HONOURABLE MEMBERS IN CLASS. (From the Spectator.)

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 203, 10 May 1848, Page 3

HONOURABLE MEMBERS IN CLASS. ( From the Spectator.)

Trie reports of the debates in Parliament raise a question not eusy to solve — whether it is the members or the reporters who show the most copious amount of ignorance on colonial subjects. The New Zealand debate of last Monday, however, furnishes some ventable specimens of oiiginal information on the part of honourable and light honourable legislators for the colonies. Mr. Roundell Palmer, model of a rising Tory barlister, speaks thus of the cannibal New Zdalanders— " liven their rebellion, though it might be a question, how far thai term could be applied in all its strictness to the r proceedings, was conducted in the most humane manner, and in accordance with the spnit of civilized warfare.'' In their latest " proceedings," they cut up and ate their prisoners! Sir Edward Buxton defends the Bishop of New Zt-aland thus — "Whether the Bishop of New Zealand was a good aud icnsible and discreet man, or ihe contrary uf »U

lho«e, lie lind in the present instnncf* ilone hi 3 duty and mi moie than his duty ; tlic htahop having been i party to jvomotiiiff flic tiv -ity of Wnitanf»i, he justlj felt it liis duty to hpp tli.it the wlinle of its provision! wen fairly en rricil rut." Dr. Sdwvn \vm> no "pirty to promoting the treat j of Waitangi ;" he wus not in New Zealand ntthe time Mr. Labouclicre, quondam Under Secretary for the Colonies, atid niesent acting deputy for Lord Grey in the House of Commons, slunds up for the sahlc gentrj of New Zetland — "On inquiry It was found, that atbough great numbers of the aborigines could read and write thpii own language, hardly any of them knew how either te read or write English. Now, wo are of opinion thai the possession of a house and the capability of writing tlieir^own langnage show a sufficient capacity for business to entitle them to vote. In several places there are Gorman and French settlers : those are men of property and education j they can read and write their own language perfectly well, but they cannot read and write the English Inwmngc. We propose that the Governor shall give certificate* to all respectable persona —whether foreigners or aborigines— so circumstanced, and that llify shall have the power of voting in the municipal elections." We should like to see a return 'of the "people of property,' 1 distineuishing thn aborigines from French and Germans, and stating the number of the coloured aristocracy wbo " keep a gig." " Respectable Juliette 1" exclaims Romeo done info French : Mr. Labouchere uses the epithet as jarringly to English ears •when he applies it to the savage: wi'h him Uncas would have been a " respectable person," and the venerable John Mohican " an honourable gentleman without a tear." Mr. Gladstone, late a distinguished Secretary for th° Colonies, glances at «ocial geography— " He considered that they had, in the case of tin islandi of New Zeuland — with, perhaps, the singli exception of the West India Islands — the most inter' cuing and hopeful instance of juxtaposition betwcci European civilization and aboriginal races which thi world cou'd present ; and he believed that if the Hou^i would exhibit towards the New Zealanders that pater« nal care and tenderness which it was their bounden duty to extend to them, they might witness a isatixfactoiy, a peaceful, and a glorious ii6ue to the Christian, philanthropic, and enlightened labour which had been bestowed upon the colony." Cnn Mr. Gladstone inform ut in which of the West India lalands the aboriginul race is not extinct, all through its " juxtaposition," &c. ?