EXTRACTS OF A DESPATCH FROM Capt. FTIZHOY to LORD STANLEY. (Published by order of the House of Commons ) Government House, Auckland, September 16, 1844.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 58, 15 November 1845, Page 4

EXTRACTS OF A DESPATCH FROM Capt. FTIZHOY to LORD STANLEY. (Published by order of the House of Commons ) Government House, Auckland, September 16, 1844.

September My Lord, —The state of ibis colony is unprecedented and most critical; but I trust that the b'easing of God on our utmost exertions in so {rood a cause will enable ua to surmount every difficulty, however threatening. We have no money, except the paper currency reported in my despatch of the 15th April last. The receipts nf customs are diminisHug monthly, owing to general poverty ; fees on grants to land cat.not he paid for the same reason ; and near four hundred deeds of grants which 1 have M«ned since my anival are now l\ing in office, because those in whose favour they are made out are too poor to pay the fees required by law. Legal business in the courts is in xt to nothing, rot from a scarcity of cas a to be tried, but from want of means to pay lawjer*. The officers of Government, without any exception, whose authorised salaiies exceed £80 per annum, are only receiving half salary and that, of course, in debentures, having no other currency. Until I learn from your lordship to what extent an\ salaries will he defrayed from funds siip rlied by Parliament, I must consider all expenditure, oi every drsniption, as depending upon funds to be laised in ihe colony. From colonial resources alone, I cannot, under existing circumstances, entertain the smallest h <pc of raising more than at the rate of £15 000 per annum. The absolute poverty of the southern settlers, as wHI as tliose about the Bay of Islands, the digress and confusion caused by the cessation of the Company's operations, the arrear* of payment due ficim the Government, the uncertaint\ as to fdturo means, and the effects of the Customs lestrictiou-i, a«e now causing the greatest perplexity. It i» absolutely certain that unless some great change can speedilj he effected, no one can foreiel I the amount of disaster. Disianr as I am from your lordship, unable to receive express author t\ how to act in less than it'ii months fiom the present time, and the emergency being immediate, as well as extreme, I will not shrink fiom incurring the greatest amount of personal re>ponsibility, and will at '>nee take every steD which I believe would be authorised by your lo dslrip mi behalf of the Ciown, could th* Mate of affairs heie be made known immediate!}. The effect of the Customs establishment in New Zealand has been most pernicious, and, if co itinu^d, would be fatal to ihe prosperity of the colon}, not only in a commercial point of new, but in a polrica) sense, font would alien ate fiom us a large portion of the aborigines, would cause open opposition, indeed, rebellion, and involve us not only in hostilities with the native race, but possibly with France or America. The late distuihances at the Bay of Islands wete caused chitHy by * * * * exciting the natives to resist ihe British auhority, telling them that while our flag waved in New Zealand they would be oppies^ed —:hat we now prevented ther.. fumi trading with ships as they pleased and as they Used formerly, and prevented them f.om disposing of then own pi operty, their lands, as ihey wished (a proof, say they, th it they are not treated as Bitisli subjects), and thai we -are only waiting till our numerical birengih -in New Zealutd is bufh'cicnt to make all the aboii^mes slaves, and take from them all iheir laud. Such ideas as these have been industriously spread abroad throughout Ne*v Zealand by ;i few * * trad t*, and by some of the * * * who wander ab ait ti e county continual!}. I should be souy to find, indeed, that an> Roman Catholic mission ries have contribute I ro exene Mich a feeling • * * they have cir ciliated small books, in the native language printed at .heir own <jress, the contenss ot which are Cull ldeivd to be very obj •cliouable; and although con fined, it may be said, to religious questions, there are passages which have, in my opinion, ;i dueit tendency to e-uise bid feeling toward-, the English generally. A * • • * ot some consequence at the Ua} of Islands, a * • • * who acted as * * • till hi-, departine three mnn'hs ago lor • * * openly and repeatedly asserted to natives, as well as .settlers, that the British flag had caused theii distress, and, if allowed to remain, would be their ruin. f_He also said that the natives would be supplied with arms and ammunition ir th wy resisted England. — R. F.] There can be no doubt of the fact that the various iribes of natives, so much on an equality, and so jHdlous of their independence, will not long endure that the Government should prevent s tipping from entering their respective ports (not being ports of entry) to trade with them; or that in ports of entry they should be prevented from barteung freely, or be obliged to pay higher prices for their tobacco, clothing, and tools, than might be necessary. There are not wanting people to remind them continually tint they pay twice as much for this, and so mucn more for that, than they would have to pay were it not for the British Government; while, on the other hand, it is impossible to make them comprehend all the advantages which are really en-mred to them, or the state of anarchy and bloodshed which must inevitably be the consequence of their being left to themselves unpioiecied. Having regard to what is going on at the Society Islands and other island * in the Pacific, to the condition of the adjoining colonies and to the indisputable fact that our position in New Zealand depends on moral influence, not on ph}Scal force, and believing that that moral inrjuence, if duly sustained, will be all-powerful for good to the aborigines as well as to the settleis and our country, I have decided to assemble the Legislative Council immediately, and propose the abolition of Customs, ti listing to her Majesty's .sanction. A rate on property will be substituted as a means of raising a small revenue, to tiie amount of which, and the aid gianted by Parliament, we nms*. reduce our cxi eudituie at whatever individual distiess or risk ol local disorder, for want of means and authority to act in behalf of Government. It I had the means of paying small salaries of about £1 a mo.itl) to the principal chiefs in the more settled and frequented districts, it would

be a groat hold on their allegiance, and ensure their 'helping to keep the peace. Occasional presents are much required, and would be moat beneficial. Money so employed, with care ana judgment, w,ould be far better spent 'nan hi, maintaining or transporting any amount of physic» l force. Your lordship may aslt, Is New Zealand, as a British colony, worth any great expenditure of public money? My lord, its value is far greater than the public believe, or e\en your lordship, with access to every source of information, can yet be aware. There U very much more available, fertile, and rich land than has been supposed. The climate favours every kind of production, anim.il as well as vegetable, in an extraordinary manner. Mineral richer abound ; their extent and variety becoming more known and better ascertained every month. Since I last wrole to your lordship, and mentioned tin's subject, tin lias been found in this neighbourhood, close to the bea. It has been found that the flax hitherto sent home bears no comparison with a peculi ir kind, ' called by the settlors " silky flax." This is now being cultivated (though perennial, it is comparatively «caree), and prom.ses to be a really valuable cxi ort. Whales are again frequenting these coasts in numbers, after having for a time almost deserted them. The valuable qualities and abundance of them here are well known. The native* are well inclined to labour for very small remuneration, and are anxiously seeking for emploj ment. Theie are all the means of prosperity, except capital, but that, wiih cur mineral wealth, is sure to be found, if good feeling is kept up between the natives and Europ aus, and the security of proper!}' as well a3 life fully maintained. I have here referred only to tho commercial bearings ol this grave question ; the political aspect will be befoie your lordship's eye in England ; and to the philanthropic virws under which such extraordinary and unparalleled exertions have been made by Great Britain for New Zealand, I need hardly allude, for they are, as 1 well know, moving springs of action in 3 our lordship's mind. I haw now to apologiz" for the lengthened, and 1 regret to say, hastily-written letter, and assuring 3on that no effort shall be wanting on the part of the officer-, of Government and myself; 1 hat we are all in good health, and the difficulties of our position cause no dismay. I have, ike. &c, R. Fitzßoy, Governor. P.S. — I ought to add, that the issue of debentures as a paper currency (however contrary to my in-irui-ti'iri"), and having mad ■ them a legal tender, his saved * * §. he colony generally from much misei}'. Second Postscript. Delay in the departure of the vessel which will take this despatch enables me to inform jour loulsliip that the measures tiken at (he Briy «f Is ands have succeeded perfectly; thar I .-.hall proceed on board ii.M.S. Hazard to Cook's S'ratts in a fevrddjs; and that the Legislative Council have this day pa<-ed an oidtuauce ab'ilis'hing Customs, and establishing a propem-rate. § Qr. " The B.mk at Auckland, and"'— Ed. N.Z.S.