The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 190, 25 March 1848, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

l?e just and fear not: Let all the ends tliou aims't at, be tliy Country's, '] by Goo's, at|d Truth's.

SA T U lI D AY, M All CU2 5, 18 48.

We return, with some reluctance, 10 a subject from which we have long kept studiously alo>f, which we treat even now with much rcsTve, having felt throughout that there is a sort of aell'.sufUciency implied, in offering a decisive judgment where so many men ol honesty and ability still find themselves unable lo axree. Kut, among tho many com-

unications, written and oial, which have been received relative to the last Saturday's article, there is one which has a right to call for special and immediate notice. It complains that the following observations, p«inted at the Church Mission Society, gave an unfair view of the case. "The parent society has not behaved handsomely to its ministers >* "The Wesley ans have provided liberally | for the wives and families of their own preachers, placing them above the necessity i of securing themselves from future want; while the Church Mission threw its people on their own resources ; forces them to risk the chance of mis-repvesentation, and now seem disposed to shift the burden from its own shoulders, on to its scape-goat emissaries ; abandoning the underlings to their fate, as a sort of atonement for its own mistake." As we are not of those who think it necessary to brave out every chance enor, or who believe that any loss of credit is implied in making reparation wherever it may be justly due ; we acknowlege at once that such seeming neglect cen be satisfactorily explained away ; that no portion of blame, if any attaches anywhere, can be lightly imputed to the society of which we spoke ; and that we were too careless in following a very general impression, for the rise and prevalence of which the Mission Are in point of fact indebted to the prime mover of this complicated and painful question. The explanation to be made is this ; that in every other part of the world to which the labours of the Mission have been extended, excepting this colony alone, such provision U actually made ; and that the leave which has here been granted to its agents, in commutation of support, to give their children foothold in the woi Id by purchase of land fiom the natives, was given on the following coiiMdeiation. The ministers whom they sent forth to other colonies, were commissioned only to remain a-while.—as envoys, or ambassadors of the Gospel, — with the prospect of ultimate return to their native land; while those, on the contrary, wljo came to this country, came out for life. They were settlers, in the strict sense of the term, and it was deemed expedient that their numerous children, who were expected to form the best class of sellers, should receive all possible encouragement to remain in the country which their patents had adopted for them.' Not only this •, but it had been likewise observed that the health of children burn in New Zealand, was likely to give way in England ; that they became consumptive, and unable to endure the climate ; which, together with the enormous distance, . was an additional objection to fetching them home for education at the institutions of ihe i society. Let us likewise correct a mistake with respect to the provision made for the widows and families of the Wesleyan preachers, into which Captain Fitzroy in his famous memorandum appears to have lapsed equally with ourselves. It is not made, as we stated, by the society itself— if certain irregular grants, under peculiar circumstances, and to a very small amount, be excepted— but from a legalised fund, into which each minister pays a yeaily subscription of five guineas; to which is added the profits of their book establishment, and voluntary subscriptions from thoir own people throughout the connexion. Neither can it be called abundant, but appears on the contrary, to be insufficient for the purpose to which it is applied. .Again, with regard to the abandonment of underlings to iheit' fate, it should be explained that the Mission has not left its agents to bear the whole brunt of the battle, but still allbrds such modified protection as would not throw I the Society into collision with the highest ecclesiastical authority in this country, although it cannot, being itself placed in a position of peculiar delicacy, proffer unqualified support. "We take this opportunity of adding a few stray, or supplementary remarks. It would appear, from one of Earl Grey's despatches, that his Lordship's opinion of the ! Missionary purchases, had been much influenced by the particular case of the Rev, James Kemp, which had been brought more specially under his notice, as the one best calculated to produce the desired effect. • ? I do not scruple to avow that the sacred office which Mr. Kemp fills, induces me to regard his dealings with the natives • for their lands, with great disfavour. His claims on the government must be respected so far, and only no far, as they are supported by strict and positive law. So far as they rest on any other ground, I regard them as untenable ; nor should I hesitate to disposes the whole body of the Missionaries of the property winch they hare acquired in the same mannei, if the law would enable me to proceed in so extreme a manner. ,For the sake of our national character, and of our comnon faith, I contemplate with deep regret, the use which has thus been made of an influence, which ought to have been devoted exclusively to the highest and most sacred objects.'' Webelteve that Mr. Hemp, unless ordination by the Governor be valid, is a simple layman ; it is therefore most unfortunate, to use no stronger ttrm, that his case, which