The New-Zealander. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1840. BAY OF ISLANDS. MOUNTED POLICE. INLAND COMMUNICATION. GENERAL HOSPITAL.

New Zealander, Volume I, Issue 50, 16 May 1846, Page 2

The New-Zealander. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1840.

BAY OF ISLANDS.

MOUNTED POLICE.

INLAND COMMUNICATION.

GENERAL HOSPITAL.

Be just and fear not : Let all the ends thou aims't at, be tliy Couatry's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

H.IVT.S. Racehobse arrived from the Bay of Islands on Thursday morning. All is quiet at present there. In the middle of April some of the adherents of Held commanded by the chief Pene Taui had an interview with Tamafci Waka and Makoare at Hokianga,when they were cordially reconciled ; Pene Taui and his people disclaiming all further connection and assistance to Held. The latter chief is still restless and inclined to further mischief declaring that the " Twpcvpaku/ (the corpse), of the flag-staff' shall not be raised to life, because those who died in cutting it down cannot be again restored to life. His Excellency the Governor embarked yesterday evening, on board H. M. Steamer Driver ', for the Bay of Islands. He, afterwards, proceeds to Monganui and Kaitaia, by sea, returning to the Bay of Islands overland, for the purpose of settling some dispute concerning the land purchased of Nopera, at Monganui, on behalf of Government.

When Captain Hobson first arrived in this colony, in January, 1840, he was accompanied from Sydney, by a detachment of the Mounted Police of New South Wales, consisting of one lieutenant, two non-commissioned officers, and eight privates. The absurdity of such transmission to a new colony, consisting almost wholly of impenetrable bush, without a track or route for a few hundred yards, beyond the town of Auckland, was very soon apparent ; and except as an embellishment, emblematical of power, to Government House, the Mounted Police was found to be utterly useless, as it was enormously expensive : — the charge on the Estimates, in the year 1841, being for one officer and the other ten men, the sum of £1,347 Is 2d. We understand, that a similar force is about to be established, at the present time, in the Waitemata district, to consist, altogether, of sixty men, twelve of whom are to bite Natives. The latter selection, we presume to be an experiment, by the iustructions from the Home Government, in consequence of the resolutions of Ihe Committee of the House of Commons, on New Zealand affairs last year. Tha first question which arises from this /act, is fiom what funds are its expenses to be paid ?-—and, secondly,— Cui bono ? — or whence the necessity, or where will be the advantage to the Auckland district ? The first is of most vital importance to the settlers here, if the ohaige is to be on the Colonial Revenue; — if not, — there can be no objection, whatever, to the Colonial Office directing as many such experiments, as they please, with any number of men and natives, provided the colony is not burdened with the expence. The expence of this corps of Mounted Police, to consist of the number stated — sixty — will not be less, — with clothing, accoutrements, and forage — than Eight Thousand Pounds per annum* For six years, this part of the colony has not required such description of force, and vti conceive, considering the very friendly relations that exist between the natives and the settlers in this district, at the present time, that such assumed protective body is less called for than evei. We have deeply thought on the subject, but we cannot perceive the object for which this force has been established ; for with a mounted police naturally occurs the association of roads, on which ihpy are to act ; — and an open country, which ihoy can easily

and quickly traverse. But where are the roads in the Waitemata district extending to any length into the inteiior ? While His Excellency was at Wellington, there was a corps of' Police, — to be mounted, we believe, hereafter, when they should be any egress from Port Nicholson, — established for some fifty men, with an incorporation of a certain number of the natives. But, we consider the circumstances of the two settlements widely different — diametrically opposite. At Port Nicholson, — the natives are most hostile to the settlers, universally ; — the town of Wellington, therefore, requires more than ordinary vigilance and protection, by the civil power. Besides, labor at the present tune is not in great demand there, and by enlistingsome fifty of the unemployed working classes, the Company are relieved from ihe lesponsibility of maintaining 1 them, while, at the same time, it does not increase the price of other [ ordinary labour. Far different is it, at Auckland, — where there is an efficient, well-regulated Town Police, under a most active, experienced, intelligent Chief Magistrate ; — and considering ' the few constables, aud the great number of natives, soldiers, and sailors that are now daily in the town, we consider order and regularity admirably preserved. As regards the natives, in the immediate vicinity of Auckland, the inhabitants of it have, as we have repeatedly observed, nothing to fear. All are most friendly disposed towards the settlers. Should any symptoms of discontent or overt rebellion be evinced, they will be directed against the Government alone, and by large bodies of natives acting simultaneously, and in such case, regular troops in numbers, and not a few raw mounted police, will be requited. Further, the demand for labor now in Auckland and its vicinity, is very great ; and its price daily increasing. — To abstract from the labour market, some half hundred, ablebodied men, iv this small population, will still enhance its value; and, therefore, unless some cogent reason can be given — of which we confers, we cannot, ourselves, catch a glimpse, — for the formation of this corps, at this precise period, we certainly must question the sou<id policy, or proper regard to economy, observed, in the projection of the plan. But if on the other hand, the expence is to be defrayed from the Commissariat Chest, solely, it is a matter not of such importance to the settlers as if such very large addition is made to the Colonial Expenditure ; therefore, we abstain from further comment until we are in possession of more authentic information on the subject.

The events which have so recently occurred at the settlement of Wellington, and the blockaded position, in which it now is, on account of no road whatever for any distance into the interior, or in communication with the nearest out-settlement on the coast, clearly point out the urgent necessity of the Government, immediately, commencing roads, from the capital, to the most important districts of the Northern Island. We have, repeatedly, urged the importance of such measures, in order to advance the agriculture of the colony. In the first years of the establishment of Government, if there had been some few hundreds — not to say thousands — of pounds expended, on one good road, towards the interior, there wonld have been double the quantity of land, under cultivation, to what there is at the present time. There was in the Estimates for the year 1841, the sum of £2,000 — and in those for 1842, the sum of £1,000, for "Roads and Bridges;" but the expenditure, in other departments, so much exceeded their estimates, that Roads and Bridges were left to the chances of futurity. In those days, the sole object, apparently, of the Government was the bale of Town Allotments, at enormous high prices, to meet their prodigal/ extravagant expenditure. In fact, farms were not thought of, until two years after the establishment of the Town, and when the few were surveyed and sold on the Tamaki, the only road to them, was that which the settler could best take through tlie bush. During the years 1843 and 1844, when there was abundance of cheap labor, in consequence of the arrival of very many emigrants, at a period when the colony was in a state of great depression, . there could have been much done, with respect to roads, at small expence. But the Colonial Treasury was completely drained, and what little current revenue was received, was barely sufficient to pay the official salaries ; therefore, hundreds of poor emigrants were almost staiving for want of employment, and this most essential service, of making the roads into tLe country and interior, was left undone. Since that period, the events in the north have occupied the attention of the Government ; besides which, the revival of commerce and the demand for labor at the neighbouring mines, and at the various sawing stations, have nearly doubled the price of daily labor. At this present time, the establishment of the Mounted Police, will enhance still more the price of labor ; therefore, we conceive any idea of opening roads, into the interior, and to the northern part of the Island, by European labor, could not, at present, be entertained,

without encumbering the colony with an enormous debt. But, we can perceive no reason, whatever, that this most desirable project should not be, immediately, carried into execution by the labor of the Native population. One of the great and peculiar advantages of the Waitemata district is, the very cordial understanding that exists between the settlers and the natives. This is the marked distinction, of the present time and events, between the Northern and Southern settlements. In the former, whatever discontent, dissatisfaction, or inclination to disturb the peace prevails, it does not arise from any ill-feeling or animosity towards the settlers, individually or collectively ; but from some prejudiced crotchet against the Queen's supremacy, through her representative His Excellency the Governor. In the Company's settlements, the very reverse exists. There, the natives, — indignant, at being duped and cajoled out of their lands, — and not understanding the precise difference between the settler who bought from, and paid, the Company, — and the Company jtseif: — regard all Euiopeans, locUed in those settlements, as their inveterate enemies, and treat them as despoilers of their lands ; while, on the other hand, the European settlers, ever since their arrival in Cook's Straits, have regarded the natives as obstacles to their plans and have considered them an inferior order of beings, unworthy of sympathy or consideration. We are quite aware of the clap-trap plan, of the native reserves of one-tenth of all the Company's purchases, in order, that the native might dwell and abide with the European. But from the first, we ever considered such scheme, perfectly Utopian ; — that it would embarrass the Company, and be as annoying to the Europeans, as it would be disconsonant to the native feelings and habits. But to return to our subject. It is this vast d'flerence in the native mind towards European settlers, that renders this district of the Waitemata so peculiarly advantageous. The natives are perfectly sensible of the very great benefits they have already derived IVoui the settlement of Europeans among them, and they are most anxiously desirous to extend those advantages still further by any plans which the Europeans can convince them, will be to the mutual interest of the natives and settlers. Now, wh.it can tend more to the certain advancement, in civilization, of the natives, or to the rapid progress, in prosperity, of the settlers, than inland communication between the chief settlements in the colony,— and by whom could such roads be more economically, — more quickly made than by the voluntary, cheerful labor of the intelligent, industrious native population ? We, ot our knowledge, are certain that the principal chiefs are most anxious tor such plan, to be mooted to them, by the Government. On the East coast, — the most intelligent, excellent, influential chicf — William Thompson, son of Whaharoa — has volunteered to cut a road through his posses-, sions. fc>o also the chiefs on the Waikato, Waipa, and Kawhia, on the Western coast, are equally desirous that such access to their land shall be made, as will enable them and Europeans to go to, and from, the capital. The great advantage in employing the natives, tor such great object, would be, that when the Suurveyor-General had laid down, definitely, the course and line of roa:, from the capital to Wellington, — New Plymouth, — or the Bay of Islands, — that the various tribes, through whose possessions the route would run, could, simultaneously, be put to work, under efficient European surveyors; and thus, a few months of general, combined operations of the natives would accomplish an undertaking that would require years of European labour, at most enormous cost. It cannot, now, be longer concealed or denied,^ — that, until there is inland communication between the principal settlements, the real consistent government and power of the Crown is imperfect in this colony. Until roads are constructed^ all military offensive operations must be nugatory ; and, consequently, the positive, actual extent of British law is circumscribed ; and confined just, so far, as troops can act without the precincts of a settlement. In establishing, therefore, some few great trunks of inland communication, two most important objects would certainly be attained— the extension of effectual British power and authority among the natire population — and — the more certain means of extending civilization, and a systematic course of industrial and moral training in English usages and English arts, in order to promote their advancement in the scale of social and political existence.

Some short time since, we advocated the humanity and propriety of an institution beingestablished, in Auckland,' for the reception of sick and diseased natives ; and, also, for affording advice and medicine to such whose complaints might not require admission to the Hospital, or constant, medical superintendence. We are much gratified to learn, that the subject has received consideration and attention in higher quarters. — His Excellency the Governor has, very humanely, intimated, that if

the necessary funds can be raised, he will grant a site, within the Domain, near the Government garden, for the erection of the institution. The Bishop, likewise, has verykindly interested himself in the philanthropic undertaking, and eloquently appealed to the congregation of St. Paul's, in aid of the funds, necessary for the commencement of the building. The spot, fixed upon by His Excellency, would certainly be most eligible, as the inmates, when convalescent, avouM have the great advantage of exercise and pure air. However, it has been suggested, and Aye think, with much judgment and humane feeling, that the benefits of the institution should not be, exclusive ; but, that exertions should, now, be made to found a sanitary establishment, for all persons, of whatever nation or race. This enlarged view, we conceive, will insure success, and no longer render Auckland an exception to every other British settlement, in this respect. Besides, there are other considerations, which will stimulate to the immediote attempt to establish so laudable, philanthropic institution, tending to the proof and fact, that there arc other sources of funds, for the support of it, when once established, than, solely, the voluntary, periodical contributions of charitable individuals. First, as regards that part of the " General Hospital," which doubtless will be termed the native ward : — As soon as the Native Trust Ordinance comes into operation, the Trustees, acting under it, would, certainly, contribute towards the relief and cure of the native sick population. The sth clause of the Ordinance declares, that all property under the power of the Trustees shall be holdcn— " upon trust that the said Trustees shall apply and expend the rents, issues, and proceeds thereof in the establishment and maintenance of schools for the instruction of the native people in the English language, and for a systematic course of industrial and moral training in English usages and English arts, and i)l providing for the relief of the sick, and generally in such a way as may be most conducive to the bodily and spiritual welfare of the Native Race, and to their advancement in the scale of social and political existence. Such schools, provision for the relief of the sick, religious instruction, or other advantages, not being exclusively confined to persons of one particular religion." Hence, it is very evident, that the general funds of the Hospital would, in a short time, be relieved of all expenses, consequent on the admission of the Native population. Another point, worthy to be considered, in the future expences of the establishment, arises from the fact, — that in distant colonial settlements, like Auckland, with so many isolated, adjacent locations, there are numbers occasionally afflicted with dangerous disease, — or who meet with severe accidents, — who have not a home, wherein the attendance, essential to their relief, both medical and otherwise, could be administered ; but, yet, who could, — - and would willingly, — pay for admittance, and for the time of being skilfully attended, and properly nursed, until their restoration to health. The Regulations of the General Hospital, 1 might, therefore, very easily, be so framed, as to enable all persons to avail themselves of the advantages, under certain fees and payments, which would allow the funds of the institution, raised by voluntary subscription, to be expended, more largely, on those whose actual poverty, was their only claim for admission. There is another subject, connected with such an institution, to which we would revert, on the present occasion. — Among the number of seamen, that now, annually, arrive in our harbour, in merchant vessels, — last year nearly seven hundred, — there must, occasionally, be some who are compelled to leave their ships and their voyage unfinished, on account of severe sickness. In such cases, the master is obliged to have the sanction of a magistrate, with a medical certificate of the sailor being unfit for further service, before the name of the sick person can be erased from the articles, and he can be left behind ; but this process, if there be a public hospital in the port, renders the owners of the ship,— even after her departure, — through their agent, liable to the hospital expences, for a certain period. Therefore, when once the Building was erected ; and the internal establishment laid down, on such a scale as it might be increased, according to the requirements of the population, — either Native or European, — the annual expences to be liquidated by voluntary subscription, would not be very large : — for, as we have shewn, many of its inmates would contribute to its funds. Of all public institutions, a Hospital is one the least liable, or subject, to abuse ; and hence it has been, that the English Hospitals, from time to time, have been so munificently endowed, and their funds increased by bequests of private individuals. None incur malignant disease, or rush into danger of broken limbs, for 1 the purpose of being inmates of a Hospital. Therefore, contributions cannot be more safely bestowed, if fear of malversation of funds is the only preventive, than to such institutions ; exclusive of any duty inculcated by religion ; or of those pleasurable feelings arising from the reflection of assisting to assuage and mitigate the sufferings of those afflicted with pain and disease.

We have been induced to these, somewhat, lengthened observations with the hope of exciting general unanimity and exertion in this most" laudable project. Frequently, many persons are deterred from co-operation in a purpose, however desirable and praiseworthy, irom fear and supposition that it cannot, by any possibility, be attained from the extent of the objects it proposes to embrace ; as well as from the paucity of means, apparently attainable. We have had our appiehensions that such feeling might have its influence, in our small community, on this subject in question. But, it has come to our knowledge, within these few days, that some spirited gentlemen, — whose kindness, assistance, and liberality have, frequently, been devoted on previous occasions, to the promotion of the benevolent and useful institutions in Auckland, — have consulted together, and are most willing and anxious to co-operate, in forming some series of entertainments, the proceeds of which will be generously appropriated to the foundation of a General Hospital for the Town and District of Auckland. As the object in view is so highly important and laudable ; — so essentially instrumental to the health of the whole population of the Waitemata district, we most sincerely trust, that the very generous endeavours to which we have alluded, will meet with universal, liberal support, not only pecuniarily, but by similar personal exertion, to accomplish so great and general good.