To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. September 4th, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 49, 13 September 1845, Page 2

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. September 4th, 1845.

Sir, — Allow me, through the medium of your journal, to call the attention of the Missionaries of New Zealand, and more particularly those of the Church of England persuasion, to a pam- ! phlet headed " Letters from Wanganui," which has just arrived here. As I understand it is written by respectable parties who have been eye ! witnesses of the proceedings of the Reverend ; gentry, I leave them to answer the charges there brought against them, and should they neglect to do this, the public will conclude that silence on their part as a sufficient proof of their guilt. In conclusion, I beg to advise them to alter their conduct, and either act up to the instructions of the Society at home, or relinquish their profession. Hoping that this will be taken in the same spirit as it is written, and be the means of open-" ing the eyes of these Reverend gentlemen, and thereby causing them to turn many from the error of their way. I am, &c, A ♦ *d. P. S. After mature reflection I have come to the conclusion that these Reverend Gentlemen have, by their conduct, prevented many an industrious, honest, and upright, settler from reaping the just reward of his labour, and by that means caused an immense loss to the community at large. I would, therefore, seriously, solemnly, and religiously, ask these Reverend Gentlemen, if, after all this, they can expect the settlers and their friends in our native land to contribute to the support of their many well intended, but much abused, Missionary Societies. I have frequently attended the Missionary meetings at home, but after the statements in the above mentioned pamphlet, and my own observations in the colony, [must confess, that unless I see a great reformation, I cannot, when I return to my native land, attend them with the same interest I formerly did. I have often listened to the statements of Missionaries who have at those meetings given long, afflicting, accounts of the hardships and privations they have endured in foreign lands, but after what I have seen here, I must confess the accounts I am now compelled to send home to my friends will cause them to give their mite to some other charitable institutions. I intend this as a serious appeal to the hearts aud consciences of these Reverend Gentlemen, and would seriously ask how they would feel if the supj ortersof the Society at home should stop their salaries for as many years as they have been the means of preventing intelligent, honorable, and industrious, settlers from profitably employing iheir time in the cultivation of land which, in its present state, and under present circumstances, is, in reality, benefitting no one.

Finding that our Correspondent H is annoyed at our not publishing his letter last week, we have given insertion to it in our present number, but deem it unnecessary to make any further comments upon the subject to which it relates. We would only assure H, that far from wishing to avoid any fair and impartial criticism upon the manner in which, we conduct this journal, we are, on the contrary, desirous at all times to receive the communications of our fellow settlers, so thut we may be the better enabled to perform our duty of expressing public opinion.