WELLINGTON

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 529, 13 July 1869, Page 3

WELLINGTON

(from our own correspondent.) July 1. Since my last letter there has been no new move in the political world. The Ministry has not been strengthened as yet by the addition of any new members, neither have I heard of any one likely to accept office. Mr Ormond, who was expected by many persons to have a portfolio given him, has accepted, instead, the appointment of Government Agent in llawke's Bay, and has already gone off to the pcene of his labors, probably much to the disgust of Mr Kussefl (or, as he is commonly called, Lord Henry), who has, since Mr M'Lean's dismissal, been the active spirit in that Province. On Wednesday, the 30th, after some routine work had been gone through, Mr Cracroft Wilson's celebrated resolutions on the Native question were brought on in committee. A 8 you probably may have forgotten them I will give them you : (1) That the lime has arrived when the system pursued, in the administration of native a flairs for years past should be altogether changed. (2) That one of two courses is open to the people of New Zealand; either to face the native difficulty, and crush it at its source, or to abandon the greater portion of the Northern Island, and allow it to relapse into its original state of savage barbarism. (3.) That the former is the only manly course, and that it will eventually be found the cheapest and the most prudent course. (4.) That the colony of New Zealand is not now capable, unaided, of carrying into effect the former course. (5.) That Commissioners be appointed by his Excellency the Governor to wait upon her Majesty's Ministers in England, with a view to afford them all the necessary information, and to obtain her Majesty's consent to the following arrangement:— Ist. That a force consisting of one British regiment and two regiments of Ghoorkas, under the command of an officer who has served with the Indian army, be placed at the disposal and under the control of his Excellency the Governor of New Zealand in Council, for a period not exceeding three years. 2nd. That so soon as the rebellion in the North Island has in the opinion of his Excelency in Council been thoroughly crushed, the colony shall pay to the Imperial Government the sum of £4O per head per annum for every British soldier, and J525 per head for every Ghoorka, for the period between their arrival in and departure from New Zealand. 3rd. That the aggregate sum be defrayed by debentures bearing interest at the rate of four per centum per annum, and one per centum per annum sinking fund. Mr Wilson——l beg Ha pardon—

Mr Cracroft "Wilson, C.B.—in moving these resolutions asked the House to consider them without party spirit. He depicted the wretched" state of the country, and the condition of the neutral natives passively assisting the rebels. He said that the question lay between our attacking the King or the King attacking us. He narrated the events which had occurred between the last cessation of hostilities and the breaking out of the present war, and argued that present concessions might produce temporary quiet only to be followed by another disturbance. He then touched upon the feeling in England with regard to the state of the colony, and urged that assistance, if applied for, would bo granted. He then touched on the advantages of employing Ghoorkas, their docility, endurance under fatigue, bravery, and economy, eight shillings a month'being the pay they received during the first Sikh campaign. The Colonial Secretary moved the adjournment of the consideration of the resolutions for a week, as they would involve the whole question of the Native difficulty, and by that time he would have been able to make a statement to the House, for which he was not quite prepared then. The House in reality was rather making fun of Mr Cracroft Wilson, C.8., and his resolutions, and, although disposed to have a little amusement over them, it was not willing to carry it on so long as would have been the case had a regular discussion in committee on the matter ensued. Before next Friday the intention of the Ministry on the Native question will have been put in a definite form before the House, and a discussion on it will have taken place, which will result in the Ghoorka resolutions being quietly shelved. The consideration of the Westland Bating Bill was. on the motion of the Colonial Secretary, postponed until Thursday next, as the Government were not in a position to say what course they would adopt with regard to it. Several bills passed through committee, after which tho House adjourned.