The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-17 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1865.

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There is at length a prospect of an approaching
termination of the New Zealand war, which has
now dragged on its weary length for so many tedious
months. A war of this character has nothing to
commend it to the most pugnacious or fiery Euro-
pean. It is harassing and inglorious, waged against
an inferior race, who, under every disadvantage in
point of military skill and science, have got so
many advantages in their knowledge of the country
and the quickness and ingenuity peculiar to savage
races, that they are of ten able to defeat the best-
laid plans. No military glory is to be gained by a
victory in a pitched battle should the natives ever
allow themselves to be surprised or driven into one,
but, at the same time, the pursuit or the defence
may be as difficult and as fatiguing as if the enemy
belonged to the most accomplished military nation.
The sort of guerilla warfare which is peculiarly
attractive to savages—the surprising of baggage
trains and convoys—the murder of outlying pickets
and stray individuals—all render this species of war-
fare especially harassing and unsatisfactory. In
the case of the Maories, moreover, there have been
other difficulties from their remarkable intelli-
gence and semi-civilisation. They possess such
singular skill in constructing defensive works,
that it has been no easy matter to carry their posi-
tions, and more than once it has happened that
when, after a desperate struggle, the works were
carried, they were found to be empty, the Maories
having left by a retreat which either had not been
observed or could not be cut off. Swamps and
marshes, impassible to Europeans, were easily tra-
versed by them, since they knew the paths by which
they could be traversed. Their knowledge of the
use of fire-arms, too, gave them an immense ad-
vantage over mere savage troops, and they have
had also, we are sorry to say, the advantage of Eu-
ropean direction. All these causes have combined
to render the war no easy one to bring to a satis-
factory or speedy issue, and certainly it did
not
need she introduction of an extraneous element of
Yet this has occurred in the •
perplexity. very seri-
ous disagreement existing between the Ministry on
the one hand and the General-in-Chief on the other.
In so complicated a matter it is not fair to judge
until the statements of both parties are laid before
the public ; but certainly the charge which General
CAMERON brought against the .New Zealand
Ministry was not one which ought to have
been lightly rn ado against English gentle-
men. General CAMERON, in fact, charged
the Ministry with the continued prosecution of the
war for the purposes of aggrandisement, and in
utter carelessness of the lives of the Imperial troops.
It is true that this charge was not made openly, but
was openly communicated to the Governor in a
semi-official letter, which he naturally thought ne-
cessary to lay before the accused parties, the more
so as the Ministry had acted in perfect harmony
with himself throughout. The Ministers declined
to notice any such letter unless it were brought be-
fore them officially ; and Sir GEORGE GREY, who
had, as we have said, fully coincided in their
Policy, thought it necessary to terminate all

communications with General CAMERON, excepting
those strictly official. In a memorandum issued by
the Auckland Government they denounce in strong
terms the injustice of the accusation, and declare
that it is impossible, with any regard to their own
character, longer to avail themselves of services so
unwillingly rendered. What will be the result of
this open rupture remains to be seen : the question
will be a difficult one for the Colonial Minister to
deal with. The general feeling in the colony is
that the Auckland Ministry could not have acted
otherwise ; but the General is indignant at
the public use of what he calls a private
letter. The recent inaction of General CAMERON
in the prosecution of the war is clearly accounted
for by this impression on his part. One thing is
forcibly shown by this entanglement—the evil of
double or divided authority, and the colonists have
good cause to complain that, pending the settlement
of private differences between these gentlemen, the
public interests of the colony are not sufficiently re-
garded. The outlay and loss caused by the war
have been very serious to a young community, to
say nothing of the loss of life and suffering occa-
sioned by it. Divided councils are always bad, and
the absence of a decided authority in a matter of
such serious import is very much to be regretted.

At the same time the prospects of peace are more
encouraging. The submission of WILLIAM THomr-
SON, the most formidable of the leaders, and several
of the principal Maori chiefs, augurs well for the
future. More especially may we hope that this is
something beyond a mere temporary truce, since
WILLIAM THOMPSON signed the submission on the
part of the KING and himself. General CAREY, to
whom the submission was made, describes the bear-
ing of THOMPSON as silent and submissive in the
extreme, and the only requests which he made were
for an official examination into his character, which,
he affirmed, had been much maligned, and that
General CAREY should let him know what the Go-
vernor thought of his submission. The form of
covenant which ThomrsoN signed was as follows :
—" We consent that the laws of the QUEEN be
laws for the KING (Maori), to be a protection for us
all for ever and ever. This is the sign of making
peace, my coming into the presence of my
fighting friend, General CAREY." The cove-
nant was in the Maori language, and was
dated May 27, 1865. It cannot, of course, be re-
garded as a final settlement of the war, but each of
the chiefs that lays down his arms and acknow-
ledges the supremacy of the QUEEN is a point gained,
and the surrender of WILLIAM THOMPSON, ii
genuine, is worth the submission of a dozen Maori
chiefs. Whether or no his character has been
maligned, as he asserts, there is little doubt that he
has been an active promoter of the war, and espe-
cially of that King movement which has done so
much mischief. It will be a matter for hearty con-
gratulation
for the colonists, and of satisfaction to
the mother country, when hostilities are finally sus-
pended, and the relations between the settlers and
the I\laories put upon a safer and more defined
footing.

The various Exhibitions of Arts and Manufac-
tures that are constantly taking place are among
the most encouraging and interesting signs of the
times in which we live. Yesterday the Lord Chan-
cellor, assisted by the Marquis of SALISBURY and
the Lord Mayor, opened the North-East London
Exhibition, at the Agricultural Ilall, Isliniton.
The arrangements were admirably done, and the
whole affair was very satisfactory. Thousands
attended, and the place was crowded with orderly
visitors, who were greatly interested in the pro-
ceedings. The various ceremonies having been
gone through, and the choir having sung the Old
-Hundredth Psalm, the Lord Chancellor declared
the Exhibition open. his lordship also delivered
an impressive address, which was most appropriate
to the occasion, and brought the leading circum-
stances connected with the affair before the
assembly. He commenced by an allusion to the
first Great Exhibition, which took place in 1851,
and testified to the wisdom and prescience which
the late Prince Consort had displayed in that
affair. Certainly that noble undertaking may rank
among the chief works of his Royal Ilighness, as
it is the one which will the most intimately associate
his name with posterity, for the continuance of these
Exhibitions seems likely enough, and in all pro-
bability they will flourish among future generations,
who will appreciate and admire them. France, has
followed our example, and since then the design has
been carried out in many places. One of the na-
tural consequences of the " happy issue " of our
Great Exhibitions was truly said by the Lord Chan-
cellor to be the development of the South Kensing-
ton Museum, and that institution has been of in-
estimable service to our manufacturers and opera-
tives. The noble and learned lord went on to ex-
plain the necessity that existed for further under-
takings besides the great establishment at South
Kensington. Time cannot be given by the working
classes of the north-east of London to go to such a
distance as Kensington to study objects of art, and
hence, to all intents and purposes, it spreads its
stores in vain for them, and its marvels of science
and art are to them sealed books. 'The inhabitants
of Islington have done themselves great honour, and
deserve great praise for their energy and enthu-
siasm in this cause ; and, as the Lord Chancellor
said to them yesterday, it is a matter of " legitimate
pride " for them to reflect upon. The inhabitants
of that locality comprise many hundreds who are
engaged in every variety of manufacture,
and if a museum could be permanently
established there it would be of great benefit
and a paramount advantage to the community. As
was also observed in this eloquent address immense
good is done by affording the working classes the
means of improvement and amusements of an ele-
vated kind. Thus local museums will be an addi-
tional advantage to them, and another great in-
ducement is held out to those who have the manage-
ment of such undertakings. In these great under-
takings there will not be occasion to exercise much
patience, or to trust to the promise of one sowing
that another may reap, for actual and immediate
gain seems to wait on the labours of those who
inaugurate them, and the best and happiest results
follow their doings. In connection with the much-
used phrase of " working classes," the Lord CHAN-
CELLOR said that he had been all his life a "work-
ing man," and he could state from experience that
the work of the brain is often more exhausting than
the work of the hand, and honest work of any kind
was not only useful, but laudable. In the beauti-
ful language of the Psalmist, he endeavoured to
illustrate his meaning by quoting the passage which
declares—" Oh Lord how wonderful art Thou in all
Thy works, in wisdom hast Thou made them." Al-
together this opening ceremony may be considered
to be a great success, and to have realised all the
most sanguine expectations.

There are few arrangements connected with the
public service which conduce more to the general
safety and order of the community than the Police
Force ; but, inasmuch as grave responsibility is
vested in its members, it behoves the administrators
of the law to see that due discipline is maintained,
and strict justice observed among them. It is always
to ba regretted when too much laxity is shown to
those who break the laws in their own persons which 1

they pu.t forward to guard and to see that others
observe. Some cases of police misconduct have
lately been brought under the notice of a magistrate,
and treated with the most extraordinary lenity.
This is not the way to manage matters to insure
the confidence of the public, or to win that respect
for constituted authority which is so very desirable.
The offences with which these men were charged
were such as to deserve some heavier punishment
than a mild reprimand, and it seems, indeed, strange
that nothing more was awarded to them. It is a
poor and pitiful excuse to urge on behalf of an
officer entrusted with a public duty to say that he
lost his temper. It may be true or not that he be-
came irritated and acted on the hasty impulse of the
moment ; but such conduct is most culpable, and
may involve the most serious consequences to indi-
viduals, besides militating against public order and
propriety. In one case a policeman cruelly as-
saulted a poor old man with little or no provoca-
tion ; indeed the gaoler told the magistrate that
the sufferer was in such a condition from the
bruises he had met with that it was advisable to
send him to the hospital. It is going a great deal
too far to excuse such conduct as this on the score
of loss of temper, and the example thus held out to
others not to restrain their indignation, or to put no
check on their temper if exposed to provocation—
real or imaginary—is very deplorable. There is
nothing which policemen should guard against with
more circumspection than the inconsiderate use of
their truncheons, and if the cases appear isolated
ones in which such abuses occur, it is not the less
incumbent upon the administrators of the law to
check them, and to interpose what checks they may.
The second case is one in which a policeman took a
man into custody on the charge of " interfering
with him in the execution of his duty ;" and yet it
was proved that the defendant had only remon-
strated with him for pushing a woman fiercely along.
In consequence of this affront the policeman be-
haved in the most violent and abusive manner, and
fiercely took him into custody. In this instance,
also, the magistrate affirmed that the policeman had
" lost his temper," and all he did to mark his sense
of the aggravated offence was to discharge the pri-
soner. Another case was brought forward, in which
three policemen were detected drinking in a public-
house, and the magistrate observed that the commis-
sioners had fined or:would fine them for the offence.
If suck grave derelictions from duty as these cases
just cited are to be passed over sub silentio, as it were,
on the part of the authorities, it is time that in-
quiries should be made into the matter. It is an
insult to the common sense and the right feeling of
the community that loss of temper should condone
grave interference with personal liberty, and savage
attacks on old and defenceless persons. Such an
interpretation of the law will not do, especially as
applied to those who ought to be its guardians and
protectors. There is but one remark to make in
such a case, and that is, that those whose infirmity
of temper engenders want of self-control and
proper respect for the decencies of society, have no
business to take a responsible office upon them, and
should be dismissed from the performance of duties
so ill performed for the interests of society and their
own credit.

The Weather and Crops.

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PERTHSIIIRE.—Thero was not much done to harvesting
last week, but with favourable weather there will be a good
deal of cutting this week. Barley, where reaped, is under
an average, but looks better in stook than was expected.
As a whole, however, it is light. Oats, excepting where
after lea or on superior soils, is to be a light in-gathering.
Wheat is a good crop, and will be a fine sample. There
have not been so many sales of growing crops this year as
formerly. Prices have been various, and there is no doubt
but the expected deficiency in straw has tended to raise
the rate. The average for oats seems to be about is per
pole, and about 91d. for bailey. The potato disease has
shown itself unmistakeably on the haulms or shaves of
the potato crop, and the recent moisture may have a ten-
dency to develops the blight. As yet it has not affected
the tubers.

STIRLINGSHIRE.—The state of the crops has, from the
very heavy rains which have fallen for some days past, been
by no means satisfactory, a good deal of the wheat and
other fields having been laid. Yesterday an immense
quantity of heavy rain fell, accompanied by hail showers
and some peals of thunder and lightning, which continued
in the afternoon.

KELSO.—For the last few days the weather in this dis-
trict has been very unsettled. Rain began to fall heavily
on Friday, and since then it has continued with little or
no intermission, very copious showers having occurred on
the evenings of Saturday and Sunday, as well as yesterday
morning and afternoon. Harvest operations, which were
expected to be general yesterday, have in consequence been
somewhat retarded; while in many fields the grain crops
have been so laid by the excessive moisture as to make
their reaping a work of considerable difficulty. Already a
great many fields have been cut, principally in low-lying
localities, and on the haugh-lands of the Tweed ; but,
should more favourable weather not set in soon, fears are
entertained that " sprouting" may begin among the
stooks. While the rain has been unwelcome to the cereal
crops, it has had a beneficial effect upon turnips and pas-
tures, both of which have greatly improved within the last
10 days.
KELSO.—SREIRERS' HIRING MARXETS.—A shearers'
hiring market was held yesterday morning. The attend-
ance of hands seeking employment was limited, nearly the
whole of the large bodies of Irish reapers who poured into
town last week having previously secured places. The
demand being greater than the supply all were readily
engaged, at wages ruling from 16s. to 18s. per week.

THE HARVEST AND THE CROPS IN YORKSHIRE.—During
the summer there has been much speculation and much
difference of opinion upon the probable results of the pre-
sent harvest, and the effect which two remarkably dry
seasons would produce. The questions are now settled
with tolerable certainty, and so far as the produce of the
land is concerned, the farmer can form a pretty correct
idea of his position to face the winter; the harvest now
being general, and with a continuance of fine weather, it
will be short, for all the corn is ripe together. The wheat
crop, owing to the early ploughings of the clover and bad
turnip lands last autumn, is somewhat wider than usual.
On strong, deep-soiled land there is no fault to be found
with it, but on wold lands, light sand, and peats, it is short
in the straw, and light on the ground and in the ear. The
oat crop has suffered very greatly from the droughty sea-
son, and it is generally light in the ear and very short in
the straw. This grain is also somewhat affected by disease.
The amount of both corn and fodder for the winter will
be considerably below the average, but it is thought the
quantity of the grain will be tolerably good. The barley
crop is decidedly the best. The straw is shortest, but
healthy, and it is generally believed there will be an aver-
age yield of good quality. So far as our correspondent has
observed the disease which has attacked the wheat and
oat crop has not damaged the barley. Rye is only sparingly
grown, and the crops are said to be very good. The crop
was ripe and cut before the wheat disease became of much
moment. The green crops are a general failure.

ANOTHER STRIKE AT MESSRS. CUBITTS'.—A large
number of labourers and excavators are employed
by Messrs. Cubitts' firm on work connected with the vari-
ous contracts they have now in hand, to whom they have
been paying the sum of 4id. per hour, the hours of work-
ing being the same as those of the skilful mechanics, 56k
hours per week, making the wages of these labourers £1
ls. 2;d. per week. Last week a memorial was sent to the
firm from the labourers and excavators, requesting that
their wages should be advanced id. per hour, or from 41d.
to sd. per hour. The firm refused to give the advance of
id., but offered to give the men id. per hour advance.
This offer having been considered by the men they refused
it, and the firm having declined to pay the id. the whole of
the labourers and excavators employed at the Liverpool-
street railway station struck work yesterday. The same
class of men employed at all the other works of the firm
have given notice that they intend adopting the same
course unless the id. advance is at once conceded. It is
probable, therefore, that before the end of the week about
1,000 men employed by the firm will be on strike. Printed
bills have been issued by the men "to all labourers and
excavators," getting forth the step they have taken, and
requesting them to keep away from Messrs. Cubitts' works
until the dispute is settled.

HARROGATE.—Afte;an. unusually dull early sea-
son, Harrogate is now well filled with fashionable com-
pany. Besides the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Kenmare,
and other noblemen, the influx of aristocratic and fashion-
able visitors has been large within the last few days. The
nightly concerts of the Cheltenham Rooms—a very good
index of the state of this fashionable watering-place—were
sad= better attended than they have been during the
past fortnight•

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