REGAL OF CAPTAIN FITZROY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 53, 11 October 1845, Page 4

REGAL OF CAPTAIN FITZROY.

May 5. — Captain Rous hoped the indulgence of the House would be extended to him while he .called its attention to a matter of considerable public importance, in which lie felt a somewhat peculiar interest. It would be remembered that in the month of March an ho a. member opposite, on the occasion of an unopposed motion for papers respecting New Zealand, took the opportunity to make a serious attack upon an honorable and gallant friend of his — he meant Captain Fitzroy. At the time that attack was made he (Captain Rous) was absent. The attack was fierce, the defence was feeble, inasmuch as the attack was unexpected. (" Question, question.") He was about to conclude with a question. He had heard, with great pain, that his hon. and gallant friend was about to be superseded in the government of the colony of New Zealand.; and the fact occasioned an additional pang to him, because he had not had an opportunity of defending him. He had long known Captain Fitzroy as a straightforward, honorable man, and a most efficient public servant.

The Speaker informed the honorable and gallant member that he was out of order. There vras now no question before the House. The honorable and gallant member should reserve his statement till the motion was made for reading the order of the day. Captain Rods would then content himself with simply putting his question, whether it was true that Captain Fitzroy had been recalled ?

Mr. (t.. W. Hope said, the honorable and gallant officer having given him notice of his intention to pat this question, he was now prepared to gire him an answer. In giving him that notice, the honorable and gallant gentleman had stated that his object was to inquir-e whether the grounds on which it was proposed to supersede Captain Fitzroy were sudh ,'as in any way to affect his character »6 a gentleman and an officer in her Majesty's service. In the first place, he might

state to the House thai the determination af the noble lord- under whom he acted to appoint a successor to Captain Fitzroy w*sH communicated to no one beyond the members of the Government, except to Captain Fitzroy's nearest relatives. He therefore presumed it was from them the honorable and gallant officer had derived his information. The grounds on which that step was proposed to be taken were such as in no way affected his character as a gentleman and an officer in her Majesty's service. They were, moreover, in no way connected with the charges made by the New Zealand Company ; or as regarded his conduct in those negociations, in which a slur was cast on his honour and' character. The House would probably not wish him to go into a statement of the grounds on which it was proposed to supersede Captain Fitzroy ; in fact, but for the question which had been put, no public communication would have been made of these circumstances until a full explanation could have been afforded. He might, however, be allowed to read a passage from the despatch sent out by the last New South Wales mail, intimating his recal to Captain Fitzroy, from which it would most plainly appear that the grounds of that step in no way affected his character as an officer and a gentleman. The hon. and learned member then read the following extract of a despatch from Lord Stanley, addressed to Governor Fitzroy, dated the 30th of April, 1845 : — " The concern with which I announce this decision is greatly enhanced by the remembrance of the public spirit and disinterestedness wiuh which you assumed this arduous duty, and of the personal sacrifices which you so liberally made on that account ; nor can I omit to record, that in whatever other respect our confidence in you may have been shaken, her Majesty's Government retain the most implicit reliance on your personal character, and on your zeal for the Queen's service. You will, therefore, readily believe, that 1 have acted on this occasion in reluctant | submission to what I regard as an indispensable public duty." (Hear, hear.) j Captain Rous said, he did not rise with the intention of finding fault with Lord Stanley for superseding his gallant friend Captain Fitzroy, for the best of all reasons — he was totally ignorant of the grounds of his dismissal ; but his object was, when the supercession of Captain Fitzroy was made public, to be allowed to pay his tribute to the public worth of that gallant officer. Captain Fitzroy was a midshipman under his (Captain Rous'sj command, in a corvette in 1822 and 1823, and he would give the house his word that there -was not a better seaman or officer in her Majesty's navy. From 1831 to 1834 Captain Fitzroy commanded and surveyed the coast of South America, from the river Plate to the coast of Chili. In the performance of this arduous duty, as he could not complete the survey of Cape Horn without the assistance of a second vessel, he purchased and fitted out, at his own expense, a schooner. He likewise brought to England three natives of Terra del Fuego, whom he educated, that they might be useful in the event of her Majesty's Government forming an establishment in that country ; and the Admiralty refusing to send back these natives iv a vessel of war, Captain Fitzroy was obliged to charter a merchant ship -to convey them home. Not one sixpence was repaid to him, and he actually spent one-filth of his private fortune in the service of the state. In 1843 Captain Fitzroy informed him, in that house, that Lord Stanley had offered him the government of New Zealand. He (Captain Rous) advised his gallant friend to refuse the appointment, knowing that an angel from heaven could not reconcile the differences between the natives, the missionaries, and the New Zealand Company. At that time Captain Fitzroy had the honor of representing Durham, and he had apublic income of £800 per annum as a conservator of the River Mersey, and as one of the elder brethren of the Trinity House ; all of which he gave up, besides a great sacrifice of private property, to accept the trifling balance of £400 per annum. He mentioned these circumstances to show the house that Captain Fitzroy was always impressed with one idea, — how he could best serve his country. As long as the New Zealand Company existed — as long as they had an imyenum in imperio in that colony — it was utterly impossible for any man to govern it. He wished to know why the New Zealand Companydared not bring forward their promised motion ? All he (Captain Rous) could assure them was, that whenever they dared submit that motion to the house, he would bring forward two charges against them — of getting money under illegal pretences, and of inveigling labourers and artificers from this country under promises of finding them employment and good wages, and (hen deserting them and leaving them to starve. Whenever the case of Captain Fitzroy's dismissal came before the house, he would be prepared to give an unbiassed opinion.

Mr; Agiionb y said'he would not occupy thf tfme of the house by any observatibns' upon f the remarks which had Been somewhat irrelevantly introduced by the hoa. and gallant ' member- for Westminster. He. would ouLy say that the honourable and gallant officer was entirely ignorant of the whole subject ; and at the proper time he (Mir. Aglion*« by) would be prepared to meet toe charge of the gallant member. Mr. R. Trevor begged to thank the honorable Under-Secretary for the colonies (Mr. G. W. Hope) for the manner in which he had communicated to the friends of Captain Fitzray, the intention of the Government to recal that gallant officer. He was. well aware that, tlie honorable and gallant member for Westminster (Captain Rous) had for a long period taken a deep interest in the welfare of his gallant relative, Captain Fitzroy. He would be extremely sorry in any way to embarrass the Government, for the intimation he had' received was made in the kindest spirit, and he took the opportunity of thanking the noble | lord at the head of the Colonial Department (Lord Stanley) for his courtesy. The Honorable Under-Secretary (Mr.- G. W. Hope), had to-night read an extract from the despatch sent out to Captain Fitzroy. The only point on which Captain Fitzroy's family had' entertained any anxiety was completely set at rest ; for it was clear that nothing had occurred during the time he held the appointment in New Zealand, reflecting in any degree oa his high character as a gentleman and an officer. (Hear.)' He, Mr. Trevor, hoped the Government would be fortunate enough to secure the services of a gentleman who would be more successful in dealing with the difficulties of the situation. It was impossible to overstate the immense difficulties of the position Captain Fitzroy was called upon to fulfil when he assumed the government ; and he would venture to say, that the Government would not obtain a more abe or more honest servant than his gallant relative. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. Ward could not allow this discussion to close without saying that there was something absolutely unfair on the part of thehon. and gallant member for Westminster (Captain Rous) in making a distinct charge against the New Zealand Company. He (Mr. Ward) had no connection with that Company, but he believed they possessed the means of proving that almost every charge made against them had originated in their differences with the Government. . When he saw Captain Fitzroy's friends coming forward in this manner, he thought, as an individual perfectly disinterested as to this question, he ought to say, that though there might be no imputation upon the moral character of Captain Fitzroy, or upon his character as an officer and a gentleman — a notion which no one could dream of entertaining — he believed that no measure of the government had given more satisfaction, to any person who had watched over the progress of our Colony in New Zealand than the recal of Captain Fitzroy. The conduct of that gallant officer bad been most mischievous and unfortunate ; and if his friends would parade his high character as a gentleman, he (Mr. Ward) must say that no man had ever shown so little fitness for the office to which he had unfortunately been appointed.

Sir R. Inglis was understood to say that the hon. and gallant member for Westminster must regret some of the observations he had made on this subject. He Lad long known Captain Fitzroy, and he fully concurred in every word that had been said in praise of that gallant officer, not only in his public capacity, but in all the relations of private life: nothing could be purer than the intentions with which he accepted office, and, as far as intentions went, no man could stand more completely exonerated than he did.

Mr. Mangles felt assured that the hon. and gallant officer the member for Westminster would, upon reflection, see the injustice of imputing to the New Zealand Company that they had raised money upon false pretences.

Mr. G. W. Hope said, that there had been nothing said against the private character of Captain Fkzioy. On the contrary, every credit was given to him for an anxious. desire to discharge his duty ; he bad evinced great courage, and had made great sacrifices.

May 7. — Captain Rous gave notice, that on Tuesday, the 20th May, he would move a resolution to the effect that the Waitangi treaty with New Zealand should be maintained in its strictest integrity.