The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1884.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7214, 9 July 1884, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1884.

Last Saturday morning, whilst publishing, for what it might be worth, tho muddled rubbish forwarded to us as a report of Mr Bryce’s election speech at AVaverley, we expressed our confidence that the Native Minister never talked the nonsense attributed to him. The result has proved that we were right in our anticipations. Since tho lime mentioned we have received accounts of what he actually said from tho two district papers—the “Wanganui Herald ” and “ Wanganui Chronicle,” the first containing a fair, and tho second an excellent, report of his speech. It was, as might have been expected of - him, manly, sensible, and straightforward. It is not often that Mr Bkycg speaks in public. He holds the view, which has certainly much to recommend it, that though it may be wise for the Premier of a Ministry fro quently to declare his policy on a public platform, an ordinary departmental Minister should usually let his acts speak for themselves, and need no defence. But when Mr Beyce does speak in public, ho generally says something worth listening to. To him, more perhaps than to any other public man in tho colony, Tennyson’s finely-worded description applies ;

“ A. still, strong man in a blatant land Who can speak, but dare not lie.”

It is this thorough honesty and fearlossuoss, which are so well known throughout tho colony, that it seems strange to most intelligent men that he should bo so nervously sensitive as he is to tho unjust attacks made upon him either in New Zealand or elsewhere. Mr Beyce’s few public addresses are also valuable for another reason. His mind is so “ saturated with information,” to use Professor Huxley’s expression, about native affairs, that he incidentally throws light on several points besides those to which he is immediately directing his attention.

Mr Beyce’s speech at AVaverley was chiefly occupied, as might have been expected, with the Amnesty Act and native affairs generally. He pointed out that tho feeling was general throughout the colony, twelve or thirteen years after tho war, when the Bill was introduced, that the time had come for an amnesty to be proclaimed to all Maoris who had been at war with us except to those who, like AViniaxa and a few others, had been guilty of private and malicious murders. TheActwas passed withoutdemurthroughboth Houses of Parliament, but he hesitated to recommend it to His Excellency for signature until the natives generally had given in their submission. This was at length done.

In tho exceptional case of Winiata, tho murderer was arrested, and tho law took its course. Tho case of Te Kooti was on a different footing. Every endeavour had been made to capture him, and it was found at last that this could only be effected by means of another Maori war. It was also known that he was willing to submit and promise good behaviour for the future. It was further necessary to bear in mind in his ease, that though the slaughters committed by him in Poverty Bay were atrocious in their details, they were committed in war time, and did not come quite outside the Maori category of war. Under these circumstances ho was admitted to the benefit of tho amnesty, and afterwards verified his promise of good behaviour by giving valuable assistance in releasing Mr Huestuouse, the ourveyor, from his fanatical countrymen, who wished to kill him. With regard to the withdrawal of Major Eoeata’s allowance, improperly called a “ pension ” by some people, Mr Beyce pointed out that this never was a pension, but rather a salary, for the performance of certain duties as land purchaser for tho Government, Ac., anti that after some time, when the duties had quite Ceased-, the salary Was withdrawn. On other matters of native admihistratioh, Mr Beyce’s explanations Were also quite satisfactory, and he showed what had been the result, in tho present perfect quiet and pacification of Maoriland, tho reduction of the Armed Constabulary tho friendly visit of TaWUIAO to England, and the uninterrupted carrying on of the surveys through tho heart of the ' ‘‘King CoUntty,” had hap-; pened also, notwithstanding his cessation of the plan adopted by Sir Donald McDEan and other Native Ministers, of Staking large presents, tho real purport of which the natives did not understand. With reference to tho financial policy of tho Ministry, Mr Beyce justified it on the ground of its absolute necessity, at the same time expressing his strong dislike of large borrowing, hia opposition from the first to tho public works policy of Sir Julius Vogel in 1870, his dismay at tho present amount of the colony s indebtedness, and his opposition to any further borrowing for the construction of any more coast railway lines, where there were alternative moans of communication by sea. He paid, before closing his address, a high tribute of respect to his colleague, Mr Kolleston, for that gentleman’s upright and liberal administration of tho Lands Department, and showed, by extracts from tho Surveyor-General’s reports, that during the twelve months ending the 31st March, 1884, an area of 300,404 acres of Crown lands had been disposed of on sale and settlement, and that in no former year had so many selectors actually settled on tho land. Mr Beyce’s address, indeed, which, wo are glad to learn, was greatly applauded, was not merely an excellent account of tho details of his own administration, and a complete defence of its most hotly assailed portions, but also a sound and thorough justification of his colleagues, who had, as he said, fallen through their political virtues, and not through their political blunders. They offended some of their friends and colleagues “ because they equitably adjusted the railway rates and proposed to reform the system of dealing with native lands.”