THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Issue 53, 23 April 1858, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSON, FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1858. " As truth is truth, . And, told by halves, may, from a simple thing By misconstruction to a monster grow, I'll tell the whole truth." ■.;;..- *■ " ' Sheridan Knowles. Her Majesty has disallowed the New Zealand Waste Lands Act of 1856. An order in Council is expected daily, " for that purpose." The colonial scribe briefly intimates, that a ft Dispatch" is on its way ; so all persons affected, or to be affected, by the same, must be on the gui vive. The Secretary utters no note of regret; he only barely performs his task, —like a certain functionary, at the end of the law,—he does his - office. Whether he has aught to do ? with flic' occasion of such extreme doings we, may guess, but wo cannot do more. We are told, whether this "be good for the constitutions of her Mar jesty's loyal subjects here or not, that the political beiiig with y^hich we are to be indulged is. "in conformity with the provisions of.the New Zealand Constitution Act." So we may be •thankful for Being suspended lawfully. Pro-

bably "J' the constitution " itself., which has lately undergone a little tinkering, may by this time be found worthless, and be doomed to the gibbet. If so, a number of unfortunate ordinances and transactions may be sentenced, by something of despotic power, to felonious treatment and a felon's death. But what have we done,- what..guilt have our provinces contracted to deserve, such a fate ? Are our settlements waxing too bold.? . Do they breathe too freely1? Is their tone over decided? Speak they with more self-reliance than is pleasing to the autocrat Secretary in Downing-street ? Or is that puissant personage afraid, in his paterual dotage, that the colonial children, who are poorer and weaker, will be ridden over by some of the fraternity who are .such rampant equestrians as to threaten to trample their feebler brethren under the iron hoofs of their lately inouuted respectability ? Were this latter .the cause of British intermeddling in our business, we might take the interposition kindly. But we are jealous of another matter: we suspect either the love of display in the exercise of authority, or, what is more likely, some baneful side wind from the Auckland isthmus. It must be confessed, there is little trust, on the part of this 'province, in either the wisdom or virtue of the man who communicates directly with officials in chief, in the mother country. Whenever it may become the personal ; advantage, or the creeping- ambition, of one who so nimbly deserted those who shouldered him into peace by means of our first Superintendency,—his. last here we presume,—then we all imagine, at the suggestion of his past official doings, it will be easy work for him to place his paw on the stooping form of abandoned Nelson for a higher leap. This certainly he will do, although in doing so, the violence of his eager spring should push his old friends to the ground. Is this the settled opinion ? Assuredly so, with all who take the trouble to reflect on such a subject for an instant.* Unsolicitous," as'his career at' Auckland has been, for the local prosperity of the place whence, he derived his present; position, the settlers here have no : hope in his abilities,' arid less faith in the eternal stream of his

Prattle,—words that if ever they bubble ■with a meaning, it is the gleam of his own features,.on phrases that swell, burst and melt into nonimportance. When our contemporary, a'short time since, stated what was so unpalatableto a nameless'personage,—such soured gall to ano^ ther temperament, too often sweating with the bile of its own envy,—he barely did his duty ; for Stafford would never more obtain more than the fewest and poorest votes which could be afforded by a settlement disgusted with his sickening selfishness, and consequent: imbecility. ; . \

To turn from this ungraceful subject; the unsettling of waste; lands regulations is an uuhappy affair. It is a fruitful mischief. JSfot only are we to be injured by defective provincial enactments, amendments, repeals, alterations and blunders, but we are to be annoyed also by jejune aud abortive labors, the oft-recurring travail of weak" and 'windy dabblers in legislation elsewhere, struggling in dreams of mismanagement, and bringiug forth nothing but mockery. It is this sort. of folly, this worse than childish making and unmaking, that mars our welfare. In public life, such pulling down and repairing, such alteration and undoing, would ruin any one. And; the public weal is actually destroyed by the uncertainty produced by this random mode^of acting; it would seem as if Government in New Zealand had no plans but those of error, no arrangements but those

of erratic lights that knock each other into darkness. Happy colonists, to pay so much for confusion ! Happy emigrants to this earthly paradi.-ic, where taxation is prolific above all things -• excepting disorder,, and an Executive that executes its multiplying measures ;is fast as it gives them monstrous birth!

But will our Provincial Councils and authorities be thrown into perplexity by the misdoings of the weak or wilful at Auckland, or in London ? Will they not rather make slight or necessary improvements in the Waste Lands Bill, and send it again to its proper destination for confirmation ? Inevitably they will, if either true to themselves or our institutions. Is it to be tolerated, thatyearSof exertion in this colony are to be overturned by moments of foolishness in England? It must not be. Every true Nel sojiian especially will strive in" the Council Chamber or out of it, to avert such a disgraceful

«ecurreilce

. This line Of duty, is clearly ours. At this particular moment, when our minerals are,in request, and our wilds are being explored for farming purposes, it will not do for us to he trifled with. Wisely did the Council determine on Wednesday to devote a considerable sum to encourage exploration. True r to ourselves, let us make the best of our new country. Let its: woods, vallies; harbors and streams be discovert! and appropriated. If Australia had its adVentrous Mitchell, we need not fear. but. Nelson, the land of golden promise and Eden dime, will have those to unfold her attractions, and find,out her treasures, whose adventure will be deserving of reward. We have the chosen spirits for this important 'undertaking,, and we feel assured they will not he wanting in qualifications for its highest requirements.

Mr. James Mackay, jun., having acquitted himself as an explorer, in good style, we are disposed to anticipate honorable results from his next e,ffpr : t9 in that important line. ; His information, given with abundant authenticating details of rivers, plains, foi'ests, elevations of coasts,' soundings of harbors, shoals, &c, suggests him as a proper leader, to an exploring corps. His: experienced youth, in this particular, combined with his energy, offer a safe guarantee for sueoess, or .at least attempts that will deserve it.