The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-11 00:00:00

New. Zealand.

The following is a copy of a despatch from Go-
vernor Sir George Grey, K.C.8., addressed to the
Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon :
'• Government House, \Veliington, Jan. S.

"My Lord,—l have this morning returned to this
place, a few hours before the Panama steamer sails
with the English mail.
"2. I consequently have no time to make a
lengthened report to you, but I am sure you will
be happy to hear that this country continues tran-
quil, and is rapidly improving in every respect.
"3. On my recent journey I have passed through
the North Island, traversing its central and most
accessible districts, portions of which had not been
visited by any European for several years.
" 4. I was every where received with joy and re-
joicings by the native population, even in those dis-
tricts where the losses of men during the war had
been large ; but these men had all fallen in places
remote from their own territory, where they had
gone to join their fellow-countrymen who were in
arms against us, and their surviving relations ad-
mitted in the most frank and unreserved manner
that we were not to blame for the large loss of
life which had taken place.
" 5. I consider the native population to be now
in a better state than I have ever previously known
it. The natives express the greatest anxiety that
Europeans should settle among them. They cheer-
fully conform to the views and wishes of the Go-
vernment upon all matters ; indeed, they appear to
desire to be directed and to be shown what they
should do to render practicable a rapid amalgama-
tion between the Europeans and themselves.
" 6. I met everywhere in districts which had been
regarded as unsafe the utmost respect, and I was
treated with a kindness so attentive and considerate
that it was quite touching.
"7. I feel sure that the European population,
finding from my journey that they can again safely
traverse the interior of the country, will begin to
spread into all parts of it, developing the great re-
sources of valuable districts which are now but
little known, and the advance of this Northern
Island in wealth and
population will be conse-
quently henceforth very rapid.
" In this advance in wealth and prosperity the
whoarertgeunistie satisfiedvelandho hldterast,
native population,
rgelyshare;
and I fee
Neevv resources to be any drain Zealand, now ceasing i
of
n upon
th
Great Britain, will in time be re-
garded as one of the most tranquil and valuable
portions of the empire.
--I have, &c.,

" G. GREY.
" The Right lion. the Earl of Carnarvon, &e."

Greenwich Conservative Assoc"ation.

The. annual dinner of this asssociation was held
Last evening at the Ship Hotel, Greenwich, when the

chair was occupied by Thomas Wilson. About
350 members of the association sat down to dinner,
among whom were Lord Holinesdale, M.P., and

Mr. W. Hart Dyke, M.P. (the county members),
Mr. J. Fleming (late M.P. for Devonport), Hon.
and Rev. Henry Legge, Rev. Dr. Sketchley, Rev.
Dr. Morgan, Mr. C. Lewis, Capt. Scott, Capt.
Drummond, Capt. Hughes, Sir James Elphinstone,
Sir J. H. Maxwell, Colonel Thorold, Dr. Carr,
Admiral Burton, and others. .

Mr. Jon: YOUNG, in proposing " Success to the
Borough of Greenwich Conservative Association,"
said that it had been instituted in July, 1865, on
the occasion of the defeat of Sir J. Maxwell, the
Conservative candidate, and in the short time that
had elapsed since that period-the number of its mem-
bers had increased to upwards of 1,500, a large pro-
portion of whom consisted of the elite of the working
classes. According to the favourite taunt of their
enemies, Coneervatism meant obstructive opposition
to rational progress, but in reality the Conservatives
were desirous that every progress should be made
that was consistent with the preservation of the

Throne, the hereditary peerage, the representative
character of the House of Commons, and the Church.

It was these institutions that were attacked by Mr.
Bright wth ability and eloquence. His efforts were
seconded by men like Mr. Goldwin Smith and Pro-
fessor Rogers, and it was to meet these assaults upon
the Constitution that this association had been es_

tab
LEWIS, in proposing the health of
eci.
3liisrl. ld
lARLEs
the county members, called upon them to resist every
attempt to make the Conservative Government yield
an inch upon
wayon
upon n
the question
taonviofl pointtheco of theuntybill.franchise.
The
Lord HOLMESDALE, in r
ady
given responding
waoy
ae the
y
fenough
h t
e R
o aset
hoped, with the last speaker, th atetrhee
wGoouvldernhme ennet
would
iv
Conservative party had a!e
ffnooerrezt the
tipyl
fr
oaprno
dst eh
heoeuf ft
to
ouc
jet
eadltdi nt
a that
y further ground. It
passing
t there
sessioni
must not, however, be forgotten that with regard to
ins d order to
this great political question there were other parties
besides themselves upon the. chess-board, and they
secure
must r e g
ti vh e e
Re-
formpassing Bill, and thus settle this great question, which
had for so long a time impeded all other public busi-
ness. (Hear.) llebelieved it to be of such prominent
importance that such a measure should be passed
way
upon
this
orf points,
a
that if it were necessary to give away a few pounds
in the county franchise, he should say perish those
few pounds rather than the measure should not pass.
In doing so he did not think that he should be be.
traying his party or his Principles, nor did he think
that he should have reason to blush for the course he
had pursued when he met them on a future occasion.
He trusted that the necessity might not arise for
franchise
beyond the amount
lowering the county
proposed in the Government bill ; but if necessary
he hoped that the Government would exercise a wise
discretion,and would give way upon that onepoint in
order to carry the rest, rather than by an obstinate
adherence to one figure to shipwreck the whole of
the bill. (Hear.) The Liberal party, following up
their conduct of 1835 and 1859, had lately intro-
duced an instruction which had taxed the keenest
heads in the House of Commons to make anything
of ; it was of so easy, convenient, and elastic a
character that it might mean anything or nothing;
it might scarcely affect- the kill, or it might com-
pletely undermine and destroy it. That instruction
had been brought forward for the purpose of oust-
ing the Conservative Government, and of shelving
the question of Reform for another twelvemonth.
(Hear.) But no sooner was it announced that the
Government intended to stand out against that in-
struction than the great Liberal party split up into
the discordant sections of which it. was composed.
(Hear, and laughter.) Instead of bringing for-
ward the instruction the Liberal party had igno-
miniously retreated. Their adversaries had been
more completely and bitterly humiliated than the
most vindictive Conservative could desire. The last
two sessions had shown a great party discredited,
its strength thrown away, and its overwhelming
majority split into atoms in consequence of the
misconduct of its leaders. He drew hope from what
had passed, because he believed that the firmer the
front of the Conservative party the more their ad-
versaries would yield. He was happy to say that
there was a sufficient number of men upon the Op-
position side of the House who preferred the good
of their country to that of their party to enable her
Majesty's Government to carry through successfully
this important measure. lie had no doubt that
after the circular that had gone out last night a
large majority of the house would assist the Go-
vernment to pass the bill. (Hear, and a laugh.)
The bill might now almost he regarded as an accom-
plished fact, and at the end of the session it would
be found that the Conservative party—which had
been characterised as consisting of the enemies of
all progress, of those who desired to delay the en-
franchisement of their fellow-subjects, of those who
feared the working men—had passed a bill which
in wise Conservative Liberalism went far beyond
any scheme which had ever been submitted to the
House of Commons. (Cheers )
Mr. W. DYKE, after touching upon the untoward
circumstances under which Lord Derby had taken
office, and which had colapol/od Lila to brims is a