The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-27 00:00:00

CANADA.

4. strange rumour caused considerable perturbation at
Montreal a few days ago. Information had been received
in the city to the effect that the British Privy Council
was considering the advisability of relinquishing all the
British colonies except India.
AFFAIRS IN NEW ZEALAND.

A long letter from 'Wellington, New Zealand, by Mr.
J. C. Richmond, appears in the Times. The writer very
severely attacks the Times' regular correspondent for some
of his asserticns as to the state of affairs in the colony.
The latter writer charged the New Zealand Govern-
ment with having adopted a hand-to-month policy,
in no wise calculated to secure the respect or awe of
the natives. He stated that since the outbreak of the
war the colonial Government had distributed amongst the
natives a largess of £15,000 in public money, and had
granted a redress of grievances, which had been sought in
vain for the last two years. Certainly, paying large sums
of money and redressing grievances in frightened haste
on the outbreak of a rebellion is calculated to
demoralise ; but Mr. Richmond denies that any-
thing of the kind was done. He says that in
1865 the loyal part of the Ngatiporau tribe were attacked
by Hauhaus, but with the assistance of some troops they
repelled the enemy. The rising, however, spread south-
wards, and the mixed force, including these loyal
natives of the Ngatiporau tribe, followed up the
enemy with brilliant and unbroken success. The
Ngatiporaus returned to their homes with a promise
of reward out of the lands of those taken and killed
in rebellion, or out of the proceeds of the sale of those
lands. A special Act of Confiscation was passed by the
Legislature to give effect to this promise. But this Act
was apposed, and it became necessary to pay the reward
in money. The intrigues had gone on for two years, and
thus the time of the fresh outbreak, commencing with the
escape of prisoners from Chatham Island, arrived, and
the Ngatiporau were again required as allies. The pay-
ment was once more delayed until the men returned to
their homes after the recent operations in the field. Mr.
Richmond does not prove that the reward could not have
been paid sooner, but he does succeed in shewing that it
was not a largess distributed in haste. On the contrary,
it was payment for services rendered sometime before the
last outbreak. There were no grievances' redressed, be-
cause, Mr. Richmond affirms, none existed.
The writer denies in general the charge that the colony
has constantly endeavoured to buy loyalty by large dona-
tions, and failed to consider Maori grievances unless driven
by fear and necessity. He adds that New Zealand re-
quires assistance, because the geographical position of the
country, LOCO miles long, intersected by numerous chains
of mountains, and colonised at a dozen different points,
prevents the concentration necessary for repelling the
Maories. He suggests that it might bo permitted to the
New Zealand Government to raise a Volunteer Corps, both
officers and men, from the British army, for service for a
definite number of years. The Volunteers might have the
privilege of conlinuing on the books of the War Oilice
without loss of rank, and of returning at the end of their
term of service. A disciplined force would thus be furnished
to the colony at less cost than its present imperfect levies,
and the ltnpe:ial Treasury would not spend a penny.
The suggest:on deserves consideration; but the writer
overlooks the fact that the assistance of British troops
was offered and declined, because the colony would not
ray for them. Between a British regiment and a corps of
volunt( era from the British army there would be little
practical. d'ffereace• The Times, in a leader, still holds to
the op;nion that the New Zealanders aro capable of
deftudlnk themselves.