The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-19 00:00:00

sign unless the vote was rescinded. Next day the
vote was rescinded, several members reversing their
opinions of the previous evening rather than the
Government should go out. Ten days ago Mr.
Cardwell's despatch of July 26 arrived, in which
he holds out no hope of assistance in the shape of a
guarantee to the remainder of the loan, a grant in
aid of expenses, or in any other way whatever,

leaving the colony to get out of the mess in the be&
way it can. Ministers did not choose to ask the
house to discuss this despatch ; they were prepared
to accept the self-reliance it inculcated as soon as
the Governor or general, or whoever is acting as the
agent of the Imperial authorities, removed the
troops, and there was to be an end of it so far as the
house was concerned, except that it not only made
taxation more inevitable than ever, but held out a
prospect of its indefinite increase. Last Tuesday
Ministers called their supporters together, and
found that they could carry all their measures if
their friends would but attend and vote any further
fancy propositions. On that night Ministers were
beaten in their opposition to a motion for adjourn-
ment, and were saved a defeat on the following
evening only by the casting vote of the Speaker.
They could stand this mode of conducting busi-
ness no longer, and, next day (the 12th) tendered
their resignations. Mr. Stafford (who was Premier
in Governor Browne's time) was immediately sent
; for, and is now engaged in endeavouring to form a
new Administration. The difficulties in his way
are very great, and he may not succeed, but, as his
name has of late years been looked upon as a tower
of strength to any Ministry he might join, it is
thought that he will probably be successful, though
certainly no other man could be. His chance
mainly rests in the approaching general election, as
some members with shaky seats will feel inclined
to support him, in the near view of the huftings,
who would not have done so otherwise, in the hope
that a little claptrap on the taxation question may
return them again. Allied closely to the Auckland
section of the house, Mr. Stafford will necessarily
seek the retention of as many of the Imperial troops
as possible, and in this policy he will, no doubt, be
backed by the Governor, if only for the reason I
explained last month. An income-tax may, pro-
bably, be substituted for stamp duties; for, as Mr. ,
Stafford is one of the last men in the house, or out
of it, to shrink from crushing the rebellion by the
most vigorous means in his power, money must be
raised in some way or other, especially as the Im-
perial Commissariat is stoutly kicking at making
any further advances. In many respects, if not in
most, Mr. Stafford's policy must tend in the same
direction as Mr. Weld's. It will, however, be a
matter of much regret to nearly all, the portions of
the colony if the Weld Ministry have to go out at
this crisis. It is regarded as able, honest, and hard-
working ; but these or any other qualifications seem
insufficient to enable a New Zealand Ministry to re-
tain office more than a single session. We had
changes in 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, and now again
in
things ln must be obvious.B6s. The serious drawback of such a state of
The ships Rob Roy and John Temperley carry
away the 65th Regiment from Auckland this month.
It has been a favourite regiment wherever it has
been stationed, and all the North Island has a good
havewo
y
been bestowed by the last mail
rd t
Fouro c.sa.,s for it.
on officers serving in New Zealand. A despatch
from Lord De Grey was laid on the table early in
the session, refusing the Victoria Cross to Min
Heaphy, of the militia, for an act of conspicuous
gallantry at the Wakaito in February, 1864. The
Governor had strongly recommended it, and as the
militia was co-operating with the imperial troops,
and the major's bravery was exhibited in saving the
life of a wounded soldier, it was confidently hoped
that the honour would be conferred. The refusal is
grounded on the fact that Major Heaphy is only a
colonist, and on the assumption that he would meet
with a " substantial reward" in land. It is a pity
that there should have been any comparison drawn
between the relative value to a brave man of three-
pennyworth of bronze and a few dirty acres of waste
land; but to insinuate that the latter were more
highly prized than the former by men outside the
imperial army was only adding insult to injury. Mr.
Cardwell supports Lord De Grey's view. Imperial
officers on retiring from the army to settle are al-
lowed by several of the provincial Governments
handsome grants of land, but the militia are not ;
yet none of us ever think of ascribing such sordid
motives to gallant officers in her Majesty's service
as Lord De Grey and Mr. Cardwell join in attribut-
ing to colonial braves. There are, however, prece-
dents for granting the Victoria Cross outside the
imperial army and navy. Mr. R. C. Mangles, of the