The New-Zealander. DAILY. AUCKLAND. FRIDAY. OCT. 6, 1865.

New Zealander, Volume XXIII, Issue 2545, 6 October 1865, Page 2

The New-Zealander. DAILY.

AUCKLAND. FRIDAY. OCT. 6, 1865.

ri u nmt and fear not; Lelalltlia end* Hum aiin'nt at. in) tin Cmierv ■. Thv Uon'v and 'I ruth’s.

Were we even to make the attempt at the present moment we should possibly fail in dissociating our ideas from that which presses most upon the minds of the community. Whether it be fortunate or unfortunate, the fact still re mains the same, that at the time when men are called upon to act, the time for deliberation has passed away. The people of this city and this province are now called upon to act. In reading the history of ancient Rome, we learn that when the enemy was thundering at the gate, then the factions within the city forgot their differences, and made common cause against the common foe. It remains yet to be seen whether the people of this province have magnanimity enough to imitate the great example of the Roman people We are not now writing in the interest of person or party; we have no desire to be understood to be writing in support of a party that has long before this fallen to pieces—a party that was in error, that has seen that error, and has acknowledged it. What we now desire is, to point out what ought to be done, and if possible to induce the people to do what ought to be done. There is no use endeavoring to conceal the fact: we have beeu for some lime passing through a commercial crisis that is every dav getting more and more severe. Notwithstanding the peace proclamation of the Governor, the state of war in this province lias not come to an end. We do not meau by this, that there is a war at the present moment; nor do we mean that there is the smallest chance of the broken rfebel tribes being again able SO

reunite, and to make head against Her Majesty’s forces and the European settlers in this colony. What we do mean is this, that we have had a state of war, ami that many of our settlers who would willingly return to their desolated and deserted homes are unable to do so from the fact that their resources are exhausted. Nor is this the sole difficulty. In addition to out settlers being without means to return to their homes, we have a number o. other settlers who were invited here for the purpose of protecting the then settlors from the onslaughts of the rebel tribes. The one class is without resources, the other class is being rapidly demoralised, and left without resources also. We declare most solemnly that we look with the gravest apprehension upon the course that is being taken by the present Government in dealing with the militia and the military settlers who were invited here from the neighboring colonies. It is bad enough that our own settlers should have been treated in the manner that they have been, that they should have been asked to make claims, that those claims should have been enquired into, that awards should have been made, and yet not one shilling of the money awarded should to the present hour have reached the hands of those who have been led to hope against hope, that some help would come even at the last hour. If Mr. Weld can justify the conduct of his Government in this respect, he can only justify it on the ground that he himself and his colleagues have made promises that they had no intention of performing, and have held out hopes they had uo intention of realising. This is bud enough treatment for the settlers ot the colony itself; but what shall we say of the treatment of those whom Colonel Pitt induced to come here from Sydney* from Melbourne, and from Otago? We state it as a fact coming within our own knowledge, that many of these men are now left utterly without resources. The conduct of the Weld Ministry is scandalous. In private individuals it would be dishonest and dishonorable, and it is the more utterly offensive that of all other New Zealand Ministries this Weld Ministry claims to be composed par excellence of gentlemen. Not even this, however, is our subject. It is not our object to whine over the grievances of the Province of Auckland. If wo are men, what we require to do now is to fight to the very last inch of ground. The Weld Ministry have shown all that they will do for us. The attempt to dismember this Province made by the Act introduced by Mr. Fitzgerald, is a step that must rouse us at once to action. The time has come when parleying and paltryiug will do no longer. A large mass of our population have arms in their hands, a large mass ot this population know how to use those arms —it is a fact becoming too notorious now to be longer concealed that those who were placed in positions of trust iu this province, and wbo could not be bought over, have been removed. We have therefore now to look what we can do for ourselves, and we ask what can we do for ourselves ? We have already said that when the enemy thundered at the gates of Rome, then the factions within the city forgot their petty differences, and united as one man against the common foe. Have we public spirit enough to do this ? Have we public spirit enough to leave “ Holy “ Tommy” to his indignation, “A Raglan “ Elector” to his sorrows, and the Northern Association to its slumbers, and to act for ourselves as if we were men, and citizens of a free country. When Rome was in danger she appointed a Dictator ; we are not told she went to look for that Dictator either in bank parlors, attorney’s offices, or canteens. She found him in one case ploughing his laud ; but notwithstanding that, she invested him with the Imperial purple, and placed him at the bead ot the State and of her armies. What are we to do ? (Shall we imitate the Romans ? or shall we lie down and be trampled on by a desperate faction, determined to destroy and demoralise this province as far us in their power lies ? This is the question that we put to the people. When we are seeking auctioneers’ advertisements and bank influence, we shall no doubt sing another song. But iu the mean time we tell the people that in their own hands lies the remedy; and if they fail now to use their power, upon their own heads be the mischief and the misery that will assuredly result from their neglect of their duty as men and a* citizens.