ROSE WATER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 4, 25 July 1861, Page 6 (Supplement)

ROSE WATER .

The Governor tells the Wellington members •who waited on him to represent the unprotected state of this Province that they must take their chance of the miseries of a war of races, and then rising to the “ Napoleon” strain, ho told them that “ Wars are not made with Rose water,” It was on the 10th of December, 1812 (says Alison,) that a travelling carriage in great haste drove into the Hotel d’ Angleterre at Warsaw. It was Napoleon retreating from Russia, and leaving the wreck of his raagnificnt army to find their way as they best could back to France, After resting three hours, he and Caulaincourt mounted the sledge, “ and upon persons present inquiring anxiously for his health he exclaimed ‘ I never was better; if I had the Devil himself on board, I think I would not be a bit the worse.’ With these words he waved adieu to his attendants. The departure of the Emperor, though a rnatter of congratulation to the troops , completed the disorganization of the army. So then, it seems that the man who so glibly tells others that “ wars are not made with rose water” took especial good care of himself, and left others to bear the brunt of his war policy. If Governor Browne cannot draw the parallel,' the natives can, fast enough. They are quick to contrast the conduct of the present rose water Governor with that of his vigorous predecessor, in peace or war alike. When Sir George Grey came into this country, he found native wars in the North and South. He at once became a volunteer. He was to be seen at the head of the troops, exposing himself to every risk and danger that he required of the soldiers, and the militia. Morning, noon, and night, Sir. G. Grey was hard at work, mind and body. And the natives respected him accordingly, and were ready to make peace at the first opportunity with a foe that treated them, as Renata says he would treat his enemy. But where has the Governor been all this past year and a half, that he has been vaunting ware are not made with rose water ? Sure enough, he went down on that luckless Easter Sunday, 1860, with the the troops from Auckland to Taranaki. He boasted then, that twenty rounds would settle the matter and that he should be back in a week. I! e fulfilled the latter part of the promise, but not the former. He went straight back to Auckland within the time he said, and there he has been during all the Taranaki war. warming himself at home, playing his rubber of whist, and telling the unfortunate settlers whom his policy had ruined that the only person that could use rose water during a war was himself. In an official memorandum written immediately before the meeting of the General Assembly, our rose water Governor makes this deliberate statement — “ Some of the most populous districts—such as Hokianga and Kaipara—have no Magistrates resident among them ; such as Taupo, the Ngatimanui , Taranaki, and the country about the East Cape —have never been visited bg an officer of the Government. The residents in these districts have never felt that they are the subjects of the Queen of England, and have little reason to think that the Government of the Colong cares at all about their welfare." What has he been about during the last five years, the whole term of his Governorship, that he could knowingly allow such indifference on the part of his Government to the natives—an indifference that has ended in such bitter results ? To what is it owing but to his own culpable indolence and neglect that, to use his own words, the natives, “ have little reason to think that the Government of the Colony cares at all about their welfare.” And so now, when he has ruined one Province, and is going to let another take its chance of similar ruin, he ensconces himself behind 5,000 troops and half-a-dozen men-of-war, beside pensioners andy. militia. And at the first panic of an attack on * Auckland he calls in 500 men from poor Taranaki and when remonstrated with, he coolly tells the sufferers that ware are not made with rose water. Alison’s concluding words will be found to be partly true, and with a few modifications will be applicable to present circumstances. “ The Governor’s departure will be a matter of congratulation to the Colony, and will prevent its disorganization from being complete.”— Spectator.