Lord Carnarvon, on Tuesday, brought np the New Zealand question
in the House of Lords. The speech was conciliatory to weakness, the gravest charge against the Colonial Office, the tone of wilful insult which runs through all its despatches, being passed over without remark, but it contained a good proposal. Lord Carnarvon advised the Ministry to send out a plenipotentiary, who, unburdened by office, like the Governor, could hear on the spot the complaints of the colonists, and arrange with them what -could be done consistent with the maintenance of their responsi- bility for their own affairs. This plan has succeeded before, and at least offers the Government a mode of retreating at the .eleventh hour, if their position should be found untenable ; but it was rejected by Lord Granville, who, while admitting that he was glad not to be attacked, declared that the policy of Government was unalterable, and hinted, as usual, that if the colonists would but be just to natives they would soon be at peace, thus telling the colonists that if they are maasacred, it is a just punishment for their offences. They will say very justly that to be insulted as well as -abandoned is more than they can bear, and they had better be independent.
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