MR. RICHMOND'S RESIGNATION.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1707, 14 March 1862, Page 2

MR. RICHMOND'S RESIGNATION.

Mr. C. W. Richmond has resigned his seat in the Assembly, with the iulentioa of not again seeking to enter it — for the present, at any rate. We have on many occasions borne testimony to the ability and integrity of Mr. Richmond as a statesman, and to his urbanity and unwearied devotion to the duties of the multifarious offices from time to time imposed upon him. We have often complained of his. consumption of "Midnight oil." His lamp was too often helping him to theorise on Dative matters, when bis saddle would have better assisted' him ■in the elucidation of them, and it must be a matter of re* gret to us all that he has Hot yet recovered from that /w eariness of the ' flesh" which is the invariable concern!- $ tant of such constant mental work as Mr. Rioh mend's was. - ; The following is Mr. Richmond's address to his Tarauaki constituency, dated from Dunedin, where he is now practising his profession. TO THE ELECTORS OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW* PLYMOUTH.

attains. I believe there is a short note in the Taranaki Herald of what I said at the hustings I remember declaring that, as the relations of the two races must continually involve questions of Peace and War, and as the colony was as yet unfit to sustain a struggle with the natives, without the aid of the Mother Country, it followed as a matter of course, that the Colonial Legislature must not grasp at the power of directing Native Policy.

I have ever sinca, both as a Minister and a member of the House, acted consistently with this opinion, and have never claimed for the Legislature or for the Responsible Ministry, anything beyond a secondary position in i-eference to Native affairs. I have done my best towards working at the hard problem set us by the framers of the constitution of 1853, always keeping in view the maintenance of an Imperial control over Native affairs. Experience has only strengthened my opinion as to the importance of this point, aud it ha.9 become my fixed conviction that a Parliamentary opposition to the Native policy of the Governor is unfit and dangerous. lam satisfied that the opposition in the House of Representatives to the measures of Governor Brown was most pernicious in its effect upon the mind of the Natives, and I am not prepared to take part in any similar agitation. . You will see, upon. reference to the addresses of the House of Representatives during its last session that the House, in accordance with the view that Native Policy is a matter of Imperial concern, undertook lo^econd the Imperial policy as represented by Governor Browne. We know what that policy was, but as yet we do not understand the policy which has succeeeded to it; It may bo that it is such as we should approve, and it may be that it is quite the contrary. In the former case, it matters nothing, so far as native affairs are concerned, what coloui'ed party is " in power," as the phrase is. In the latter case, I believe that we shall only make bad worse by talking in the House. Whatever I might think of the Governor for the time being — however deep might be my distrust of the man— however thorough my disapproval of his measures — I deliberately say, that I deem it better, in the present state of the country, that he should pursue his course without the accompaniment of a Parliamentary opposition in the colony, barking, as it were, at his heels. Other modes of remonstrance can be found ifi unfortunately, they should be needed. Not that I think any modo of remonstrance likely to be. effectual; but other modes might be found which, would not he positively hurtful.

The Native question is the question of absorbing interest for Taranaki, and therefore is the only public question which I could feel any call of duty to take a part in. For the reasons above assigned I see nothing which I can do in it as a member of the Legislature, and I therefore yield to the other pressing claims upon my remaining strength.

When you first returned me, I had not, as many of you know, the least wish or intention to take so prominent a part in public affairs as was forced upon me by events ; and it has always been my desire to seize the first honourable opportunity of retiring from the Political field. Nevertheless, itis with great pain that I see our connection dissolved. I have truly felt it to be an honor to represent you. Your patience and your courage, under privations and amidst dangers which I had not the privilege of sharing, have commanded the just admiration of your fellow colonists. Your true hearted farewell to Governor Browne is proof of a constancy not often found in numerous bodies of men. There is not a constituency in New Zealand which I should desire to represent in comparison with those of Taranaki. If I Baw any fair prospect of being useful to you in the House I would submit to great sacrifices to keep my seat there. But Ido not think that my presence can help you, and I therefore now resign into your hands the trust which you committed to me. I remain, my dear fellow settlers, and friends, Your's faithfully, . . C. W. EICHMOND.