The New Zealand Herald. AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, NOV. 5, 1864.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 307, 5 November 1864, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald.

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, NOV. 5, 1864.

SPECTKMint AGENDO. " Ctlvo every man thiiio ear, but fow thy voico: Tako each man's ccnsure, but rcsorvo tliy judgment. This above all, —To thine ownaclt'be true; And it uuiHt follow, :ls tho nijflit the day, Tliou canst nut then bo falso to any man."

Most poisons who have perused the late extraordinary Proclamation of Governor Grey, by which, at a stroke, he abrogates the Constitution. and through their representatives, sets at defiance (he advice and iiulliority of the people of this country, on the first subsidence of their amazement, are now naturally putting the question—"What practical cml could the author of this document intend to server 1 Sir George Grey, by a violent stretch of doubtful authority, now seeks to take the wind out. of the sails of the Colonial Government. ) lie thinks to injure us with the natives and, with the people of England, by the republica- ' t ion in his own name, as original matter, the terms of amnesty already offered to the rebels, ' varied only in such manner as will, if carried out, defeat the main object, of the war, and deprive the colony of its long cherished prospect of definite peace. No man in New Zealand better knows than Governor Grey that there exists no possibility of permanent peace to this country but through the thorough subjugation of the natives on the one hand, and the alienation to n certain extent of the immense tracts of waste lands now overrun by them on the other. The mere-acquisition of suilieient land to occupy as military posts will effect nothing but embarrassment to the colony, and annoyance to the natives. Mr. Cardwell was perfectly correct when he declared that lie had little confidence , in the success of military settlements as a system of colonization. It was his mistake, however, to suppose that the Colonial Government advocated anything of the kind. The colonists have no faith in military settlements, as such ; but lliev have a high opinion of their practical utility, nevertheless, in the early formation of a colony like New Zealand. The object is to make them not an end. but a means to an end, they are to serve as pioneers to a more permanent and wide spread colonization, with which, in due time, thev will eventually amalgamate. 1 f. however. Governor Grey is permitted to condone that condition, chronic rebellion on the part of the Nlaorics. in which, for the third time, he now proposes to leave the colony, if he is allowed to override the Colonial Parliament, to ignore its policy, and drive his pen at pleasure through its Ac(s. approved by himself, and sanctioned by the British Government, if, after all the colony has su fl'cred and the expense it has gone to in aiding Great Britain to earn* on a war which she herself provoked the country out of which we have assisted to drive out the enemy is to be again handed back to its late savage occupants. If such is to be the next, chapter of Imperial rule in reserve for the people of New Zealand, the sooner our public men take the opportunity to wash their hands clean of all participation in such acts the better it will be for the colony. Military settlements under such conditions are a delusion and a snare. They can never prove otherwise ihiiii a tax upon the settlers, imposed against their will, to carry out a maudlin system of Native oflice surveillance, in which past experience has taught them to have no faith. They are calculated only to engender mutual irrigation and ill-feeling between | the races. Except as the pioneers of a progresj sive civilian occupation of adjacent territory, such establishments can never do more than drag 011 a wretched existence, while if kept up in a state of active efliciency. as their name would | imply, tliev will need to be sustained and fostered from year to year at an enormous annual expense to somebody. "Who is to pay this expense l J Will the colony to indulge the caprice of the champion of the day-dreamers of Exeter Hall undertake ihe maintenance of a permanent advance-guard in an enemy's country. for no earthly purpose (hat we can divine, unless it be to furnish a standing memorial in the "Waikato to ihe ridiculous enterprise of 11 British Army which once upon a time " With twenty tliotismil men, Marched up the hill ami then inarched down again." 1 he Colony, we are sure, will be no party to anything so absurd. Vet (his is exactly what the Governor's proposal to the rebels amounts (o. They are beseechingly invited to cede to his Excellency sncli lands as he may judge expedient for purposes of occupation. There is not a word said about, the permanent settlement of the country. There is 110 demand, nor any approach to what can be construed into a demand, for indemnification to the Colony for the expenses of the war. There is not the slightest intimation that any adequate resource will be placed at its disposal in the shape of surplus lands for (he re-payment of the loan and other responsibilities already incurred. It appears that these are matters of no consideration whatever in the estimation of Sir George Grey. The one leading object prominent in the late proclamation, and throughout the whole course of his vexatious obstructions 'o the military and civil administration of the country, obviously is (o defeat the reasonable expectation of Ihe eo' '•! "s f s that the rebels, by the past forfeiture > i. -ir lands, shall be. made to defray a fair por(i •> uf (lie expenses of the war, To leave the Maoris still unsubdued, to permit them to re-occupy the lands from which I hey have been driven at enormous cost of blood and* treasure, and to allow them, as heretofore, with arms and ammunition in their hands, to hang as a tliunder-cloud on the outskirts of civilization, a standing threat to the colonists, [ whose peace they have disturbed in the past, and for whose future safety no guarantee, whatever, is to be asked or taken. To perpetu- : ate this state of things, and constitute it the 1 normal and necessary condition of tlio colony 1 for years to come, appears to be the sole end ] and aim of Governor Grey's recently adopted 1 policy. "We say recently adopted, because it is universally known that the plan laid down by : the General Assembly in its entirety for the i

prosecution of the war and the settlement of the country, up to a comparatively late date had the hearty (or otherwise profoundly hypocritical) sanction and concurrence of his Excellency. The motives that may have led to the sudden and violent change Of .sentiment which the colony hus lately witnessed are not, perhaps, far to seek for. , j f : There Tras the chance on the one hand ol : ■winning hack again tlie forfeited approbation of His Excellency's previous patrons and admirers ! in England ; and on the other, apparently the opportunity was too temptingly presented to be i overlooked for again placing the colony in a , false position, a service which might be taken as a slight acknowledgement of an old debt most righteously incurred by Sir George Grey to 1 tlie people of the Province, and, doubtless, somewhat uncomfortably remembered by him. _ I .Neither personal pique, however, nor private | ambitious aims must any longer be permitted to imperil tlie safety of a whole community. The time has at length arrived when the country through its representatives, will assert its right ; it will insist on its interests being considered paramount to personal or party consideration. Our resources must be no longer squandered at the will of a vacillating irresponsible autocrat. Our credit must be no longer trifled with at the instance of wayward enthusiasts. The colony lias a duty to discharge in its own defence, and it will now enter upon the performance of that duty, we arc'persuaded, with firmness, in good faith, and in the spirit of moderation. At the time when it was first announced that the late Provincial Solicitor had resigned his post under Government, we made a few remarks on the* subject, tending to show that it was apparently personal pique and feeling which caused the resignation of the late Law Adviser, and that the interests of the public service were not very much considered by him. H is conduct since he ceased to be a member of the Government fully warrants and confirms the views we then expressed. That conduct has been characterised by factious opposition to the Government. The personalities indulged in toward Mr. New man, and the great desire manifested to thwart and oppose him in every possible manner, without either rhyme or reason, is one that by no means reflects credit upon the honorable member. Had he consulted his own dignit}' and self respect, and comported himself in a dignified manner after he threw himself into the afi'eetionate embrace of the opposition, who gave him such a very cordial welcome to their side of tlie House, we should not again have referred to the subject. The interests of the public require. however, to be jealously guarded and watched, and gentlemen who aspire to senatorial honors need to be reminded, that a seat in the Provincial Council does by no means necessarily hnply that thej r should leave gentlemanly conduct outside the door of the Council Chamber, and fling the charge of lying about as a matter of course. The language of a navvy or a Billingsgate fishwife is scarcely suited to the public discussions of honorable gentlemen, members of the Provincial or liny other Council. The one redeeming feature in the course of this factious conduct, is that evinced by the cool, calm, and dignified conduct of Mr. Kewman, who has declined to • lower himself to the level of those opposed to him, and to degrade himself by utterances banished from respectable society. The provocation has been great, and his command of temper under most trying and irritating and senseless attacks lias been great. We congratulate both that honorable gentleman and Mr. Carleton upon the good example they have set, and trust that those who are inclined to follow an opposite course may profit by that example, and rise to a stand-point befitting their position as representatives of the public, rather than descend to the level of a coal-heaver by passionately exclaiming " That's not true," "I don't believe it," " it is a downright lie," and other choice specimens of very unparliamentary language. The course pursued by most converts and secedcrs seems to have been followed by the late law adviser. No man tights so fiercely for his opinions as he who lias just changed them. The zeal of converts is proverbial. It seems a kind of almost natural law for such an one to pour out all the vials of his wrath on the devoted heads of those with whom he recently acted. Hence, with some exceptions, there is no such champion of a new faith as a renegade, and no such bitter toe of the old one. Civil wars and domestic broils all testify to this peculiar fact, as also the conduct of most "secessionists." A man of a high stamp of mind does indeed rise superior to this vulvar error, but the oi jiolloi. the common run of mankind, fall into it. We need not greatly wonder that we have illustrations of this state of things among us. Let us now look a little closer into this public scandal. Take then the Contracts Hill. The late law adviser in the early stages of the Bill supported it, and we perfectly recollect that he made some rather flippant personal remarks to Mr. Cadman upon the subject of piles. The latter gentleman in reply, stated that although when he contracted to supply the Government with piles the Government obtained them, whereas he understood that when the Government wanted law from the late Provincial Solicitor, they were not able to get it. We are not favored with a peep behind the scenes, we know nothing of Governmental secrets, but We could not help musing upon this retort, and wondering whether an indefatigable hunter in the bye-paths of history might thus get any clue as to one at least of the causes of the resignation in question, and also whether indeed this gentleman who has been drawing a stated salary as professional law adviser to the Provincial Government liao not also demanded and obtained it/u for the drafting of particular bills. Another matter which has stirred up the ire of the honorable member for the Pensioner Settlements, is the 15 per cent, addition made to the salaries of the Government officers for some tlireo months. The Superintendent followed, in this respect, the example of the General Government, but he did not do so until a memorial was forwarded to him. numerously signed by the employees of the Government. If ow a great deal of political capital has been endeavoured to be raised out of this affair. Papers and returns have been moved for, and, we suppose printed at the expense of the public, on this paltry affair. Bursts of indignation have testified to the incorruptibility and wonderful patriotism of the movers in this dispute. But it seems to us that one paper has not, so far as we are aware, been moved for, and that is. the signed memorial to his Honor, askinofor that increase. We are curious to know whether the name of the late Provincial Solicitor is 011 that memorial or not. If it is, and we are open to bo told that it is not, if such be the fact, how is it that the conscience of the then Provincial Solicitor would allow him to ask for the money, if it was so very tender that it would not allow him to receive it ? To plead that these conscientious scruples only arose after the document was signed, cannot be very highly complimentary to either the conscience or the < head of the party put ting it forward. All this should have been considered beforehand. And i to endeavour to make political capital out of < this miserable fifteen per cent., to waste tlie i time of the Council in connection with it, and 1 also the money of the public, is a lamentable ex- i hibition, which we trust, for the honor of the i Council, will not be repeated. 1 There are such things as decoy ducks and i baits set to entrap the unwary, but if this 1 memorial was signed by the solicitor, we should i he sorry to believe that it was done with a fixed s design of carrying out the course of conduct in t respect to it, which has been since pursued by 1 the honourable member. < Again, the late Law adviser so managed i matters, that he has completely closed the Super- t intendent's mouth, as to the cause of the resig- i

nation. Jfc is not a very rare occurrence p persons to be anxious to have all the facts fished, all the correspondence printed, imputes of this kind. And the pdrty who decFm to allow it to be published, is ordinarily posed to believe that it would not conduced his interests trt hare it published. TVheih these motives weigh at all in tjiis •we know not, but ill-natured and uncha rit able .people might perhaps think J' Had the Superintendent acted wisely, and V lowed his judgment, and not any merely kind feeling to guide him, he would have guard*? against being placed in his present p6sitioiv\ife reference to this matter, by declining to r e rprivate notes at all on such a public que; / v Like many other persons before him, he' seem to be called upon to suffer from his'kind ness. But then most persons would rather . er J \ in the manner he has done, than treat a gent Ie man in the way he has been treated. It doubtless, be a lesson to him for the futuV There certainly may be nothing of importance in the correspondence, and so no great loss is perhaps suffered from its not being m&de public. t As to Captain Daldy s appointment, -whi-eh the late law adviser puts forward as a at cause of his resignation, it is now admitted Dr. Pollen even, if we mistake not, that tbe Superintendent had the power to make that ait* poiutmenfc. That Mr. Daldy i-s quite cap a lA e of fulfilling the required duties is unquestioned, and that lie will not really cost the Province 5 penny as Special Agent for Emigration we think extremely probable. His salary is £400 for orc e year, with the power of having two assistants lit £100 each ; this is a total of £600. Now he is particularly charged with the duty of attend, ing to special settlement parties. As it is pro. bable, therefore, that he will send us a consider, able number of emigrants, each of these pay s 10s. for his land order. It, therefore, will onl-y require Mr. Daldy to send 1200 immigrants to pay the entire cost of his agency. We art? totally unable to see where these able and astute financiers and politicians, who have raised such a howl about this appointment and its expense , have the slightest shadow of reason for their opposition, so far at least as the Superintendent and the money portion of the question is eoncerned. It looks very like an exhibition of disappointed hopes displayed by persons whci would have had no very strong objection to receiving the appointment themselves, and if Mr. Daldy is to spend his time, and exercise his judgment and ability in mating necessary purchases for the colony, and perhaps save the colony the amount of his commission twice or thrice over, we cannot perceive that there is anything very outrageous in his bein.g paid for it. It would require a very good light in the lantern of Diogenes to enable that ivorth.T t u discover any very large number of personsin th.« Province who will accept onerous posts without any remuneration. But then it is so very easy to "affect the indignant in the Council, and fo parade one's own integrity and patriotism beforethe eyes of the people. This is remarkably cheap philanthropy, but then the assertion of It incessantly in the Council, makes people doubt very much whether it is the real metal, or only a Brummagen and worthless imitation. I'ublie men have public duties to perform, and, if either from infirmity of temper and want of judgment and sell-control, or any other drawback, thi-y cannot perform them in a proper manner, they would consult their own .real interests and the welfare of their constituents by vacating a position they cannot creditably fill. Electors, too, with any self-respect, will decline to have -local led representatives of this character, —perscms who either arc ignorant, of or do not care to practise the courtesies and amenities of civilized and respectable society. "We have one word to the Dr.'s little henchman, and would advise that gentleman not to be so thin-skinned and to seek a quauel with the press. He will find the press too much for him, He and others ought to be grateful to the gentlemen of the press for dressing up their very indifferent grammar and language, and making them to appear to do that which they don't, namely—speak in accordai.ee with the usages and requirements of the English language. A far greater personage than the honorable member to whom we are alluding, a man of education 2nd natural ability, namely, the late Daniel O'Connell. once, and only Ako, took the tone of the honorable member, a:od quarrelled with the Times. Hint paper simply reported the speech of Mr. O'Counell exactly as it was delivered, and the great liberator cried jicccavi, and desired the quarrel to cease. If tbe Auckland press were to treat the Auckland public with verbatim reports of the speeches uttered by some members in the Council, they would, after the first burst of laughter at the precious utterances, turn away in disgust from the painful exhibition. We respectfully therefore advise the little gentleman not to quarrel "svitli the press, but carefullv study the information given to him by it, and he will then doubtless become a wiser man and a more efficient representative of the people. «