THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, February 7, 1846.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 205, 7 February 1846, Page 194

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, February 7, 1846.

Journals become more necessary as men become more equal and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only to secure liberty: they maintain civilization. De TocauEviLLE. Of Democracy in America, vol. iv., p. 200.

The news from the seat of war continues very discouraging : but notwithstanding the importance to all the settlements of speedy and direct intelligence of what is going on, the only accounts from the north are via Sydney. The Comet, from the latter place to Wellington, brought accounts of the movements at the Bay, and extracts will be found in another column. Private letters inform us that the attack of the 24th December was to have been made upon Pomare's pa, and not upon Kawiti's, as stated in the Wellington paper. We are sorry to add that there is a native story at Port Nicholson of a fight having taken place, in which the troops lost more men than the rebels : but there does not appear much ground for it, considering the strength and efficiency of the detachment selected for the operations of the 24th December. There is also a serious rumour from Manakau via Sydney, that Te Werowero, the powerful Waikato chief, had offered to assist Heki with 5,000 men. It will be remembered that some time ago this chief sent a message to Heki, hinting that if an attack on Auckiand was to be attempted, it would not he proper that all the plunder should be monopolized by the northern natives, and that the Waikatos might perhaps like a share. It is also rumoured that a deputation from Heki to the numerous tribes of Tauranga and Maketu, which have recently made up their differences, had returned with an assurance of support if ho could hold out a little longer. Altogether the crisis is most difficult for Captain Grey ; end if this report of another defeat should prove in any degree correct, an alliance offensive and defensive between the rebels and many now neutral tribes is almost certain. In the mean time, the Wellington settlers are just as ignorant of the Governor's doings as ourselves. When the Amelia sailed for this place, they had been ten weeks without a vessel from Auckland or any direct intelligence : and it is likely that, unless some successful blow is struck by the troops, Captain Grey will not think himself justified in leaving the north for a considerable period. All this proves the wisdom of the suggestion for the division of the colony into two Governments: for without imputing blame to the LieutenantGovernor, his detention in the north, and the probability of nearly all his time being engrossed during the next year or two by military operations to " solve the problem in colonisation " of the Treaty of Waitangi and " Hobson's choice," may be simply fatal to us, the real colonists of New Zealand, who have already been sacrificed by the enmity and neglect of three Governois in little more than five years ! There are

some sensible remarks in a letter addressed to the Wellington Independent' of the 28tb January, which we quote here :— " Captain Grey is at war, and his address tells us that he is too full of it to be able to attend to our concerns. * * * This must be the course of things, unless the Governor divide his work, by fostering the colonists at the south at the same time that he subjects the Maories at the north. The Commander of the Forces should be responsible for the operations of the war, so that the Governor might attend to the operations of colonisation. In this, his proper department, Captain 'Grey might win a civic crown far more glorious than any laurels steeped in the blood of cannibals, with whom colonists wish to have nothing to do. Colonists, especially in the south, want to cultivate the land, to rear flocks and herds, in short, to thrive by the arts of peace. They could do so if the Government would give them fair play. But if they are to be constantly distracted by looking at the seat of war, in order to ascertain whether the Governor has leisure to think of them or not, they must languish, and shortly perish altogether. * * * I should like to see the Governor engaged in making ready the Middle Island and the shores of Cook's Straits for the reception of immigrants, by managing the few Maories who are likely to annoy us, and by developing the resources of this part of the colony : all which might be done by Captain Grey in six months."