A CORRECTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5381, 26 June 1878, Page 2

A CORRECTION.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sin, —Will you allow me to make a few remarks in reply to an article whicli appeared in the Saturday Review of April 20, on the lata Bishop of Lichfield. The statement referred to is as follows ;—“ The agents of the Church Missionary Society represented the Church of England; but being without a head, and governed by a committee on the other side of the globe, each did what was right in his own eyes, and when the Bishop landed he found them engaged in disputes with their converts about land, the cause subsequently of obstinate wars and widespread apostacy.” 1. There never was any dispute between missionaries and Maoris, whether converts or or not, about land purchased by them. No instance can be adduced of any such dispute. 2. When their claims to land purchased by them before New Zealand became a British colony were brought before Colonel Godfrey and Major Richmond, the commissioners appointed to investigate all such* claims, not a single one was opposed by any Maori. These claims were all decided in their favor before Bishop Selwyn’s arrival in this country. 3. How imaginary disputes that never had any real existence could have been u the cause subsequently of obstinate wars and widespread apostacy,” is not very easy to conceive. 4. The purchases of land referred to took place in tho north of the island. It is notorious that the origin of the war which occurred there some years later was Hone Heke’s determination to oppose the British flag. It is equally notorious that Heke never entertained any hostile feeling towards the missionaries, and that it was even brought as a charge against the latter that Heke was on too friendly terms with them. 5 If “ widespread apostacy refers to hauhaukm —and it is not very clear what else it can refer to-the answer must be, that though it did prevail in various parts of this country, there never was a single instance of it among the Maoris who resided in the north of the island, where the missionaries had purchased laud, and where members of their families had sealed. . „ . , 6. The statement made in the Saturday Revicte as to the existence of any disputes about land between missionaries and Maoris at the time of Bishop Selwyn a arrival, is absolutely false, and destitute of any particle o£ truth for its foundation. 7, There were disputes at a later date between some missionaries and Governor Grey, he having determined, on techanical grounds, to teat the legal validity of Crown grants issued by his predecessor.—l am, &e., W.