THE NELSON EXAMINER.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 10, 14 May 1842, Page 38

THE NELSON EXAMINER.

. Nelson, May 14, 1842.

Lea journaux deviennent plus ne'eessaires & mesure que les hommes sout plus igaux, et 1' individualisine plus a craindre. Cc serai t diminuer leur importance que de croire qu* ils ne servent qu' k garantir la liberty : ils maintiennent la civilisation.

D« ToCftVEVILLE. De la Democratic en Amerique, tome 4, p. 220.

Journals become more nrcessary as men become more equal, and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they icrve only to secure liberty : they maintain cwlization. De Tocquevillb. Of Democracy in America, vol. 4, p/220.

A letter " on the Means of National Emigration " appears in the Colonial Gatette of, the Ist of December last, addressed to the editor of that paper by Mr. E. G. Wakefield. The editor prefaces this letter by saying —

" The prevailing "rumours that the Government contemplate a scheme of emigration worthy of the country of 'ships, colonies, and commerce/ have induced the Author of the New System of Colonization ' to set forth his most deliberate views of the means to such an end ; and he bequeaths this exposition, through our pages, as a legacy to the cause, on taking his departure for North America. In the few years which have elapsed since Mr. Wakefield's system was first propounded, it has been tested in a number of ways — in friendly and hostile comments, in the personal examinations and cross-examinations of the propounder before Parliamentary Committees, and in partial experiments of a practical kind; it has undergone the revision of his own corrected judgment and long reflection, and he has thus been enabled to present trie result of matured thoughts. The paper in which he has done bo may be regarded as a condensed summing-up of volumes which have been written and spoken on the subject, with all the aids which we have enumerated. Therefore, although it is called forth by the occasion, it is of more than merely temporary use ; it constitutes the rule of the Wakefield System, now laid down by -its author in the moat accessible shape. That system professes no cure of present distress in the country ? it interferes not with the action of any needful remedy : it is not a substitute for any other desirable measure. It is for all times and seaeons—without question, an efficient help in bad times ; but still more efficient in maintaining and continually extending prosperity."

After mentioning the probability that some plan of emigration would be submitted to Parliament in the coming session, and after expressing his "gratitude" to the editor of the Colonial Gazette, " as the person to whom he is especially indebted for having been able to propose with effect recent improvements in the art of colonization," Mr. Wakefield proceeds to say —

" The rumour of a project of emigration on a large scale has been so well received by the public, that I propose to confine myself to the consideration of means only. If this thing could be done by wishing, every Government would be ready to do it. Every Government is deterred from doing it, by a fear of adding to the public burdens. • • • - They stop here, because they have not learned to regard emigration as but a part of something else. It is in truth only one of the elements of colonization. Viewed in this light, emigration appears to be susceptible of being carried on without any cost to the. mother-country. It is said that about forty thousand poor persons emigrated to our southern colonies during the past twelvemonth. They could not pay for their own passage: the cottof ttieir passage was not defrayed by any grant of Parliament : the whole expense of this great emigration is borne by the colonies, for which the accession of people is an increase of wealth out of all proportion

larger than the expense of the passage.- Do these colonies complain of having to pay for this great immigration of people ? No ; they only ask for more hands on the same terms, knowing well that just in proportion as they are supplied with labour' will be their means of paying for its importation. Here, then, is the principle of a mode of carrying on emigration which steers clear of the only objection to an extensive plan. The whole cost must be thrown on the colonies benefited by the measure, and will be cheerfully defrayed by them. Such is the satisfactory conclusion drawn from viewing emigration as only a part of colonization." It is then pointed out that

" The means by which the colonies thus pay for emigration from the mother-country are not provided by colonial taxation, but arise, one may almost say spontaneously, as an incident of arrangements made with a view to colonial prosperity independently of immigration." The avoidance of the evils of dispersion consequent upon the old grants of land, and the attainment of the advantages of such du c concentration as shall render " labour for hire" more available,by means of diminishing the facilities of obtaining new land, are then shown to be best arrived at by tin* very sale of land at a ready money price, which, without taxing any one, produces a sufficient immigration fund. Mr. Wakefield proceeds to say that " this system lias never yet had a fair trial."

"To a fair trial of the system— to such a trial. 1 mean, as would have exhibited its greatest power of emigration without cost to the mother-country — several conditions were indispensable."

These are, first —

" That the price required for the new land should be sufficient for the objects with which any price had been imposed." Secondly —

" That the whole, or at least some large, fixed proportion, of the proceeds of sales should be devoted to immigration."

Thirdly—

" That the mode of sale (whatever the price and the use made of the purchase-money) should be based on sound principles." Under this head Mi\ Wakefield says —

" Neither the one plan nor the other has been firmly established with its proper accompaniments. Under the uniform plan, the price has been far too low ; under the auction plan, the quantity has been far too great, or the upset price too low ; and, instead of either plan being fixed by the final choice of Government, both have been the subject of perpetual controversy and indecision."

Fourthly —

" That the greatest liberty and facility of selection should be afforded to purchasers. When the Government gets the true maximum — that is, the highest price required for the only purpose with which waste land ought ever to be saddled with any price— it ought so to manage matters that no purchaser should be compelled to take land of inferior quality or position while there was any of the superior kind within reach. The system, therefor* 1 , requires ample surveys. Unsurveyed land is not land for the purposes of this system, any more than unpicked cotton or unthrcshed corn is fit for the market."

Fifthly—

" That, whatever might be the price and the mode of sale, both should ne applied uniformly to all parts of a colony and to all the colonies of any group. One plan in one place, and another in another place not far off,, were sure ta counteract each -other. This is so tfbvious as scarcely to require explanation. Yet in the only group of colonies in which the mode of sal? with a view to immigration has been tried at ill, it has been tried under a variety of modifications at the same time."

Sixthly —

" Supposing the uniform or upset price to be ' sufficient,' that sales to come should be anticipated by the raising of loans on the security of future sales, and the use of the proceeds of such loans as a 'fund for immigration. This is required for a new colony, because the first emigrants will' hardly give the sufficient price (whether, upset or uniform) until the settlement is in some measure peopled ; and it is still more required for old colonies, because in every one of them the discarded plan of granting has caused such an excess of hind in proportion to people, that, except for certain old reserves or peculiarly eligible spots, there would be no purchasers at the sufficient price until the population of the colony was considerably increased." Seventhly —

" The seventh and last condition. was, that the whole systyn should be fixed, or at least so far fixed as not to be liable to change m any of fts material parts without public discussion and ample notice. I cannot imagine how this should be done except by act of Parliament. At present every thing is in a state of uncertainty, not to say of perpetual change. Nobody concerned in the matter seems to know what is hii proper business, and still less what may happen in a month with respect to any part of the subject. At one time the Secretary of State determines, and the Governor finds some reason for declining to act on the instruction ; at another the Governor make* a plan of his own, which is overset by the Secretary of State. SometfanM commissioners are to do everything,

then the Colonial Office, nextthe.local Governments; and decisions of the utmost conae-; quence are continually made as lightly and with as little responsibility as if nobody had an interest in them. In one settlement they sell by auction ; in another, close byj at the uniform price : in several places the auction obtains today and the uniform price to-morrow. What portion of the proceeds of land-sales is devoted to immigration varies continually everywhere. As to many points, the language of regulations is so vague as to admit of different interpretations, and sometimes to be hard to comprehend. Distinctness, uniformity, order, and stability, are almost. utterly wanting in almost every particular. Considering the unwillingness of most men to embark their fortunes in a career which hardly admits of calculations as to the future or the present, the wonder is, not that more has not been done with the new mode of colonization, but that so much has been accomplished. " This array of requirements is much less formidable than it appears at first sight; as will be manifest to those who observe that a compliance with them would tend rather to simplify than to complicate the process. Nor are the deficiencies and errors which it exhibits a fit subject of reproach to any one. Instead of complaining that a nearer approach to perfection has not been made, we shall be more just if we express satisfaction at the rapid progress of improvement which the present exhibits in comparison with tliQ barbarous doings of ten years ago. This is still a new subject. But tbe most careless observer must perceive that there is a growing sense of its importance; and eminent public men on both sides as to party have paid so^much attention to it, that unquestionably if the whole case were now considered by persons in authority, with the object of devising a general plan of colonization, some very good measures •vrtmiA be the result.

" At the same time, I am not so sanguine as to hope that any attempt will be presently made to find out and establish the best possible mode of proceeding. And indeed it may be questioned whether, as regards a subject still imperfectly understood, it would be wise to aim at perfection, la this case, though the newest road might not necessarily be the very best, the very best would be wholly new to many; and such ways are apt to be full of lions. A measure sufficient fur the time might be adopted without startling anybody. .Let ub but keep moving in the path marked out by what has been done already, and with great acknowledged benefits, in one group of our colonies. It would suffice for the present if the Government should submit a measure to Parliament for raising and fixing the price (whether uniform or upset) of waste land in all the colonies of the Southern group — devoting the whole, or a large fixed proportion of the proceeds of sales, to emigration — authorizing the Executive to raise by loan on the security of the waste lands of each of those colonies separately (and without any other guarantee from Parliament), a certain sum for the sole purpose of giving a free passage to that colony to persons of the labouring class properly selected — and placing the administration of tbe law in the hands of a special department of the Colonial Office."

We are very glad to find that this clear exposition of a system (which, if not perfect, we believe to be the best that has ever been proposed to meet the wants both of the mother-country and the colonies) has been given at a time when it was so much required; and we cannot doubt but that the good sense of those in power, of whatever party, will lead them to attach the importance they deserve to the suggestions of one who has turned all the powers of a vigorous mind to a subject hitherto neglected by aTT others^ though of such vast importance.

The Globe, we see, has misrepresented the statements and the object of this letter in the most unfair manner ; and we cannot but think that the Spectator has reason, when it asks, " Does the Globe mean anything, except that it hates emigration because the Tories have touched it ?"

In our last we took from the columns of the New Zealand Gazette the report of a meeting held at Wellington, on the subject of the outrages committed by the natives at Wanganui. We mentioned also similar disturbances at Porirua. The following account of the depredations of the Maouriea at Wangeri is from the New Zealand Herald of March 19 :— " On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sonday, the 3d, 4tb, sth, ana 6th of March current, the whole of the settlers on Wangari River were plundered of property to a vast amount, by a mob of armed natives from Munga Kahia, who were headed by Tirarau, Pikea, Waiata, v^etekia, Warenga, and others. On Thursday they visited the family of Mr. Thomas Runciman, carpenter; and, after dancing their war-dance, the chiefs entered the house and presented a letter from Mr. Buller, a Wesleyan missionary at Munga Rahia, advising the settlers not to resist them. They . stated to Mr. Runciman that they came for payment for a tabooed place. Mr. Runciman told them that the said tabooed place wu not on his ground, but belonged to

another person, at Auckland. The head chief, Paraua, said that he knew that to, be the case; but, as the person to whom the land belonged had left the land, he would have payment from Mr. Runcitnan. They therefore demanded all the boxes and chests in the house to be opened, and selected what pleased them. This 'search was made on Thursday and Friday morning. The property taken from Mr. Runciman is valued at £38.

* On Saturday forenoon they arrived at Mr. William Gome's house, about ten miles farther up the river. After going through the same Ceremony, the chiefs entered and presented Mr. Bailer's letted. Their pretext here was also a tabooed place; and they acknowledged the claim was but trifling, as it was very old ; but, as they were at Wangari, at any rate they would treat all alike. They took goods worth £44, in the short space of an hour and a half. After this, they went to Mr. Peter Greenhill's house, on the opposite side of the river, and took £13 worth. They had no pretext for plundering Mr. Greenhill, except the tabooed place for which they plundered Mr. Gorrie. They then .hastened to Messrs. Robert and William Carruth's house, about three miles farther up the river : having gone through the war dance, they called for Mr. William Carruth, and said that Wetekia had a claim on his land. He then asked what payment he required. Pirarua replied that they wanted all that he possessed. They accordingly proceeded to ransack the house, and, having selected some articles, some of them proceeded by land to Mr. John Carruth*s, half a mile farther on. Having given a frivolous reason for paying him a visit, they commenced a similar pillage, and took about the value of £44. Thence they went to Mr. Mair's, and took about eight pounds' worth. They- then returned to Messrs. Robert and William Carruth's, and on Sunday morning renewed the search: not satisfied with what they found in the house (some of the more valuable articles being previously concealed), they demanded more to be produced, and said that, unless they were brought forward, they" were determined to pull down the wheat stacks, to destroy the house, and search everywhere till they found them. A few more articles being then produced, some of them went to the house of Mr.. Thomas Pollok (settled on that portion of land in whirh Wetekia claims an interest), and completely stripped him and hi 3 family of everything they had. After carrying the booty to their place of rendezvous, they were followed by Mr. Pollok and family, who succeeded in begging back a few things. They/then put the plunder into the canoes, and took\ their departure on Sunday afternoon. The value of the property taken from the Messrs. Carruth is upwards of £1 10, and from Mr. Pollok £8., It is quite evident that strong measures must now be taken by Government to subdue the natives ; for, if 'this case is not punished, the settlers will be compelled to quit New Zealand, their property being no longer safe." Here is an evil, at present in its infancy ; but it is of a giant race, whose growth is most rapid, if unchecked. Now is the time to put a stop at once to the idea that crime can be committed with impunity — that the arm of the law can be evaded — that punishment is ever threatened, but never inflicted. There is no necessity for the punishment being extraordinarily severe in these cases, but it should be certain. Crime in civilized countries is more checked by

the strong probability of detection than by the severity of the punishment. Much more is this the case among a set of dernisavages, with whom the idea of punishment is almost confined to the last — that of death, and who only risk that punishment because the probabilities of evasion are so far greater than those of detection. It should be the especial endeavour of the Executive, in such a country as this, never to allow crime to pass ■without its due reward. That mysterious salutary, and (if we were not from childhood* accustomed to it) that most wonderful respect of the invisible power of the law, which, unrecognized by most, affects the actions of all in a highly civilized community, is a thing unknown to the natives of New Zealand. But, if we would live in peace amongst them — if we would not sow ti.e seeds of hatred between the races — if we v, mid avoid a war which, once begun, -* mid be, too certainly, one of extermina-

in to the natives, this feeling must be lown and its influence felt by every tribe th which our progress in the country ill bring us in contact. Something must done immediately, and done efficiently, it the idea of inevitable punishment uni-

rsally accompany the contemplation of

me, and crime would rarely exist but in c atemplation. These outrages of the na- ' ss are important to all who are interested the colonization of New Zealand, but to j perhaps, less personally so than to any jer settlers. There are so very few na-bs-in the .neighbourhood of the Nelson

settlement, and these few are so friendly and peaceably disposed, either from better dispositions towards us or from a consciousness of their weakness, that there is no danger of our suffering any inconvenience from their unruliness.

A meeting of the Journeymen Carpenters of this settlement was held on the evening of .Friday the 6th instant; Mr. King in the chair ; at which a resolution was passed to the effect that no carpenter should work for less than 12s. per day. Mr. Isaac Hill and Mr. Brown explained their reasons for giving their support to the resolution. Mr. Richardson endeavoured to impress upon the meeting his view of the political economy of the question of wages, and of the impropriety of attempting to combine to fix any rate of wages, but without much effect, for the resolution was unanimously adopted.