DESPATCH FROM EARL GREY TO GOV. GREY. [From the New Zealander, March 24.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 384, 7 April 1849, Page 2

DESPATCH FROM EARL GREY TO GOV. GREY. [From the New Zealander, March 24.]

Downing-streeti sth August, > 1 848 . Sir, — I have the honour to transmit to you the enclosed copy of a correspondence, laid before Parliament, in May last, on the subject of convict discipline and transportation. Many of these papers will probably not be without interest to, you, but my immediate object in sending them to you is to draw your attention to my despatch to the Lieute-nant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land, No. 66, of the 27th of April last, in which you will find an exposition of the .views of Per Majesty's Government, respecting the future treatment of offenders who receive ■ the sentence of transportation. You are doubtless aware that it has for some time past been resolved that all convicts should, in the first instance, undergo a period of separate imprisonment in this country, varying from six to eighteen months, followed by labour on public works, either here, or at Bermuda, or at Gibraltar. By several of the accompanying,papers you will find that the effects of this discipline have,

as yet, been very satisfactory. The .letter from Mr. Kingsford, who has so zealously, and efficiently performed his duties as Chaplain at Gibraltar,- and which is enclosed in my despatch above referred to, bears testimony to the good and apparently lasting improvement produced on the minds of prisoners, who have fallen under his notice at that station. At Fort Phillip the. despatches referred- to in the margin, will shew with what rapidity the men who have arrived there under the name of Exiles, 'have been engaged for the service of the resident proprietors. And similar information has since arrived, respecting a party of exiles, who landed so, lately as December last at Port Phillip. The settlers in that district have now for a considerable time had an opportunity of observing the characters of men of this class, and although the demand for labour is unquestionably great, it is not to be supposed that they would have been so eager to obtain the services of such persons, if there had not been much which was satisfactory in the conduct of those who had fallen under under their observation. Whilst such evidences in their favour had been received from Gibraltar and Port Phillip, I enclose for your information a despatch from the Governor of Bermuda, in which you will find that he gives the most gratifying account of a large party of men, whom he had selected as deserving of the indulgence of being sent to Van Diemen's Land with tickets of leave, and that he expresses a sanguine expectation of improvement in their future conduct, and of the addition which they will make to the useful labour of the colony. Notwithstanding these encouraging cir- i cumstances, however, it is not the opinion of her Majesty's government, that either with a view to the preservation of good order, or to the infliction of an adequate amount of punishment under their original sentences, the men ought to be entirely set at large on reaching the colony to which they may be sent after a certain period of good conduct. It is considered better that they should rather be allowed tickets of leave. These admit of restricting them to particular districts, and of enforcing the payment of moderate sums in return for the cost of their conveyance, but do not in other respects interfere with the freedom of the men to whom they are granted, nor diminish the ordinary motives to industry and good conduct. You will further perceive that while it is proposed to require from those persons repayment of the cost of their removal to the colonies to which they may ultimately be sent, because it is conceived that they ought uot to receive free passages which cannot be granted to many of those unconvicted of crime who apply for that privilege, it is proposed that whatever sums are thus recovered from them, should be applied, not to relieve this country from the charge incurred on their account, but, for the benefit of the colonies which may receive them, either by sending out free emigrants to meet the great demand for labour which exists in most of these colonies, or in any other manner which may be more suitable to the peculiar circumstances of others of them. Such being the system under which it is proposed hereafter to proceed, I think it right to point out to you that if the inhabitants of New Zealand should be willing to receive men with tickets of leave they will obtain the advantage of a supply of labour, together with a probable addition to the funds applicable to general emigration, or to some other public object of importance, while by the power which is to be reserved of dispersing those men in different districts, together with the reformatory nature of their previous punishment, there is good reason to hope that their presence, in moderate numbers, will not be found injurious to the general character of the community. Consideringthe urgent representations which are constantly received at this office^of the want of an adequate supply of labour, it seems possible that if this system of convict discipline were well understood, the colonists might be desirous of receiving men upon the foregoing terms, in their last stage of punishment, and after they had earned a favourable character from the authority under whose control they had been placed. I should be glad therefore, if you would .ascertain, in the manner which may appear to you best suited to the purposje, how far this would be the prevalent opinion in the colony under your government, and if I should learn from you that the measure would be wished for, I should be prepared to take the necessary steps for including New Zealand in the places into which convicts holding tickets of leave may be introduced. I have the honour, &c, &c, (Signed) Grbt. To Governor Grey, &c, &c.