SIR GEORGE GREY. [From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 871, 7 December 1853, Page 4

SIR GEORGE GREY. [From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

The interesting colony of New Zealand is at length emerging from the difficulties which surrounded her early existence. Founded originally rather by accident than by design, the British settlements on bee stormy coasts have grown into i important and flourishing communities, in spite of the ruinous conflicts between rival systems of colonization, and the short struggle for ascendancy between the two races of men who are destined to form one of the greatest nations in the Southern Hemisphere, — a struggle which at one time threatened to end disastrously for the hardy adventurers from the North, whr, in a spirit -of enterprise second to bone that we have witnessed in modern undertakings, had risked their all with the noble aim of colonizing and civilizing that fair and -fertile land. To Governor Sir George Grey is mainly due the credit of this, happy result. The wisdom and energy displayed by him in all his acts from the day that he first assumed the government of New Zealand — his discretion and decision in dealing with the hostile and exasperated rebels of the native race — his masterly conduct of the war — : bis conciliatory measures towards the Maories after be had triumphantly displayed thepower of the British arms — his well considered measures for improving their condition — won for him at the time the high approval and implicit confidence of the colonists, the natives, and the Sovereign whom he served. Lord Grey pays a well merited tribute to the character of Sir George in bis" recent work on Colonial Policy. He says that the cabinet of Lord John Russell placed such unlimited confidence in him, that they scarcely gave him any instructions as to. the course he should pursue, and even allowed themselves to be guided almost entirely by bis advice in the general policy which was maintained towards New Zealand. ■ Sir George Grey bad no light task to accomplish. The financial difficulties which were created by the war againit Heki were such as might have puzzled many a man of even greater experience in colonial governing' than he had acquired in South Australia. The powerful influence of the New Zealand Company was brought to bear against him in almost every detail of bis administration ; and the strong party among the settlers who were bent upon a premature establishment of representative government in the colony, allowed him no rest. Yet the policy of Sir George Grey triumphed over every difficulty, and overbore all opposition. Confident in the soundness and justness of his views as to the necessity of conciliating the natives, he did not hesitate to assume the responsibility and odium of suspending the free institutions granted by Parliament in 1846, — foreseeing that their operation would infallibly have alienated the minds of the proud and jealous natives, who, though contributing largely to the revenue, were excluded from any share in the representation ; and whose keen understandings quickly comprehended the inevitable result — their permanent subjection to the dominant race. The Governor w«s severely blamed, both' in the colony and at home, for' this despotic exercise of, i u. hi rily; but the Home Government, unbiassed

by tbe party views and passions which preVailed in the colony, judged his conduct right, and confirmed his nets. The practical result has been to establish the most friendly relations between, tbe English nnd tbe Maoriec — relations as friendly, at all events, as can in the nature of things exist between a civilized and what was but lately a savage race, and to remove all danger of those destructive and exterminating wars which stain with blood the pages of the early history of America. New Zealand, however, has now obtained all that the most ardent friends of political liberty could reasonably expect, short of a total overthrow of British rule ; which we cannot suppose any section of the colonists would contemplate for a moment. It will be a matter of the greatest interest to the Australian politician to watch the working of that foim of Constitution which is now happily established in the Islands, Its complicated details, rendered necessary by the peculiar circumstances of the country, may, at first sight, puzzle those among our own political men who have been accustomed to the more centraiised form of Government which has grown up here ; but New Zealand, with her local Councils and General Legislature will afford an instinctive example of the working of those principles of federation which must ultimately prevail in Australia. Viewed in this light, the sister colony possesses now an interest which hitherto she had not acquired in our eyes. In a commercial sense, New Zealand may be said to have entered upon a highly prosperous career. The gold discoveries on this continent, which have exercised so large and so beneficial an influence directly upon the condition of the people of the mother country, and indirectly upon many other nations of the world, have not been without their effect upon her. The agriculturist, who had been straggling against adverse circumstances, and sighiog for &n available market, now sees before him a field in which he may at once push his own fortunes, and confer incalculable benefit upon tbe hundreds of thousands of people whom tbe lust of gold has attracted to these shores. For many years to come, the produce of New Zealand will find a ready market in Australia. The Maori, no less than his white brother, will reap large advantages from tbe opening up of new channels of trade. Tbe establishment of steam communication will facilitate the intercourse between the elder and tbe younger offshoots of Great Britain, and the mutual interchange of those kindly offices in the course of trade which are the best and most endearing links between nation and nation. And now that the fanciful land theories bave been exploded — now that the Governor of New Zealand has, with a boldness and- sagacity characteristic of the man, thrown open the boundless resources of the country to the industry of the settler — New Zealand has fairly entered upon that great course which her friends bave always predicted for her, but which the clouds that had settled over her horizon lately seemed to overshadow with a fatal influence.