The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 14, 1864.

cation at the overthrow of Government wishes by
the success of Lord R. CECIL'S motion. The noble
lord was quite justified in the course he took, and,
indeed, he deserves great credit for the energy with
which he pursued his purpose. The Reports of
School Inspectors was a subject that especially
called for investigation, and it is very satisfactory to
reflect that there will now be some remedial agency
brought to bear upon the matter, and the necessary
reform introduced into the workings of the plans.
Lord R. CECIL could have put his case in no
stronger manner than when he informed his hearers
that the question " involved the truth and purity
of the information upon which the House disposed
of large sums of money taken out of the taxes paid
by the people." This was surely sufficient warrant
for the importance of the subject, and the details
and disclosures that were afterwards adduced only
served to enhance the value of the proposal made,
and to point the moral to the astonished assembly.
It stands to reason that a report that is tampered
with is not of much value, and it is monstrous to
think that the authorities have been making things
to suit their views, and in some measure employing
a Procrustean agency to effect their inordinate
desires. Thus it has been proved that a
system of revision and suppression has long pre-
vailed regarding the reports laid before Parlia-
ment. The Vice-President of the Council arrogated
to himself the right which Lord R. CECIL very
properly objected to of expunging from the reports
all that did not coincide with his own opinions,
and of retaining all that did not meet his wishes.
This is a very barefaced proceeding, and most cer-
tainly called for some interference. What is the
use of hon. members studying reports with a view
of possessing themselves of information that it is
important and desirable to obtain, and then only to
read a mutilated report, and a garbled version of
events. Such a transaction is an outrage on public
opinion, it is an insult alike to good faith and good
feeling, and altogether it forma one of those cor-
ruptions of justice and shiftings of original inten-
tions on the part of the promoters that men will
not willingly sanction, nor readily permit. Mr.
WALTER, in a brief discourse, effectively carried on
the discussion, and very aptly showed the mischief
that this mutilated system had occasioned. The
Inspectors were men of education, and the house
deemed their opinion worth having, and yet it
could only be obtained in a very imperfect form
because of the faulty practice referred to. The hon.
member mentioned curiously enough how a report
in which he was himself concerned was mutilated
in a considerable manner, and a whole passage
bearing upon an important topic struck out, be-
cause the Inspector had stated that in the school
which was praised there was an uncertificated
mistress. This is proof positive of the injurious
nature and evil effects of the pernicious custom in
vogue, and high time it was that the Legis-
lature should iuterfere to stop the pro-
gress of such crying evils, and restore
the just method of transacting the busi-
ness. Mr. LowE did not improve his case by
losing his temper, and he did not deny the altera-
tions urged against him by his hasty mode of deal-
ing with the subject. There is generally something
wrong in the subject, or the speaker, or perhaps
with both, when there is much acerbity displayed,
and much irritation of feeling manifest. The right
hon. gentleman was doubtless still further incensed
by Lord R. CECIL'S smart allusions to his danger-
ous state, if annoyed, and also that he could not
quote any of his authorities, because the luckless
wight would fall under condign punishment if his
name were known. Apart from the importance of
the question, it is very satisfactory to think that the
House did decide against the Vice-President, if only
because of his vehement determination to dictate
terms, and tell hon. members what they must do,
and almost dare them to do otherwise then obey his
behests. A man in his position should be tempe-
rate in his expressions, and remember that abuse is
not argument. Ia the first place he said that if the
House agreed to the plan before it, it would be fatal
to the present organisation of the office. So much
the better, some may very wisely exclaim, if it is
based on such very unstraightfor ward principles,
and copies the manners of despotic Powers in de-
claring what information shall or shall not be meted
out to an obedient Parliament and a servile public.
The next plea put forward is one totally inadmis-
sible from its extreme violence and extraordinary
assurance. It states that " the two statements of
the noble lord are utterly untrue, and his two opi-
nions are absurd." Now, this is not the way in
which official authorities should presume to dictate
terms to the representatives of the people, and the
victory which was achieved by the Opposition was
not only an immediate success over injustice, but a
more remote and not less important triumph over
condact that seems to borrow the description once
given by Mr. SHELL, an instance of "splenetic.
authoritativeness and factions sophistication." The
mortification which must have been experienced by
the Vice-President and his friends may teach them
a useful lesson for the future, and at all events the
House and the public will profit by the immunity
from garbled statements which they will henceforth
possess.

The news from New Zealand still leaves affairs
in a somewhat unsatisfactory condition. The
Maories have entrenched themselves in a fresh
position, which seems to be even stronger than their
former ones, and have mustered in considerable
force, their numbers being variously estimated at
from 3,000 to 5,000. General CAMERON, with
about 2,700 men, is besieg;ng them at this spot,
which is called Te Rore, and is keeping up a close
watch that no native shall escape. His object is;
it is said, to starve them into surrender, and if the
number of the native forces has been estimated with
anything like correctness, such a task ought not to
be very difficult. But we must not forget the
skill and secrecy with which the Maories took their
departure from Mere-mere, and it is impossible to
reel absolutely certain that they will not contrive
again to ellude our men just in the hour of antici-
pated triumph. Their intimate acquaintance with
the country,and their singular agility and ingenuity
are, of course, greatly in their favour in warfare of
this kind, although in a direct engagement they
have no sirt of chance. The position wnich the
Maories at present occupy is described by a colonial
journal as " a Mori Quadrilateral ;" and, indeed,
throughout the war the skill and strength of their
entrenchments has been very remarkable, The
Maories are of a considerably higher race
than most aborigines, possessing a degree
of intell:genee and ingenuity that proves
their capability of cultivation and improvemenz.
This makes it the more lamentable and unfortunate
that they should be always arrayed against the
influences of civilisation and be spending their
whole energies in the fruitless attempt to resist our
power. The British forces are of course certain of
ultimate success, but the great object is to achieve
that success with as little delay and bloodshed as
possible. We have already had to deplore the loss
of many able officers who fell at Rangariri, and
even the present comparatively inactive position has
cost the life of a gallant naval officer, Lieutenant
MITCHELL, commander of the steamer Avon. On
the native side the loss has, of course, been much
heavier throughout, and in the akirmishiug