LETTERS ON NEW ZEALAND SUBJECTS.

New Zealander, Volume XXII, Issue 2431, 17 May 1865, Page 3

LETTERS ON NEW ZEALAND SUBJECTS.

1 BY CHARLES HURSTHOUSE. [OQNTTIIUBD *BOM OVB .LAST 1830K.] "DOUBLE GOVERNMENT." Again, not only must I differ from Mr. Weld, both as to his capacity to make roads before he beats down the rebellion, bat I mast differ from him as to the existeme in New Zealand of what he calls the " Double Government." There »> no such thing in New Zealand-there never has been. A "cry," cried load enough, may pass lor a truth ; and the cry of its being New Zealand's Double Government which is her fundamental evil, has

been so loudly cried that many excellent people imagine such a thing exists in New Zealand. But it does not What we have now, what we have ever had in New Zealand since Representative Institutions were conferred on us, is not a Double but a Tkkblk Government :—a tripartite body, composed of his Excellency the Governor - the New Zealand Ministry—and, the Downing Street Colonial Office.

The mother-country, as I have sought to ■how is part, if not chief, Ownis of New Zealand ; and if the salary of the Governor she sends thither were doubled or trebled.* was to enable her to secure for the post some Lawrence,, or Canning, or Elgin ; and if to such a matt, acting for her as he would do from the inestimable advantage ground of being on the spot -teeing, hearing, learning, for himself—she would entrust her interests iu her magnificent joint propery of the colony of New Zealand, all would go well. Such a man would be too much the Statesman to flout a youug Institution like a New Zealand Ministry—no New Zealand Ministry could desire ether than to work harmoniously with such a man—and this, indeed, mu'd .be DOUBLE GoVtiRNMKNT. But, oppressed by tape-tied traditions, you submit to have a third, and a half-blind, f body, 20,000 miles away from the scene of action, perpetually meddling and muddling in the affairs of your New Zealand es ate—a body, at its whim and pleasure, overriding any measure which the united wisdom of your steward the Governor, of the colony's steward the Premier, and of the practical men on the spot, has deliberately pronounced to be the best lor the common good 1 Sir George Grey is so mnch an instrument of the colonial office, he stands in sucn abject fear of th it famous bureau, that auy illustration of Tbublk Government drawn from his administration mu4 needs want force. But even Sir George's " sayings and doings" will furnish proof of the reality of the monstrous evil' I ask yon to denounce. He who will consult the publisbed depatclns of Governor Grey will see that some year or so ago his Excellencv, having at last arrived at the conclusion that the native race had long been making game of. his " tract and treacle" policy, described at page 44, determined, to show them that his soldiers had been sent him for some other.purpose than for beating drums, and that " Confiscation" should tea hj the ingra.es that for this, their third freak of revolt, they should, be compelled (for the first time) to make atonement for a crime which though half sport to them, was half death to others. This, though a late, was a most wise resolve ; and in this, your representative was in perfect harmony with ours. Here, Sir George Grey and Mr. Fox were one; and s had there been no distant •' third" portion of the governing body to be consul teda 11 would have gone smoothly, and measures beea taken which, probably, loot; ere now, would have landed us on the solid platform of a lasting peace. But, unfortunately, Governor Grey had certain governors in Downing strete to consult—governors, who, bowing to bray of Exter Hal 1 , wincing at whine of aborigines destruction societies, by magnetized minacious maids ton*, terrified by Taunton—at once commanded Sir George to pocket his thunder and eat his words Kver obedient, Sir George did so—but his doing so very considerably disgusted his Fox Ministry (perhaps it would have disgusted any Ministry), and eventually drove the Fox Ministry from office. A better government for New Zealand thai a rear Double Gotbbnubht—a government composed of a first class representative of the crown-(counselled, if y«u will, not commanded, by quills in'Downing-street), and of a constitutional. New Zeal >nd Ministry, all practical heads, all on the spot -could not be devis&d by wit of man,—a Treble Government— a government where all that is done in .the light in New .Zealand, may be undone in the dark at the antipodes—might hoof the angels and kick down paradise.

WHAT MAY BE DONE WITH NEW ZEALAND. °

. There are four Courses now. open to you to take iu.New Zealand, Sir, and the four may almost be defined in tour lines They are these :

I.—-On the gronnds urged at pages from 26 to 32, or onauyother, recognize New Zealand as being what she is namely, a " National Estate"—a" National Property" which interest, which honor, which duty, requires; you to help to develope and to defend. Establish a true Doublk GoTKaNMBNT recall governor Grey, tor the reasons assigned at page 53, (or give him trial of another year ;) and vigorously prosecute the war, hand in hand with the colonists, untiil yon have won some such solid peace as that mentioned at page 45. _ or,:

2.—Divide New Zealand into two colonies—the North Island with its capital at Auckland,