Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1862. SUMMARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 157, 17 May 1862, Page 4

Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1862. SUMMARY

THANSMISSIOX

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Amongst the most noticeable events of the past month, may he set down, the meeting of the Provincial Council, the arbitration in the matter of the Southland Debt, the visit ■of •Sir George Grey, the movement in favor of the political separation of the two Islands, and the finding of a new Gold Field. Adopting our usual plan, we will classify, under their several heads, the leading events of the month, merely remarking that the general tone of satisfaction expressed, shows an increased reliance on the stability of the prosperity whic the Province is enjoying. POLITICAL (GENERAL). The news concerning the settlement of the_ Native question is particularly meagre. Sir : , George Grey continues'his polipy, of securing as manyfriendly natives as possible, and meanwhile is utterly silent as to his instructions regarding the obtaining indemnification for the outrages at Taranaki, and as to. the manner in which he proposes to deal with the original cause of the. war — the disputed land' at Waitara. . .-...-._ As usual, the Ministry has managed to ■do strange things, an exploit in which it is never remiss when native affairs are concerned. The ; last exploit was the issuing the following extraordinary document by the AttorneyGeneral: — tfOTIKIOATIOXV' • Whereas the undermentioned persons were killed at> Taranaki on the dates stated below, under circumstances which render it probable that murder was in each case committed, notice is hereby given, that any of the natives who were concerned in causing the deaths of those persons under the before-mentioned circumstances, will be at any time apprehended by the civil authorities, and will be brought to.trial before the Supreme Court, should it be found upon inquiry that they have rendered themselves liable to be triocl for murder. The following are the names ;— Harry Passiiiore • ~, Samuel Shaw Samuel Ford- v James Pote '"William Parker. They were murdered on tho 27th March; 1860. Hejtby Skwell, Attorney-General. Auckland, Maroh 12, 18(52. Whether for grammatical construction or for the general meaning it is intended to convej', the document may be challenged as a fairly unique production. The confounding the use of the word " will " for shall, may he done with the intention of modifying the meaning;' or may arise from the same ignorance that made the Frenchman call but " I will be drowned, no one shall save me." But there is no possible way of accounting for, or rather, vre should say, excusing the general tenor of the proclamation. It. is something monstrous to suppose that it is necessary, l; in a British colony to state that the murderers of six-Englishmen: will, if caught, be prosecuted. And yet this is the whole substance of .the proclamation, A latent meaning would of course be looked for, and that the Maories wilLnot be slow to imagine was the warning to the guilty parties to keep out the .way^ so that the authorities might not be under the necessity of prosecuting them. It reads, in short, as a lamentable and humiliating sign or weakness. If the proclamation' had ottered £500 rewlird for the apprehension of each of the murderers, it anight have had a salutaay effect. „ ■-. ' ",. ± . ... There are no fears of any immediate recommencement of hostilities. Sir George is evidently not going. ; to .fight, at. all,_or only, when it suits him. His real intentions are. probably not known to a single human being : he is a remarkably self-contained man. , But; the presumption is raised. that soouer or. later he will strike a vigorous blow,; when he thinks the time has arrived for doing so. Meanwhile lie is endeavoring to show the friendly natives how considerately the English: authorities. are disposed to: deal with them. ; ,-.' : . . Sir George has left Auckland on.a lengthened trip to the Southern Provinces. '•■ After calling at Napier,"hefprbceeded to Wellington,at which place lie was located on the departure of last intelligence; .'. It isT expected that he "will then come on to Otago, aud .visit that and the neighbouring, Province of /Canterbury.-

He will-then proceed to Wellington ill time to ( Xpai tli^Sa&sxon, which/it, &„ at", lelhgfth dc- ( t-cmld-loli^la-fhere oli-thfe 2fi(h-of'June. « s -std¥nTy-^K3~iolFiß^ tions kiiici-rniu : the payine'TH^'fifr the roads j 1 ..constructed-by-■the--militßry-in-tlic-Nt)rthern-|i Island, other matters"... conci-rniu<* Is'fitive 1 policy, the .subject of the Steam Postal Ser- i :vice, the Provincial policy of the ministry, ] and other assumed faults of : oinission and 1 commission, are likely to be discussed and i to result in a change of Cabinets. ......' Mr.1 Crosbie Ward's conduct in. the arrange- i ments; he has made for re-adjusting the. Postal Service, has exposed him to serious blame. | After visiting.the Southern Provinces in sue- J ( cession, and receiving from none of them,,excepting Canterbury,; a cordial acquiescence in >. his plans, he went to Melbourne.-and there, on his own responsibility, entered into.various engagements.1 [le:chartered two vessel to run monthly along the coast, at a cost of £12,000. The Sydney steamer to Otago he put on to Auckland, and quite regardless of the claims 'of this Province, be next proceeded to arrange for a steamer between Sydney and Wellington . and Nelson or Wellington and Canterbury. He then entered into an absurd arrangement with Messrs. M'Meckan & Blackwood for carrvin'o- the mails from Otago to Melbourne once amouth. In entering into this engagement and in all the negotiations he had with the firm with whom he contracted, he broke, it appears, an agreement entered into between himself and the Otago Government. The Superintendent has caus?d the correspondence to be :printed; amongst it is one letter in which i Major Richardson distinctly charges Mr Ward with departure from a distinct pronrse. ; Mr. Ward filled up the measure of his. folly by taking off the line the Sydney steamer'that runs to Otago, and, without any notice, \ sending it to Auckland. The only possible person that it seemed lik.ly to advan- ' ta"-e was himself, inasmuch as it enabled him fi tp° get; to Aucklandwithout coining through 'ota"0-i-a visit he seemed anxious to avoid.