Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 1869.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1031, 16 March 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 1869.

-* " "" The Advertiser, it appears, comes out veiy strong upon the subject of the late interference of Mr. M'Lean to defeat the selfish schemes of the Governmout. The arrangement would seem to be that the Independent does the respectable for the Government, and the Advertiser the abusive. At all events, the latter uses unmeasured terms in condemning Mr. M'Lean's share iii the refusal of Ropata to leave the East Coast at a time when it is menaced with invasion, and rails (just as it does at Dr. Featherston) at the provincial authorities of Hawke's Bay, whose conduct is insane, selfish, aud what not. We do uot often reply to the sayings of the Government organ — au organ, by the way, which reflects credit in no way npou its promoters — but iii this case we have a word or two to say. It so happens, as the Advertiser well knows, that the provincial authorities have nothing to do with the matter. Mr. M'Leau, as General Government agent, saw fit to arrest the hand of his official superiors (as we suppose they must be called) in the act of committing a great folly. Except as such agent he could not have done it. The remedy of Colonels Haultain and Whitmore, for those distinguished officeis row in the same boat, is, not to rail at provincial institutions aud stigmatise everyone connected therewith, but simply to displace Mr. M'Lean as their representative, aud appoint in his stead some one who, provided he gets pay and allowances, will obey their behests most implicitly, aud ask no unpleasant questions — the officer commanding in Napier, for instance. As to the cause of offence, it is just possible that the Government may yet be grateful for Mr. M'Lean's interfereuce — at all events the Colony may. i The Government themselves are by no means sure that the king has not declared war in all parts of New Zealand ; they have so heard, although the report wants confirmation. They know that Te Kooti is yet prowliug about j they know that Te Waru is not far off; they know of fresh murders in Opotiki if not in other places : yet, in face of all this, they (having previously withdrawn all the Constabulary force) would remove the brave chief to whom the East Coast owes so much, aud upon whom so much dependence could be placed in the hour of danger. We can only say that we are glad they did not succeed, and hope they will succeed no better in the surreptitious enterprise upon which they are now engaged.