SIR G. GREY ON NEW ZEALAND.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 204, 20 November 1869, Page 4

SIR G. GREY ON NEW ZEALAND.

At a meeting of the British Association, on the 24th August, Mr. A. Hamilton read a paper on the economic progress of New Zealand. He strongly advocated the maintenance of sovereign relations between British colonies and the home Government, and condemned the recent colonial policy of the British Government. He said it was the merest assumption that we could fully preserve our' trade if the colonies were independent. The Australian and New Zealand colonies took nearly £15;000,000 of our exports in the year 1866. In the event of war it would surely be a great advantage to us to have so many colonial ports open to us' all over the world, which, if they were independent, would be neutral ports. He believed.< New Zealand had great reason to complain of the treatment they had received, iand as a consequence the relations between the Colonial Qfhce and .the had become truly unfortunate, being little better than snubbing on one side and. snarling on the other. Respecting the Maori ; question, he ventured that nothing had been so ignominious **k fche, r r esiHt of our operations in New Zealand. The last' story was that England had refused a loan of a million and a half tb army to reduce the hostile natives, Office saying that if the inhabitants oi the sea they their fate. _Mr. Hamilton, earnestly trusted that the policy of the Colonial Office might be reversed while therfi was yet time. A discussion followed. It was started by Mr. Charles Moore, who had taken a leading part in assisting agricultural laborers to emigrate to Australia.

Sir Georoe Gret considered that thanks were due to Mr. Hamilton for the manner in which he had stood forward as the friend of New Zealand —(hear, hear) — and brought forward the state of the Colony. He thought that an association of scientific men did well to consider the situation Of their countrymen in 1 New Zealand, who eminently deserved the sympathy of Great Britain. Nay, he would, go further, and say that that unfortunate Colony deserved the aid of Great Britain, whose agents had brought on the present war. The British Government determined that the war should be prosecuted to an issue ; they thought that the natives should

learn that the European race was superior. So strong was this feeling that when he (Sir George Grey) returned to New Zealand, his instructions were : “We don’t wish peace to be made until a decided advantage has been gained, * * * We feel that the European race must be recognised as the superior race of that country.” This intelligence was communicated to the inhabitants of New Zealand, who raised a loan of £3,000,000 and maintained in the field any army of 7000, to aid Great Britain. Britain found the expense was more than had been calculated ; that they had embarked in an enterprise which could not be carried out. Accordingly they determined that the troops should be withdrawn, and all the evils of a civil war were brought upon the country. The whole population were driven out of the fertile districts, the territory was laid waste, and farms were destroyed. In this withdrawal of fhe troops the Colonial Government were not allowed the slightest voice as to which post should be withdrawn first. Now, he (Sir George Grey) maintained that one party had no right to abandon the other when brought into difficulties. He felt sure that if Great Britain and New Zealand were independent powers, and the question were left to arbitrators, the claims on Great Britain for compensation would be very large. It was quite certain, from what was going on, that a considerable party in Great Britain were determined that the colonies should be detached from this empire. This disruption of the empire was a great question. It was certain that the steps taken would bring that about. This was a subject worthy the consideration of every man. The colonies of New Zealand, the Cape of Good Hope, &c., had felt that they belonged to a race which possessed peculiarly the characteristic of greatness, and which, while great in war, was greater still in peace. They believed that such a race • might make one of the greatest empires the world had ever seen. He felt that the colonies ought not to be disappointed with regard to their aspirations, and that if Great Britain cast the colonies away, the colonies would turn to the United States and endeavor to retain those aspirations in which so large a portion of them had indulged. He felt certain that if the colonies were cast off by Great Britain —if in their hopes which they had indulged they were disappointed—if their children were not to be members of the English community—if the Legislature of Great Britain was not to be theirs—Great Britain would find that great communities would be driven to other countries for security aad prosperity. It was for England to think whether she could cast all these communities from her. England bad been asked to allow a regiment to remain in New Zealand two or three months, but the answer was : “No ; the regiment shall be withdrawn at once, at all hazards.” The Government had also been asked to guarantee a loan, but refused, while it might have saved New Zealand. The impression created had been that what was the fate of New Zealand to-day would he that of Great Britain another time.