THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. "Vérité sans peur.” Wanganui, July 11, 1861.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 243, 11 July 1861, Page 2

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. "Vérité sans peur.” Wanganui, July 11, 1861.

The debate on Mr. Fox’s motion, of want of confidence in the ministry, was to come on liist Wednesday;-the IJrd inst. The issue was doubtful. Either party would have a -Vvery narrow majority. ; , , . ' Mr. Golenso lias been returned to the house of Representatives, instead of Mr. Stark, ;for the Ahtiriri. ■ f'There were four candidates,— Messrs; Golenso, Sealey; : Tucker- and Epx.\ gusdii. c's A reinforcement' .df : 114 1 mein of the ;14tli has arrived at Napier, under Major Douglas, who is calling out the militia. .'.

Mr. Harrison lias been again elected without opposition to a seat in the House of ..Re. jiresentatiVeS';? anti/againi? there are doubts cast on the validity of his election, 'lhe electors, however, l;ave acted this time in = full knowledge ;of the possible, consequence, and so will only have themselves to blame' if the present doubt become a certainly. If, however, a reai- transgression ot a • statute would have been condoned in the first case, it may be expected that a slight transgression of form will be overlooked in the second. Much will depend on the state of parties and of temper in the house. Let us hope for the best. : Mr. Harrison has been elected without opposition. He speaks indeed of a rival having been set iip. The gentleman' referred to was we Understand proposed as a candidate, in the supposition, after Mr. Harrison lmd been conversed with by some of his former requisitionists, that he. did not intend to come, forward. :| No sooner had those who intended to ask Mr. Taylor to stand learned that Mr. Harrison had agreed to come forward, .and that he held the same political views as lie had formerly p.nounced, than they stopped their canvass, tiniVthe requsition was not filled up, and was hot presented to the' gentleman whom Mr. liarrisOn for some purpose represents as his rival... we haye had occasion to differ from. Mr.. Harrison on one point we are glmhho has been elected, which we could not, have been if /we'had .either thought or represented him .as “ upbt” for .the position.' Hi is the representative of aU all person's in' tile comnjunity; Some . of his former supporters; hayelost confidence in liim ; but we hope his conduct-in the house will soon dispel, their,: doubt as to his. steady adherence to the party to which, he. been understood to belong,.. That there;, is, some reason for this doubt apart from.the Welling : ton episode might be suspected from looking at the,, signatures attached to the requisition that 'was published last week. Ou the' occa-

siqtf :'ofrequisition addressed to him was ’ signed by 44 individuals, of whom only 9 are found to have signed the-second requisition; - At- that time an attempt was made to get up an-oppo-sition to him, and a. requisition was addressed to another - gentleman; ;who however declined ! tb' stand ? as’flfrr Harrison' was already nrthe signatures,. and of these 42 are found appended to Mr. Harrison’s second requisition. Of Mr. Ilar'rison’s former supporters so far as'they appear jin- the requisition only nine are now found by ? his side. Of his former opponents so far they appear in the I ' same way, forty-two are now supporting, him. -What 1 can 1 the reason be for this great change ? '.Simply the not unfrequefit erroneous idea,, that because- a per-' son happeijs to differ in one particular poihfe from, those with whom lie lias formerly' actetH therefore'' lie lias : wholly broken' with them, Mr.' Harrison, from 5 his. political'friends as to w.hethei-'he should in tlie-circumstances go to Auckland. ' It has therefore been'-sup-., posed liy some that when he went to land, he would hot act silong with them ingeneral or at all.' The- fact that/he has been, in the wrong and they iii the; right, mayph thecontrary lead him' to atfcaelT more weight to. their opinions in future, But at’any rate ifi' the declaration of his ; political sentiments on, Friday was satisfactory to all parties; no one caii grumble at his acting on them, and therecan be no political dissei s> on-in : the community.. In the mean time 5 the electors have till reason to: tliank Inin for his offer to communicate with them from time to time while the Assembly sits. If in other respects, he imitates the statesman who , first began this, custom in England, we. shall have every reason.’to be?proud of our-representative. •

If the;"Natives are r to be- relied- on,- vs, little’ fear of outbreak' 7 lier even though war should begin at Waikato/ - There - are' various reasons for supposing that the war will, be confined to one place, as iii the case of the Waitara Contest. The - Natives are by. no means unanimous., 2’liis they confess as tl eirweakness. ; This, joined to the consideration that the Queen’s legions; are’ inexhaustible,, while their numbers are limited, fill them with, dread as to the issue lif the contest that is imp pending-'; avid tliis foreboding of defeat prevents a universal 'coalition.* In ' tlveir:'debateslu ll iii every pah almost every night during the last few months, all the arguments brought forward by the speakers -who took’-the Cover-, nor’s side of the question (fur of discussion)* have beeii satisfactorily answded ex-. eept these two-—oiirn uni hers as compared*' with theirs, our unanimity- as .compared' with iheir divisions. Another' reason’For' their nut making the war general,' is, that Incase of their being worsted—they suppose their land will [at the worst) be forfeited only at the sqat of war.. Aft bird-reasoir’for beheviig that tljis place is safe is, that it is n 1 ed on f r th<‘ir supj’lies of'sugitr, tobacco, fl >u~, and Markets. It is the only place ii) ti e island which gives, water carriage in and ; through the interior, therefore it is must importa; t to them that it sbonhl remain open. A fourth reason :s conceivable to - vs, although it' may not be so clear to if General Cameion, brings down, oil them heavy and lepeated strokes at Waikato, sthey'mgst there concentrate all tjieir strength to resist him, as'it is with the soldiers, 'not - with ithe. settlers,’ that;tlie contest is to be waged. i f But thoiigli tliere is g'O'id ground for ex* peering that we may i be spared; tie .calamity. Of a war. in ■our..>neighboiirliood, itlie possibilitty of ah outbreak here should not he lust sight o f, i bt: t-its calamitous ; tiinebiisly, guarded against'. In the outlying dislrets of Rangitikei and Wahguiuii there ’are above 200 houses, none'of‘Them nearer each other than a quarter of a mile, some of them four or fivemiles apart. ' The value of these houses and their contents cannot be less than 30,000? to 40,000? There are large herds of cattle and horses of the probable 7 value- of '40,0001 to ; 50,000? There-are above 40,000 slieep, which would bring more than-as ; many pounds. Large sums have been expended in'fencing, and what with otlier kinds of property, such as corn, hay, potatoes, sc., the amount of property exposed in the country cannot be estimated at less "thair-150,000?to 200,000? The loss of' a considerable part* of. this, property must be expected in the event of a collision. But by proper organization and effort .a large, proportion of it may be saved. We are'aware’ that the settlerso are anxious- ahc\; ready to defeiiiT their hearths and homesteads/ *. /There; that is the- case some assistance ought to be given by the military ; and we would recommend that in those where, tliis feelingprevails; the settlersilshould meet and* consult on a plan of operation, and then send in to* the commander of the forces 1 ; here; or to General Cameron should he arrive Within A short time, a deputation to learn whether and,, to wliat extent- they may expect assistance, and to take advice as. to tfeasibility of the-pro-posed plans for their protection./ ; To call in the out-settlers where they are willing to. remain, and where defence is practicable, would be Mihous to'the country; and we have little doubt that 7 (JeneraF Caiiveron has a better idea of wliat the emergencies of the case require than his two predecessors.. Bui we must have 7 more arms. For about 80Q : nten, we have only, according to the Governor's own-showing,*; 408 stand-of arms, in-, cludiiig; perciissipn • muskets,-..aud those \YpnderjTul weapons ’ for 'shooting round a corner,, the’ cavhiry carbines. 1 ’ "Ail 'urgent representatidii.should;be 'sent to Auckland by tiie Wonga Wonga of the necessity'fur having 400 rifles- seiit fdown -byAlier on her return voyage. These ‘ are proper precautionary measures, winch should bn taken, though tls.

;projUqibilifcje 3i a9'aofelm risri n; l: :to one against a-sUtft being fired.in this distncO. r•. ' 'i .' \ - iit is .passible that -the.; Maoris'.may yet .submit., Tbejnngimge’ of the .Waik ito runanga ..is much humbler than any of the.Kiug natives have yet used when-addressing the. Governor. The increasing : number of. our troops, and the Governor’s /acceptance .Of the offer, of assistance from the Ngapuhis; who will act as guides to our troops, if. in no more active .capacity,' must •• still further dispirit ■ them, and make them, less anxious to draw the sword.' A few weeks will solve the doubt.