New Zealand spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, September 27, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 51, 27 September 1845, Page 2

New Zealand spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, September 27, 1845.

To the Subscribers of the "New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Straits Guardian."

The Committee in consenting to conduct this paper for the next six months, frankly avow, that if the reasons which originally induced you to establish it, had not still existed — if they could have perceived any change for the better in the general state of the colony — any symptoms of convalesence in the head of the Government — any visible improvement in your own Agricultural or Commercial operations :—: — if they could have flattered/ themselves that any of your grievances either had been or would be redressed — that any adequate protection to your life and property would be afforded by your present rulers, they undoubtedly would have hesitated, before they again incurred the responsibility, or again undertook the onerous duties, attached to the trust you have for the third time confided to them ; but when they find that the same incompetent Pilot persists in remaining at the head of affairs, and that his acts are dictated by the same spirit of hatred and hostility to the settlers in Cook's Straits, which have characterized them from the day of his first landing amongst you : — when, for instance, they find him making a mockery of your sufferings, by an offer of Crown Grants on terms inevitably calculateAand probably expressly intended to render the land claims still more complicated, to disturb all the rights of property, and to throw the whole set-

tlement into utter confusion :«^r-when they witness his studied disregard of your safety, as evinced in his disbanding the miltia in this settlement, simply because he has now a thousand troops and three men-of-war at the north, and therefore deems his own person in a state of tolerable security from the incursions of his cannibal friends, the Committee feel, that the necessity of having an organ, in which your opinions may be fully represented, Captain Fitzroy's acts thoroughly dissected, and every publicity given to the proceedings of his government, is greater at the present time than it has ever been. They therefore accept the office you have again imposed upon them, with a full confidence, that as the/ have now for twelve months zealously and faithfully laboured to carry out your views, they will receive the same warm and cordial support you have hitherto afforded them, so that this paper may still go forth, as the avowed and recognized representative of the opinions of the vast majority of their fellow settlers. With such support, the Committee pledge themselves, that no exertions shall be wanting on their parts to render it a watchful Spectator of passing events, and a faithful Guardian, of your interests.

On Wednesday last the first meeting of the Committee was held at the office of this paper, at which all the members in the Settlement were present, when the following resolutions were unanimously agreed to :—: — It was proposed by Mr. Stokes, seconded by Mr. Fitzherbert : — That Mr. Clifford be the Chairman of the Committee. It was then resolved : — That Mr. Stokes should act as Secretary to the Committee. That the meetings of the Committpe should takeplaceon every Wednesday at twelve o'clock, at the office of the Spectator That should any difference of opinion arise in the weekly Committee, any dissenting member shall have the power of adjourning the meeting until the following day at the same^ hour and place, on giving notice of his intention to the Secretary. That all letters and communications shall be submitted to the Committee, and if approved by them, be inserted.

In a former number we alluded to a communication which Captain Fitzroy had sent to Wanganui, in answer to petitions praying for a settlement of the land claims in that district. We have since, from various sources, received an account of the correspondence between the natives and their Governor, as well as that of the settlers (to which we have previously referied) which we believe to be substantially correct, and hope shortly to be able to publish the original correspondence. It will doubtless be in the recollection of our readers that Mr. Spain, in deciding on the Wanganui land claims, awarded that the Company had bought the land there, but that the principal tribes residing on the left bank of the river had not received payment, and that a certain additional compensation was to be made, which, we believe, was fixed at one thousand pounds. In conformity with the pledge given to the settlers by Captain Fitzroy on his first arrival, that he would settle the land claims if it was in the power of man to do so, and also with a distinct pledge given by him to the settlers of Wanganui, through Major Richmond, it was understood that the distribution of this sum among the different tribes was to take place in the presence of the Governor, by which means it was hoped, that this question being settled by his immediate authority, and under his personal superintendence, the chief cause of irritation and dispute between the two races would be removed, and the settlers would be allowed to remain in quiet occupa- ! tion of their lands. Shortly afterwards, however, the stoppage of the New Zealand Company placed it out of the power of their principal agent to advance the sum which had been fixed as the amount of compensation to be paid to the natives, and the Wanganui settlers, dreading the evil consequences of a further delay, offered to advance the greater part of the money themselves, in order that a question so all important to them might be finally settled. This offer would have rendered the arrangement an easy task to the Governor, by reducing the amount to be advanced on hispart, and, as he had already commenced drawing on the Treasury in consequence of the stoppage of the New Zealand Company, -it might be presumed that he would have no

difficulty in drawing for the comparatively small sum required to make up the stipulated amount of compensation, and thus relieve the settlers and himself from a great source of anxiety, and fulfil his instructions, and his own voluntary pledge to effect, so far as he had the power, the settlement of the land claims. Time wore on, and no steps we're taken towards a settlement of the Wanganui land claims. The Taua of the Taupo natives had visited the district, and rendered it absolutely necessary that his Honor the Superintendent should proceed there with H. M. S. Hazard to protect the settlers from outrage and violence. The war in the north broke out, and seemed to drive all recollection or thought of Wanganui from his Excellency's mind, except on the debate on the estimates, when he abolished the office of Police Magistrate at Wanganui, the only representative of the Government in that district. At length the settlers, weary of delays which only rendered their position more critical, addressed to him the memorial before alluded to. The natives also sent him a memorial, in which they profess great attachment to his person and authority, and express a very great desire that he should visit their district; — that he should see their faces, and that they might behold the face of their Governor. They then proceed to say — " it is for you to settle the land claims, and you only, no inferior person can do it, and until the land question is settled, we shall be in confusion. Come therefore, hearken to our words ; — be not long in seeing your children at Wanganui." This memorial was signed by George King, Mawae, and John Williams, the three principal chiefs of the district, and forwarded by them, through the Rev. R. Taylor, the Church Missionary residing there, who was requested to give additional weight to it by adding his solicitations to theirs. Mr. Tavlor accordingly (as we are informed) wrote to the Governor, begging that he would, at his earliest convenience, effect a settlement of the question, as it would remove a principal cause of irritation, and establish peace and quiet in the district, and these letters were transmitted to Major Richmond to forward to the Governor, with a request that he w ould promote the prayer of the memorial, and increase the chances of its success by adding his earnest recommendations to his Excellency to comply with the wishes of the natives. To the memorial of the settlers no reply was vouchsafed. It shared the fate of all their previous addresses ; it was treated with indifference and contempt. To the Rev. R. Taylor the Governor is reported to have addressed a letter by his Secretary, Mr. Hamilton, which we will not attempt to describe, — we may state, however, that it was remarkable for an unbecoming petulance, and an absence of that courtesy both in manner and style usually observed by gentlemen in their intercourse with each other : we may certainly hope that no other Governor could so far forget what was due to himself, the situation he held, or his correspondent, as Capt. Fitzroy appears to have done on this occasion. For the person thus exposed to his petulance was a minister of the Gospel labouring in his vocation to promote peace and goodwill, and only writing to him for the purpose of effecting these objects ; above all, he belonged to a class for which Captain Fitzroy professes a peculiar regard, he was a missionary, much and deservedly respected in the district in which he resides. As the letter was intended to be communicated to the settlers, we will at present only allude to the concluding portion, where he tells them, that Wanganui will not receive any protection for twenty years to come, advises them to go either to Wellington, Nelson, or some other settlement, and desires that any further communication may be made through the Colonial Secretary. To the application of those settlers who offered to advance a part of the compensation money, an answer was received through Mr. King, the police magistrate, in which his Excellency declares, that under existing circumstances he could not advance any part of the sum, or hold out any hope of protection, and recommends the settlers, if they are determined at any risk to remain, to make the best terms they could with the natives. To these last he addressed the following letter, which is altogether so extraordinary, that we submit it without note or comment to our readers. Government House, Auckland, June 9, 1845.

My Friends, John Williams Hipanga, George King, Te Mawae, I salute you. — I have perused your letter inviting me to come and see you; but perhaps I shall not be able to go, as Auckland is my residence. With reference to all those distant settlements, I will appoint a person to arrange and settle matters there : It is not proper that I should leave this place at the present tpe, for there are many persons here waiting to have interviews with me. It is rather for you to consider how best to arrange with the settlers living among you. Probably there are only a few resident there :

but you had better arrange with them, lest they all leave you. You have probably heard of the proceedings here ; these are the cause of my want of leisure : for this reason I write so briefly to you. This is all I have to say to you. From your true Friend, Robert Fitzrot, Governor.

Such a communication, as may be readily supposed, the natives considered any thing but satisfactory, and we are informed they have written in reply to express their disappointment and astonishment atthe Governor's neglect and breach of faith, in not performing the promises he had so often made them, they say that hitherto they had always clung to him as their Governor, for they thought that his word was sacred. They profess (and we think very naturally) that they see no reason why they should be treated with less consideration than the natives of Auckland or any other place, and conclude by declining to have any further communication with one whose word was not to be depended upon, " This is the end of our writing to you, and so good bye, Mr. Governor." This we suppose is their way of wishing their trusty and well beloved cousin heartily farewell. It will not be a matter of surprize, that this correspondence has operated as a great discouragement to Wanganui in depressing the settlers; that many of them, weary of contending against the influence of the Government, exerted in so marked a manner to their prejudice have abandoned a place where they had suffered so much, and where they had borne all the burdens of a Government, without receiving any of its advantages ; or if it should have the effect of irritating the natives, and exciting them to acts of annoyance or hostility. Captain Fitzroy, so far as he can, delivers over the settlers of that district to their tender mercies, refusing in any way to interfere for their benefit. If this be a part of his system of governing by moral influence, he must either have altogether forgotten or strangely mistaken the very elementary principles of morals and their obligation. It greatly redounds, however, to the credit of these natives, that the Governor's communication has not had the effect on them which might have been anticipated : according to the best information we are able to obtain, they appear on the contrary more anxious than ever that the settlers should remain with them, and occupy the land ; and consider the Governor in his conduct towards them, to use their own significant expression, "to be all the same as a child." They have strengthened and repaired their pa, which they regard as equally for the defence of the settlers as themselves, and if the Tava revisits them this year, they say the Pakehas are welcome to its protection, and if they will make common cause with them, they I will die in their defence, and the settlers rely with confidence in the sincerity of their professions. I If Captain Fitzroy had complied with the request thus urged upon him by the settlers and the natives, all cause of dissatisfaction ' would have been removed, and the foundation of prosperity would have been laid at Wanganui, as the natives living there are the only tribes owning or claiming to own any and in the block purchased by the New Zealand Company ; but such a boon to any of the settlements in Cook's Straits, though so easy of attainment, would be too much to expect at the hands of our present Governor. S'nce writing the above, advices have been received from Wanganui, that the natives from Taupo have set off on their threatened expedition, and were within one day's journey of that settlement, and a collision between the two tribes is daily expected. Whatever may be the result, the settlers there are placed in a very critical position, and many are preparing to follow the example of those who have left, and abandon the district. Captain Fitzroy will have the satisfaction of knowing that his plan of breaking up the settlements in Cook's Straits has in a great measure succeeded with this, oue of the oldest 1 of them ; and the fortunes and fruits of the hard toil of these industrious men have been sacrificed by his capricious despotism.

About two months ago we published Captain Fitzroy's dispatch to Colonel Hulme (dated the 18th May), which we copied from a Sydney paper. A month later it arrived at Auckland, and the ungracious manner in which it is received there, we think sufficiently accounts for ' the sullen reserve upon public matters,' which the Times complains, is maintained by the present Government. His Excellency might naturally have expected when writing that dispatch, that the length of time that would elapse before it wa§ promulgated, would neutralize the effect of any trifling inaccuracies it might contain — or that events of greater importance might in the mean time arise to prevent any comments upon it. But we grieve to say this has not been the case. The Auck-

land papers seize hold of it with as much avidity as if it had heen written yesterday — and express their reprobation of it in the most violent and uncourteous language. The Times compares the writer to Ferdinand Mendez Pinto, Baron Munchausen, and other liars of first-rate magnitude. The New Zealandcr is hardly less severe on the subject. Thus the writer attacks the unfortunate dispatch: — Of all the State documents that have ever been published to the world, fraught with mistalc en infatuation, — perversion of facts.— and blind prejudice, — we consider the subjoined letter of his Excellency Governor Fitzroy, to Lieut.-ColonelHulme,datedGovernmentHouse, 18th May 1845, will for ever remain unsurpassed. The first emotion on perusing this official letter,— is perfect astonishment, succeeded by unbelief; but, published as it has been, by Lieu-tenant-General Maurice O'Connell, in the General Orders, at Sydney, and circulated throughout the world, there can be no further doubt of its authenticity. Of the incalculable mischief which this letter must and will produce, no one can imagine or foretel the extent.

The following is a copy of Captain Fitzroy'* letter to the Wanganui natives, of which we have given a translation in our account of the Wanganui correspondence, and which we suppose must have been done into Maori by the Deputy-Dragoman, Mr. Forsaith. Competent judges pronounce it to be a very indifferent and incorrect specimen of the language, and surely when so much is paid to Protectors and Interpreters, it may at least be expected that they should understand the language. Besides lowering the Government (if that be possible) in the eyes of the natives, and rendering them suspicious and distrusfful of such organs of communication, this ignorance may be productive of serious mistakes, which in these critical times cannot be too carefully guarded against. (Copy.) Whare o te Kawana, Akaranti, 9 Hune 1845.

E HOA MA, E Hone Wirenni Hipanga, E Hori Kingi, EtcE te Mawae, Tona koutou, kua kite au i ta koutou pukapuka tiki mai i ahau, kia haere atu au ki kona, otira, ekore pea au c tae atu, ko toku noho anga tenci, ko Akarana — ko nga mea katoa o era kainga i tauhiti, maku c tuku atu te kai korero, te kai wakarite ki reira — me he mea ka haere ke au i enei rangi ekore c pai, he tokomaha hi hoki nga tangata o honei c wanga mat ana kitei te korerorero. Engari kei a koutou te whakaaro mo o koutou pakeha, he torutoru pea ratou enoho tonu iho i reira, otira, ma koutou c wakatiterite atu ki a ratou, kei haere katoa ratou. Kua rongo pea koutou kitei te mahi^ c raro, koia takti raruraru, koia te roa noa atu ai taku korero ki o koutou. Heoi ano aku kupu ki a koutou , Naku Na te koutou EJoa pono Na Robert Fitzroy, Na te Kawana. Xi a Te Mawae ma.

We are sorry to record the loss of the Black Warrior, a small coaster belonging to this port, on Wednesday last, to the south of Cape Terrawite. On leaving Ohau, the 1 3th inst., loaded with flax, she struck on the bar at the entrance of the river, and started two of her planks, but contrived to reach Kapiti, where it was attempted to repair the damage she had received, but for want of the proper ma erials and implements, this was very imperfectly done. They left Kapiti, and afterwards proceeded to Brown's Island, where they left the cargo of flax, and attempted to reach Port Nicholson, but the water gained so rapidly upon them, that when abreast the wreck of the Tyne, she filled and sunk. Providentially no lives were lost, as the master and crew with difficulty escaped in a small boat belonging to the vessel.

Value or Debentures at Auckland. — The Commissariat at Auckland receives tenders for its bills on the Lords of the Treasury in debentures, at the greatest depreciation ; they have generally been taken at 10 per cent, discount : now, supposing the Commissariat bills to be worth to remit 2 per cent, premium, which is the rate charged by the Union Bank of Australia, the amount of the depreciation of debentures would be 8 per cent.

On Monday evening last a numerous and respectable meeting of the Subscribers to this paper was held at Barrett's Hotel for the purpose of receiving the report of the Committee for the last six months, and of electing a new Committee.

Mr. Clifford on being called to the chair stated that, as Treasurer, he was desirous of laying before the Subscribers, on behalf of the Committee, a financial statement of affairs. He then explained that the sum of £128 had been paid for printing the paper, and that after all the subscriptions were collected, there would still be a deficiency of £12 on the half year, which would oblige the Committee* either to fall back on the resolution passed at the previous meeting, in which the Subscribers pledged themselves, in the event of a deficiency, to increase their subscriptions two shillings, or to consider their engagements to the Subscribers terminated with the last published

number ; and it was for the Subscribers to decide which course they would adopt. During the first six months, as this was the only paper in the settlement, the Committee had been able to make good any deficiencies in the subscriptions from the advertisements, but since the establishment of a second paper the price of advertisements had been materially reduced. The Committee had also thought it right to devote the proceeds of the advertisements and the sale of extra numbers to the Sub-editor as a remuneration for his trouble in collecting news, publishing the paptr, and in obtaining the necessary materials for filling the paper. But in future the Subscribers would not lie troubled with financial matters, as the Committee had engaged with the printer of the paper to undertake the printing at his own risk, and their duty would be to exercise that control over the opinions expressed in the paper, which would secure its continuing to represent the opinions of the Subscribers. ( In answer to a question from Mr. Brandon, the Chairman said, that if any articles were inserted contrary to the wishes of the Committee, or if any articles approved of by the Committee were refused insertion, they would have the poww of appealing to the Subscribers, who would decide on the proper course to be taken. He conceived the Committee ! would have a complete control over the opinions of the paper. The following resolutions were then passed unanimously :—: — Proposed by Dr. Dorset, seconded by Mr. Mocatta : — That the thanks of the Subscribers to the New Zealand Spectator are due to the Committee for the able manner in which they have conducted the paper for the last six months, and that the Subscribers determine to continue the paper upon the principles hitherto maintained. Proposed by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Bethune : — That as on account of a deficiency in the funds of the Committee, they cannot bring out the two last numbers, the half year's subscription should cease with the last published number, instead of calling on the subscribers for the extra two shillings, guaranteed under such circumstances at the last meeting. Proposed by Dr. Featherston, seconded by Mr. Waitt : — That the following gentlemen be requested to act as a Committee for the next six months, viz., Mr. Clifford, Hon. H. Petre, Mr. E. Chetham, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Lyon and Mr. Stokes, with power to add to their number.