MR. HALL AT PREBBLETON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 179, 8 December 1868, Page 2

MR. HALL AT PREBBLETON.

The following article from the Lyttelton Times of this morning appears to us to give a correct aud fair summary of Mr Hall's speech at Prebbleton in a convienient form : — We have no doubt that the public will read with interest the elaborate defence of the acts of the Stafford Ministry delivered by Mr Hall afc Prebbleton. We hope also, that for once, the honourable gentleman will give the press of Canterbury credit for having reported him with the moat minute care. By tlieir aid the words spoken to the one hundred aud twenty resident and visiting electors have been preserved and published for the benefit of the two hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants of the colony. If Mr Hall has faith in himself, if he believes that his work is good and true, he ought to be supremely grateful to us. For we 'have done him a most essential service. We have given tho people ol New Zealand the opportunity of reversing the decision arrived *t by the hundred and twenty electors. They listened patiently to Mr Hall while, for more than three hours, he tried to persuade them that the Stafford Ministry had fulfilled their duty to the colony during the last year. And, after listening thus patiently, they unanimously resolved that they disapproved of the conduct of the Stafford Government. The public will read the speech with equal patience, and can hardly fail to arrive at the same conclusion. Though Mr Hall's speech occupies so many columns, it can be reduced into comparatively small limits without losing much strength. By a modern scientific process, it is possible to concentrate the carcase of a fat bullock in a quart measure. Stript of its redundancies, Mr Hall's speech can be reduced into similar limits by a like process. Strike out the advice to and abuse of the Press, run a pen through the speech delivered at Craythorne's, cut out the quotations from his own and Mr Stafford's speeches, excise all complaints against Mr Fox, the Opposition, and the Provinces, turn a deaf ear to prophecies which are of optional worth, and what is there left ? Not enough real essence to fill the quart tin which held the bullock. The fifteen solid columns shrink into one or two, and those of the feebleßt description. Such as it is we give it to the pub-

lic. At the opening of the session, Ministers did not think the state of Native affairs worth mention in the royal speech. But they signified their intention of at once bringing in a measure for giving local powers and revenues to the country districts. A similar measure had failed lust session. The Road Boards Bill was brought in, referred to a select committee, passed the lower House, but was thrown out in the Legislative Council. Three * weeks were then taken up in an endeavour on the part of Mr Fox to discover what was the policy of the Government. The policy, as explained by Mr Hall, was to " provide local sell- " government for settled outlying dis- '" tricts as circumstances wilj. permit," and in Native matters "to lay out a " well considered, consistent, and in- " telligible line of conduct adapting " itsel/" to circumstances as they arise A' After a loug debate, the Opposition were defeated and had to rest satisfied with the " circumstance" policy. Tiie financial statement was then delivered, shewing a saving of £42,000. But as the saving was principally upon items paid by the Provinces, the Government were none tho richer and still unable to reduce taxation. Au attempt was made to sever the partnership account between the General and Provincial Governments. The House affirmed tile principle, but the Government • -could not carry out the details. In the meantime, the Government met and defeated a vote of want of confidence. Soon after, Colonel McDonnell having -been defeated and his troops having become disorganised, Government determined to remove Major Fraser from the East Coast where ho was watching Te Kooti, in command of -a small body of armed constabulary. Mr D. McLeau protested against this, and moyed an " alarm " motion, which was only defeated by a majority of ono. Ministers aim ost made up their minds. to resign, but thought better of it, and didn't. One reason which influenced them was, that the Opposition had nc "policy." Ministers wero very sorry, because they really wanted to resign, though bad people said they wished to retain oflice. So they yielded to the persuasion of their friends, aud "reluctantly consented to remain in. After this the Opposition tried tho wretched expedient of talking against time. Bui by the assistance of " friends " the attempt was defeated. Then Ministers — or others — passed some very useful bills. One, specially praised by Mr Hall, was an ingenious measure to make small proprietors pay the solicitors instead of large ones. Other bills for emascualting Superintendents and their Executives did not pass this time, but will perhaps next. Mr Hall reviews at great length the position of the provinces, and shews x that they are tumbling to pieces very fast, and must soon make way for bran new counties and other gim-cracks. The incessant abuse and unscrupulous misrepresentation of the Lyttelton Times arc then descanted upon with considerable gusto, aud we are sorry to say more than one little inaccuracy ia allowed to creep iv. Long personal explanations about joining Mr Stafford are quoted from our columns of bygone years. Then another inaccuracy about the meeting at tbe Town Hall the other day. Then a discursive trip into generalities concerning taxation and protection. And then to the subject at last. We nre told that Native disturbances are caused by otber and deeper causes than any action of the Government; that they are deplorable ; that it is lamentable to think the} r should be turned into political capital ; that antagonism between a civilised and barbarous race is at the bottom of it all; that there have been outbreaks in every Administration during the Sast ten years ; that no Government has been able to prevent them, least of all one deprived of the support — the moral support — of Imperial troops and large loans. The present Government has kept the peace longer than any other, but has made the mistake of leaving the country defenceless, because it wns afraid of asking for money, hence the present war ; but Canterbury ought not to complain, because it said that Native disturbances ought to be a matter of police. The West Coast disturbances have arisen from putting settlers On tO confiscated l»r.rl« Tim "yggflßJj

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Hence the war there. If Colonel McDonnell had succeeded, the outbreak would have gone no further. But he didn't. So it has. All the • fighting has been iv the bush. That is why we get beaten. If the Maoris would only come out of the bush, we should make a clean sweep of them. But they -won't, so we don't. The East Coast murders were caused by the escape oi the Chatham Island natives. The Government are Ministerially responsible for that escape no doubt, but any one who tries to make political capital by saying so is uaworthy of the name of man, &c Sorae thick the escaped Maoris ought to have been allowed to go. away, but the fact is they were attacked before the Government knew anything about it. Colonel Whitmore would, in all probability, have caught or killed them all — only the provisions fell short, and he had to return. After this, the rebel Maoris increased in numbers ; theu came the massacre of Poverty Bay. Foolish people have actually said that the removal of Major Frazer and his troop left the road open to Poverty Bay. But this is childish ; were not the militia and two companies of the Royal Irish in Napier? But it was impossible for any force to secure the safety of homesteads scattered so widely as these. Ten days before the disaster, did not a member of the G-o---vernment warn Major Biggs ? After that any reasonable man must admit that the Government is free from blame ! Then follows an attempt at the pathetic, and a withering attack upon cold-blooded editors, who are not responsible for blood, but who are very bad characters for all that. After that, Separation is disposed of, or thought to be, by the application of the stale and futile arguments invented by the Press some four or five years ago. Aud then Mr Richmond's peroration is borrowed as a fitting wind up. If our readers will study this speech, they will find that we have extracted the pith and marrow — the essence of the whole thing. Here is au epitome of the work done by the Stafford Ministry during the last session, as given by " one of themselves." Strictly speaking, this is Mr Hall's answer to the allegations brought against himself and his colleagues. It Will be admitted on all sides that it is a sorry one. The sura total of the work done amounts to " ono or two very useful measures " aud nothing more — absolutely nothing. For we canuot call the hasty, ill- con isidered, almost panic-stricken action taken all too late in Native matters, work ! A bungle rather, ending in shrieks of women and children. And we, who sit here, groaning with impatience at these bunglings, are taunted with selfishness and cowardice. One placemau cries out complacently, " Go and fight;" another adds responsively, "Go and pay." The next step will be to try and make us do it. .^nd then the end will be nearer.