to consider the matter.

Mr. George Thornton, of Sydney, seconded the motion.

Mr. Bowden of Melbourne, said Lord Granville had taken a course which he believed would be most disastrous. The English Government said in effect — "We will send you judges, governoi's, bishops and others, whether you like them or not ; and so long as we can get anything out of you, we will ; but when we cannot we will throw you over."

Mr. Westmorland, of Jamaica, thought that it would not he wise to pass any resolution relative to one Colony, but to protest against the whole Colonial policy of the Government. Some years ago the Government of Jamaica was taken by the Colonial Office, and since that time nothing had been done towards encouraging progress and civilisation. Indeed, the Colony was at the lowest ebb. The Church had been very much reduced, while extra taxation had been imposed. The withdrawal of the clergy would prove a great blow, for the Voluntaries could not support themselves, and he scarcely dared to anticipate what the state of the poor there would be. If there was no improvement, he should take care that his sons did not become settlers in Jamaica.

The resolution was carried unanimously.

Mr. Bowden moved :—": — " That this meeting deprecates the policy enunciated by Lord Granville with respect to New Zealand, and is of opinion that if that is the policy of the Government, it will end in the colonies separating from Great Britain.

The Hon. Mr. Tobin, of-Newfound-land, seconded the motion.

Sir George Grey trusted the resolution would not be passed, in order that all minor difficulties might be sunk, in order that the great colonial work already undertaken rnighL be upheld and the colonies held together. Let them forget, then, the special difficulties of Jamacia or New Zealand, and see how best our colonies could be held together. It was not possible that Lord Granville could by himself break up an empire. If he determined upon such a policy as that he enunciated, a manly course would be to give cine notice to the colonies, that they might be prepared for action. Let the colonies be told whether they were to be held together, or whether there was a design to cast them adrift. Mr. Briggs considered the colonial Governments were as much to blame as the home Governments, for by indiscreet sales of land they had broken the bond which had formerly held them together.

Mr. Tobin said that the advice given by Lord Granville was precisely that which he gave to the North American Colonies. He said to them, "If you don't like them, you can go to the States." The Colonial Office was the embarrassment of the colonies. It was not Lord Granville, for Lord Granville knew nothing of colonial matters. He never knew a Colonial Minister who did. He had thundered at the doors of the Colonial Office for yeai-s, and had never met with anything but impertinence and contempt. He believed that they were now on the eve of the breaking down of an empire, but if Englishmen put their hands to the plough they would save it.

Mr. Abrahams believed that the members of both Houses of Parliament were in accordance with the Government on colonial policy, and that action should therefore be brought upon the Legislature

Mr. Grey, of the Cape of Good Hope, strongly approved of the principle of the resolution, but hoped that the words "of New Zealand" might be omitted. Mr. Tobin declined to accede. Mr. Booth proposed, and Mr. Carson seconded as an amendment — " That the meeting deprecates the recent policy of the Colonial Office, as enunciated by Lord Gran. vi lie's despatch to New Zealand, as tending to destroy the harmony that should exist between the mother country and the colonies."

The amendment was rejected on a division ; and it was then moved as another amendment that all the words in the original resolution .after " New Zealand" should be omitted. This amendment was carried, the meeting thus expressing its disapproval of the policy of Lord Granville generally with regard to New Zealand.

Ultimately, the resolution by Mr. Gregg — " That this meeting deprecates the colonial policy of Her Majesty's Government, as illustrated in the recent despatches of Lord Granville "—" — was carried.

Thanks were voted to Mr. Wilson for calling the colonists together ; and arrangements were made for future meetings. — " Scotsman," December 2.