THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NATTER, THURSDAY, DEC. 26, 1861.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 26, 26 December 1861, Page 2

THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NATTER, THURSDAY, DEC. 26, 1861.

With the issue of the current number of the Hawke's Bay Times the first semi-annual period of our labors is brought to a termination, and we are tempted to avail ourselves of this occasion to review the course of events during this term in our political history, and the ground we have uniformly taken as it appears compared with the promises made in our prospectus and our first number. Our space, however, will not permit us to do more than just glauce at these topics, much as we would like to enter into them in detail, for the period now closing has been more than usually prolific of important events, whether affecting our own Province of Hawke's Bay merely or the colony as a whole. Referring, first, to the ground we have uniformly taken in respect to our more immediate affairs, we can with confidence assert that to the best of our humble ability we have fulfilled our pledges in exposing those abuses which have been allowed to creep into our government. That we have been successful in causing their removal we

cannot say ; but we have at all events kepit the subject before the public eye, probably prevented their extension as they might have been extended, and rendered their removal only a question of time. In performing this work, as our readers are aware, we have encountered a great amount of opposition and some enemies amongst the ranks of those whose interests are more nearly affected by the reforms we have advocated. As this was only to have been expected by us, we are not deterred from pursuing the path we have chosen by anything that they can say, but will still continue to expose abuses in the Governments—General and Provincial, — to advocate the utmost economy consistent with efficiency in the expenditure of the public monies, and all other questions which shall appear to us to be fur the public good. Turning our attention now to the various aspects which the General Government has ' presented during the past six months, what extensn e field is opened for our review but here, as before, we are compelled to contract our remaks greatly within the limits we would desire, and but briefly to refer to the many important events that have occurred. \ ery speedily after the commencement of our labors, the unsatisfactory state of our relations wita the native race became apparent, the hostilities at Taranaki had by certain means been brought to a conclusion, and every eye was directed to the actions of those in power with the greatest anxiety as to the manner in which the great question of Maori rebellion or subjection was to be settled. The policy of the late Government, from its extreme indulgence to the rebels, as exhibited in his manifesto issued to them, and in his memorandum of the 25th May, was such as to cieate a great amount of dissatisfaction, and was only rendered tolerable by the certainty that the terms, mild as they were td--the rebels, would be refused by them as not granting all that they wished ; and the unsatisfactory manner in which the war had been conducted at Taranaki, and for which the late Stafford Ministry was in a great measure held responsible, as tying the hands of the military commanders, contributed to remove the Government from their hands, and place in those of the Fox party, who (although known to be in league with the missionary party in their opposition to the measures brought to bear on the rebels,) it was hoped w'ould, according to their promise, vigorously prosecute the war, when they found their overtures for peace rejected by the natives. Just at this crisis of affairs, the news arrived that Governor Browne was " recalled, and that feir Georg*e Grey was appointed to the oflice of Governor of the colony, with unlimited power of dealing, to the best of his judgment, with the difficulties of the question, and fur months the public mind wars kept as it were on the rock as to the course it would pursue, many parties being as confident of his success as all were of his ability to cope with them ; that he would not reverse the policy of Governor Browne was believed by most people. It seemed the » only course he could pursue, and the magic s of his name would be all powerful to effect with ease that which his predecessor was about to accomplish only with great difficulty. It would seem that the rebels have now been in effect informed that, act as they may almost, there will be no fighting—that, though the Governor would like them to haul down their flag, give up their king, and become good subjects of Her Majesty, if they don't think proper to do so—well, they can do as they like. “ But only look at the natives who have submitted ; see, they have their runangas and magistrates given to them, their lands assured to them as freehold by Grown grant, so that they can sell or let them on terms as well as their pakeha neighbors, and more than all, see, I give them a good deal of money, some <£50,000 a-year as vtu for their loyalty in the form of salaries for the offices they hold. Now, will it not bo better for vou to submit as well ?”

'i his is the strain in which they are addressed, and the avowed hope of the Governor is, that as the rebels see the good effects of his policy on the friendly natives, the disloyal ones will be willing to adopt it. Was a conviction that the policy of Governor Grey was of this nature the reason for the resignation of the Native Minister ? Of course we cannot say, but there is, at all events, something ominous in his resignation at this Juncture. Tha arrival of Mr. Crosbie Ward, Postmaster-General and Secretary of Crown Lands, amongst us to arrange the differences which exist between the settlers and their Maori neighbors, on the subject of grassmoney, &c., which have been the source of much evil to our community, we must hail with welcome. We hope they may be arranged satisfactorily, though, from a candid review of all that has as yet transpired, we have not sufficient ground for thinking that they will be so, but that, on the other hand, Sir George Grey’s yielding policy will be brought into activity here, and the natives of Petane and Pawhakaairo will have granted to them all that they require.