Auckland Times. Tuesday, July 9th, 1844. Native Exemption Bill.

Auckland Times, Volume 2, Issue 78, 9 July 1844, Page 2

Auckland Times. Tuesday, July 9th, 1844. Native Exemption Bill.

We could find it in our hearts to be vituperative of the mass of absurdities here put together, but we are disarmed, in the onset, by the consideration that the Bill itself provides for its own dissolution, by postponing its own birth as Paddy would say, till her Majesty’s pleasure be know n, and of course Her Majesty cannot express any other than at a bill like this. It was said of Wolsey, that there was •‘nothing in life so well became lumas the ending of it.” and there is nothing so valuable in this bill as the conscious suicide with which it concludes, to wit, that it shall not come into operation till Her Ma*jesty’s pleasure be known. Exeter Had devotees of the old Lady species, whether in petticoats or trowsers, may patronise such absurdities, but we believe that common sense will have its Bway after all. There is something manifestly ridiculous in the position of the British Government here, they dare not “ go the whole hog,” and they want to explain every thing by “ Ordinance” which is to be settled by the opinion of Her Majesty in Council, or Parliament, to be received in Auckland if we have good luck, and Lord Stanley is not too busy, some twelve months hence ! and in the mean time, the interested, we say it advisedly, the interested ! parties who fill the offices of Maorie Protectors’, are to go on multiplying the mischiefs which arise out of Maorie self-sufficiency, and Maorie superiority, which it is no less the dutv, than the interests of the Colonists to discourage, but which it has been always the Protectors’ interest to foster. Thank God ! the root of civilization is too strong, in the ground here, for any circumstances to remove it, give it scope then, but make the law of civilization a consideration of more importance, than the indulgence of Heathen observances. Are we to condescend to amalgamate with these people ? Be it sol but let it be done upon equal terms. Surely it is right that if you give them all the protection of British law, they should come within the pale of it. There is no fear that any British Judge or Jury, in this day, would do an injustice to a Maorie delinquent, but why give him up to the penalties of his own law, and yet pretend to make him amenable to ours, especially while our law is made for them, (in a degree most repulsive to every patriotic feeling) submissive to the arbitrary Chieftainship of New Zealand. Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday, were in somewhat the same relative position towards each other, as the New Zealanders and ourselves, there was peace and mutual service on both sides, but Friday felt his inferiority, and solicited Robinson’s favor, by lying down and placing his foot upon his head, to evince Robinson’s superiority and his own subjection. In our picture the very reverse is exhibited The eivilized nian is to lie down at the foot of the savage, tiil it shall please the latter to discover that it will be most for his service to set him upon his feet. Oh ! we are sadly sick of this nonsense ! The startling folly of the thing is that the Maories have already set at perfect defiance, they have been taught to do so, our ordinary laws, Are they more likely to respect these special ones for their use? not a writ! they will only laugh

jji their sleeves.—Our Churchmen we j U ppose do not make in divinity a modified code of the revelation of the Almighty's will, for Maorie especial task, and why should we create an ultra senatorial system for the political guidance of such citizens Sunless indeed we mean t 0 confess ourselves their subjects, and gee k refuge under Maorie petti—blankets we mean, and policies. We cannot see anything ourselves but mischief in gU ch practice ; the last thing that ,fe would provoke or nurture is dispute or quarrel with the natives, but do not let us pet them into the condition of spoiled children till they are made so ungovernable that we shall be obliged to whip them soundly after all, and then ha*e to weep over the disfigurement of their catastrophica! ialoot.

We will review some of the clauses of the Bill in the hope of showing how inapplicable they are in prudence to any rational hope of establishing the Colony upon ft firm and judicious basi*. Want of room compels us to defer such remarks till next week.