New Zealand Colonist TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1843.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 101, 18 July 1843, Page 2

New Zealand Colonist TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1843.

The 'Gazette, of: Saturday has surpassed itself. On most previous occasions there had been a maintenance, in externals at least, of the courtesy which among'gentlemen is observed, even in their bitterest controversies. But in the article of Saturday there is a naked vulgarity of style, a coarse -"malignity of Spirit; and r h hardihood of mendacity in the assertions, which it would be difficult to parallel in the most unscrupulous specimens of political and personal virulence that occasionally disfigure the more violent portions of thb English press. Considering how much the reputed Editor stands upon his gentility; and his readiness, even in the article in question, to lecture the Members of the Legislative Council upon their assumed ignorance of what is due to a gentleman—we were almost more surpised, than indignant at the perusal of the article. : - -We were at least convinced, that however accurate might be the conceptions of the writer as to what , is due to, he does not know what is due from, a gentleman. We dare not trust ourselves at the presnet time to go through the article in detail. There

is something almost contagious in this sort of style, and we might find it difficult to refrain from characterising the statements with which it aboupds, in terms more plain than polished. But #e jwo'uM,.appeal ,to the ;proprietor of the paper, who is responsible fqr all that appears in it, and to the ;Brincipal Agent of the New Zealand Company, in whose behalf this article is written, whether they are prepared to see the veil of private life withdrawn, and to have the past history aild. present circumstances of individuals dragged into the arena of newspaper

discussion, whenever it may gratify personal malignity, or serve to wound a public foe ? If such are l to be the weapons of political warfare here, we, although we trust never to descend to their employment ourselves, cannot close our columns against those who may use them in retaliation, and they may be found to have a wider range than is at present suspected. But from, that moment no gentleman will take part in ipolitics, or will remain/.longer/.than he t is compelled, in a Colony in which he is forbidden to exert himself to promote what may appear to be its interests, under the penalty of having the malignant ingenuity of some disappointed aspirant, or some sycophantic expectant of honors or emolument, exercised to -discover or to invent some personal weakness through which he may be wounded.

We must, however, say a word on the subject of our late Police Magistrate, Mr. Murphy —*one Michael Murphy, as with an equal display of good taste and gentlemanly feeling he is called by our contemporary. Mr. Murphy was a gentleman who, by. his unaided exertions had honorably raised himself from an inferior .position in -the employ -of the Government of New'South Wales, to the situation of Chief Police Magistrate at Port Nicholson. Here he remained for nearly two years and a half, conducting the affairs of the Government under circumstances of peculiar difficulty, in a manner to secure at once the cordial approbation l of the Government, and the warm acknowledgements of the Agent of the Company. Gur contemporary, with exemplary candor, admits that he has never heard j»Mc/« complaint of his administration of justice imordinary cases. Has he, however, never thfe' compliments publicly, and of course sincerely, .paid him on many occasions by the Company’s Principal Agent, for his zeal, ability, and prudence, in the dis-charge-of the difficult duties entrusted to him ? And has he not heard that so high was the opinion-entertained of him by Colonel Wakefield, that on .the resignation of Captain Liardet the office of Company ? s Agent at New Plymouth was offered to - him ? And does he not know that after his resignation of office at Wellington, a letter was addressed to Mr. Shortland by the majority ef the Magistrates of this place, the Company’s Principal Agent at their head, recommending him to the Government. If our contemporary does know these things, there is certainly a not very honorable suppression of the truth in what he

has if he- does, not he manifests an ignorance which should have restrained him from writing on the subject. We leave him at his choice to select either alternative. There is one other point which wecannot pass over. Our contemporary states that evidence has come to light which* has convinced most persona that six settlers iat Wairau, who were reported to have ,been drowned in the latter part of 1840, were murdered,'by the Natives. We , . dtf, £-■ call upon him to give his authority for this statement. We do so, ript merely in the names of public justice, but also to free the magistrates whb lately visited Wairari, from the charge of negligence or connivance which the statement implies. Five magistrates visited the spot where this murder is alledged to have been committed; in the Government brig. Were they aware that this evidence had come to light, and were they among the “ most persons” whom it has convinced ? If not, it would seem that they must have been strangely negligent and supine—and if they knew and believed it—-they are chargeable with a gross dereliction,of duty if they have not given information to the proper quarter in order that measures;may he taken for the detection and punishment'of the‘offenders. But what is the evidence ; by whom given, and when ; arid whom doesat;implicate? According

to our contemporary an atrocious murder was 1 committed upon six persons—reyidence exists to prove it, and yet no one has come for Ward during the thr.ee years, that have . elapsed since the

occurrence to pfbffer his or even to point out where testimohy might! be procured. We fear that we shall; /remain incredulous upon* the subject until something more authenticinformation is furnished.

We confess that, we are restored to tolerable good humour whenever we read the last paragraph of the article in question. There is something so exquisitely ludicrous in the warning so solemnly reiterated. against Government Officers. “ Gentlemen,” says our contemporary, “ I respectfully call upon you to” (we thought it was,to solicit your votes and interest; but no, it is to) “beware of the Government Officers. lam delighted to see you angry and apprehensive -remain in this state, it promotes trade, it will lead- tfye Zealand Company to put you in possession/.of your lands, and will encourage you to settle upon them'; and yet these atrocious individuals wish to persuade you to be quiet and reasonable—-they would ‘ habituate you to look at the matter in a modified point of view.’ Therefore beware of them. You are in an advantageous position, in a fair, way of becoming a pork and potato community —do not be persuaded to leave it. Maintainyour ground—and you shall see what good will come out of it: but there is no chance for you unless you beware of the Government Officers.” As Sir Andrew Aquecheek says, “ Why this isthe best fooling when all is done.” We confess that we did not suspect our contemporary of such a depth of absurdity—but our belief in him for the future in this respect shall be illimitable.

Imitating our contemporary, we cannot equal him, we shall offer a few words of advice to our fellow colonists. We do not say beware of any one, but we say trust none, excepting so far as you can see that his purpose is honest and his advice sound. You want, and you have a right to demand, protection from the Government and compensation from, the Company. And with prudence you will obtain both. Calculate what you have hitherto .gained by violence, and let the lessons of the past form a guide for your present conduct. Hear all sides, and judge for yourselves, -upon a calm consideration of the statements and arguments adduced. Or if vou are to'beware of any one let it be of him who would deter you from hearing both sides of the question.

In a recent number we adverted to the real character of the question which the English Government will have to decide in this Colony, viz., whether it will. maintain the supremacy of the law over both races, or will abandon its sovereignty of New Zealand. This really is the point now at issue, and the existence of this Settlement is involved in the decision. We at least can see no middle course which does not contain within itself the elements of a collision that would be fatal to the prosperity of the Colony, and end in the extermination of the New Zealanders. Whatever may be the particular mode adopted, the British Government must establish-a real dominion over the whole of these Islands, supported by a force which bv demonstrating the futility of resistance may insure the submission of the natives. If not: and it will not abandon the Colony, it can only maintain'a precarious and unhonored authority,. useless to the. Settlers; whom, it js, bound t&>

' r - $ ’ ■ " *■ protect, arid destructive of its own dignity. The Settlers at this place have a deep cause of eomplaint ‘ against the British Government that it should have, left this Settlement so long without adequate protection. The late melan-. choly affair at Wairau, although we regret’to f believe attributable ,to the rashness of ’’thewhites, has shown that the Colony can. nolonger be allowed to remain in its present defenceless position without imminent danger Bince if the investigations: which the local Government will doubtless direct, should establish: a charge of murder against either Rauparaba or Rangihaiata, there is great reason to doubt whether the whole force at present at the disposal of the Government would suffice to ensure their capture. Or if they were taken it would probably be after a conflict the results of which might involve the whole of the two races m

war. In the one- case the impotence of the Government woulcl be shown to the natives, and the moral force of the English race already weakened would be altogether destroyed —and in the other the struggle, however confident we may be of its termination in our favour, would lead to the ruin of the present race of Settlers. These are results which the English Government oughtto have foreseen and guarded against. But on the contrary they allotted to this Colony a force almost ridiculously disproportioned to its exigencies. If all the Natives are to be taken as British subjects, then there are 150,000 British subjects in these Islands.to be kept in order; or if they are to be regarded as independent, there is a like number against whom the Settlers may require to be defended, and for these purposes there has been a force of less 100 men. Divided between the five principal settlements of Wellington, Nelson, Auckland, New Plymouth, and the Bay of Islands, there would hot liave been a party of 20 men at each.

This Settlement, however, above all others, is entitled to the protection, since it contributes in a larger proportion than any other to the expenses, of Government. No authentic accounts have been published to our knowledge, shewing the amount which we contribute yearly to the Colonial Treasury; but we have heard it stated at 8,000/., above what is necessary to defray the expenses of Government in this place. In return for this contribution, we have a clear right to be defended by the Government against dangers from whatever quarter arising; and the fact that we have been left for so long a period with no other protection than a few constables, implies a charge of neglect against the Government of the very gravest nature. We shall pursue the subject in our next paper.

Since our last publication we have received English papers to the 25th January, and the Sydney Observer of the 14th June, which contains English news by the Troubadour to the 13th of February. Parliament was opened by commission on the 4th of that month. The Queen’s speech will be found in another column.

Mr. Wade’s schooner Industry arrived from Kai Kora last Saturday night, to which place she had been with a cargo of casks. She reports two whales being alongside the shears when she arrived there, making . in all 18 taken at that fishery, and the boats were in chace again when the schooner left on Friday last.