NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, June 28, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 38, 28 June 1845, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, June 28, 1845.

When every fresh act of Captain' Fit-zroy's career turns out to be only a fresh blunder — or, as our Superintendent would more gently term it " a mistake," we get almost tired of the task of recapitulating them. Our readers must feel fatigued week after week, with reading only accounts of new absurdities, and be reduced to that state that they could only be enlivened by a sane, or judicious action on the part of his Excellency. But, yet, it is curious to observe, whether by a peculiar dispensation of Providence, or by some law of moral attraction, how men of his own calibre and grade of intellect are drawn towards him, apparently by a chance, to assist in keeping up a beautiful uniformity in his system. Not only the dfficers of his own government," but even those who only accidentally come in contact with him, seem to be affected by the same fatal influence, that rules his own destiny. It was but the other day, that we heard, with some surprise, of the capture of Pomare, who was reported to have been taken with the proof of his treason in a bible. We were under some apprehensions, lest Captain Fitzroy should be betrayed into something like energy on this occasion — and thereby give the lie to his whole conduct. But our apprehensions were groundless. It appears it was altogether " a mistake" from beginning to cn>l. Pomarewas entrapped under a flag of truce ! and we can imagine even Capt. Fitzroy to have blushed, when Col. Hulme on his return from his disastrous expedition, presented to him this sole trophy of his valour. Of course the chief was instantly released. Highly incensed, however, he demands, we are told, the North Star and all her stores as utu for the indignity he has suffered ! Thus, the same fatality attends all Captain Fitzroy's measures. After rendering himself contemp'ible in peace, war itself, in his bands, is converted into a farce. Treachery and cowardice, imbecility and rashness, run well in hand together ! To make use of Sir Richard Steele's words, " We are governed by a set of drivellers, whose folly takes away all dignity from distress, and makes -even calamity ridiculous."

How long is this wretched state of tilings to last ? What further proofs, we ask, does Lord Stanley require, that his Exeter Hall favorite is more fitted for an Asylum than a Government ? Is not Kororarika sufficient ? Has not every act of Captain Fitzroy's mis-government convinced him ? Or does he wait for Auckland to he sacked, to remove any lingering doubt he may still entertain as to his protegees sanity ? His Excellency, it seems, is fond of comparisons. A short time ago, in Council, he likened himself to a spider. We have no fault to find with the similitude — but we think he; did-not carry it to its legitimate extent. He should, at the same time, have compared his Officials to the cobwebs which that industrious insect spins around it, and we —to carry out his own happy conceit — trust, that the same broom that dislodges the parent spider, will, at the same sweep, remove all the official cobwebs that now only serve to clog the wTieels of Government.

Paper from the Phormium Tenax, ok New Zealand Flax. — In a late Sydney Morning Herald we observe a very excellent recommendation of a- correspondent to the public in New South Wales to turn their attention to the saving of rags for the purposes of shipment to England, or for the manufachire of paper in the colony. Paper making among the Americans is one of the first manufactures established in a new settlement of any extent. The cost of the mill is trifling, and the consumption of the article considerable. The importation of -paper of all kinds into the Australian colonies must amount to a large sum ; and if it is possible to manufacture it in the colony, some thousand pounds, perhaps, might be saved. The success which has attended the refining of sugar, manufacture' of woollen cloths, soap, candles, and many other articles in Sydney, proves that the colonists are alive to the advantages of producing for themselves as many articles of consumption as they can. * The correspondent of the-£. M. H., besides recommendingthe saving of linen rags, suggests that grasses fit for the purposes should be sought for. He may find precisely what he wants in the Phormium Tenax of New Zealand, which may be imported into New South Wales in a state sufficient for paper making at .£l6 per ton. The rags imported into England for the best paper are German or Italian, and they sell for about £24 per ton. As these continental people have never been charged with "frequent changes ofMnen" the rags are generally of the dirtiest description, with perhaps, .hereditary accumulations, and their weight is considerably increased thereby. Great trouble is occasioned by cleaning them, which is done with lime. The Phormium Tenax is a pure linen fibre, and would be probably more profitable by 20 per cent, by reason of its being unnecessary to clean il. We have a pamphlet by us printed upon paper made of New Zealand flax, which is a good specimen of the paper, in toughness resembling parchment. As a. packing paper for articles which are sent seawise, such as cutlery, or clothes, it would surely be considered superior. Mr. Earp, who gives some valuable evidence on the New Zea- | land flax, states, that previous to his examination before the Committee, he had seen' some linen manufactured at Dundee from it, which was as fine as most kinds of the Irish linen worn by the middle classes ; that a variety of articles are made by the French from it, such as bellropes, with an exceedingly glossy appearance, and other articles of taste,; and also cambrics : that he had seen paper made from it, in which .a great portion of the gum is worked up with the Sax, and the gum not being soluble in water, makes the paper waterproof : That in Ireland it lias been cultivated to a considerable extent, and a large manufacturer in Waterford who has paid great attention to it, has had a considerable ; quantity manufactured. r We may mention, in conclusion, that there is now an offer for one hundred tons of prepared flax, which promises to open a fresh market for it, and which may be the means of bringing it more extensively in demand as an article of export.

We publish this week Mr. F. Carrington's evidence, who, in his anxiety to secure himself, does not appear in a very creditable position. In proof of which, and of the misrepresentation contained in the evidence in question, we subjoin the following extracts from Colonel Wakefield's Journal : — " Monday, Oct. 14. — I made my preparations for a visit to Raupero and the heads of the Kafia tribe- This visit, besides entering into my original plan, according to the suggestion contained in my instructions, is necessary for the ratification of the Port Nicholson purchase, that no future question shall arise as to the Company's right to that territory, and to put an end to the opposition experienced from all the subordinate Kafia chiefs in all parts of Cook's

Strait. * * * Raupero is at least sixty years old, — he came from Kafia as the fightiug general of Ti Pahi, &c. " Oct. 17. — The Kafia people here (Kapiti) remained neutraL " Oct. 18. — Raupero was again on board, accompanied by Tunia and other chiefs. After a long conversation, they agreed to sell me all the lands possessed by the Kafia tribe on both sides Cook's Strait. " Oct. 23. — Hiko, Raupero, Rangaibiro, and all the chiefs of the Kafia tribe were on board early, and a third talk on the important matter in hand took place in the presence of at least twenty witnesses, and ended in the full cession to me, for the Company, of all their rights and claims in both islands. " 24th Oct. — Hiko and Raupero executed the deed. " 28th Oct. — Rangihaieta, the chief of Mana, and the land on the main abreast of it, executed the deed of conveyance this morning. His signature completes the document as regards the Kafia tribe, &c." We are unable to conceive how Mr. Carrington could infer from the Journal which contains these extracts, dated in October 1839, that the writer's letter of the 9th of November of the same year, represents negociations with the Kafia tribe which had not then taken place ; and we respectfully suggest, that if any member of the Committee had read the Journal, a great deal of their time would have been spared. The truth was, however, partially elicited by the disinterested and truth-seeking cross-examination of the witness by the Crown Advocate, Mr. Cardwell, which want of space compels us to defer until. next week, and under which Mr. Carrington -completely broke down. As regards the purchase of Taranaki, the best answer to his statements is the fact that Mr. Spain, who cannot be accused of any bias in favour of the New Zealand Company, has decided from the evidence submitted to him, that Taranaki was fairly purchased. Mr. Carriugton appears before the Committee as a man with a grievance, and complains of the manner of his dismissal ; but after having surveyed 32,000 acres, when the Company had only sold 1 3,260 acres, after having received a twelve months' notice of the intention of the Company to dispense with his services (a step rendered necessary by the state of the land claims), and after having had his own passage and that of iiis family from England and back again paid for by the Company, we really do not see he has much to complain of. j

We have received a Supplement of the London Spectator, Jan. 4, 1845, entitled, x< Results of the New Zealand Inquiry," which gives a clear, dispassionate, and most able account of the New Zealand question, briDg'itig the information down to the late&t dates. The statements are chiefly based ou the Report of the last Committee on New Zealand, but the reports -of former Committees, and all other authentic sources of information, have been consulted in making this compilation, which, in a succinct and methodical manner describes the actual condition of New. Zealand, and the causes which have placed it in that condition. The opening chapter or paper is entitled '• Some-Passages in the History of New Zealand," in which are related the circumstances immediately connected with the formation of the Principal Settlement in Cook's Strait, Capt. Ilobson's appointment, and the sections or parties composing the community of New Zealand on his arrival. This is followed by an account of the " Natural advantages of the country," accompanied with a map. The next papers are on the " Aborigines," and the " Missionaries," after which a most able account is given of the " Treaty of Waitangi," in which it is shewn " that the treaty, if worth anything, made for a part of New Zealand a supererogatory cession of sovereignty, which has been assumed on other and more generally accepted grounds for the whole of New Zealand ; that it was over -ridden by its own framers before it was completed ; that it was violated by all parties to it ; that it was procured in a manner so heedless and informal as to be of no moral weight ; and that it was in itself unintelligible at liiast to one side in the compact." This is followed by a history of " the Hobson Shortland Administration ;" of the " Hobson . Shortlancl Finance," in which is shewn that, " altogether, theie was raised by the Local Government of New Zealand, in the course of three years, by loans, bills, taxes, and landsales, no less a sum than £135,690; and that out of this sum £12,028 has been expended in • the survey department ; £606 on roads and bridges ; £4,045 in the purchase of lands for the Crown ; £24,600 on public works and buildings (of which the Governor's houses, and his garden, called ' the Government domains,' have swallowed up a most disproportionate share) ; only £388 for ecclesiastical purposes, and £91 :8 : 6 for schools. About £40,000 has been spent in a way to leave some trace behind it^ but the rest has been consumed by employes, who, it has been shown elsewhere, did nothing useful." The next papers are on " the Company's Settlements — Auckland and the Settlements to the North" — " The Wairau Massacre" — " The case of the New Zealand Company" — " The House of Commons Committee" — with a condensed summary of the oral

evidence. — The Committee's Report with the Resolutions on which it is founded is then reprinted, and the Supplement concludes with three papers on " Mr. Stephen" — " Lord Stanley" — and " Governor Fitzroy." — Such information circulated at this juncture cannot fail to enlighten the British public as to the real state of the New Zealand question, and materially assist the Colonists in their efforts to obtain that justice and due consideration of their interests, which has so long been denied them.

We have heard it stated that the value of native trade with this settlement is between £20,000 and £30,000 annually. — We suppose this means that the natives purchase from us blankets, calicoes, tobacco, guns, flour, sugar, &c. to this amount. It would be highly desirable to ascertain how near this statement is to the truth. If correct, it furnishes a strong reason for the the continuance of a good understanding between ourselves and the Maories, — and no doubt it has its due effect upon them in their relations with us.

We are informed that several robberies have been committed lately on the settlers in the Hutt district by'the river natives (the najiYes occupying* the debateable land) /and also by the friendly natives of the Waiwetu. We hope the local authorities will interfere to check these proceedings, and to punish the offenders; as impunity will only embolden them, and tempt them to commit their aggressions on a larger scale.