There 1 was but one escape: from the evils of this position, ' and that escape we see nearly consummated by the de parture of the 57th Uegiment. It was a pleasant ) thing to see the prompt way in which, f oyr years, ago, England poured 1 her forces into New Zealand to help her colonists in their need, but it is » more pleasant thing still to see nearly the 'last of these troops sent home again, on the ground that we can do without them. Events have fully proved thii ; but they have also proved a good deal more ' than thii. We know that, with all their bravery and^ad mirable discipline, the regular forces of the British army; are infinitely less effective for such fighting as 'we require than' 'our own' rough-and-ready levies. The late campaign, .at Tauranga proved this ; and the present campaign in the lake country of the in terior is day by day adding fresh proofs, if these were required. So long as the troops remained here, ■ this failedof its full effect: The colony was perfectly prepared to manage its own affairs, and fight its own battles j but so long as her Majesty's troons were in any considerable numbers,, the management of our own affairs was cramped and embarrassed by • influences which we could not control." These'influ ences, will soon be wholly removed, we may' now hope, and we shall then , look to our statesmen to briflg about the pacification of the Northern Island in a comparatively short time. We say the pacifica tion of the North, because we do not believe tbjlt much more than' this is now required. The natives are quiet at Taranaki j they have made no sign of attempting to disturb the Waikato settlers. Even ihe Ngatiruanui tribe at Wanganui seems quite dis inclined to continue the weary and' disheartening contest, and the malcontents on the East Coast wi^l soon be reduced, we may be tolerably certain, to the wish for peace. Thus we maintain the war is at an end, and the question that remains is only how to consolidate 1 peace. The session of the Assembles rapidly approaching, and this is a question which must receive the most serious consideration when our Parliament meets. 