The Poetry Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 819, 26 June 1879, Page 2

The Poetry Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1879.

We know there are those who have for some time past entertained the opinion that our Premier, Sir George Grey —well, we scarcely know how to put it m any other way — " is a shingle short," or, m plainer terms, should be looked after by his friends. We do not bring ourselves to believe this altogether; but if any one more than another of his acts goes to prove that Sir George is m his dotage, it is the telegram which two or three days ago he forwarded to Major Brown. " lam sorry," wires the Premier, " to hear the settlers are excited. This is unnecessary, for I understand there are men of signal courage and deteiv mination among them." What does Sir George mean by this silly sentence. Is it wrong for men to become excited because Natives take possession of their lands and threaten their, homesteads? We think it is high time they did become excited, and as Sir George Grey does not appear to give them either aid or countenance, it is time the settlers' should proceed to protect themselves, and this, is what they are. doing, notwithstanding Sir George deems it unnecessary. The Premier goes on to say : " Had I been able to travel I would at once go up there. From -ignorance of any of tlie circumstances I cannot now pretend to give complete directions to those on, the spot." Ignorance of any. of the circumstances!. Why what does Sir< George mean t Does he not know what Te Whiti' s men have been doing % Has he not the telegraph wires as his command through

all hours of the day and night 1 If j Sir George does not know what is going on m the disturbed districts, then the more shame for him. But he does know, and to say lie does not, is to say what he is so commonly charged with — that of saying what is not true when its suits his purpose. Sir George Grey must, at least kn6w as much m Wellington as the people of Gisborne and Poverty Bay know • and we are not ignorant of the circumstances. Then we have the following twaddle : — " Measures will be taken to secure the perrnament peace of the conntry." " What are your measures Sir George which will be taken, and when? Are we to wait until Parliament assemble and a set of resolutions are discussed, while the Maories are despoiliug the land and holding men and woman m terror — fearing for their lives and i properties 1 We do not hope for | open hostilities. We triiot peace may be preserved, even at great 1 sacrifices, but the threatened settlers must protect themselves, and to tell them not to get excited is treating them as if they were children instead of men. It so* very easy for one who suffers nothing to tell another who suffers beyond endurance, that he had much better keep his temper, and not worry himself. Says Sir George Grey, referring to the seizures by the Maories : " Others undoubtedly are doing it under the orders of a fanatic, (Tti Whiti) and there is no telling to what length fanaticism w ill proceed. This is nd new thing. Nearly a similar circiim stance took place "m the county of Kent m my youth, and resulted m much loss of life." What m the name of common sense has the men of Kent, when Sir George Grey was a little boy, to do with the present difficulty. There were no Maories to deal with m Kent; and there is nothing by which the two cases can be made to run parallel. If the Premier were not m his dotage he would not talk m a manner so insulting to men's common understandings. Why do not the colleagues of Sir George Grey insist upon their right to revise his letters and telegrams before they go out m the world for people to laugh at ? It was not more than two years back when a Waikato chief at a karero designated our Premier as a " pumpkin," which, we presume, was used to express feelings of contempt. Will not Te Whiti's followers, when the Premier's telegrams come to be interpreted to them, express themselves something after the way of the Waikato chief. Has Sir George Grey's friends deserted him at this time of his great need % Are there none who will interest themselves m him, and prevent him making such a spectacle or himself?

Wp feel gratified m learning that a number of residents of Gisborne have been interesting themselves m resuscitating the old Debating Club. A number of gentlemen have given m their names as desirous of becoming members, and a meetintftwill be held on Mond >y evening, m the large store late'y ocoupind F>y the. firm or Sheppard & C 0.,. to arrange preliminaries and select su' ji«cts fnr discus*ion. This will, at least, fo- one night m each week, he a sb'ircn of amusement, and perhaps instructive t • young and old aliku. A wt,ll-ccniduot>'<l Debating Club, m which inttlli^entmen join m discussing some question of general interest, whether it b* social, political, or historical, is always popular. It is the cheapest of all amusements, ad one where those whe speak badly may learn to speak well, or those who cannot muster sufficient cnlidenct; t<> address a number of persons, may still have the gratification of being an instructed listener. For eh« better success of »h« Club, it will be necessary that only such subjects for discussion be selected us the majority of the members may join m. We heartily trust that what his been so well begun, will not break down for the want of. a little enthusiasm being thrown intuit.