Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1869.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1071, 3 August 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1869.

It is not often, in these times, that a journalist can offer the public any cause for I congratulation. We think, however, that J we can safely at this juncture congratulate j our readers on one or two points :«— \ 1. Upon recent news from Waikato, so very different from what might haye been I expected from that quarter. Te Kooti's arrogance has evidently overleaped itself, i . Instead of conciliating, he has bearded the • chief who styles himself "king," and has ' been ordered away from Waikato. Sim- _ ultaneously, Te HeuHeu and others have I left his ranks, and the arch rebel is now 1 more powerless for evil than before ; while f the alarm very naturally created at the prospect of a Waikato confederation against I the European settlements, bas rapidly subJ sided. ' 2. Upon the action taken by the Govern- . ment in the matter of Imperial troops, which i must commend itself to every Northern f Island settler as an all- essential change of * policy. 3. Upon the financial position of the colony, which, as would beseen fiom tne

very lengthy telegram; ';publistiSd in '',onr last, is so far satisfactory that the revenue Sf the past year has ratber. exceeded the $jfcimate, and that no diminution is anticipated. Of course there is much in the position of the country of an unsatisfactory character, but that position is hot quite so bad as was generally feared. \ 4. Upon the provision made for the defence of the Northern Island. True, the sum named, — £150,000 for the year — is very much under the rate of expenditure going on for some months back ; but, in the first place, that amount, we hear, is likely to be increased to £200,000 ; and, in the second, we cannot help thinking that, by a careful weeding out of tbe force, retaining only the best men, more can really be effected, within the limit named, than was done .by the large army lately in the Colonial service. 5. Upon the vigorous measures taken with regard to native prisoners. A long period of hard labour on the roads and public works of the Middle Island, will form a fitting and effectual punishment for the class of miscreants about to be dealt with, and will strike terror in the hearts of their fellow countrymen.