THE NEW ZEALAND COMPANY.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 760, 27 July 1853, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND COMPANY.

A rather curious, and by no moans satis factory, discussion on the conduct of tu Company towards the colony which they have so deeply injured and wronged, loot*place in the House of Lords on the 7th of April the Duke of Newcastle, the present Secretary of Slate for the Colonies, and Earl Grey bis predecessor in that office, being the speakers on the occasion. The substance of ;be five speeches (for the Earl spoke three times and the Duke twice) might be compressed into a comparatively small space; but the importance of the subject induces us to copy the complete report us it appeared hi the Tim of the following morning. It will be seen that Earl Grey, boiling over with indignant virtue, demanded an investigation into the charges advanced during the debates of last Session,—especially by the Duke and Sir Win. Molesworlh, directly against the Company, and not very indirectly against himself. The Duke, with the blandest courtesy, exonerated the Earl from all blame, declaring that “ bis honour was not compromised in any of those transactions,” but be saw no necessity for immediate enquiry, now that the boon, then in question, had been conceded to the Company by the renewed legislativesawlion of their claims, although “he anticipated that the time might arrive when such an investigation might be necessary, and that lime would be when they knew the manner in which the colonists had received Ibemeasure of last year,”—Whereupon Lord Grey, who was lofty before, became loftier still, denouncing the accusations against the Company as “groundless,” and admonishing those who made them “ to be a little lessrash in scattering scandalous imputations against men of as high honour as themselves.” It is farther observable that the Company's conduct towards the IVclsou settlers, was the ciiief, if not the sole point, on which the Noble Secretary and the Noble ex-Secretary debated, and that the great question of the Company’s general character was only lightly touched upon, while the specially urgent question as to the injustice of making the Northern Districts liable for any portion of the Company’s debt, was not touched upon at all. Has accession to office altered the views and feelings of the Duke of Newcastle? How will Sir William Molesworlh now deal with a matter on which he, at all events, spoke with unmistakeable distinctness and strength when he was not a Minister ? Is the Parliamentary influence of the Company, which has so often been otenlin former days,even now strong enough to subdue the tones of the Government to piano softness in treating their delinquencies. We trust no such -influence will be permitted to operate to our further wrong. Before now, most probably, explicit declarations of the mind of the colony, particularly of this Province, will have been received. The remonstrance adopted by our present elected Superintendent, Col. Wynyard, when Lieut.-Governor, and of the Executive Council of New Ulster, —the representations to the same effect forwarded by the Govcrnor-in-Cbicf, in connection wilh his very significant actof retaining themoney to which the Company might have deemed themselves entitled, until the whole case could be laid more fully before the Imperial authorities—the clearly and cogenlly-argoed statement and protest of the elected members of the late Provincial Council,— would almost certainly have come into the Duke ofNew* castle’s bands within a short time after this discussion, and we cannot think that limy would fail of producing their due effect. Still the Province of Auckland must looK tq itself in this matter. Should it be necessary to lake furtheraction, our newly-chosen Frovincial Council will probably meet in sam* cient lime to prepare an appeal for thenex Session of Parliament, and the people wi > ■ as before, be unanimous in urging theirng to entire exemption from any and every]pof* lion of the infliction. The Duke of wew* castle’s hint will be acted on by a^ou^ e ? s * pression of the vie\\s and opinions of t colonists The assurance of Sir George Grey sympathy and co-operation in the effort relieve the Province from the liability) w be a powerful encouragement to animateexertion ; and, although we have thus commented on the discussion which we copj) we are in no degree alarmed by it * nl ° a * serious apprehension of danger to a cause demonstrably righteous as that of resistant» on the part of the North, to this flagran j unjust and indefensible demand.