NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, August 26.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 326, 13 September 1848, Page 3

NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, August 26.]

In another column will be found the article from the Anglo-Maori Warder, which appears to have given such satisfaction to a numerous party at Auckland. Like most human performances, it is not altogether faultiest. After two or three readings its admirers discover that it is something vague and declamatory — rather too sketchy — requiring filling in — and, that the general absence of tangible facts and illustrations will .prevent its effect being felt beyond the colony, wherein personal knowledge can (it is supposed) supply these par- • ticulars. '. . „ With this view of the case we coincide ; but must confess our. scepticism as to ihe-prac-ticability of finding materials. to complete the work. It is true the editor of the Southern Cross volunteers his contribution in aid, which is by no means to be sneezed at. If feelings of deadly enmity, acting upon a rancorous and spiteful disposition, are equal to the purpose, he is in himself , a host. But we fear the world beyond the boundary ol Eden, will demand something' more substantial than the mere imagination of the Auckland' amateur and dillitanti journalists and politicians can furnish: and lacking, that, no artifice* of authorship will succeed. The world is given to judge of men in power by the general, or, to prevent cavil, apparent result of their conduct. Thus when three years ago New Zealand was reduced to the very verge oi rum ; when credit was destroyed, and there remained no security for life or property — people instinctively and inevitably blamed the Government.' Now when the state of things is reversed ; when

peace, prosperity, and confidence have succeeded to the place of war, bankruptcy, and despair, plain men naturally incline to award some degree of merit to the Governor under whose management the cbansre has occurred. But the*7/tt»ntV.a*iofthe Auckland pres«(who appear gifted with the power of seeing much further into the mill atone than their neighbours) contend that such credit is misplaced ; and that it is entirely to the great means placed at bis disposal that the Governor is indebted for his success. Now, admitting the importance of money and men, still they are but instruments, and in the hands of an incapable person liable to do as much mischief as good. Captain Grey has managed them so as to produce a greater amount of good than evil, and for the balance is entitled, to our gratitude. And it must not be forgotten, that these means would never have been entrusted to him at all — in fact, he never would have been selected to fill his present place, had he not already achieved the character of an able and trustworthy ruler in a position where success was' impossible had he not possessed in a high, degree those personal qualities in which his Auckland detractors assert his deficiency. We happened to be in London at the time of Captain Grey's arrival from South Australia, in September, 1840, when the affairs of that colony had attained their crisis, and its doom appeared sealed. It would be impossible to exaggerate the panic that existed among its friends. Knowing something of the colony, we were invited to attend the meetings of the South Australian Society, where we became acquainted with some of the leading members of the South Australian Company, and others holding large stakes in the colony, in some instances amounting to £40,000 individually. To such men it was, of course, a matter of deep importance that a prudent choice should be made of a successor to Colonel Gawler, then recalled ; and the subject was frequently debated among them. Upon these occasions we heard the name of Captain Grey favourably introduced, but at the same time in a way that convinced us that any representation they may have made to the Colonial Minister as to his fitness for the vacant office, must have arisen from their opinion of his personal qualifications, and not at all from ties of personal or party connexion. And again, we have it upon the authority of Lord John Russell, that up to the day of Captain Grey's appointment he had never even seen him. It appears, then, that it was not to interest, in the ordinary sense of the term, that his appointment was due, but rather to a general impression of his ability, which time has served to augment. Arrived in South Australia, his first task was rather invidious and unpopular, viz., to reduce an expenditure of £200,000 a year to the level of the revenue then under £40,000. This sweeping reduction necessarily threw a great number of persons out of employment, who could not be permitted to starve, and yet must be maintained on a scale of the most rigid economy. Twelve hundred men were placed upon the roads, at wages of one shilling a-day, and a small allowance for their families ; men who, a short time before, were earning from two to four guineas a week, and accustomed toaluxuriant style of living. The change was unsatisfactory ; in a short time they broke out into open mutiny, and rushed in a body to Government house, to compel the new Governor to increase their pay. Well, how did he behave ? Did he call upon his armed men to disperse the mob ? No, he had not so much as a sergeant's guard at his command. But he scut to the ringleaders to say, that he could hold no communication with a tumultuous assemblage, but that if they went away and appointed a deputation, he would admit them. This was done, and a long conference ensued, which resulted in the whole party returning to their work. Yet this is the man who is wanting in tact and management, who i as no sympathy always mistakes his men, &c. Notwithsanding the most stringent economy the revenue proved unequal to the call for em- ; ployment, and the Governor was compelled to draw upon the British Treasury ; Lut a change of ministry had taken place, and Lord Stanley signalized his advent to the Colonial office by censuring his conduct somewhat freely. This brought forth a most triumphant vindication fro« the Governor of all his measures, concluding with the request that his successor might be appointed, if he could not reckon upon the confidence of the Home Government. The "fiery Tybalt" was completely subdutd ; and ever after remained, his steady friend, i With his Council, though composed of men in general much older than himself, and strongly attached to , his predecessor, he was equally successful. Upon his departure for this colony we .find them presenting him with a valedictory address expressive of the highest confidence and esteem ; and this example was followed by .various societies, as well as the inhabitants of Adelaide generally. .This is the spoiled child of fortune, who owes his success to happy accident ! We do not think if the' least necessary to enter upon any vindication of the Governor's

conduct; since his arrival in. New Zealand. J And as to his popularity, we will content ourselves with reminding 'our Northern friends, "that Auckland is not New Zealand ; and that wej in Cook's Straits, by no means recognize them as our mouthpiece. Let them speak for themselves, we say. If they are so desperately averse to the Governor, why do they not petition that he be banished from Eden to Tewai Poenamu ; and' let them have Fitzroy or Shortland in his place. This would be infinitely' preferabfe as a means of improving the temper of both parties Co any ptobing or any other cliirurgical procedure that the ingenuity of the Admirable Crichton of the Anglo Maori Warder can devise. Indeed, we feel convinced some step of this kind is inevitable, for fire and water will sooner combine in kindly union, than Captain Grey and the inhabitants of Auckland. What they want is a good easy map, who will give them land for a penny au acre or notlrng, then spend among them all the money Parliament entrusts him with for the colony at large, and connive at jobbing and peculation. But while he ministers to their cupidity, he must at the same time show them all the consideration and esteem which are due to virtue and respectability, call them to his council, confer with them upon all his measures, and be careful not to undertake anything before it has been well discussed with' all the lit le-great men. This kind of conduct will save him immense trouble ; for instead of penning despatches to the Colonial Minister, he will merely forward the newspapers, as was the habit of the late Governor, according to Lord Stanley. In the latter , particular, perhaps more than any other, is Captain Grey at fault with the Auckland people, and in contrast to his predecessor, whose practice he exactly reverses, for while to them he is cautious and reserved, in the same proportion is he frequent, copious, and lucid in his despatches to the Colonial Office. After all, we doubt whether he carries his secrecy to^ any extreme or injurious extent. We find, for example, that upon the important subject of the Royal Instructions and Earl Grey's explanatory despatch, he does not hesitate to express his opinion to one of the missionary body, that the Crown entertained no design of violating the treaty of Waitangi, or appropriating as Royal demesne any land claimed by the natives. We apprehend he is equally explicit upon other occasions, where parties have a right to ask for information, and discretion to make proper use of it ; and that, when people think they have reason to complain of his closeness, they will be found deficient in one or both of these respects ; or that he really knows no more about the matter than they do themselves. When Captain Grey proclaimed to the world the lamentable fact, that the people of Auckland were not worthy to be- entrusted with a free constitution, because they would infallibly work it to promote their selfish ends alone (a fact of which their whole history leaves not the shadow of doubt), he must have felt that from that moment all ground of confidence between him and them was destroyed. He will therefore be nowise surprised to find them come forward, with a ludicrous affectation of gravity, and accuse him with having lost their confidence ! The reason is omitted, but in lieu thereof we are giveu to understand, that a man who is not trusted by them is not fit to be Governor of New Zealand. We hold exactly the opposite opinion, and for this reason : we look upon them not as colonists, in the genuine and respectable sens 3 of the word, but as a motley assemblage of persons from the neighbouring colonies, collected together in a crowded and very filthy town, living behind British bayonets, upon British gold extracted from the hard earnings of the over-worked population of the mother-country ; suttlers and campfollowers, having no abiding interest in the place, but ready to follow the commissariat to the world's end if need be. Such being tha materials composing the bulk of the population, it is plain no Governor will ever be popular with them whom they cannot convert into an instrument to serve their own selfish purposes.