The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, The Morning News and The Echo. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1830.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3219, 13 November 1880, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, The Morning News and The Echo.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1830.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the gcod that we can do.

We have received from the editor of the "Fiji Times" an article reprinted from that journal for foreign circulation, replying to the "Herald's" defence of Sir Arthur Gordon. The "Times" attacks our morning contemporary with very consi. derable vigour. After quoting a number of sentences from the article, it says :—" If in the entire course of the five years, during which Sir Arthur's policy has been the subject of our editorial comment, one word has escaped our pen, which by contrast with the least offensive of thescurrile phrases above quoted, wilt not blanche tbc virgin whiteness we are content to accept the character our contemporary Becks to impose upon us. But if it be true, as we distinctly assert it is, that in thus falsely charging us, the 'Herald' has descended to the uso of coarse, vituperative vulgarity and defamatory ahuse, such as never has, or ever will be, permitted to disgrace our columns, then let it stand forth and wear the cap so industriously manufactured for an innocent head." The exchange of journalistic compliments, in which the " Times " comes off decidedly the best, is, however, of no general interest. The references to Sir Arthur Gordon's administration in Fiji will attract much more attention. If the Fiji " Times " represents the prevalent sentiment among a majority of the colonists towards their late Governor—and wo believe it does—Sir Arthur Gordon must have received the news of his removal with no less jubilation than that which the same intelligence produced, according to the " Times," among the colonists from end to end of the Group. " The absolute fact is," says the "Times," "that the colonial press cannot conceive the possibility of such a state of things as here exists. They cannot believe that an English community, at their very doors, are the helpless, unregarded slaves of a despotism, In its nature almost as absolute and tyrannical as that which has given birth to the hideous Nihilism of Russia. Their own correspondents in vain assert the incredible and astounding fact." In furthor defending its position, the "Times" quotes the Eev. Isaac Rooney to disprove the statement that Sir Arthur's policy has prevented the decrease of the native race. It alleges that " gentlemen of unblemished repute and high position have been arraigned on unfounded charges of murder and manslaughter," and concludes : " What course would the ' Herald' recommend for adoption in New Zealand, if the right of trial by jury were absolutely denied it, and the power of life and death vested in its Chief Justice ? What would De the inevitable outcome, prompt amendment or "revolution and bloodshed ?"

I_t would be foolish to ignore the fast that Fiji, like most other Crown Colonies, does suffer under a despotism which is intensely distasteful to Englishmen who have been born under free institutions and who hare been taught to believe that taxation and liability to bear the burdens of the State give an indisputable claim to equitable representation in the Government of the country. We are no bolievers in the doctrine of rule by divine right, or one man wisdom, and we feel convinced that Fiji would be better governed by the colonists than by any Imperial nominee. Tho denial of trial by jury for capital offences is a wrong which would warrant even stronger language than the " Times " has employed. But thfi policy of maintaining these Crown colonies is an Imperial one and not personal to Sir Arthur Gordon, It may be that he is the victim of a. bad system equally with the colonist?, who are so warmly championed by the local journal. At any rate, there is enough reasonable probability in this view of the case to warrant the colonists of New Zealand in declining to accept the character which the "Times " wishes to pin on His Excellency's back before arrival here. There can be no harm in waiting and judging Sir Arthur by his public acts in New Zealand, and not by the opinion of the Fiji "Times" upon his administration in Fiji. This courso presents the fewer objections because it is beyond the shadow of a doubt that if His Excellency should mistake his position and act in New Zealand under the impression that he is still " monarch of all," or should even attempt, as was suggested at a mercantile dinner the other night, to oppose his personal influence to the institutions and tendencies of a purely democratic Government, no colony underthe sim WDuld more quickly resent tho interference with its constitutional rights.