Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1869.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1026, 27 February 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1869.

Last Herald contained the following startling announcements : — " Seven men killed and one man wounded at Whanganui." "Massacre of eight persons at Turanaki." While our extra of Thursday reports that Ngatimaniapoto were gathering their forces at the White Cliffs. It appears, then, that up to the present time there is no improvement in the position of the Colony, but that it rather grows worse by the long continuance of evil. The murders at Taranaki give a new aspect to our troubles which is of an alarming character. Hostilities after a most revolting type are opened in a part of the country which was thought to be at peace. Colonists naturally look to the supreme authority in this emergency, and suppose that tho Governor would wish io obtain the support of the country by calling together the General Assembly. During the continuance of the late adverse state of things, the publio have been looking forward with some satisfaction to the announcement which appeared some time ago that the Assembly was summoned for the end of February. But, now that the dangers of the Colony are becoming i more aud more imminent, aud it is ' clear to the minds of most men that some new line of policy is required, we learn that the meeting of the Assembly is put off till the middle of April, which probably means the cud of May. How is this to be explained ? The solution given in the extract from the Wauganui Times and reprinted in the Herald, is, most probably, the right one. It amounts to this : that Mr. Stafford is anxious beyond measure to retain his premiership during the time of the royal visit, hoping that he will thereby be in the way to promotion. He knows that, if the Assembly were to meet at once, he would lose his position j he determines, therefore, at all hazards, to coutinue the desperate game. Of what consequence is it to him whether families of settlers are murdered in cold blood, or whether the conduct of affairs be continued in a course which has long been proved to be a failure, if only he can be dignified with the title of knighthood ? Surely the indignation of the country will be aroused, aud petitions will be sent in to the Governor from every province, urging him at once to take the opinion of the country by summoning together the Assembly, It may be fairly doubted whether the Colony is in a position to do honor to the Prince, but, whether or not, his visit should not be permitted to stand in the way of the public safety.