To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 434, 29 September 1849, Page 2

To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.

Sir, — An attempt is made in the Spectator of Saturday last to damage my character for consistency and political independence, by asserting that after resigning on political grounds the office of Attorney General, with a salary of £400 a year, I accepted Government employment with pay at the rate of Three Guineas a day. This statement consists partly of misrepresentation arid partly of pure invention. As regards the Government employment which I am said to have accepted, the facts are these. When, after having accepted the office of Attorney General on the understanding that we should immediately enjoy representative institutions, I resigned it again because I found that I had been deceived, and we were not to have such institutions, 1 determined to make an extended tour in the Australian colonies, and if I found that in the course of a year or two free institutions were bestowed on New Zealand, to return here ; otherwise to go on to England. 1 had actually made my arrangements for starting, when I received a letter from Sir George Grey in which he told me that " before leaving the colony there was one duty which I might perform, which would not interfere with my political feelings and views, and the proper performance of which would confer a great benefit, both upon New Zealand and the British Government " It was to make an analysis of the various Local Commissioners' Reports in the North, to enquire into and report upon the state of the Grants and Scrip which had been issued there, and in reference to which great confusion was supposed to exist, for the purpose of suggesting some measure by which the complicated Land Claims in that district might be settled. He described it as an undertaking which would involve greatlabour and probably much obloquy, but which he thought might be completed in two months, and he repeated that " the benefit conferred on the inhabitants of New Zealand and Great Britain would be great." 1 undertook the duty, which, however, the death of Colonel Wakefield, and the fact of my holding the only power of Attorney to succeed him in the colony, prevented my executing, and from my obligation to execute which Sir George Grey, on the Colonel's death, very handsomely released me in a a letter which I found on my arrival here. The Spectator may call this Government employment if he pleases. That it was one which in the least degree affected my political independence I deny. Sir George Grey himself, on offering it to me stated that it did not, and my friend the present Colonial Secretary of the Province, urged me most strongly to undertake it on that very ground. In point of fact, (though I speak it with all humility,) I should rather have been conferring an obligation on the Government than it on me. The only political bearing which the duty had was, that by settling the Land question I should have removed the only objection urged by Sir George Grey to the immediate introduction of self government into the North. And now about the Three Guineas a-day which the Spectator, insinuating that my motives were mercenary, states was to have been my salary with a circumstantiality which he is fond of indulging, but which one who has so strong an imagination would do well to avoid, if he wishes to avoid contradiction and exposure. The statement is either a pure invention of the writer, ox he h«s been im-

nosed upon by some one else who invented it. It resembles the story he told us the other day about the late Manager of the Native Reserves at Nelson receiving pay for the execution of his gratuitous duties. Sir George Grey in making me the offer, wrote " your expenses to and from Auckland would of course be paid, and any fee that might be deemed reasonable would not be objected to by the Government, though," he added," Ifeel sure that these will be minor considerations." In reply I stated that "I did not care about any remuneration, though if he thought my services entitled to it, I would not object to receive it ; but all I stipulated for was that I should be put to no expense by residing in Auckland while I performed the duty." This is what the Spectator calli employment under Government with pay at the rate of Three Guineas a-day. After this exposure of the misrepresentation of the Spectator, I feel that I may safely leave all the other attacks in his, columns upon myself, and my friends, about burking the Otago press, exercising political justice and so forth, to the judgment of the public, and shall consider myself absolved from ever again noticing any statement of that paper affecting my public character. Ido not send this to the Editor of the Spectator, as I should according to the usual custom, because in March last when he made a charge against the late Manager of the Union Bank here, imputing corruption in the performance of his duties, which was immediately contradicted in writing by every respectable Merchant in the place, he declined to insert the contradiction, and did not even notice it till the Cornelia had sailed for England, carrying the papers which contained the calumnious charges. One who can so act is unworthy to wield the power of the press, and places himself beyond the pale of public courtesy on all occasions like the present. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, William Fox.