THE GAME OF ABUSING THE GOVERNOR.

Colonist, Volume VI, Issue 597, 14 July 1863, Page 6

THE GAME OF ABUSING THE GOVERNOR.

/'(Fi-om t7ie Colonist, Jtme 19) y . Bo however well one may, it is impossible to prevent detractions from 'shooting 4 -its pdisoned: arrows. ~ TruS to ;the*igs^lisfted; principle of assailing Sir GeorgeO^rey on } all occasions when his name is mentioned^ our local contemporary, who is as rabid on Taranaki affairs as in antipathy to the Governor, is guilty of the sentences ;we quote below, which would be pitiful if they did not seem ' malicious, because entirely 'unsupported; and because. o f its b^iug utterly unnecessary .to raise the question referred to. The opportunity for ablow seemed to offer itself or was made in respect tri the^ late fighting at Taranaki and it is given in this wise ;—we pass over the queer grammatical construction of the first sentence. "An attempt has been made to deprive General Cameron of the credit of this victory, alleging that Sir George.Grey was the deviser of the plan.' The statement may be true, but it is not probable/and comes from an iuiworthy source." • ...••-.-■ anything be more spitefully small? or could a charge made in the ignorance '-i of -how the fact actually stands be more worthy rthe. source of detraction whence it springs ? LThe thing "may be true, but is not probable." Why not? - "What is more probable than that the man who has had experience of native warfare in different quarters of the world —at the Cape, in South Australia, and in this colony—and who is himself a soldier, should devise a plan of attack that required no genius, so evident was its method to even the humblest military catKK city? Our contemporary, yrho raises the fightto %Q digni^Qf-a'H'ifttoyyv*pretends td

guard the reputation of General Cameron for I his generalship in capturing, a Maori, pah with the aid of Armstrong guns on land, and of bombshells from a war steamer lying close in shore. Really there is not much to make such a flourish of trumpets about. It would have been a deep disgrace to our arms, if, with such powerful appliances, of which'the natives were destitute, we had not'secured the " victory." Is there anything to boast of in the affair ? The only thing satisfactory in it that we can see, is that the errors and imbecility of Governor Browne, and the weak officers under him, have been hitherto avoided. "What has been done-has 'Been well done every one will admit. Birfc, jjf it had been a failure, would -our' generous contemporary have rushed so quickly out of his way to take a portion of the blame and "the. ignominy off the Governor's shoulders ?';'■■ It is very clear that, to make a misquotation, he defended the " .; "" Not that he loved Cameron'much, But that lie hated Grey"indie.""'. The animus which promptk- such paltry attacks as this is made too obvious, and leads people to trace it in. matters of greater •moment, and thereupon to doubt the statements.: : It proves, however, that some of Sir George's newspaper foes must be sorely beset for charge's when such small"game as, this is hunted.down, and.even the possibility acknowledged of its beingno game af all. . ■The true story,of theTmore: immediate^ ; origin of the attack'^ w6'*:'are vinfdrnie'd.? on good authority; is 'that the. Balf-ca^te Hori (who was captured after h^vifg, with; others forming an amb'tfeh, a'ttaclc'ed Lieutenant "Waller), 'gave "sueh1 '^orination:regarding the condition of the'pah'r and th% means of capturing it, as enabled tft£au&a£ ities immediately to plan and carry1 frito/ execution the assault which resuftSd*M^e speedy capture of the position. The Gbyetnor was on board the war steamer during the expedition, and the natural inferdnce'is, that both he and the' General'had mutually arranged the affair. " • The^thing is so trifling as not to be worth enquiring into, and wesWuLdndt Have referred to it were' ft; not -necessary to' show the length to which a partizan may be lefr when following routthe. adopted principle of awarding impartial mjustice to:the Governor. '. Reg&r ding theman/Hori,^^ (who is strongly suspected of'bemg the mnfaerer of the unfortiinate Lieutenant Trageft, wh# fell in the ambush!" of '4thTslay,: and oil whom: the murdered man's watch: and chain and otier property were found,) weare further, told that':he has'been saved 'from'deaWWcpiis^quence of the information which 'was obtained from him. /Ofthe acctiraeyjbf this we do not vouch, but as tHe possession of Tragett's property formed 'strong'ptesumiptive. evidence ■ against ' niin; and as: we have heard' of no1 proceedings haynig'been^ taken' against the'half-caste" on. that evidence^ the report is not; at all improb'alple:' ' : '