NEW ZEALAND —THE SCENE OF WAR OR PEACE.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 34, 24 January 1846, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND — THE SCENE OF WAR OR PEACE.

To the Editor of The New-Zealander. SfR, — I fear a letter from an individual will have but little influence on the public mind, jet the attempt is not unworthy of one desirous to insure peace between Kuiopeans and the Natives Foi ) ears when the Ruiopeuns were very weak in numbers no blood was spilt, and all went on well in the northern part of the Islands, about the Ba) of Islands. The settleis were doing well— the merchants prospering, for there was more oil shipped the year previous to the Government bewig established than there has been in the five subsequent jears. The Natives also carried on a luciative tialfic foi their produce with the settlers and shipping. But now the bug ear of a flagstaff basset the two races to quart elling and fighting: ihe old settleis are driven fiom their homes and there is no security for life or propei ty. The Government declare they will respect the Natives' rights; if so —let them sell their land to whom they pledse, the Government meiely reseiviug the right of making roads u herever they think proper. In order to make these roads throughout the couulr) I would suggest that a Regiment be laised in England, especially for such puipose, to consist of 1,000 men, w ittfan experienced Engineer offi-. cer as Colonel, with pay of 20s per day Theie Aight be ten Captains and twenty Subaltern;., r the former with Jss. per day and the latter with £150 per annum : and to be either engineers or surve)ors. The pa> of the privates might be 10s per week, and to work fiveda)sin the week and on the sixth to be drilled. Their diess might he thesameasthe volunteers, They would open roads throughout the Colony and the working parties might be divided into ten companies and be tin ee miles apart and housed in Stockades similar to those in New South Wales for the prisoners. Thus, at once, thirty miles of road in j one direction might be commenced and soon opened which would enable settleis to bring their produce to market and it would be ol equal advantage to NatMes in the intenor who Mould have a market for theii pigs and potatoes among the woiking parties. The men lor this regiment j should be selected from the rural districts in England and should engage for fourteen jcats at \

the expiration of wliich time they should receive a grant of Land if they ha-1 never been tried by court martial or been belore a Magistrate At the end of five years the) should have liberty to purchase their discharge on pawneiu of £30 or sum sufficient to bring from England a substitute. The expense of this Regiment would he, annually, about £35,000 which would be spent within 50 miles of Auckland, and not only would roads be opened throughout the country but such a concentrated body of men would insure security to the settlers in the interior. This plan would not only be applicable but for other settlements and it might be adopted likewise by a Company. Let the Crown waive the right of pre-emption over an area of 50 miles by 80 miles to a Company, the Government reserving the right of directing and making the loads, with their regiment of Pioneers and the Company to pay 2s. per acre for such service and for proper survey before laying out the roads and for furnishing' the Company v» ith a m«p of the country. The Company might purchase the block from the Natives at about Is. 6d. pei acre, and thus the vi hole cost would be 3s. 6d. per acre and if sold at 10s. per acre would enable the Company to send out labour. The sum of £192,000 paid to the Natives would soon circulate among the Europeans and increase the trade of the Colony. The expence of bringing out the 1,000 men would not be much expence to the Government, if sent in snch ships as the Tortoise, when they are wanting spars, and the annual expence would not be half the expence of a regiment of the Line )et be of equal protection to thesettlers as well as more practical!) beneficial to the Colony. Some such plan as this, I think w ould advance the Colony and biing into good fellowship the Europeans and the Natives. Lahourisnot wanting, but capita], in the Colony. The Natives w ill work well if paid for it, and can be made veiy useful —But above all things let them be allowed to dispose of ti.eir lands, particuUtily in the vicinity of the capital, and let them go back into the interior. If not we shall have them wandeung and squatting about in their reseived properties like G)pseys, pulling down fences, stealing poultry ai.d committing petty thefts and depredations all over the couritiy. That you will, Sir, direct the attention of the Local Government to the important subjects of securing friendly relations, between the two races, by some useful piactical scheme, such as I have here taken the liberty of suggesting, is the eainest desire of > Your Obedient Seivant, X. [We think the object of our correspondent could be better accomplished by inducing some of the Veteran battalion to come out fiom England. They receive a pension of one shilling per day. Give them rations for themselves and families for the first two years, with three acres of land and place them in villages along the principal tomes into the interior. To a certain numl.er of half pay officers give fifty acres each near to the vilhiges, to command the men on necessiiy. Some such plan was adoptsd in Canada some jeers since and secured an excellent border force, — Ed.]