FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM THE "POST"

A POPULAR GOVERNOR

* "His Excellency the Governor has, "we regret to learn, received an official communication which is practically an intimation that he will be relieved of the Governorship of the colony next March," remarks "The Post" of this date fifty years ago. "It was almost universally hoped throughout the colony that his tenure of office might be extended for another full term, and this desire was made known to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, but apparently it is not to \ be gratified. No doubt the Imperial require the services of Sir . William Jervois in a more important sphere than New Zealand, especially as this colony has, by so unwisely lowering the salary to be paid to a future Governor, proclaimed its readiness to accept a Governor of much lower standing than Sir William Jervois. He would, however, we believe, |have been quite willing to have retained the office even at the reduced salary had the exigencies of the pub-1 lie service required that he should do i so. The Secretary of. State for the Colonies would, however, naturally be averse to asking him to make a sacrifice when he has a legitimate claim to promotion. No Governor which New Zealand has previously had has rendered better service to this colony than Sir William Jervois. His scientific military skill has been freely exercised for its benefit, his conduct politically has been sans reproche, and socially he, Lady Jervois, and the members of *their family have exercised a most beneficial influence, and have set an example of the very highest character. They will all, wherever their future homes may be, always carry with them the respect, affection, and good wishes of all grades of society in this colony. His Excellency, Lady Jervois, and family will probably leave for England towards the end of March. The name of the new Governor may now be announced any day. It has, no doubt, already been decided who he is to be." GOLD RUSH CONTINUES. "The exodus from Havelock, in the Marlborough Sounds, continues. Large numbers are leaving every day for the diggings at Mahakipawa, the people going including farmers,* settlers, millhands, and tradesmen. The .town is now virtually deserted. A regular rush has set in to Waikakaho, and this new field promises to be very extensive and rich. Miners are arriving from Reefton and elsewhere daily, and there is little doubt that some of the areas pegged off are very rich. Tracks are badly needed in the whole of the auriferous district from Jackson's Head to the Wakamarina, and then the whole area could be developed and carry a large population." Apparently nothing would induce the Minister of Mines to take any interest in this new goldfield or to see to it that tracks were made to open up the district. "He stands," says "The Post" semi-humorously, "exposed to a most serious danger. A secret brotherhood of stalwart miners at Mahakipawa, bound together by mystic ties and -solemn bonds, have vowed violence against his person, and are determined to execute it. They are now having the absolutely essential dresses and - properties in the way of long black cloaks, dark lanterns, and masks, without which, of course, a conspirator is a mere nobody, prepared, and then on the first dark night as the clocks chime the midnight hour they intend, after the manner in which Sir George Grey captured Rauparaha at Porirua, to silently surround the Ministerial Residence, pluck the slumbering Minister from his couch, hurry him on board the fast and favourite liner Shag, which with a full head of steam up will be waiting for them, and, defying pursuit, they will carry their victim through the dreadful rip of Terawhiti, and ' across the Straits till Havelock is reached. So far as we can learn the utmost care will be exercised to avoid hurting the captive, and the semblance of violence is only resorted to as being, in the opinion of those best acquainted with the workings of Ministerial minds, the only possible means by which he may be got to visit a goldfield which most urgently needs his assistance for its development. Once at Havelock, nolens vol ens, it is thought that it may be possible to induce him to go on voluntarily to Mahakipawa, and perhaps even to Waikakaho, so that he can see for himself what requires to be done in the way of cutting tracks . to open up the wide extent of auriferous country in that neighbourhood, which, if rendered accessible, would, it is believed, maintain a large mining population, to the great benefit of the colony. The proposed method of attaining a laudable object may appear at first sight somewhat extreme, but really the interests of the country demand that something should be done without delay, and if the Hon. Mr. Richardson cannot be induced to move in the matter voluntarily, we are not prepared to say that even the desperate plot we have outlined would be deemed altogether unjustifiable in the opinion of the public." PEACE OR WAR? "There was probably never heretofore a time when the Great Powers of Europe, in times of perfect peace, maintained such enormous armaments, both military and naval, as there are now. The financial strain on Russia, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy is at present enormous, to enable them to maintain these establishments, and even the British taxpayer is grumbling loudly at the excessive demands made on his pockets to keep up the national defences. There is no apparent sign of any disarmament. On the contrary, the Continental nations appear to be straining their resources to maintain and increase their forces on land and sea. The peace which prevails is an armed peace, in which possible foes are watching each other closely for a favourable opportunity to let slip the dogs of war. If hostilities do not appear imminent, it is because some of. the possible combatants dare/ not, and others are afraid to, provoke them. A peace dependent on such conditions cannot be a very stable one, and it may be broken at any moment. No doubt each of the Continental Powers is acting on the principle that the best way to preserve peace is to be fully prepared for war, but the moment that any one of them shows the least departure from this policy, it is pretty evident that its unpreparedness would be taken advantage of by some other one. That war may be long deferred must be the hope and prayer of every good citizen of the world, but it would be very unwise for England or her colonies to rely too implicitily on the continual observation of peace. Their duty is'"to make the most of the opportunity afforded by any temporary respite so as to be able to hold their own when the storm bursts. If happily instead of bursting, it passes over there will be no reason to regret that' we were prepared for either event As the Powers are undoubtedly ready to fly at each other's throats when opportunity occurs, we are inclined to believe those who say that the storm must burst and that it will burst soon." '