ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 94, 23 June 1843, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New. Zealand Colonist. Wellington,. 2 Ut June 1843. 'Sißr-S have 'att<artively,,^and.flwlth * touch interest, perused the able article in your >eblumns of Friday last, extracted from the Southern -Cross (Auckland Paper), respecting the expenditure of- the' Officer administering the Government of New Zealand,: and the means taken by him •to raise funds on a late occasion. ;*ln this article the name of Mr. Boyd of Sydney is brought before our fellow colonists, but in such a manner as .to lead us to understand that the writer evidently regards the conduct of Mr.’ Boyd, in the matter, as a Milker, as being highly creditable to-him. As I have, however, heard one or two parties here, (surely partisan’s of Mr. Shortland) •certainly in very feeble terms, assert the contrary, and that Mr. B. had rather got. oyer our Governor in the transaction, I trust I shall not be deemed intrusive in. -remarking, that the facts 'being th&t 25,000/. of revenue rhad been spent; that , though the future revenue had sheen. reported to the Lords of . the Treasury as being v prospectively 1 on the increase, there was confessedly nothing M. the New Treasury when theapplication was made do Mr. Boyd, ajad he well* knowing the fate of aimMarhill* dr&wn by Governors of other British .colonies oh the Home Government, 'most undoubtedly was reasonable and moderate enough in stipulating for 15 per cent., seeing the bills were drawn by ah exhausted treasury upon a Government which looks upon such transactions with a suspicious eye, so thht he runs the risk of their being honored at alii As to the debentures on the future revenues of New Zealand, as : to which an

outcry has been attempted to be raised,,, these merely stipulated for aila collateral security, add Ariy one conversant with business is weU, aware thai tfMjy would only have been avaikble,i«/Ae event oft he bills being payingkthe:firijt : draft for 2,000/. “ for the hpiioif;bf the-Local in the absence of sjiph debentures, Mr. Boyd certainly acted in a most gentlemanly way tpwartls, the Governor, and in refusing to Honor the draftrfor 3,000/. made through the Auckland Bank (being still without the stipulated debentures), he merely followed lip his previous distinct written notice. Mr. B. has now only, the security of the bills on the Home Treasury. In so honorably doing so much to save the credit of the Local Government, when thmhad not fulfilled their part of the agreement, he has most assuredly come off second best, and did not at all meet with a corresponding return for his kindness. As to the Auckland Bank, I need merely observe, that they would appear to have little, if any, security for their advance of 3,000/. I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, ALPHA. Note, —l observe a writer ip. the Gazette has, since 1 formerly sent you a communication, adopted the same signature (Alpha) ; but.as some author in similar circumstances said, “I am riot he, and he is not i,” I used it first, and shall retain it. ~— -0~ To the 'Editor of Zealand Colonist. Sin—-There is another subject worthy of consideration besideii the present sfela!y7 ih the improvement ’ of this part of the colony, frb'fh-'tHe want of the settlement of the land claims ; it is the Mabries’ ideas and fanciful prospects. As regards the land claims, we are in a mist who are to be blamed, .since neither party has yet given the public a clear representation of the reasons whence the delay. It is of no use, then, to ask who is the source of blame, but be contented with known facts, and let these come home to. their rightful origin. In the present state of affairs, the finding fault with this or that person through party spirit, must prevent us viewing events in a fair Hght.

The Maoriee are acting ih accordance with savages' reasoning; they expect they are to possess thousands, settle down in sloth, and see the settlers toiling hard for their daily support; they think they are to be paid in proportion to what the land is now worth, not accordingto what .its value was before the first settlers arrived. Those who have influence shbuld not teach them to cultivate their native cunning, fancy that the right of anchorage is fully repaid us,;or look upon us as enemies, while we-must cease to. give them .money in exchange, but food and clothing. They have little idea of gratitude, look,upon gifts as their right, hence derive encouragement for unlimited demands ; they receive the out , but what do they do with it," a far greater proportion is allowed to accumulate until .they can purchase muskets, not the comforts to fit them .for ,a civilized race of beings. For what object is this, because we come to meet them as friends,; and the Government very fully support their rights, are they to prepare ’as if we came with'hostile intentions. "We have done £ much for them, but what have they: done for us ? It is then our duty to use more caution in our treatment of them ; they must be taught to reflect on their former state and their present prospects, and not be elevated to the .neglect of our own countrymen ; they must be taught to work as we do, then shall we be better disposed to share with them the result of our labors. "While we see them thinking of little else than muskets, can we meet them as we are * disposed ? They must come t half way, and then we will treat fchein, not. as some. kindly insinuate as were, the North Americans, but us those-kaving similar intentions with ourselves, namely, having ../>ne interest for the welfare of the colony, with prospects of their.being raised accordingly to merit to a level withais. «,1 am r >Sir, ) : A Colony, K. June 22, 1843.