New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, April 11, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 385, 11 April 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, April 11, 1849.

In proposing to degrade New Zealand to the level of a penal settlement by including it in the places in which convicts may be introduced, Lord Grey seems to desire that the question should be decided on the low utilitarian grounds of expediency and self interest. But omitting for the present those higher considerations of a moral nature by which such a question ought to be determined, it may easily be shown that it is not to the interest of the settlers to receive them; that in counting the cost of the experiment we shall find the balance against us. It will be observed that in the adjacent colonies, which were originally founded for the reception of convicts, and where the inhabitants may be said to be ' to the manner born,' one of the principal objections (laying aside the higher considerations of a moral nature) is on the score of expense. The catalogue of crime is so greatly increased by these ticket-of-leave men as to require a greatly increased police force for its prevention, and for the protection of the honest members of the community. There is no colony in these seas in which the number of convictions is so small in proportion to the number of its inhabitants as New Zealand. In the other colonies the rate is considerably higher than in England, in New Zealand it is very much less. If we are to be degraded to the level of a penal colony by the introduction of convicts, the expense of the

police force and of criminal prosecutions would be more than doubled, and this increased amount together with the non-pro-ductiveness of that portion of this class who, unable to resist the force of their inveterate habits, will prefer stealing to working, would be a serious drawback to " the advantage of this kind of labour." But if we consider the question merely with reference to the convicts themselves we shall find that we take too narrow and exclusive a view of it. Bad as would be the effect of their introduction, considered with reference to the European population, the consequences would be incalculably more serious on the aboriginal inhabitants. The Government have lately taken considerable pains to instruct them in the European arts of labour by employing them on the roads and other public works in which many of them have made considerable proficiency, and in the country districts the natives are employed to a considerable extent by the settlers, who find their their assistance a relief to the labour market. But if convicts, under such a system as that proposed, were introduced into New Zealand, they would speedily mix themselves with the native population, and introduce another organization than that of labour. They would soon be made thoroughly vicious, the restraints which now operate on their minds in producing obedience to the law would lose their force, and the present confidence and security of the settlers scattered throughout the country districts would be changed to anxiety and alarm. And who is to estimate the effect of such a charge on the prosperity and prospects of the colony, who can count the cott either to the settlers or to the country of such a state of things, originating through the experiments of a crotchety minister ? But more than this we should lose our peculiar and distinctive character* New South Wales, s'owly emerging from the condition of a penal settlement, fears the consequences of a relapse from the bitter experience of her past state. She has a character to gain. We, on the other hand, have a character to lose, and if in an evil hour, such a plan were ever put into execution with respect to New Zealand it would not only prevent the immigration of settlers with capital, but would have the effect of driving away many va'uable settlers, men with families, who had determined to make New Zealand their abiding home.

We have republished from last Saturday's Gazette the rough abstract or summary of the Ordinances which it is the intention of the Government to submit to the Legislative Council of this Province at their next sitting. These Ordinances are eight in number and refer chiefly to matters of a local nature ; the three most important are the Police Ordinance, the Ordinance for making Roads, and the Ordinance for preventing the spread of scab in Sheep. Some enactment on the last mentioned subject has long been desired by the owners of different runs in the Southern settlements, and the subject is becoming daily of more importance, from the increase in the number of sheep and the formation of fresh stations. The Ordinance for making roads is the first local measure in which an attempt is made at direct taxation. Of course the lands of the absentees will be included by the Ordinance in the assessment, and they will thus for the first time be made to bear their fair share in the expense of improvements which add so greatly to the value of their property. These Ordinances, in their present shape, we suppose are to be taken as suggestions made by the Government for the consideration of the settlers, and will receive such improvements in their progress through the Council as may be pointed out by previous discussion.

A new schooner of about sixty tons arrived on Monday evening for the purpose of being registered at this port. She was built at Mana by Messrs. Frazer and promises to be a valuable addition to the vessels employed in the coasting trade.