We have observed elsewhere on Lord Granville's remarkable despatch to
the Governor of New Zealand, wherein he peremp- torily declines to allow the reteution of the 18th Regiment, and confesses that his object in weakening the colony is to compel it to make peace with the Maoris, acknowledge their independence, and restore the confiscated land. As Lord Granville is bold enough to assert that the policy which he wishes to see reversed is one "which the Home Government hare always regarded as pregnant with danger," we quote the following passage in a despatch from the Duke of Newcastle to Sir George Grey, dated November 26, 1863, in which, after reciting the plan of the Government of New Zealand for the confiscation of some rebels' land in the Waikato, and its distribution to settlers on a sort of military tenure, he goes on :- " I do not disapprove of the principle of this measure. I think that any body of natives which takes up arms against Her Majesty ou such quarrels as are alleged by the Waikatos, may properly be punished by a. confiscation of a large part of their common property. I think that the lands thus acquired may properly be employed in meeting the expenses of carrying on the war, nor do I see any objection to using them as sites for military settle- ments." In another despatch the Duke especially warned the Governor against making peace too soon, till the natives had been fully convinced that they were worsted. The Home Government have regarded the policy which they now wish to reverse, as " preg- nant with danger," not precisely always, but only since it became expedient to pick a quarrel with the colony.
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