Original Correspondence.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 204, 13 May 1848, Page 3

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the New Zealander. Sin,— l have been quite shocked at reading several letters which have lately appeared in the columns of your contemporary, relative to the Road Department, knowing that they are, for the most part, untrue, and that they have been written to gtatify a malicious desire to injuie the head of the dcpaitnicnt; and, also, on account of the grobs imposition the writer is practising on the editor of the Cross, ami thereby abusing

and ciKl.ingcnng the continuance ol the puvtlege both you and him at piesent extend to the public, of addressing the public through your columns. You will scarcely believe that the letter bearing the signature of « Lapis," which appeared in the Cross on the 15th, was written by the samepaity who wrote "Agricola," on the 291-h ultimo — in the first, of wli cli, vtuious mis-statements were purposely made to give an opportunity of referring to them in a second, containing statements still more despicably unuue.ond whesein he coolly tells tin? editor, that " obseivi.ig two or llnee cirors of Lapis's,' he, ' AgricoLa,' takes the liberty of pointing them out, as lie is ccrUr'n it is not the editor's wish that any enor should gain cuculaUoii through tlw raetl urn of his paper." But this uKiir ond unmanly conduct is not all, for that very individual is endeavouring to excite the indignation of the pubdc against the Government which affords him a handsome salary, meiely because lie has <iv ill-feeling towards the Supeiintcndeut. Will it be considered possible, that any individual can be so ua^rote* ful towards a Government upon which he is actually living, as to pen such a pamgraph as ibis, and about a department a vety consideraole branch of which lias been committed to his direction:—" I must apologi2o for the length of this letter ; imt when I consider the gross irjustice to the public by such a waste and extravagant expenditure of public money on these justly called absurdly formed roads, and especially that when they come under the management of the public, they will have to expend laigesums in reforming them, it arouses feelings that might otherwise be doiimmt ; and it has often astonished me, Mr. Ed tir. that jou have so long allowed this to pas 3 without observat'on," Hoping I have s.i,d sufficient t> induce friend "Laps/ alias "Agricola," to be more prudent (or the lature, seeing he is known, I will conclude by asking, what position 113 would find h mself in if, through his misrepresent itlons, Mr. Hume was induced to moye — 'i'lut iv consequence of the appaient dissatisfaction of the inhabitants of the Capital of New Zealand, at the mannei in which the local Government is spending the large amount granted fhem by tins Government, it is ndvisab'e thai; all fuithcr assistance bo withheld ttom that portion ol the Coiony. Your obedient servant, A 1 oviiu of Fair Play.

To the Editor of Hie New Zcalanilcr. Sm, — Tn perusing your contempoiary, ihe Maori Warder, of Tuesday, I noticed some obscnations icflccling on the suspension of the ft'aori Guzelle by Governor Gicy. Judging from the terms in which the Warder speaks of that instalment of civilization, as one that was "doing its work well," I must believe that ho never assayed i's metal, nor anal} set! its com. pound, else I am sine he would notliave hazarded such an opinion of its qualities. That much good might have been effected by its judicious management, iio one can deny; aiidlbeleVc that Governor Grey himself was not insensible to the measure of benefit that might have been confcircd, by means of the piess, on natives, multitudes of whom he found (thanks to the missionaries who piecededus) able to read their own lanqmgc. But it was discovered, long before he anived, that the senseless articles which appealed from time to time in pages of the GaZittc, were, to say the least, not worth the expense of publishing. The Prolectois weie its editors; and, if one of the subordinates be exceptcd, they wpic ill adapted to t lie task. The selllcis, theicfoie, did not think that the Governoi committed any act of rashnpfß in stopping its fuithcr issue, until it could ho effectively worked by competent managers, and icndeicd .in efficient means of convcjint, Übcful knowledge to the Maori mind. The Winder says, that however desirous the government are to set it again on fool, that without the assistance of the ex-protectors it cannot be accomplished; and they are so sour, because of their dismissal, that they will not lend tlieir aid. Dispairing, therefore, of any channel being opened through the press to cauy instiuclion to the natives, your contcmpoiary has stiuck the rock, and brought forth a small sti cm ; and when once they taste of it, he tiusts that they will thiist after copious and continued draughts. I .mi sine that there is no tmc friend to the colony who would not wish that such should he the lesult of this feeble but worthy effort; and although 1 am among those who wish well to such a praiseworthy nndcit.aV.ing, yet I doubt if any great amount of good can over be accomplished by a half English half Maori publication. Besides its inefficiency, theie are more serious objections which might be urged against it. Poison, instead of good intuitions food, may be administcied to the natives thiough such a medium. Ido not mean to hinf that the gentleman who keeps watch and waid over the Maori Waider would ever permit a foe to effect an entrance into his columns; but I believe the system of political 01 social insti notion of the natives by the pi ess, should not, at this stage of their transit, be undertaken by private individuals. The press, as legards the natives, in all but their re* ligious education, should be under the supervision of Govprnmcnt; and it is the bounden duty of the Governor to provide ample infoimation for them through its medium. They aic a reading people, and will peruse with avidity whatcvci is circulated among&t them. It is, therefoie, the moic necessaiy that sound and useful instruction only should be diffused tluougln out their tribes and settlements. The Government, I am ceitain, would have no difficulty in pioducing a useful pciiodical in the native language, 'lhere is not a mis-sionaiy in the countiy who would hesitate to furnish information of a valuable kind, in the Maori tongue, for publication in its pages. And who would be better fitted than men like them— who have lived so long in ihe country, and been obliged to study the nature of soil and climate — to give good wholesome advice on any subject of importance 10 the natives. The appointment of a person in the Native Secretary's office, to receive such contributions, and arrange them for the press, after scrutinizing their purport, would be the principal expense of the undertaking. I am «ure his Excellency has not lost sight of this subject; yet 1 think that it is high time that some steps should be taken to satisfy the cravings for i»for« mation of a people, the majority of whom, as he has staled, can read and write their own language. I am, Sir, yours, &c, " Information ron. the People. 1 '