WELLINGTON.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1034, 26 March 1869, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. | [VBOM OUH OWS COBHESPOKDEJJT. | Tuesday, March 23. The Independent condemns ministerial action re M'Lean, and concludes it will be a terrible misfortune to the colony if the necessary powers are not again placed in his hands. Thursday, March 25. Last nigbtthe Council rejected Mr. Phavazyn's amendment on the reply, viz. — " That tin's Council cannot agree with His Honor that this Island can only be recovered from ruin by an entire reversal of the self-reliant policy." They did so by 15 to 10 votes, and carried the original address as follows, nem, con. : — " This Council fully appreciates the grave position of the colony at the present time, and deeply laments the terrible disasters which have befallen the colonists of tbis Island. And tlic Council is of opinion that those disasters, and the ill success which has hitherto attended our arms, are mainly attributable to the withdrawal of tbe Imperial troops, without any adequate provision having been made for supplying their place by a local force." Whakau Mau was executed on Tuesday morning, several natives being present. The lowest tender for the Government House, Dunedin, was twelve thousand pounds. This is considerably above the estimate. The specification is being modified, to enable^ tenderers to reduce the amount. The decision on tbe Melbourne mail service contract awaits a veply from the A.S.N. Company, expected to-mowow by the Ixuahine. Tllfi Jlsntgiloio, with the 'Rrisrlish uu.ils, is expected on Monday, A New Zealaud Gazette notifies that the order of valour has been conferred on j Kepa, for gallant conduct at Moturoa, in November last ; and on Constables Black and Biddle, at Ngatapa, in January last. A despatch from Colonel Whitmore which has been published, gives a detailed account of how nearly Tito's force was being surrounded the other day, which would have been accomplished had a rebel scout not become aware of the danger and given the alarm. It is reported from Wanganui that an engagement was going on at Manawapou, but it is very unreliable. Major Finnimore is reported as likely to be a candidate in the Government interest for the seat now held by Mr. Harrison, should he, as is expected, resign.

Tenders for various public works are called for in to-day's issue. Jury List. — A jury list having been prepared, Friday next has been named as the day fov hearing any objections that may be offered. Prize Rifle Firing. — The firing for the General Government prizes on the part of the Napier Rifle Volunteers, Hawke's Bay Yeomanry Cavalry, Armed Constabulary, and Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 11 Companies of Napier Militia, took place at the Greenmeadow's range on Tuesday last. The weather was dreadful — the competitors (40 in number) having had to contend with a perfect hurricane, and travel through dense clouds of dust, tq reach their destination. The shooting, nevertheless, was proceeded with, and the result was just what might having been expected — the scores being execrable. The highest was 23, by Capt. Kennedy. This, seeing how many really good shots the province possesses, was most unfortunate, and it is much to be regretted that a postponement did not take place. The General Government and Mr. M'Lean. — We lately expressed an opinion that 95 per cent, of the population of Hawke's Bay condemned the late act of the General Government. The local ministerial organ says, in reply, " public opinion is greatly misrepresented by our local contemporary in its assertion that the action of the General Government in depriving Mr. M'Lean of his authority as its agent on the East Coast is universally condemned. With the exception of a party, composed principally of interested persons, the whole public is justly of the opposite opinion." Well, the "party composed of interested persons" must be an exceedingly large one, as the result of recent and of coming meetings will shew. Surely that very result cannot have been falsified by the " mendacious, sea-green Herald," as Mr. Oolenso elegantly designates this journal ! Mb. M'Lean and the Native Population. — The good sense of our Maori population is shewn by an address drawn up by them for transmission to His Excellency the Governor. This address has been seen by several Europeans, and will, we understand, be forwarded immediately. It states that Mr. Richmond threatened to disarm all the friendly natives on this coast, unless Ropata and the Ngatiporou agreed to leave theic homes for the West Co»9t. It appears from tbis address that it was chiefly owing to Karaitiana Takamoana that Ropata refused to leave this coast defenceless. The address goes on to /v ask why natives who have done good service and proved their loyalty, are to be disarmed. It states that the East Coast and Hawke's Bay natives will accept no one else as representative for the Government than Mr. M'Lean, and winds up by saying that if Mr. M'Lean is to fall they will fall with him. A letter, expressing unbounded confidence in His Honor, has also been written by the same natives, which letter Mr. M'Lean would probably receive yesterday. The Secrets of the Telegraph. — Our local contemporary says of a late paragraph under the above heading in this journal, that ife " appears like a libel on the emjaloiies of the &ovey»*»e»t in the Tslsgwiph office. TKg tafcssagßS transmitted between any two parties by the telegraph are regarded as sacred. The nature of such messages can only be made known to third parties by a breach of confidence." We are obliged for this information, although it is not quite new ; and we are sure the officers of the telegraph department are equally so at the implied insinuation that they have grievously forgotten tlaeir duty. But a telegram, sacred i so far as the 'office is concerned, mny be talked of and shewn either by the j sender or receiver ; nnd, putting this and that j together, we infer (nnd our inference will be found not far wrong) that a vast amount of " unmitigated rot," if not worse, has passed between the gentlemen indicated, on the one hand, and Messrs. Stafford, Haultain, and Co., on the other. Time will shew, for the messages are now public property. I