The Press. MONDAY, MAY 29, 1865. THE NEW ZEALAND DEBATE.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 804, 29 May 1865, Page 2

The Press. MONDAY, MAY 29, 1865. THE NEW ZEALAND DEBATE.

It is only after ,& careful perusal of the debate in the House of Commona upon Mr. Arthur Mils' motion, which we published in full on Saturday, that we realise the whole effect which the policy of Mr. Weld's (Government has had and will have on the fortunes of this colony. Prom all sides of the House, from men of the most opposite | politics, from Mr. Buxton representing the 'philo-Maori element to Mr. Roebuck who thinks it is the duty of colonists to exterminate the "wild animals of New Zealand the most mischievous amongst whom was the wild man," but one conclusion prevails, namely that the policy of the present Colonial Government was the only one which it was open to the Home Government to adopt. Two things in this debate are noticeabla First, that the colony is spoken of in terms of great respect instead of with the contempt which has been the fashion of late years. And a general feeling prevails thatif the over-ridinganthority of the Mother country is removed, and the Natives are left entirely to the tender mercy of the colonists, they will fare much better than if they are nnder the protection of a distant authority, powerless for real good, but just powerful enough to throw all the political elements in the colony into lite utmost confusion. Parliament seems at last to believe that it is not the wish, and to have discovered that it is not the interest of the

colonists to exterminate the Native race. The statesmen of England have, it seems, come to the conclusion —at which it is amazing, at least to us, that they had not arrived at long ago —that the very necessities of the case must compel the colonists, if left to themselves, to adopt a just and reasonable policy towards the Natives; because by such a policy alone can peace be preserved and life and property be rendered permanently safe throughout the colony. ' It is the law of G-od's providence that the passions of men are controlled by external authority and over-ruling law. What the law of a country is to each individual, the indissoluble connection between cause and effect, between crime and its consequences, is to a nation. The natural corrective of cruelty and oppression is the injury it ultimately inflicts on the oppressor. To adopt a just, firm, but merciful and humane policy, is in the end the cheapest, the easiest, the most successful ; and if left to work out our own destinies we ghall find that out for ourselves. At all events the absurdity is for ever exploded that the presence of a British army is necessary to protect the Natives from the settlers. The troops have helped us, nay their very presence has tempted us, to make war; but we are not aware that they have ever been the means of maintaining peace.

The second point we notice in tlie debate is the remarkable reticence on the part of the speakers as to Sir George Grey. Tiie English people seem to have their ejes opened at last to that great imposture, j that the Governor w standing in the gap between the English and the Natives. One or two speakers still mention the Governor with respect, but, on the whole, it is the policy of Mr. Weld's Government which occupies the attention: of the House, not that of Sir George Grey. The latter is not i indeed yet exposed as he will be one day. He is not yet the object of attack. But the humbug of turgid laudations is over : there is the stillness of high water. Then comes the ebb. And it will come ; for there is nothing the English hate like imposition; and when they realise the fact that the invasion of "Waikato was Sir George Grey's own work, and that the abominable Bills of 1863 were passed not only by his assent but, partly at least, at his instigation, they will reckon at its true worth the character for a "friend to the Natives," which his Excellency has been building up at the expense of the fair fame of the colony. Now, at last> the colony stands in a true, well-understood, and favorable position. It has now a great career before it. No Ministry has ever had such an opportunity as that at present in power. Mr. Weld will meet the Assembly a month hence with a prestige which none of his predecessors have enjoyed. He has secured the unity of the colony by his bold and honest dealing in the removal of the Seat of Government: he has brought the colony through the difficulties ! surrounding the Panama Contract: he has [raised its name from the very dirt to a position in which it commands the respect I of the mother country, and is rapidly retrieving the financial disasters into which the recklessness and incompetence of his predecessors had plunged it. Above all, he has declined the continued assistance of the Imperial forces, and has virtually dismissed a commanding officer, who seemed to consider that his high position entitled him to insult those whom he was ordered to assist.

All tHs places the present Government in a strong and secure position and will, we doubt not give them a commanding majority in the House. But then comes the question: How will they use it ? We reiterate an oft repeated opinion, that as the war ends and the troops are removed, the real difficulty of the Native question commences. We are persuaded that" the Native question will be settled in the coming session, or that it will continue a sore in the side of the colony for many a long year to come. We firmly believe in the possibility of laying down such broad principles as to the government of the Maoris, and as to their legal status in the colony, as shall win their allegiance for ever; and the occasion of finally removing the troops presents an opportunity which will never again occur, for the introduction of a new .policy acceptable to the Native race. Will Mr. | Weld's Government be bold enough to propose such measures, or strong enough to carry them? We have very strong hopes that he will. But as the time approaches we would warn the colony that the sending away the British troops means one of two things. It means, either a real incorporation of the Maori race into the body politic of the colony on such terms as the Natives will accept; or it means, an amount of expenditure for purposes, of internal defence which will monopolise for years to come all the increasing wealth and capital of the colony. There is no choice -but between those two. Let the broad lands of the Middle Island looktoik

"We reprint the article from the Times on the New Zealand debate. It is most amusingly characteristic of that journal. Having been beaten out of every position —having been compelled to unsay all it has said—England having been compelled to reverse all its policy—the Times indulges in a happy s.train of self-glorifiea tion equally on the old ways which have been left and the new ways selected. It is as if a man who had, against all warning, walked 20 miles out of his way, and had to walk 20 miles back to get into the right road, should congratulate himself on his sagacity in getting into the right road at last. According to the Times, what is is right, what has been is right, and what will be is right : "God bless the Guards, though worsted Gallia scoff, God bless their pig tails, though they're now cut off; And oh! in Downing street, should old Nick revel, England's Prime Minister—God bless the devil."

Naeeow Escape.—Yesterday afternoon a little girl fell into the Avon, just below Lane's mill, in a spot where the current is very rapid, and was carried some distance down the stream. One of the late arrivals, dwelling in a tent cloße to tho river, however, saw the danger, and immediately jumped in and rescued the child, who, besides a, good ducking, had fortunately received no further injury. Chamber op Commerce. —We have been requested to state that the quarterly meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, previously announced to take place on Monday the 29th inst., at two p.m., is unavoidably postponed to the same hour on Wednesday next, the 31st inst. Business : to consider report on Customs Tariff. Obdeb, op Fobestees.—A meeting of the brethren of Lodge No. 2309 will take place this evening, at half-past seven o'clock, at the Foresters' Hall. E.IPIE Match.—Saturday afternoon was a very fine one for the third and conquering match between Nos. 1 and 2 Companies. The first match, it will be remembered, was won by No. 2 Company by 18 points; in the second No. 1 were victorious by 13 points, and on Saturday No. 2 again gained the day by 26 points; scoring in the three matches 30 points moro than their opponents. The firing on Saturday was capital, and the highest score was made of any match during the season ; No. 2 Company averaging 36 points, and No. 1 32| points per man. The ranges, of course, were the same as at the previous matches, viz., five rounds each at 200, 300, and 400 yards, but owing to the late hour at which the match commenced, the last rounds were fired almost in the dark. In firing for the Government prizes last year the highest individual score made at the above ranges in all the New Zealand colonies was 44, and this number was exceeded yesterday by a point, by Private Younghusband of No. 2 Company. The following are the scores:—

An Expected Abrival. —The following notice respecting an intending immigrant to Canterbury has been pointed out to us. It is from tho Colchester News of March 4:—The Rev. J. OB Hoare, curate, who was married last week to Frances Eleanor, eldest daughter of the late Rev. T. C. Henderson, incumbent of Messing, is about to emigrate to Christchurch, New Zealand, but before he quits this country it is intended to present to him a Bible and a purse of money. To show the great respect in which the rev. gentleman is held by all classes, both Churchmen and Dissenters are rieing with each other in endeavouring to collect subscriptions to make the presentation well worthy of acceptance.

Princess' Theatbe.—On Saturday evening " Plot and Passion" and "Paddy Myles , Boy" were produced at the theatre to a very poor house. The drama was well played throughout, in fact we have hardly seen Miss Rosa Cooper to better advantage than in the parfc of Madame de Fontanges. To-night the Leopold Troupe and the Brothers Wieland make their debut. These artistes have been most highly spoken of by the press, and during their late engagement in Dunedin succeeded in drawing large houses when the performances of other stars had failed to do so, and we have no doubt but this will be the case here. Aβ trapeziens, the Brothers Wieland are scarcely surpassed in the world, and we noticed on Saturday evening that a trapeze had been hung in the centre of the theatre by means of which they will leap from the dress circle to the back of the stage, a feat, we believe, amongst the smallest at their command.

No. l Co: 'AST. Name. 200 Yards. 300 Yards. 400 Yards. *3 fcieut. Cook • .J 21 2 11 Sergt A. Johnston 2 112 2 Corporal Alison .. 2 2 2 3 2 ,, Seymour .. 12 12 1 Private W. Barnes! 2 1112 „ Gibbs -.111132 „ HHlj-ard..J 1112 1 11 121 22112 11222 20012 00112 23322 12 101 30202 11122 2 Rβ 11 1 R0 0 0 12 2 0 2 10 112 3 2 2 0 K 36, 34 40 31 31 25 20 No. 2 Company. 200 Yards.'300 Yards.: [400 Yards. a I Name. Sergeant Wallis .. 2 3 112 S. Papprill 113 2 1 Corporal Papprill.. 13 2 10 Private Niemann .. 2 2 2 0 1 „ J. Free .. 12 0 12 „ J. B. Hobson 3 3 2 2 2 „ Younghusband 2 3 2 3 2 13 R 2 2 R 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 2 2 0 1 12 2 10 2 113 1 12 2 3 1 1 1 2 Rl 3 2 3 2 1 3 2 0 3 0 112 0 0 0 3 2 3 3 2 0 2 2 2 2 8 0 3 3 35 36 30 29 35 42 45