NEW ZEALAND. [From the Times March 21.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 117, 12 September 1846, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND. [From the Times March 21.]

A new Colonial Secretary in England, and a new Governor on the spot, may possibly do something at last for New Zealand. Change is always a state of hope for the miserable, and the old saw declares that " when things are at the worst they must mend." It is doubtful how far the proverb is applicable to this colony, for its history presents a picture of continuous retrogression and uninterrupted calamity, down to the very latest moment of which we have any intelligence, that may fairly inspire an apprehension that the worst has not yet come. One thing at least is certain, — that the crisis is not far distant. Whatever movement is made, whether good or bad, it must of necessity hasten the final consummation. Vacillation can no longer be continued, nor inactivity be indulged. New Zealand must be speedily either ruined or restored. Captain Grey landed at the seat of his Government on the 14th of last November. The scene that -opened upon him must have been to the last degree gloomy and disheartening. Civil war, suspended trade, and a deficient revenue, are enough to appal the stoutest heart. The only comfortable reflection he can enjoy is, that the evils are not of his own creating, that he can hardly make them worse, but that by firmness and discretion he may in time » make them better. His first task will be to undo all the acts of his predecessor. We do not believe there is a single measure of Captain Fitzroy's that can be allowed to stand with advantage to the colony. This work is already commenced. Within a week after his arrival Captain Grey was compelled to announce the doom of the debenture scheme. This notable project of revenue has been disallowed by her Majesty, and the ;£37>000 worth of paper currency must in one way or another be called in. It will be for Captain Grey to devise a scheme for this purpose, and his success as a financier in South Australia warrants the belief that he will prove equal to the occasion. But as a preliminary step there must be an efficient system of taxation. Without money nothing can be done ; temporary expedients are exhausted, and, if they were not, Captain Grey, we hope, is not the man to have recourse to them. The settlement of the public income npon a firm and equitable basis is the only remedy for the present embarrassment ; but it is one of which it is more easy to proclaim the necessity than to suggest the means. A land-tax in an infant colony sounds like madness. But fees upon sale and purchase, graduated according to price aud value, are not open to any objection that we are aware of. They merely increase the pur-chase-money by an ascertained amount, and enter, of course, as an ingredient into the contract between buyer and seller. The Customs duties also, if moderately imposed and well collected, should realize a considerable sum. Then the expenditure may be considerably reduced, and the extravagant salaries, which would seem to have some mysterious natural connexion with colonial policy, pared down to a reasonable figure. These matters require tact and delicacy of handling, but they are of no great difficulty. At most, they are far less difficult than some other questions which the new Governor has before him to decide. Of these subjects there is one in 'which all parties, however opposite their views and interests, concur. It is the universal opinion that the uncertainty that hangs over the titles to' land' is the main cause of the present distress. The subject is, mdeed, dad always 1

has been, the knotty point in New Zealand. It is the radical mischief of the colony, and, so long as it is present, so long will prosperity be absent. It cannot be expected that capital will be invested in the cultivation of soil which may to-day belong to the cultivator, and tomorrow be awarded to some native chief. No man will build houses on another man's land, unless he is sure that the houses at least will be secured to him, if not the land ; but the colonist on the banks of the Hutt has no guarantee that his acres and his cabin will not be at any hour of the day or night inundated and possessed by a swarm of hostile savages. So much for the uncertainty, for the necessity -of a final and a speedy settlement. As for the injustice of the conduct pursued towards the settlers, as much and more may be said on that score. We may take for granted the right of civilize.i nations to cultivate nature's wastes wherever they may be found. In uninhabited regions there can arise no question. The first occupant must have the best right. But in a country like New Zealand, where some inhabitants existed, although greatly disproportioned to the extent of territory, the subject becomes more complicated. No one will contend that we or any other nation had a right to dispossess the natives by force, and to establish ourselves on their lands, even though unreclaimed from a state of nature. But every one must concede a powfer of negotiating with the original possessors, and of purchasing the use of the soil, if not the soil itself, at a price justly proportioned to the relative situations of the parties. As between the natives and the first settlers from England, the principle on which their bargains proceeded was, we apprehend, in accordance with the law of nations, and with strict justice. The forme* sold their lands, and the latter bought them. The quantity or quality of the consideration, however material when the inquiry relates to the extent of the purchase, cannot affect the existence of it, so long as the consideration itself was satisfactory to the seller, and clearly understood by him. Where there is fraud it is another matter ; but we are not to estimate value by our own standard. The New Zealander prefers knives and hatchets, beads and coloured cloth, to sovereigns and shillings. Had he been paid for his lands in English coins he would hardly have been satisfied. It is, doubtless, true that he was often overreached by the white man, and in such cases the bargain, of course, was not binding. But, speaking generally, we do not see howj if savages and civilized people are to have dealings with each other, they could be conducted otherwise than I hey v? ere conducted in the present instance. All the parade of investigation which has been going on now Tor some years in the colony is mere humbug. It sprang at first from a petty animosity, and was fostered by the questionable humanity of some few missionaries. It has screed no one useful purpose. The territorial disputes have not been settled, nor the conflicting claims of the natives adjusted. But these have been inspired with discontent, and have been taught to know a wrong they had never felt, — to think themselves aggrieved. They have presumed very reasonably upon, the apparent discord between tre settlers, their early friends, and the Government, their officious protectors. The result has been inroads, depredations, and massacres ; at this moraeut, as far as we know, an universal insurrection. We trust that Captain Grey will see these things in their true light. The colonist must be upheld in all his ju&t rights, but it does not follow that the native is to be oppressed. The peace of the country must be preserved, security afforded for life and property : but these things are not incompatible with mercy and forbearance towards the aborigines. There is no need to avenge the massacre of Wairau, nor to blot out the record of recent defeat by seme great military exploit. A firm front, calmness, decision, and above all, unanimity, would, we are convinced, fully suffice to reduce the hostile chiefs to their former obedience. But if, elated with victory, and calculating upon the weakness of the British troops, they continue to plunder and harass the settldrs, in spite of reasonable concessions, then of course it will be needful to convince them of their error. The blow in that case should be heavy and decisive, the punishment a signal one. But the blood which is shed will rest upon the heads of those who, by a weak and captious policy, have invited the aggressions of the natives, and drawn them on to their own destruction.