NELSON

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1479, 14 December 1860, Page 5

NELSON

[From the Colonist, Dec. 7.] The meeting which took place on Wednesday eveniug at the Freemasons' Hall, by desire of some town electors, to obtain from the represeu* tatives of the province an account of their stewardship, was, at the commencement of the meeting, largely attended ; but upon ascertaining that no novelties were to be obtained, tbe audience gradually lessened ; so that at the putting of the resolution at the close of tbe proceedings, the number of persons had dwindled down to a few scores. The nature and substance of the speeches have been so often repeated and so generally anticipated, tbat to give tbe details would be a work ol supererogation ; for, as tl c absent member (Mr. Kelling) in his note to the chairman explaining his absence xaid, bis presence would not elicit anything more explanatory than that given some days before at lliohmond ; and this may be said of tbe chief of tbe proceedings on Wednesday night. The Maori war question appeared to be the topic of general reference, and the unvarying turning- point. The chair was occupied by D. Sinclair, Esq. ; and the members huviug been called to respond to the object of the meeting — Mr. Domett opened the proceedings by a reference to the Acts lately passed being likely to have a beneficial influence upon the settlement. Those acts, aud th« proceedings in connection with them, having been fully dascented upon, any reiteration would be useless. Dr. Monro followed, having furnished himself with largely prepared notes, and adverted to the position of our members at tbe General Assembly being one that obliged them to support the Government in orderto counterbalance the ultra- opposition of the Wellington members, besides, the Government since 1856 bad been disposed to render every consideration to the claims and interests of this province. He approved of that Provincialism which gave to the province the legitimate expenditure of its of its own resources aud adverted to the present Government as having been favorable to measures which caused the saving to us of many thousands of pounds. The measure for carry-

ing out the proposition of erecting in this province a Lunatic Asylum for the whole Colony would have probably resulted, had it not been over-ruled by the jealousy of Wellington members, who feared lest it should cause too. much centralisation in favor of Nelson. The Insolvent Debtors' Act was referred to; but the chief portion of the speech took the usual channel of the Maori War, and there got lost in the windings and reiteration of its tedious details. An elector asked Dr. Monro whether the Stafford Ministry had not withdrawn the restrictions on the sale of fire-arms to the natives ? which was answered by Mr. Domett, to the effect that this was admitted to have been one of the chief faults of the Ministrj. Another elector asked whether it was not chiefly owing to the advocacy of the Wellington members that the Compensation Bill was passed, and whether it was not owing to Dr. Monro tbat the country was again saddled with an expensive commission to investigate the claims ? Dr. Monro, partly evaded the question, as to expense, aud statad that tha Compensation Bill was passed without auy opposition, and advocated the appointment of a properly constituted commission for that purpose (?) Another question with respect to the SolicitorGeneralship was asked, but was stopped by the veto of the Chairman. Mr. Cuktis followed with brief comments upon financial statements. " The next speech was Mr. Eban's, which also treated upon the war policy, and as it was the only thing possessing the least semblance of originality, we subjoin some portions: — Mr. Eban said, he hoped to be excused for making a few remarks relative to what had been advanced by the representatives, particularly by Dr. Monro. That honorable gentleman had especially defended the present Government, and sought to justify himself and colleagues in voting in its support. He (Mr. Eban) considered that in tbe present emergency they had done quite right by rendering such aid, so far deserving the approbation of the province. He also agreed with honorable gentlemen when they justified the present war, or at least the justice and propriety of employing military force in putting down native rebellion. Whatever might ba said on the other side he would say that the only way now left us to win Maori respect and duty was to administer to Kingi and his race a wholesome thrashing. Such was the only remaining argument and prompt corrective of the fearful evils which threatened the colony. Its fairness and wisdom could uot bnt be appreciated by the natives themselves, whatever mistaken expediency or benevolence might assert to the contrary, since force alone .was the prime oboriginal title to everything iri dispute, although Government had acted under the sanction of claims secured by equitable artangemeuts, arrangements which would be well understood and properly acknowleged after a good chastisement. But when Dr. Monro talked about a war policy, he (Mr. Eban} thought such an expression was without point or propriety. He would ask, was that to be digmfiad as policy, which was utterly void of either sense or prudence? Was that policy which, after the Wairau Massacre, and similar warnings, during some twenty years, leaves all our settlements entirely exposed, or neatly so, quite unprepared, destitute of arms, ammunition and the usual defences ? After all former neglects, was that to be styled policy on the part of the existing administration which had really anticipated none of the serious events of which every forewarning had been notoriously given forth? Did that deserve the name of po icy which suddenly drove hundreds of the helpless, from their homes to shelter amongst us and precipitated the colony i_rj_an_jexpansl re conflict, without giving a useless militia any arras better than flax-sticks? Had we been blest with an administrative war policy of the right kind we should not now have had to go a begging for guns and other weapons, when the Maories, by oihcial folly, had all obtained every equipment necessary for thera ; but we should on the contrary have been duly trained, and have been able to send hundreds of balls through the bulls eye from hundreds of well-directed rifles. Infatuation or bungling fooling it might be, but it was rather too much to trumpet such totK-foohshness as the policy of statesmanship. Meanwhile we must all do our best to fight out of the difficulty occasioned by sheer administrative unfitness and incapacity. "War policy" indeed ; he (Mr. Eban) would inquire whether there were not a safer war policy— that of peaceful regulations and adequate provisions for the legitimate control and government of the Maori people ? It is easy enough to censure any one for raising his voice to represent native claimsbut are not the fifty thousand natives our fellow subjects. ? We affirm our right to govern them • but after some thirty years of Protestant and Catholic misMonising and probably the voluntary expenditure of half-a-million sterling to convert aud civilise a brave and noble, but rapidly wasting population, we have done next to nothing in tbe way of cieating and establishing amongst the Maories those institutions which are our boast, and justly so. We claim preemptive right over their lands, but are they fairly sold to us, as tbey might easily be, at regular auction ? Do we give rights and priveleges as bonuses for the acquirement of education, character, wealth, and visible improvements? Have we by state provisions dune anything of real importance iv the mode of inducing natives to abandon their old customs, to settle amongst us, to affiliate with us, or to enjoy our common advantages? Some movement in this line might at last be effected, with a clumsy grace ; but as yet what has your policy achieved ? Certainly it has paraded our arts, our skill, the benefits of our free institutions before tbeir enquiring eyes ; it has made them see our blessings, but it has made them feel that they ure daily mocked with the want of every good civil equality like ours. We fire the souls of a bold and haughty people by keeping from them, or the best of their tribes, the very rights of which we are all so proud. We have our equal laws, our juries, our electors, our representatives, our magistrates, judges, and so forth, but with all our paltry gifts of blankets and silly .bribes, what have we given them besides worthy of either them or ourselves? Nothing better than a civil or national mockery. Well may honorable repteseutatives announce a sounding war policy, for unfortunately the Government has not had the sagacity or "spirit to attempt the mightier policy of an enlightened peace. Therefore it is, he (Mr. Eban) would venture to say, that, however well our members had stood by the Government in the crisis, they had not gone far enough : they had not rebuked and even lasbed the general administration for omitting to execute any promptly healing measures to end present grievances ; whatever may be contemplated, nothing satisfactory is done. The Government have not been equal to the occasion, notwithstanding all the pretty things stated to screen its feeble officials. Their war policy wa» destitute of all generalship, a sorry thing which the Maories deservedly laughed to scorn. We are greatly mistaken if these views do not embody the chief features in the wkole case

of what is required for the Maori as well as the European population. If the Government are meditating works in conformity with those suggestions, as Mr. Domett in reply to Mr Eban intimated, a speedy and wise execution would do more for settling these unhappy disturbances than all the collections of troops aud munitions of war could possibly effect. Mr. C. Elliott (seconded by Mr. John Hume), after some brief remarks, proposed a resolution thanking the members for their attendance, and the lucid explanations they had afforded ; this being declared carried, a vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.