New Zealand is going to make a bold and most
laudable attempt to rid itself of our blind interference by dispensing with our military assistance, at least in internal wars. The old Ministry has at last succeeded in resigning, and a new one, under Mr. F. A. Weld, of Canterbury, makes it its main article that it will send the soldiers home as soon as is consistent " with Imperial interests," on condi- tion that the Governor be guided entirely by the recommendations " of his constitutional advisers in native as well as in ordinary affairs." This programme secured the assent of almost the whole Assembly except the Auckland members, who voted in a body against it, not on principle, but from disgust at the removal of the capital to Wellington. The numbers were thirty-five in favour and eighteen against, of whom, however, fifteen were Auckland members. Taranaki is well represented in the Government by Major Atkinson, and Mr. Weld means to make an honest effort to restore that unfortunate settlement to its lands. " If I may be adviser to His Excellency, I should make my first cry Roads ! roads ! roads ! ' . . . I shall at once commence the roadmaking, between Taranaki and Wanganui,"—by which Mr. Weld hopes to make the defence of the colonists against the natives easy. Of course Mr. Weld proposes to carry out the measure for confiscating a considerable quantity of wild land for the military settlers.
