The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-29 00:00:00

LONDON, .1/ Y, CT. 29, 1866.

We learn by the arrival of the Australasian mails
that there have been some political changes of con-
siderable importance in New Zealand. The STAF-
FORD Ministry, which assumed office so lately as
June last, has been obliged to resign on account of
the strong opposition excited by its financial policy.
This department of the Government is likely to be
the most troublesome for some time to come, since
the expenses of the war have been burdensome to the
colony, besides damaging trade and commerce.
Added to this matters are now in a transition state,
since the colonists are determined to undertake the
charge of self-defence. The new Colonial Treasurer
was not successful in dealing with this question, and
although we are not told what were the particular
features of his budget which gave offence, it was
manifestly extremely unpopular, since a motion of
want of confidence was made in the House of Re-
presentatives, and was carried by 47 to 14. The
Ministry at once vacated their seats ; but the ques-
tion was, who was to succeed them ? The
changes have of late been rapid. Ten months
ago Mr. STAFFORD was th
• m eans of ejecting the
WELD Ministry. Since then he had himself assumed
office, and now the Budget had broken up his Ad-
ministration. An attempt was made to effect a
coalition between Mr. STAFFORD andtldi
l WELDe
te
s
party, and although there were very great
in the way, arising from the existence of a good deal
of pen-4onal animosity, the negociations were at
last

Mr. STAFFORD iS Otte,:
more pre_
acmnpanied by most of the prominent mem-
bers of the WELD party ; Mr. FITZIIERBERT has
assumed the invidic.us office of Colonial Trea-
surer, corresponding to our Chancellorship of the
Exchequer, and the result, it is popularly believed,
is the formation of one of the strongest Ministries
that New Zealand has seen for some time.
The policy of the new Administration has been
already indicated by the Premier and the Treasurer.
They intend to carry out a colonial policy ; they
are willing to dispense altogether with the imperial
troops, though they would willingly retain
one regiment if the Imperial Government

agrees. They propose to provide for the defence
of the colony by means of a constabulary fierce.
They reduce the defence estimates by £39,000, and
they impose stamp duties which are estimated at
£50,000, but which many competent judges think
will produce much more. £70,000 is the sum allowed
for defences, but this is considered by some too low
an estimate. We must hope, however, that if •.the
expenses are greater so the returns will also exceed
the estimate.

The cost of maintaining tranquillity will be
very different now from what it was a year or
two back. The war is almost forgotten,
and scarcely any allusion is made to the natives.
They are said to be disappearing, but whether dying
out or emigrating to other islands is not stated. At
any rate, they are no longer formidable to the
colonists, and WILLIAM TIIO3IPSON, the kingmaker,
has been paying a visit to Wellington, petitioning
for the restoration of his land. His petition was
refused, but he himself was hospitably entertained,
and, in fact, seems to have been " lionised." Two
pieces of news are likely to exercise an important
effect upon the future of the country. The
one is the successful laying of a cable
across Cook's Straits, so that telegraphic communi-
cation is now perfectly established between the two
principal islands, and the towns of the Middle Island
are put in easy and rapid communication with the
seat of government. It is manifest that this will
confer an immense advantage on the Executive and
on the population. It will make the task of ad-
ministering the affairs of the colony much easier,
while it will be likely to improve the internal
organisation of the country. The other point
of interest is the progress of the west coast
gold-fields, which, it is anticipated, will soon
bring across a rush of diggers from Mel-
bourne. The gold-fields have had a great deal
to do with the rapid rise and progress of the sister
colonies, and it is very probable they may be similarly
beneficial to New Zealand. The islands have great
natural advantages, they possess a fertile soil and a
healthy climate, besides the blessings of free govern-
ment. All they require are internal tranquillity and
an increase of population. Let us hope that both
these favourable conditions may be secured to them,
and that we shall soon see New Zealand wealthy
and prosperous, like its neighbours.

There are few things more interesting and instruc-

tive than to dwell upon the careers of those who
have risen to eminence by their own exertions. We
commend the speech of Sir D. GoocH at the Swindon
Institute to the attention of our readers, and we
feel persuaded that they will not be disappointed at

its perusal. Last Wednesday he presided at a meet-
ing to distribute the prizes to the members of the
classes at the new Swindon Mechanics' Institute.
This institution was intended for the benefit of the
numerous persons employed at Swindon on the
Great Western Company's locomotive works. In
alluding to his own early connection with this insti-
tution the hon. baronet made some impressive re-
marks, and especially directed his observations to
those young lads who were entering upon life, most
appropriately disclosing some events of his own
early days. He began life with prospects hardly
better than those of his hearers ; and when he set
out to work under ROBERT STEPHENSON his mother
said to him, " Always keep in mind, my dear son,
that you should look forward to being some day
manager of that concern." This honest am-
bition evidently took possession of his mind,
and incited him to struggles and exertions that he
might not otherwise have undertaken. He acknow-
ledged that the words had remained with him
through life, and he constantly dwelt upon becom-
ing equal in authority with those above him, and to
consider that if he could earn their position he had
as much title to it as anybody else. This feeling is
the true impetus to English society ; it raises our
lower middle classes, and elevates our upper lower
ones until they end their lives very differently cir-
cumstanced to what they began them. Far better,
safer, and wiser is this gradual infusion than the
wholesale schemes which some are constantly

advocating.
Those who feel natural confidence in their own
powers, and au honourable desire to rise higher in
the social scale, will do well to ponder over the
eloquent words of Sir D. Gooch where he advises
them how to act. "I would earnestly ask these
young lads, who are now rising and beginning their
life, not to look at the present, not to think that
their present position is a final one, but that they
should feel it is within the power in this free coun-
try of any boy to rise to any position he will fix his
mind upon." If they follow earnestly and energetic-
ally in this direction they will no doubt succeed, and
even if they do not absolutely obtain them imme-
diately, they will, as Sir D. Goods remarked,
gain something equally valuable, " the respect and
esteem of all those about them." Another matter
which bad aided him in his arduous undertakings
was told by Sir D. Gooch to the young men before
him_' Nil Dcsperandum ;" he found these words
on the old Sunderland Bridge at a time when he
ords
was getting depressed, and thought that the chances
were against him. These significant meaning and
etoheering quote
again words
encouraged and inspired him, and,
fromes his own earnest and expressive
language,
' 7
" The
,ords have aided me through life,
Nil Desperandum
If you earnestly set your mind
upon an object—an honest one—l don't believe that
you will fall far short of its attainment. Stick to
Surely l yin
onr no
ibte vettneerirllustration of the truthsay odfiet.h"is,
give it u 137 never
forcible exponent of its merit, and no more splen-
did achievements of its success, can be found than
that furnished by the hon. baronet's own career. He
has risen by his own exertions through the might of
his perseverance and the strength of hispurpose until
he has taken part in a stupendous work, in fact, the
marvel of our age, and we say it confidently, de-
stined to be the admiration of generations yet un-
born. No better lesson can be given to the young
than to study the words and actions of those who
have worked their own way to success and distinc-
tion. It must be one of the most cheering reflec-
tions of those thus circumstanced that they will
leave landmarks for those who follow after them,
and, that the path they once trod in doubt and
weariness will be regarded in future times as the
road to honour and the guide to success.

It may not be uninteresting at the present tinaeto consider the impressions received by a French-
man on the subject of Mr. BRIGHT, and the part he
is now playing with more zeal than discretion as a
Reform agitator. A correspondent of the Patrie
has just been describing with some considerable
dexterity the style and manner of the great plat-
form orator, and his observations will be found well
worthy of note. In the first place, he depicts him
as a powerful orator, but never one more savage.
his language is fierce, bitter, and provoking."
The French critic gives it as his opinion
that Mr. BRIGHT is " urged on, "' because
his manner changes so much when he gets
on the hustings. Perhaps these remarks are true,
but if so, they cannot be very pleasant to him
to whom they refer. "If he advances, and ad-
vances more and more, it is because he is driven ;
it is true he marches as the head, but so far as 1