GENERAL SUMMARY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2729, 8 September 1868, Page 5

GENERAL SUMMARY.

When our last summary was despatched to England, a debate of great importance was going on in the General Assembly. Mr Fox, the leader of the Opposition, asked that the Government should declare its policy, and brought forward a series of resolutions to that effect. These resolutions were debated at great length, but ultimately were lost, the Government on a division gaining a majority of nine. This majority was made up of paid Commissioners, Maoris, and waiters upon Providence ; while the minority consisted of men who represented the property, education and intelligence of nearly all the settled districts in the colony. The latter party was not content to accept a defeat which — deducting the Commissioners, Maoris, miner's rights men, and placehunters — amounted to a virtual victory ; so after a good deal of preliminary consultation a meeting was called to concert what further should be done. No less than twenty-five members of the Lower House, supporters of Mr Fox, were present ; while, in addition to those, four 1 others, absent through illness, Avere answered for by their friends as being on Mr Fox's side, so that his pledged supporters now number twenty-nine. The meeting discussed at length the present aspect of political affairs ; and certain general principles were unanimously assented to in the following resolution : — That this meeting, having heard the enunciation of Mr Fox's views, is of opinion that there are such gronards of common agroemeufc amongst, those present, on the fundamental points of the constitutional relations between the G-encral and Provincial Orovernments, the state of the public j finance, and the question of native policy, as to justify the formation of an organised Opposition, under the leadership of Mr Fox ; and this meeting, therefore, hereby constitutes itself into a political party, under the name of tho Constitu--tional party, and have unanimously requested Mr Fox to accept the position and responsibility of being its chief. Thus a strong and compact Opposition was formed, but no further important action was taken until the Financial Statement had been made. That statement was made on the Ist insfc by the Hon. John Hall. It is reported at considerable length in the present issue, and our homo readers will there find sufficient data on which to form a correct opinion as to the present financial condition of the colony. There is nothing in the speech which is pleasant to read. The Treasurer tells us that the revenue has fallen off, and that there is no prospect of taxation being lessened. The last year's estimate of revenue has not been realised by a sum of £103,293. Neither the Customs, the Stamps, the Bonded Stores, nor the " Miscellaneous," whatever that may mean, have come up to expectation. There is a small apparent saving on last year's estimates of expenditure, and a balance remains in the Bank of £46,979. This, however, will be materially reduced by the repayment of £25,000 of Treasury bills, which have been issued during the past year in aid of revenue. Of the loan conversion which Mr Fitzherbert has been managing in England, it is sufficient to repeat, on Mr Hall's assurance, that a large amount of existing loans have been converted into five per cent consolidated stock, and that a reduction has thereby been effected in the annual charges for interest. The Confiscated. Lauds have turned out a most unprofitable speculation ; the total receipts from them having been £11,929, as against an expenditure iof £2G,4<10. Passing to the question of, income and expenditure for the current year, we find that while tho former is expected to reach £1,000,500, the latter is put at £704,647. Tho Government, however, despair of making any great saving, unless the 'provinces are made powerless with a view to their ultimate destruction. The Government propose to bring to an end the joint interest which the provinces and the colony have hitherto possessed in ajcomraou purse. They intend splitting partnership, and propose to close accounts on the first clay of tho now year. Their plan is exceedingly simple. They intend taking all the Consolidated Revenue — Customs, stamps, bonded stores and the rost of it — while besides this they contemplate absorbing harbor dues and I pilot fees. The provinces are to be left practically powerless. The central | Government is to administer their affairs, take over their loans, and leave to them the glorious privilege of taxing

themselves for the purpose of discharging the important duties of colonization and settlement. There is to be one exception. The provinces are still to manage pulice and gaols, while a capitation, grant of seven shillings a head is to be given, in proportion to population, to enable them to do so. Everything else is to be left in the hands of the Central Government, and the existing Constitution is to be set at naught. As might naturally have been anticipated, the policy thus disclosed was generally condemned by the Opposition, and a no-con-fidence motion was given notice of by Mr Fox on the 4th inst. in the following series of resolutions : — "That this House has no confidence in the policy of tho Government because : — " (1) Whilst approving this dissolution of the partnership between the colony and the Provinces, tho Houso is of opinion that the arrangements for carrying out such a dissolution ard eminently unfuir. " (2) Because the Government do not propose to give effoct to one advantage which should be gained from the dissolution : namely, reduction of taxation. " (3) lieeuuse no adequate provisions is made for setting a limit in respect to future native and defence and expenditure. " (4) Because the Government propose to leave the country in uncertainty as to the future mode of government and territorial divisions of the country." The expected debate will afford another and a better opportunity than has yet occurred to test the strength of parties. The battle of a few weeks ago will be renewed, but this time the fighting, of a political kind, will be more determined, as the issues involved are of sd direct and practical a character, that it will be impossible for the Ministry to avoid facing ' them fairly. ' The colony is still engaged in a war 1 with the natives. A portion of the force under the command of Colonel McDonnell on the West Coast, on the 10th inst. made a demonstration against a Maori stronghold named Ngutu-o-te-Manu, but could not entice tho rebels to come out. A few native villages were, however, burned on the occasion, and on the night of the 20th August, a force consisting of 22 men, No. 2 division, Armed Constabulary , 2 officers and 54 men No. 5 division, A.C. ; 3 officers and 75 men "Wellington Rangers ; 1 officer aud 36 men, Tarauaki Volunteers ; 2 officers and 45 men, No. 3 division, A.C. ; 3 officers and 90 men Volunteer Militia; 1 officer and 31 men, European Contingent, under the command of Lieut. -Col. McDonnell, proceeded to the rebel stronghold. The rebel post was situated on a hill in the midst of a dense bush and could only be reached by a very narrow track. Our force, however, boldly approached it, and as they emerged into the open space immediately surrounding the pa, were assailed with a heavy fire from the natives behind the palisading and inside the works. The Colonial Rangers rushed boldly forward, and in a few minutes one-half of our forces had fairly established themselves within the defences. The Maoris fought bravely, but they could not stand against our men. The whole attack lasted about twenty minutes, and at the end of one hour from the time when we opened fire, not a vestige of the pa was to be seen. The Maoris effected a good retreat, after nine of their number had fallen. It would appear that the natives were able to carry off their wounded. Three of our men were killed and eight wounded, one of whom, H. G-eary, is since dead. The names of the killed were — R. Wallace, Kerr, Mackay. The wounded were attended to by Dr Walker on the field. At half-past 11 o'clock Colonel McDonnell commenced the march back, when he soon found that the enemy had concentrated upon his rear, and were keeping up adesultory fire upon the rear guard. The fire was returned, and ultimately the Maoris retired and allowed the troops to eftect their retreat without further molesting them. Colonel McDonnell arrived at Patea at midnight. The behaviour of both officers and men was excellent. Nothing further of importance has taken place at the front, but it is expected that Colonel McDonnell will follow up the work vigorously which has been commenced, and that another blow will shortly be struck at the Hauhaus, whoare again becoming audacious, and have recently been looting the cattle and Bheep of settlers at Patea. In truth this war would need to be vigorously carried on, as it is costing the colony something like £1500 a week ; and unless we can contrive to stamp out the rebellion quickly, it is not unlikely that fighting will perforce be stopped because there is no money to carry it on. A terrible muddle has been made of affairs on the East Coast. Last month we told the story how 100 Hauhau prisoners had escaped from the Chatham Islands and landed at Poverty Bay. These men were followed up by several bodies of colonial forces from Napier, who, however, did not succeed in capturing them, but on the contrary sustained more than one severe check from the Hauhaus, We described last month how Westrup, Wilson, and Richardson were forced to retreat with the loss of horses and baggage, and now we have to tell how Colonel Whitmore and the forces under his command, 'haying followed the ex-prisoners into the interior, succeeded in overtaking them on the Bth ult. at the Riiaki Ture. A severe engagement ensued, which lasted till sunset, and resulted in nine casualties on our side and considerable numbers killed on the part of the enemy. We deeply regret to add that among the killed were Capt. Carr of Petane and Mr Davis Canning, two esteemed settlers of the Hawke's Bay province, who accompanied Colonel Whitmore as gentlemen volunteers, and who fell while leading the men against the enemy. The complete list of killed and wounded was as follows -.—Killed— Capt. Carr, Staff, R.A., never approached near enough to discover how; P. Condon, Armed Constabulary, shot through the head; W. Coates,, Armed Constabulary, shot through the

head : Lieut. D. Canning, Napier Volunteers, shot through, the body in two places ; Rihara, Native Volunteers ; total, 5. Wounded— Sub-Inspector A. Tuke, i arm, severely; Constable «T. Beatty, through thigh; Constable P. Byrne, through body, dangerous— since dead ; Constable J. Lewis, leg, severe ; G-. McCoy, Napier Volunteers, shoulder, severe ; a native ; total 6. It is supposed that tho enemy, at a rough gusss, have j lost thirty men from first to last. The latest news is to the effect that the Hauhaus have safely effected their retreat to the Uriwera country. Meantime Colonel Whitmore has come to ■Wellington to explain how he did not catch the Hauhaus, and the # Napier Volunteers have returned to their homes. It was a blunder to take these Hauhaus prisoners in the first instance ; it was a i blunder to allow them to escape from the Chatham Islands ; and it was a blunder to spend money in trying to recapture them after they had escaped. We learn by way of Auckland, that the settlers in Poverty Bay are deserting their homes in consequence of these ex-prisoners being at large in their district. During the month New Zealand has witnessed some extraordinary wave phenomena, followed by a sharp shock of earthquake, which latter, however, did no damage. The tide rose and foil on Saturday, August 15th, in the most extraordinary manner at all the seaports in New Zealand. Some damage was done to shipping at Lyttelton and Port Chalmers, but none in Wellington. At the Chatham Islands, three immense earthquake waves swept inland destroying a considerable amount of property, and threatening the lives of the inhabitants, Who narrowly escaped. A full account of these disasters is given in our present issue. On tho 17th August, after the occurrence of these wave phenomena, a sharp shock of earthquake was experienced all over the colony. The New Zealand Steam Navigation Company have experienced a serious disaster in the loss of the fine steamship Taranalu, which, on her passage to Picton after entering Tory Channel, struck the Boat Harbor Hock, and having sustained serious damage, almost immediately began to fill. The mails and passengers were landed in safety, but the efforts to beach the vessel at Bowdeu's Bay, have proved unsuccessful. The steamer sunk in ten fathoms of water at the entrance to the bay ; and by tho latest news we learn that she had gradually shifted out, till she now Jies in fifteen fathoms water. Tenders are invited for raising the vessel, but it is doubtful whether any attempt will be made to do so. The steamer, which is not insured, cost the Compauy £17,000, and the cargo on board is estimated to be worth £40,000 more. A meeting of the shareholders is to be held shortly for the purpose of appointing a Committee toinvestigatethe present state of tho Company's affairs. There is a general feeling expressed that after the heavy losses that have been sustained the Company should be wound up.