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    Untitled Article

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    Untitled Article

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    Untitled Article

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    NEW ZEALAND.—DEFENCE OF THE COLONIES.

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    A FRENCH INVASION.

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    Untitled Article

    THE gradual disappearance of aboriginal races before the advance of European colonists , is not a pleasant subject for contemplation . We know that unless we are prepared to abandon all outlets for the energy of our superabundant population , and are content to let the most fertile spots of the earth lie fallow , the process is an inevitable one—but we cannot feel quite easy about it . The right ot * discovery may be good enough as against all other strangers , but it gives us no title to drive a native tribe from-its ¦ hunting-grounds ; and of the right of civilization the less said the better , inasmuch as there is not a solitary

    illustration in the history of European plantations in America or Australia , in which that civilization has not proved to be ¦ extermination . Let the intentions of the Home Government be most honourable and benevolent , and let those intentions be seconded by a singular good faith and fairness on the part , of the colonists , the ' fate ' of the native tribes is still a melancholy one . As they sell their lands and retire into their narrowed limits , their strength and energy depart ; they die away—their destruction hastened , too probably , by the vitfes they easily pick up in their contact with the intruders . Little wonder then that they sometimes turn at bay in a frenzied effort to get rid of their masters ' , even where they are not maddened by such dreadful outrages as they are subjected to by American pioneers of civilization . ¦ . 1

    still the people . feel that they are being driven back and overpowered . Their lands have been , fairly and honourably purchased , but , admitting that , they want now to prevent any further diminution of their territory , by stopping further sales . The leader of this movement has taken upon himself to prohibit chiefs from selling land to the British Government , however clear might be the title of the sellers to do so . The Government , of course , refused to recognise his interference , and having purchased a plot of land iiv . t . lift proviiyft of New Plymouth , from a chief named . Te Tjeira . took possession . The rebel chief attempted to prevent this , and several skirmishes have ensued , in which , although the advantage was on the side of the colonists , no decisive blow has been struck . Wo will not enter upon the controversy which has unfortunately

    arisen as to the conduct of the commander of the regular troops , Colonel MuitiiAY , in the most important of these lights . The volunteers , who formed part of the expedition , had gone in advance , and found themselves in an isolated and dangerous position . Colonel ' Murray declined to go to their assistance , and they were only released by the interposition of a -party of seamen from tier Majesty ' s ship Niger . Colonel Murray has been severely censured and warmly defended ; we prefer waiting for fuller particulars of the fray before offering an opinion upon his conduct . Of course the contest can have but one result . The Governor of New Zealand sent off immediately for the regular troops at Sydney and Melbourne , and with their assistance the revolt will soon be extinguished . The Maories arc struggling

    we have referred were adopted . At least one half of this large sum goes to the defence of dependencies like Malta and Gibraltar , which are called colonies * , but are merely fortified outposts , the few inhabitants of which are unable . to pay anything .. Of the balance , t , he larger portion is incurred for colonies which are not in a position to defray the expenses of their own defence , and the possession of which is deemed essential to the interests of the empire . Some , of the other colonies can contribute and do contribute to their own defence .

    Lord Grey , when Secretary for the Colonies , laid down a rule , which seems safe enough , namely , that England should maintain at each colony such a force as she considered necessiiry for Imperial purposes , and that if any colony desired more troops it should pay for them . General Peel , however , could not work this rule / and , at his suggestion , a Committee , representing the Treasury , the War-office , and the Colonialroffice , was appointed to draw upa better scheme . Two members of this Committee ( Messrs . Hamilton and GopIiEY—the third , Mr . Elliott , dissenting ) have drawn up a report ,- the practical effect of which is to recommend that all colonies which have Governments of their

    own should provide for their own defence . They should have recommended at the same time , that the colonies should be declared independent . What can be more absurd than to ask Canada or Australia to provide for it's own defence against an enemy , when neither of them has the slightest control over th 3 events which convert a friend into a foe ? If they have evert : ) fear an enemy , it will be because the mother country has quarrelled with some other power about a matter which , perhaps , did not concern them in the least . Why should the Australians be told to protect themselves against France , when any war with her may spring from some squabble about Sicily or the Rhine . ?

    Why should the whole burden of defending themselves against the United States be thrown upon , the ' Canadians , when the cause of quarrel may be Central America , Cuba , or the Right of Search ? Again , how can a small number of colonists , who are surrounded by native tribes naturally disposed to attack them , if only for the sake of pillage , be honourably left to their own resources ? What would the New Zealanders have done without ^ the reo-ular troops in the islands and on tlierAustralian

    continent , in these disturbances ? And still more . may we ask , what could they have done a few years ago , when their- miniber was smaller , and that of the natives greater ? Tt is true that some colonies have cost us enormous sums , which might have been spared . The Cape colonists at one time almost lived upon the expenditure of the enormous garrison maintained there . But the fact that there have been abuses in former years , is no reason that we should abandon the colonies to themselves .

    Whether the colonies are worth the cost they put us to , is quite another question . In- the opinion of some economists ^ t"lTe 7 " aTe ^ T 0 tr ~^ tim ^ iaTe—g ing colonies as indispensable elements of commercial prosperity , to be fostered at any price , to the other , of regarding them as costly incumbrances . This doctrine is entitled to a fair hearing , but it must be put forward plainly and frankly . Its disciples must not try to effect their cud by masked and indirect methods . So long as we profess an intention to retain our colonial empire , we must bear tlvu cluwgv- of defending it . The extent of that charge tile Imperial Government must determine . If the colonies fancy they want more protection , they must pay for it themselves .

    vainly against their clestmy . l ney sen , ana draw further and further buck , until , in a few ycin's , they cense altogether to be u . nation , and a few scattered families arc the sole representatives of one of the finest and most intelligent races of Australasia . These disturbances have , however , a larger interest than their effect upon the prosperity of New Zealand , or the fate of its aboriginal inhabitants . They illustrate very clenrly the danger of adopting that tempting system recoinmended by Messrs . Hamilton and God ley , accord which the whole cost of maintaining troop 3 in such colonies aa New Zealand would be thrown entirely upon the colonists themselves . The cost of colonial defences figures very largely in the national balance-sheet , reaching a total of three millions and a half ; and it is not at all surprising , therefore , that economists should exclaim against it , and call upon the colonies to relievo us of a , burden incurred principally upon their account . A , little examination will show that no such saving could be effected , even if the rule to which

    The Maories , the original inhabitants , of Newv Zealand , have been treated , both by the Government arid the colonists , with a degree of humanity which far transcends that shown in our dealings jvith any other race ; and our very worst conduct , any time during the last forty years , appears angelic mercy by the side of the demoniac cruelty of other European nations . But

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    T HE long--talked-of event is at hand . On Sunday next > the 21 th of June , ten steam vessels will leave the ports of Havre , Dieppe , and Calais , witli the invading- army on board . It is supposed that the landing- in this country will be effected at various points of the coast . Some of the ships will steer for Djver , othurs lot * Southampton , while possibly a squadron will attempt to force a passage up the Thames . At whatever pluue or places the landing may talce place , the invading- host will march at once up m the metropolis ; and it is no secret that it is the General ' s intention to take up a strong- position on Penge Hill , and from that commanding ground at ouco to commence the siege of London . That ho will talce it by Btorm there can be no doubt .

    Nervous persona , whom certain journals have lately been treating to repeated breakfastsof invasion iiorroivs , may almost be excused if they accept this stuteineii ' t in its natural sonse . WtiTare Informed Mat Louis Napolkox , th « inomeul h ' u has extended Jus iron tier to the lfchino and the Vosges , will at once d ^ are that the natural boundary of northern France , is not the British Channel , but the Atlantic Ouean , and that he will forthwith procued to beat the bound * . yVitu this terrible calamity imminently hanging over us , wimt iiunHik © y than that we shall wake up some fine morning-, and linil Hie whoio programme of a French invasion circumstantially reported in tue inoraiing journals ? It will be quite consistent with the modern system of communicakion that we should know all about the plan

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    against what he supposed to be a mischievous course of legislation , pursued in an arrogant and uncustomary manner . He did not ' thwart a single authorized act . The whole quarrel , apart from the obvious personal feelings which prevail between Mr . Wilson and Sir Chahles TitiiVELYAS , has its foundation in the illrdefined duties and powers possessed by the different Presidencies and the general Government—in loose and unsettled modes of legislation which led the Council astray ; and for these defects the Parliament and people of England are to blame .

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    June 23 , 1860 . 1 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 587

    New Zealand.—Defence Of The Colonies.

    NEW ZEALAND . —DEFENCE OF THE COLONIES .

    A French Invasion.

    A FRENCH INVASION .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 23, 1860, page 587, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2353/page/7/