Our own distant colony of New Zealand presents the reverse
of this scene—savages triumphant over Europeans ; for the story of which we had an imperfect hint last week has been fully con- firmed. The chief who twice cut down the British flag-staff with impunity—nay, with a bonus from Governor Fitzroy—had grown so bold that he stormed a settlement, conquered soldiers and settlers, made the Whites evacuate the place, destroyed it, and remained at the latest date in triumphant defiance of the Govern- ment. He was, however, more of a civilized person than Colonel Pelissier ; for he treated the vanquished colonists with a credit- able considerateness ; and none were harmed but those who fell in fair fight. It is remarkable, however, that although the Euro- peans mustered about a hundred and fifty fighting men opposed to not more probably than eight hundred or a thousand undisci- plined savages, and led by military officers, they were discomfited, at may be said, with ease. But we read of some curious proceed- ings that need explanation,—of one officer suffering an outpost to be surprised, and then retreating without an effort to recover it ; of another leaving the post of danger to go and fetch ammunition, blending the functions of hero and powder-monkey. Governor Fitzroy had done his best on the emergency—made some very " feeling " observations on the disaster ; and, with an insurrec- tion of Blacks at his door, had written to Lord Stanley, here at the antipodes for help ! Surely no man had ever such talent at turning tragedy into jest. He had been forewarned of this iden- tical fruit of his policy ; his patrons at home were forewarned of it long ago, quite time enough to prevent it : it has come, and they are all unprepared. Captain Fitzroy, foiled in his policy of wheedling. the savages, has no better resource against present emergencies than going into his closet to write objurgatory de- spatches ! It could not possibly end there : one outbreak would provoke another : the anarchy began in March ; the new Go- vernor has just been gazetted here, in July ; orders may reach him, in South Australia, by October or November, and he may arrive in New Zealand f.,efore 1846: meanwhile, the colony is at the mercy of that incapable person whom Lord Stanley, for a satisfaction of his mind," as Iago says, persisted in retaining at the head of its affairs. Is Ministerial " responsibility" a farce ?
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