New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, April 28, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 390, 28 April 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, April 28, 1849.

At a meeting held on Thursday evening at the Aurora Saloon to consider Lord Grey's proposal to degrade New Zealand into a Penal Settlement, by the introduction of convicts with tickets-of-leave, a resolution was passed protesting in the strongest terms against his Lordship's scheme, "as a breach of the pledge upon which this colony was founded, and as fraught with the most disastrous consequences both to the native population and to the settlers." The meeting was but thinly attended, which may be accounted for from the manner in which it was called, and the attempt made to mix up with this question that of Representative Institutions, which caused many to abstain from taking any part in its proceedings. It is greatly .to be regretted, since the Magis- ' trates were requested by a circular from the Colonial' Secretary to ascertain and convey to the Government the state of public opinion with regard to this important question, that the Resident Magistrate as their chairman did not summon a meeting of the settlers, at which a Memorial might have ' been adopted expressive of their sentiments and of their firm determination not to consent to a measure subversive of the best interests of the colony. In Van Diemeri's Land and New South Wales, both originally penal settlements, and the former still in that condition, the strongest feeling appears to exist on the subject. In Van Diemen's Land very many of the colonists have come to a determination of not employing any convicts who may arrive after the commencement of the present year, while at a recent meeting held at Sydney for the purpose of considering Lord Grey's

proposal, a resolution was unanimously adopted requesting the Governor " in the event of a ship arriving in the harbour with, convicts, to send them back to England." At Port Phillip similar demonstratiqns of public feeling have taken place, an<f ait. equally strong determination expressed to endeavour by every possible means to avert the threatened pollution. From the extracts in our last number from' the New Zealander \ our readers will also be able to judge of the opinions of our fellow colonists of the North who a few years back were subject to the infliction of a ship load of juvenile delinquents, or, as they were termed, Parkhurst seedlings. In all these different colonies we have the voice 'of experience de-, nouncing this scheme, as attended With incalculable evils to their material, ■ moral, | and social, interests.; .in some . bf'tHefm' the experiment has been '.in air its, forms, and the result has been that the colonists are' unanimous in considering the presence of convicts among, them as the worst evil that cduld befal them, and that to avoid it they are prepared 'to submit to any inconvenience. Their . arguments receive additional force when applied to New Zealand, from the nature of the country, the comparative smallnesa of the European population, and the large amount t f the native population. One ship load of convicts would inundate the colony with crime and breed a moral pestilence. These men would soon disperse themselves among the natives along the coast and in the interior, where they would lead an idle dissolute life, teaching the natives the practice of every crime, organizing their plans in security, and using them as their ready agents in the execution of them while they appropriated to themselves the chief part of the plunder ; the difficulty of apprehending them on their seek-, ing refuge in the interior, and the pillage to which the owners of stations would be subject from their isolation and the difficulty of obtaining assistance in the event of an attack, would increase the audacity of these bushrangers and stimulate, them to excesses, <of evety kind.* The chief trouble expe ienced both by missionaries and the local an? thorities has been from runaway convicts from the neighbouring colonies. If New Zealand were made a penal settlement, all that the missionaries have done for the improvement of the natives, all the • good effects that have been produced by the intercourse of the latter with the settlers would be completely neutralized and destroyed. It is certainly surprising that Earl Grey who has generally considered, in his proposed measures relating to New Zealand, their effect in reference to the native race should, in this instance have left them so entirely out of his calculation, and we hope that in. both Provinces they will unite with the settlers in expressing their unanimous and firm determination to resist the infliction of so serious an evil.

We observe that Mr. Marriott's benefit is fixed for next Monday, when the performances at the Britannia Saloon will close for the season. We have little doubt that his exertions to please the public will be rewarded with an overflowing house, especially as the excellent band of the 65th Regt. will be in attendance and add the charms of music to the other attractions of the evening. 1