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New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 576, 22 October 1851, Page 2

nvuong others 1o represent the Ward, and (hat the observation I refer to had been called forth in eoiwquenco oi niv nomination. L felt that, :is I had been proposed at the meeting, I hud n right to express my sentiments before it, and was proceeding in the first, place to try to remove any impression (hat might have been made on^ the minds of those present by the remarks of the previous speaker questioning the independence of the New Zvahmdn\ when' the Chairman interposed, on (lie ground that it was not the merits 01 demerits of either paper that the meeting was called to discuss, at the Mime lime expressing his regret that he should have allowed the remaiks to be made that called for mine. Of course lat once submitted to the -wish of the Burgess presiding, although T foil, that the gentleman who hud objected to me was quite in order to do ho if he believed and could make out that I was under any influence th.it Avould be prejudicial to my independence in the Council, and thtit I .should not be in any way irrelevant in freeing myself from such imputations in the same assembly in which they had been made. Had T been allowed to proceed, T could have confidently appealed to gentlemen then present who had severally edited the New Zealander, us to the fact of' the .strict independence of that paper, and of the liberal provision set apart out of its income as remuneration for their services that they might stand, wholly independent of any parly amongst the people, as well as of the Government of the countr), and honestly perfoim their duties without improperly seeking the favor or alleclion of either. I should not have felt myself called on after that meeting broke up to make any public reply to the comments made on tho New Zcafanrtrr by Ilie gentleman who attacked it on that occasion, because the opinion F entertain of him lead-i me to believe that he honestly expressed hi * own though I s, but not those of the public, who have from the first niiuiifesicd their confidence in the Norn Zadander by supporting it in a manner unprecedented here. And had it not been for the reiteration of that attack (with, E fear, far less sincerity or confidence in the justice of (ho censure) in to-day's Southern Cross, I should have refrained from putting myself before the public again in answer to these imputations. It is nearly seven years since the New Zeulander was started by myself, without the promise of support from any party whatever — and without any po- j litical object in view. It was simply intended as ! a Newspaper, to chronicle the posing events of the Colony, and afford reliable information on our j Colonial stale and progress to parties at home, and in the sister Colonies, whose attention had been turned to New Zealand. My great care was then, and has been throughout to prevent it from becoming a tool in the hands of any one to set the people against the constituted authorities, or to set neighbour against neighbour. 1 had obsei ved the baneful ellects produced in this way by newspapers in the early days of Auckland, and believed that too much watchfulness could not be exercised over the columns of a journal in a small newly formed community like ours, so as to prevent consequences over afterwards to be deplored. Due regard, I believed, could be had to this principle, while at the same time, v\cry measure of Government or public proceeding of the people might be fairly, dispassionately, and beneficially discussed. In order to carry out these views in the conduct of the paper the services of the best and ablest men, as regards local knowledge, moderate political views, and experience as newspaper writers, have been secured from lime to time, regardless of expense. Several of these gentlemen, who have been connected with the New Zeahinder in the Editorial capacity, are still in the Colony, to whoso testimony J can confidently appeal against the charge which the Cms 1 ? has seconded of Government influence having been exercised over them in the dischaige of their Editorial duties. Only one of Ike Editors to whom I refer was in receipt of any Government pay while connected with the New ZeaJavder. That gentleman received a salary of £}00 a year, (as Editor of a Government publication for Native improvement) and continues to receive the same salaiy still, although he is now Editor of ihe Southern Cross. As respects any other connection between the New Zrtdander and the Government, it can only be implied through the Gouerumenl Gazette, being \ printed at our establishment. P>ul this work is done by contract, and we would not consider ourselves Mused by the Government lor any support it ever received from the New Zcalmukr, were the Southern Cms 1 ? establishment to oiler for the Government printing next year, and get it because their tender should happen to be six- j pence lower than our own. j The Cm.?.? calls upon the New Zealundcr to show cause why it has not followed in its wake in opposition. Can the Cross say that it has served its country well, and point to any good to the colony that has ever yet resulted from the manner in which it has discussed New Zealand affairs. Even its own friends in London have said that if has been the worst enemy the Northern part ot New Zealand ever had. The inhabitants here have long thought so, and if it had to depend for its support on the community it would have been extinct long ago. The man who has kept it alive means well to New Zealand — no one ever doubted that—but he has mistaken the way to accomplish what he means, and he cannot expect that people with their eyes open lo his mistakes will go and do likewise. The New Zealander\ aim has ever been, so far as the proprietary has had control of it, to advance the interests of the country of their adoption. It may not have been as efficient for good as could be desired, but L question if it had been in tho hands of those who now so freely criticise the local press, whether a greater amount of good would have been effected by it. It has tried to keep up a constant and faithful record of the country's affairs, so that wherever it might be read— and it has been widely and gratuitously circulated throughout the world, and its matter copied into many prints in the United Kingdom and elsewhere— New Zealand should appear as she really is— not as a place to be shunned, but rather a country to be resorted to, where perse- ] vering industry was as sure to be rewarded, as j health was likely to be maintained and life prolonged by its bracing and salubrious climate. J. Wir-LfAMSON, ! Co-Proprietor of the Neio Zeulander.