THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, August 3, 1850.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 439, 3 August 1850, Page 90

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, August 3, 1850.

Journal* become more neceitary 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 iccure liberty : they maintain civilisation. Dx Toco.ukvh.le, Of Democracy in America, vol. iv., p, 200.

The Government of New Zealand is still doomed to follow the same erratic course which it has always trod. The mind of our Governor is as fickle as the wind—as unstable as water. To-day, he devotes all his energies to uphold some favoured principle, to build up some pet fabric — to-mor-row, the labour and the object are alike disregarded, and Sir George Grey does not hesitate to gainsay his old creed, and overturn his own handy work. There is no need now to show for the hundredth time how Sir George Grey deluded the Southern colonists of New Zealand by approving of their claims for self-government, and afterwards became the stumbling-block to the attainment of their wishes ; nor can it scarcely be necessary to call to mind the labour, the mortification, and the odium he incurred, in establishing his Nominee Councils, upon which he has now passed irrevocable sentence. " A man," says Bacon, " is an ill husband of his honour that entereth into any action, the failing wherein may disgrace him more than the carrying it through can honour him." Had Sir George Grey succeeded to the utmost of his wishes with his unpopular Councils, he would have derived little honour from anything which they could do, whereas the failure, the total and most signal failure of his scheme, has damaged his reputation in a way that years of after-success will scarcely repair. By the extract we have given from the Government Gazette of the 23d ultimo, it will be seen that Governor Grey has clapped the extinguisher on the New Munster Provincial Council, which had been summoned by the Lieutenant- Governor, " for the despatch of business," on the first of the present month. True, his Excellency hints at the possibility of suffering it to assemble

some time in October, but this is contingent

on receiving " definite instructions from Ker Majesty's Government regarding the lture form of Government to be introduced uito this colony." What, after all the striving to stave off representative Government for four years — only four years — does Sir George, Dame Partington like, find it impossible to hold his ground against the tide of public opinion. But what will the Nominees say to this ? They are coolly enough told that their services are not very highly valued : — appropriating the Revenue after half of it is spent, amending defective Ordinances passed last year, and fixing the salary, of his Excellency the Lieutenant-Goyernor, are subjects of "no very pressing importance." This would have been bad enough from the factious gentlemen who have opposed Sir George's Nominee Government, but coming from his Excellency's own mouth, after all the palaver he had lavished upon his dupes to win them over to his side, it must be a cut indeed. "Et tv, Brute ?" the Nominees may well exclaim : " Then fall, Casar."

Before remarking on the contents of Mr. Jollies letter, which appears in our paper to-day, it is proper to state that when the former letter was printed in the Examiner, on the 20th ultimo, the editor was absent from Nehon, and the notice which then accompanied it was written by a gentleman who, for the Lime, had kindly undertaken to perform the editorial duties. Had we then been at home, it is probable we might have saved Mr. Jollie the trouble of penning his second epistle. If we clearly comprehend the difference between our opinion and Mr. Jollies, on the merits of the Colonial Bank of Issue, it

is this, that our correspondent is satisfied, from Earl Grey having expressed a disapprobation of the specie held by the Bank being invested in Colonial securities, and the Treasury Board having suggested that such specie shall be invested only in Government securities in England, that these instructions and desires will be scrupulously observed, notwithstanding the power which the Governor still possesses to act contrary, by failing to make the alteration in the Ordinance prescribed by the Colonial Minister. To such an opinion Mr. Jollie has an undoubted right to hold ; but, on the other hand, there are circumstances, we think, sufficient to warrant a contrary view, and the mistrust we have expressed on the subject ; but should we be mistaken, we can only regret that our powers of " discrimination " are not equal to those possessed by our correspondent, that our head is not so clear "at distinctions " as that which Mr. Jollie carries upon his shoulders, and that our "blind party prepossessions" exceed his own.

The despatch from Earl Grey to Governor Grey, approving of the principle of the Government Bank Ordinance, but directing his Excellency to propose to the Legislative Council the alterations- suggested by the Lords of the Treasury, must have been received by Governor Grey some time before the end of 1848. Why, we would ask, have Earl Grey's instructions been disregarded, unless with some ulterior view? His lordship's words were sufficiently explicit — " You will propose to the Legislative Council the alterations here suggested " — (suggested by the Lords of the Treasury) — why was this positive instruction disregarded when the General Council sat at this time last year ? We do not quarrel with Mr. Jollies faith in the virtues of colonial Governors, but sad experience has taught us that, without responsibility to those whom they are set to govern, the best are to be regarded with jealousy and suspicion. But we may be told, to disregard the Colonial Minister's instructions, is to offend the Home Government and not the colonists, and no Governor would be so fool-hardy as to risk the displeasure of his employers. How came Captain Fitzßoy to violate the Royal Instructions which accompanied the Charter of the colony, by issuing illegal debentures ? How came he to disregard the Land Sales' Act, and allow land to be sold for a few pence an acre ? How came his predecessor to set up expensive establishments in the teeth of Lord John Russell's injunction to practice economy ? How came Sir George Grey himself, if rumour be true, to follow the example of many other colonial Governors, and draw on the British Government for large unauthorized sums of money? A hundred other examples might be instanced to show in what light the " positive instructions " of their " superiors " are held by colonial Governors when it suits the purpose of the latter to set them aside, because they always calculate on being able to justify their own conduct by painting some fancied emergency; and we believe both the Colonial Minister and the Treasury Lords would be more inclined to overlook an infringement of their instructions when the consequent cost fell upon distant colonists, than when accompanied by drafts upon the national chest at home.

With the above exception, there does not appear to be any great difference of opinion between Mr. Jollid and ourselves. It is true that gentleman tries a little hair-split-ting, but we confess our " head is not very clear at such distinctions." Our correspondent quotes from Earl Grey's original despatch of February 2, 1847, to show that we overstated the fact, when we said he had " expressly enjoined that the investments made by the Bank should be in extracolonial securities," whereas his lordship only suggested, as the best arrangement, that the money should be invested in Sydney. When we alluded to Earl Grey's original despatch, we certainly spoke from memory, not having a copy of the Parliamentary Papers by us at the time, but after all, we were not far wrong, while it is certain that the Lords of the Treasury, in their subsequent communication on this subject, laid down this principle very forcibly. But instead of prolonging an unprofitable controversy, it will perhaps be better to adopt Mr. Jollies suggestion, and reprint all the public documents which refer to the Colonial Bank of Issue, and this we will take an early opportunity of doing,

It is with great pleasure that we print some particulars of the late important overland journey, made from Nelson to Fort Cooper, by Mr. Dashwood and Captain Mitchell. Undertaken at the most unfavourable season, of the year, and when

the country is seen to considerable disadvantage, the large tracts of land discovered by these enterprising explorers realize all that has been surmised of the splendid grazing qualities of that part of our island. The distance from the top of the Waiopi Valley to the site of the intended town of Lyttelton, Mr. Dashwood estimates at something less than 200 miles, but it is probable on a more intimate acquaintance with the coun--try, that this distance may be considerably shortened. Captain Mitchell, in the sketch of the journey we have published, points out how the worst part of the ground travelled by them might be avoided, and Mr. Dashwood thinks that the Acheron Valley might be reached more easily by following up the left-hand branch of the Waiopi river, instead of the right-hand one — that which they pursned. When unable to proceed further down the Acheron Valley, the river was seen to take a northerly course, and to run through the chain of mountains named the Kaikoras ; and on ascending a hill, Mr. Dashwood informs us that he was able to discover, through the gap where the river ran, low hills in the distance, which he supposes to have been near the coast. On the return of summer, we hope some gentlemen equally enterprising, will be found willing to add to our present scanty information respecting the extensive country lying to the south-east of Nelson ; and should a body of emigrants arrive at Canterbury in the spring, the journey to that settlement might be made with a herd of cattle, the sale of which would recompense the trouble.

The Crops and the Weather. — If the present winter has been a long, and, as some say, a severe one, for this country, it has been a season in every way favourable to the farmer. The dry, frosty, sunny weather which, with only a few short breaks, we have been favoured with so long, has afforded excellent opportunities for preparing the soil and putting in the seed, and we understand there has been already a great additional breadth of wheat sown. This is the crop which has been in the greatest demand this year ; and with the prospect of another large colony about to be planted near our doors, there can be no doubt but our surplus productions, of whatever kind, will find a certain and remunerative market. The showers which fell a fortnight ago, and the more recent rain which commenced on Thursday, will, now that the frosts are going off, bring on the young corn and grass, and already in the gardens the almond trees and early flowers are showing signs of spring.

Launch. — On Saturday last, a vessel of about 40 tons, was launched by Mr. Freeman from his yard on Auckland- point, and received the name of " Mary." This vessel has been built with an express view to the conveyance of wool from the Wairau and similar rivers, and will stow a large number of bales, and yet draw but little water. The Mary, however, is no misshapen craft, nor likely to prove a dull sailer; but on the contrary, her model is one which has excited much admiration.