New Zealand spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, October 25, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 55, 25 October 1845, Page 2

New Zealand spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, October 25, 1845.

If there be any department of the Government which requires a thorough revision, it is the Protectorship cf the Aborigines. The abuses of the system have grown to such a height as to be absolutely intolerable. And we fear the limits of a single article will hardly permit us to do justice to the subject : we must content ourselves with referring, in the first place, to the objects for which the Protectors were appointed, and then shew how completely these objects have been lost sight of. In a subsequent number we may indicate how persons filling such an offica might befriend .theMaories, protect their interestft, and essentially contribute to their

advancement in civilization ; the great end for which the Protectors were appointedThe institution of Protectors originated in a philanthropic desire on the part of the British government to promote the welfare of the aborigines, — in a jealousy of "oppressions, or other evil practices towards them by the settlers or European population", — in an anxious fear, that " even in the absence of positive injustice, the mere contiguity «nd intercourse of the two racas, would induce many moral and physical evils, fatal to the health and life of the fepbler purty." And these Protectors were to act as guardian? and friends to the natives, in weaning them from their savage habits and customs, "by the benignant influence of example, instruction awd encouragement; looking lather to their permanent welfare, than to their maintenance of their own laws and customs ;" — " every effort was to be made by them to secure the cordial assistance of the more intelligent and wealthy settlers" in this great experiment, to lender the services and cooperation of the natives " useful to the settlement in the formation of roads, or the execution of labourers' works,'' and to render ihese works useful to the natives from the civilizing influence which such employment would have on them. In fine, in the words of Lord John Russell, in his elaborate and able despatch to Capt. Hobson, from which we have previously quoted, the ends proposed were '• the protection of the aborigines from injustice, cruelty and wrong ; the establishment and maintenance of friendly relations with them ; the diversion into useful channels of the capacities for libour, which have hitherto been lyin^ dormant ; the avoidance of every practice towards them tending to the destruction of their health or the diminution of their numbers ; the education of their youth; and the d.ffusion amongst the whole native population of the blessings of Christianity." It is necessary to observe, in the first place, that the establishment of Protectors proceeded on the false assumption that the settlers would necessarily be oppressors of the native race. Now, the great majoiity df the settlers, (we refer to the southern settlements) landed in these islands with the best dispositions and intentions towards the natives, and with a most earnest desire to cooperate in any plans for their welfare ; sufficient provision was made in their favour by the native reserves to satisfy their wants, and abundantly secure for them the means of subsistance •, there was ample room and verge enough for both races, and before Protectors were sent to Port Nicholson the mosl friendly relations were established between them. But the fallacy becomes still more apparent, if we consider the difference in numbers ; on the one hand a peaceful band of settlers, few in numbers at first, and giving in their wives and families the most sufficient guarantee of their friendly intentions ; on the other a numerous, armed, and savage race, whose occupation was war, and who«e practice of cannibalism invested the contemplation of hostilities with still greater horrors. The question was not whether we should tolerate them, but whether they would tolerate us. On this false assumption, however, the Local Government have uniformly proceeded. The capital was established at Auckland by Capt. Hobsoa ; too great prosperity in the southern settlements would have defeated his proposed objects ; it was therefore necessary by even means to justify this unhappy preference ; and the natives were made the pretext, the instruments wherewith to work out the ends. In proof of this we have only to contrast the way in which the claims to land have been examined and decided upon at the north and the south. In the neighbourhood of Auckland, compliant Commissioners, cursory investigations, an easy settlement, Grants issued to a much greater extent than allowed by the Ordinance, particularly if the claimant were a missionary. But in the south a widely different course was adopted ; protracted and harrassing examinations, all the delays of the law were employed to prolong the sittings of the Court, and continue the salary of the Commissioner. And while this solemn mockery wag enacted, the Government en-

couraged and upheld the natives in .their encroachments, and the settlers have heen prevented from obtaining any footing in the land they had purchased. These facts are so notorious, that we have only, in support of our position, to refer to thi state of the land claims in this district, at Wanganui, and Taranaki, to Mr. $hortland's Proclamations after the Wairau massacre, to Capt. Fitzroy's Native Exemption Ordinance, to the Wanganui correspondence p> Wished in our last number, and to Capt. Fitz.oy's systematic attempts to break up the southern settlements by means of the land question. And in the execution of these objects the Protectors have been, for the most part, unscrupulous «nd willing agents. Let us take the Chief Protector, who controls and directs the syste.n, the man who Capt. Fitzroy delights to honour, as a specimen of the class. This person, of a narrow contracted mind, and most limited attainments, left his humble calling of a Blacksmith, for the more gainful trade of religion. In his first \ isit to Port Nicholson, he contrived effectually to embarrass the settlers by his interference with the natives at Te-nro, and left his son ' the boy Clarke' behind him, to complete what he had begun. At Tauranga he brought the authority of Government ii f ito contempt among the natives ; by his advice to Capt. Hobson, which occasioned the purchase of land at Manganui by the Government, he was the cause of a destructive war between two tribes ; and (if Capt. Fitzroy is to be believed), in affairs relating to the natives, he has been his Excellency's chief councillor. On him therefore, in a degree only inferior to his unhappy principal, (as having been caused by his information and advice), must rest the responsibility of the disasters and disgrace in the north, of the general anarchy which prevails throughout the island, and of the employment of one tribe to war against another, the readiest way of all others that could be devised to ensure the ultimate destruction of both. Nor. in considering Mr. Clarke's public conduct must we omit to refer to his address to the natives after the Wairau massacre, perhaps the most mischievous document ever published in the colony, as it was notoriously the most contrary to the facts, as proved by the testimony on oath of the witnesses who were examined. Nothing can be more opposite to the ends proposed by Lord John Russell than the results which have flowed from the conduct of the Protectors as above exemplified ; instead of mediators they have acted as partisans, and so unskilfully, that they have failed in gaining the confidence of the natives ; they have encouraged the natives to annoy the settlers instead of maintaining the friendly relations at first established between them; they have never exerted themselves in any way to divert into useful channels the capacity of the natives for labour, or even to promote cleanly habits among them. Whatever improvement the natives in Cook's Straits have received, has been either from the exertions of the ministers of religion who have interested themselves in their welfare, or from their inter* course with the settlers. When we add to these considerations the charge of unfaithfully translating, which on several important occasions has been repeatedly urged against the Chief Protector and some of his Subordinates, enough has been said to shew how highly necessary it will be for our new Governor to consider, whether a department, at once so costly and so mischievous, ought not to be entirely remodelled ; whether the maories who have shewn that they are so well able to protect themselves need any Protectors, and whether it will not be advisable to intrust the execution of any future plans for the amelioration of their condition, and advancement in civilization, to more honest agents, men of education, whose characters and motives will be above suspicion, and who will not be- allowed Jafcteftdle with politics, but will strictly confine themselves to the duties of their office. The subject is so closely connected with the advancement of the colony, that every settler would rejoice to see a well organized plan for the improvement of the natives, fairly carried out by competent and trust-

worthyagents. Next to the natiyes themselves, the objects of this experiment, the settlers are the parties most interested in its being fairly tried, as they will be the most benefited by a successful result. It is most important to them that the natives should become peaceable, industrious neighbours, contributing by their labour to the general wealth of the colony, and to the extension of its commerce ; rather than that they should remar. idle, disorderly, and troublesome, and easily converted on any favorable opportunity into dangerous enemies. We shall resume the subject next week, and point out certain preliminary arrangements indispensable to any attempt to raise the natives in the scale of civilization, and will take a subsequent opportunity to pi-opose a plan for their improvement, which we believe would be attended with results much more favorable to them, than the system hitherto pursued by the Protectors.

Public Offices. — Great activity has prevailed in the Government Departments this week. Major Richmond, accompanied by Mr. Grimstone, his Colonial Secretary, attended at the depot to examine the cast off shirts and caps of the late Militia corps, and after inspecting and ascertaining that the whole had been washed and mended, issued orders for proper arrangement of the same, which were accordingly sorted and packed up. The Protector of aborigines has had several interviews with the Maories who had been affronted by some white men ; alter hearing and questioning the Maories .luring the whole day, the Protector decided tnat the Maories were entitled to compensation to the amount of sixpence each, and directed the proper officer to summon the white men for the amount. The Sub-protector was also busily engaged in examining several natives who brought down a report of an incursion upon Wanganui by the Taupo tribe, and at last came to the conclusion that he could not make out anything of what the Maories said. Mr. T. Fitzgerald has also been sedulously engaged in ascertaining the boundaries of several fresh encroachments to which the Maories have become entitled. Altogether it has been a week of intense excitement and activity.

We aajtfplad to find that the wooden bridgJPS^r the ravine at KuThu-toto^-ia completed. This useful structure, which i 8 sixty feet in length, connects that part of Wellington Terrace which was before divided ; and when the brick tunnels which are to he "built to carry off the water of the two other streams crossing the Terrace, are finished, and the ground filled in, the whole line of road from the Church to Te Aro, will be open, forming a much nearer as well as v more direct and pleasant communication between Te Aro and Thorndon, than the road along the beach. This improvement, certainly one of the most useful of the kind which has been made in the town, has been accomplished by private subscriptions. If the Government had contributed in any degree towards the work, it would have enabled the projectors of it to have carried out their plans on a more extended scale, and it is hard on the settlers in this district, that while so much money is spent at Auckland for roads and public works out of the colonial revenue, if any roads or local improvements are required here, they must be effected by private subscriptions. The contribution of a pound, from the owjier of each absentee section in Wellington Terrace, would have in this case proved a material assistance, and we wish these gentlemen would not only appoint agents, but give them authority to contribute to improvements like the present, to an amount at least equal to th&sub , scrip tions of the settlers.

Value of Debentures. — On Monday last Mr. Waitt put up to Auction a lot of Government Debentures, we suppose with the view of determining their value. Seventeen shillings and sixpence (payable in specie or Union Bank of Australia notes) was bid. A pound note of the Union Bank of Australia was then put up, payable in Debentures, and brought twenty one shillings and sixpence.

On Tuesday last, the detachment of the 96th regiment which has been stationed for the last three months at Fort Richmond, in the Hutt district, was relieved by a company of the 58th, and tpok possession of its old quarters, Te Arq Barracks, at the head of the Bay. =

We understand that the Teazer, being a stranger to the port, lay to, in the expectation of receiving a piiot. Any person, m approaching for the first time the finest harbour in the world, may feel a little hesitation, and find it prudent to use every precaution, and we would suggest it would be very much for the public good^ and cqntri*

Bute greatly to the safety of Vessels under such circumstances, if one of the many ginecues with which we are burthened were done away with, and in its place a pilot appointed for this harbour.

On Wednesday evening the drama of the Cross of Gold (translated from the French) was performed, for the first time, at the Britannia Saloon. The whole of the performers deserve gieat praise, not only for the excellent manner in which they acquitted themselves, but for the appropriate costume of the characters. The performance concluded with the Warlock of the Glen, in which the performers acquitted themselves very creditably. There appeared to be hardly sufficient light in front of the stage ; the persons engaged on the scene appeared in half shade ; this defect should be remedied as soon as possible.

WELLINGTONMARKETS,I?e*a*7Pnm,Oct.IB, 1845.— First flour, £16 tc £18 per ton; Bread, per 2 lb. loaf, 5d. ; Beef, 6d. to 8)1. per lb.; Mutton, 7d. to lOd. per lb. ; Pork, 3d. to 4d. per lb. ; Fowls, per pair, 35. ; Ducks, per pair, ss. ; Geese, Bs. each ; Turkeys, 7s. each ; Fresh butter, Is. Od. per lb. ; Salt butter, Is. 2d. per lb. ; Potatoes, £2: 10s. per ton ; Eggs, Is. per dozeri ; Cheese, New Zealand, Is. perib. ; Bathurst, Bd. per lb. ; Maize, 3s. 3d. peT bushel ; Ale, Is. 6d. per gallon; Ham and Bacon, 7d. to Bd. per lb. ; Firewood, per cord, 12s.