The Waikato Times. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 11, 25 May 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1872.

Ykstkuday was celebrated throughout the I'rilish dominions the birthday of Her Majesty (Jueen Victoria. During- the year of her life jnsl. j>iissed wn havo more Mian once bail can so for anx-ety concerning the health of Hoi- Majesty. We congratulate our fellowcolonists on the fact. that, by t he last advices, she was 11 enjoying u'ood health. The past year has been prolific of great events. The torrilie struggle bet ween Germany and France, lesulting as it has in the deposition of the Kniporor and tho establishment of a Republic in the hitter eonntiy has disturbed the minds of tho discontented in all the nat ionsof Kuropo. Kvenin Great Britain, where tho inhabitants enjoy greater freedom than those ofsuiy other nation inthe world,there has been an agitation for a Republic. Those who took part in it only bucceeded, however, in making themselves the laughing-stocks of J heir fellow countrymen. One of the most prominent amongst the would-be mob leaders was Sir Charles Dilke, a young man who, incapable from want of ability of taking a leading place with the respectable portion of the community, and possessing in the highest degree the vanity which usually characterises men of his years, adopted something very 1 i ke treasonable doctrines as a means ofgaining the notoriety for which he thirstod. One of the objections urged against public executions was, that the culprit, by that means was, to some extent, made a hero for a short time. On the snme principle all sensible people consider that the Government acted wisely in taking no notice of this foolish young man. The intense anxiety felt by all clashes in the il.tiess of the Prince of \\ ales, and the universal and cordial congratulations offered t) Her Majesty on bis recovery have had the otVect of silencing the very weak voice Hepublicanism was enabled to raise for a very short time. We in tho colonies have not been free from agitation. We have had our cry for separation from Great Britain and the establishment of an Australasian Republic. The cry has only been a faint one, and emanated, for tho most part, from those who had not taken the trouble to consider thoroughly the effect of snch a step. This has been explained to them by the press and public spewkers, and they are now convinced, putting aside all natural affection for the land of their birth, that separation from Great Britain could not add to our prosperity, and moreover that we should lose the prestige we enjoy as being an integral part of a great nation. We are confident that we express the sentiments of the colonists of New Zealand in wishing long life to our Queen and a longer to the constitution by which Great Britain has become tho first nation in the world.

Thk Defence Minister has On more than | one occasion expressed his intention of ]ocat- i ing sonic of the rebel natives on the land j corif iguous to the township of Ngaruawahia. j As t here appears to be some probability of j the K inland ii;h followers giving in, the danger that he will pursue this course is imminent. We wish before it is too late to point out to the lion, gentleman the gross injustice this would be to the settlers in that township and on the few suburban sections sold by the Government. ft is of the utmost imponance that a Government should not be guilty of any act that bears the slightest tinge of dishonest,y. We use the term dishonesty a visedly, as the giving of the land t > natives, whether friendly or rebel, must place the ! donors in the unpleasant position of having i obtained money under false pretences.. We j will remind the hou. gentleman that ISgaruawahia was declared a Government township, an elaborate plan was made showing the town and suburban sections ; these were offered for sale, and very high upset prices were put upon (hem, two high in fact in the estimation of the majority of would-be purchasers. Some few of the section*, however, were sold, the purchasers depending upon the carrying out of the contract of the Government to eventually make their purchases worth the very high prices they paid for them. The settlement of a number of lazy, quarrelsome natives in the immediate neighborhood of any settlement can only have the one effect, — tliatof'lessening the value of all property. Progress in New means increase of population of a right description ; on the contrary, the introduction of a wrong class of people damps the energies of those already in it, and prevents others of a right sort from settling. This being the state of affairs we appeal to the public if it would not be an act of dishonesty towards those who have bought land in and about Ngaruawahia, if the Hon. the Defence Minister carried out his expressed intentions. There is surely plenty of land in other places equally well fitted for native settlement.