COLONIAL DEFENCE

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1961, 24 September 1863, Page 1

COLONIAL DEFENCE

Lord Lyttelton presented a petition in the House of Lords from Taranaki on the subject of the distress brought upon the inhabitants by the native war. He remarked that it was a somewhat anomalous position of affairs that whereas we imposed upon those who left our shoree every social duty, we reserved to ourselves to so great an extent, that first and primary duty — self-dc- I fence. No doubt the imposition of that duty was, as was the case with everything else, liable to modification according to circumstances. As a general rule, however, the cost of war and government ought to bo borne by those for whose benefit it was carried on, and the Imperial Government j ! ought not to be called upon as a matter of right to relieve the colonists of any portion of their responsibility in that respect. That being so, no better case could, lie thought, be found for the application of such a principle than New Zealand. Of course ho was not going to ask for direct pecuniary aid to the settlement. In the memorial it was stated that the colonial assembly had voted to the settlement a sum of £250,000 by way of compensation, and the imperial Government might very well lend its aid, either by a guarantee or some other way, to facilitate tho raising of that sum, so that tho settlement might 1 immediately receive tho benefit of it. Ho trusted too, that the noble duko would de all ho could to expedite measures of peace in the colony. The noble lord concluded by moving that the petition lie on the table. The Duko of Newcastle, in the course of a long speech, said — Though I have laid it down as a general principle that the colonies should provide for their own defence, I have neve~r said that all ! assistance from the home Government should be ' withdrawn from Now Zealand, and that- the colo^ nists should be left to fight out their own battlea with the natives. On the contrary, in the despatch of of May 18G2, I said expressly that the troops would not bo withdrawn at present. Now, with regard to this petition, your lordships will not hear from me any expressions other than commiseration for the inhabitants of Taranaki; but at the same time I must in justice say that they have a good deal to answer for themselves in connection with tho present condition of things in ' tnat province. The sum voted for the inhabitants of Taranaki by the inhabitants of New Zealand is £200,000, of which £25,000 has been paid from money which was raised in this country two years ago. There is at present an agent of the Colony in England with the view of raising a loan of from £500.000 to £600,000, to be appliod in payment of the balance of the sum voted to tho inhabitants of Taranaki, and about £-<>00,000 to the English Government. Mr Sewell, tho commissioner &p---pointed to enquire into the matter, estimated the compensation to tho inhabitants of Taranaki at £158,000; and the colonists are prepared to pay a larger sum than that. But my noble friend saya the Colony is too poor to pay this compensation' I am happy to say the colony is so prosperous that notwithstanding the war, tho revenue of New Zealand has, during a period of three years, increased from £230,000 to £460,000, and the imports and exports more than doubled between 1861 — the year in which tho war commenced — and the following year. (Hear.) I therefore hold that there is no justification for asking this sum from the Imperial Parliament. For tho last two years "Sir George Grey has been pursuing a quiet, steady, but resolute policy of which we aro now reaping the fruits. Ho began as a statesman and a soldier would begin by making roads through this difficult country. After doing this, General Cameron at the head of a few troops took possession of the disputed blocks without shedding a drop of blood, and instead of the resistance with which ho was threatened by the natives the Governor with the General and tho troops wore received with the utmost cordiality and goodwill. By the last accounts — and I have a privata letter from tho Governor dated three or four days later than the last despatch-— -ho informed me that the natives, who had so lately been fighting against us, were bringing in potatoes and other commodities for the use of tho troops. Now thi* is a very hopeful sign, and looks like the beginning of the end. j Under such circumstances, I hope that in this country and in tho colon/ patience will.be shown and th*t in Now Zealand* tho voices of- those men whose object is war will ho extinguished. . Earl Grey said — With colonies situated as New Zealand was, the mother country should deal more generously witli the colonists, and ought not to call upon them to bear the whole burden of defending themselves belbro they were in a condition to undertake the task. As a colony became prosperous and populous, it should bo required to take upon itself a proportionate share of the burden of self-defence, but he could not approve of the doctrine of the duty of colonies to defend themselves being pushed to .the extreme in times of difficulty and danger. .He was of opinion that the abandonment of our colonies would be a mean and unworthy policy, and ho was one of those who should most regret to see it adopted. Lord Lyvoden believed that Jthe chief cause of these wars was that tho settlers, relying upon the force (Which would be sent from tins country to back them, adopted an aggressive policy towards the natives. It they were loft to their own resources peace would bo much better procured. Whatever remedy the noblo duke might adopt for tho existing state of things, he hoped that he would never resort to that which had been recommended by tho noble earl — viz , that of retracting our stops, and abolishing responsible governments in the colonies. (Hear, hoar.) Such a course, would, in his opinion, bo neither desirable nor possible. (Hear, hear.) Lord Lyttelton briefly replied, and the subject then dropped.