THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 251, 9 October 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

" Xnoehia'm v'iamdut fiiciam."

J)U^EDINi THOESDAV,. OCTOkEik 9.

The remark made.by His: EAcelleuc-y. at-his-recent meeting with the ; Qtaki' nati^es^i v Wherever ;X_..g6,1-fiud tli^llomari &hoHc "'ifativ-es-are at-tke-'battpm of all this worli: "■ and disturbance," is 'pregnant Mitli seriou^ raeaning. Sir Geqtge Grey. ■ has ; hitherto,^ tiiroughoat his dealings with the Natives, connnedhimself chiefly to endeavoring to dissuade them fromthjeir inal-practices? Helias never,! before-allowed an 6pimon of so.much': moment "i to escape him; and it is quite eviclen't'tKat his: allusion, to-.the- Homanr Catholic Natives was' prompted by : liis'exc^stnve'ciiagnn^t'liis'rion-, success with Sthe Otaki Natives. Itis'irripor-"' tantjtq.. noticb that ;His Excellency does not confine his.-remark'to the particular tribe' to whom he adclressed- hinifself. He clearly inti-; mates that Roman Catholic influence has been at the root of disorder and disaifectioh whereeyer he has found them, - '••* It is not/to pur mind, evident that his JExc.elr. lency made this assertion-from a religiousp^oint of view; for he could scarcely feel warranted in charging any particular religious m-fluence-vvith pandering tothe;rej)ellious?passioiis of the Natives. His Excellency more psobably connected in his mind tlie ideas-likely to "be inculcated by French Priests; i with "particular "cases of Native in subordination ; with-jwhich he had coihe in ('contact; and therehvSir-George' Grey's remark became.invested with an^^irapor-; tanee equal :td its probable truth. Roman Catholicism •■ taught.' by ■* French -Briestev and the sanie;creed preached byEnglish Roman Catholics^ ": f are likely to produce .very different-effects. In the one case there is no obligation of'loyalty to the British Crown,and an alien clergy would be apt, in : their, zeal to obtaiti converts, to ■ look to the end desired withouT being too scTupuldus as to the means. ! We are, however, far" irom

thinking that the priests of the Roman Mission in New Zealand, have been, guilty of preaching openrebeliion^againsfcher Msjesjy's rule. We do not think that they have any desire to encourage.^disaffectionyampngst^thenatives.:; Bftt it is very likely that their influence may have had that effect. -In fact, it would be^ difficult ■ for a- French ; Roman Catholic to avoid, in 'his teachings, conveying to a semi-civilised race the idea that his^ parti-' cutar creed >vas ■ antagonistic:tq the atithorityi of the Queen. Peculiar .views^affecting the supremacy of her Majesty, of indeed of any temporal authority,' would be Very !apt to ci*etspyu, atjd3vould ; 'be, greedilyJmbibed by the diaaffeeted natives. ' . ";■' ,^ Catholic Missidrr V Zealand i^ organised on an importaat gcaleV IJnder: the^ pastoral control of Bishop> PdJtnV pallier, a cprisiderable number of missionaries,mostly, iftiot all, French, have earnestly' pur--sued their; calling Ibr. seyerai A"?ithih: the last three years, it was not eyir I dent that tlie. "eflForts of th.c priestsl Jbad been! attended with any great results, b^-after-^tlae' commencerafent of '..the Taranakt witr, and' the^ ' cphse.ouent yery unsettled state of the nktiv^ ti& iWiafeato and else^fberej:. it hegaaifo'appear; |ftfeat||tli|* irrfluence of;,the^RonHs)i!^rK^tKbod' %a^fc6eeoimmg Hipre:;important/ "Infaqt^ on more thau pjnejoccasip n^*h efGoTCn^e^swa^ gladto avail i.tsel fof the services ofthe priests in l;onductingdertainneggQiatifln,s.w^ Thejeo^iousrepoft^^ jiSfor^iedjse^ir^>iß^ajn^^|^ei|^ pe^ffeyiilenee ? ol^^maii^^^ aeep>sea.tedf lnsiibordipation, ■ were^ coincidem;." But it is ver^4mprobiible^hat -the" Fr^n<jii:: Mission is at'all inVested with'any political! importance, or that its, priests are actuated by, motives. .The evils Sir George Grey; complairfs" of, "proceed frqin .the aptitude witlj. which the Maories,seize ujjon any ideas which Sft n,-a* *& ?^ed m-ru^th^ring'^bfeir'6\vm,^ f Slinationi. ;We-slio^C to ieel grave doubts- as^to^the^geniiiheness^of-tie- ■ w|iolesale*conver«io^-to^Etoma«-pa^ tiiolicism /j«no£^tlie,:?Ha^4£ i^?f $$$&& dotibt-thffli *h|reing. assurnejl^to 4o js. the religion] of Ae^l^>rH^sa lirerjf affair. - -Tke^po^ess/a^^^ reUgiousceremonies^ mtlianamoiint?of pro-^

'^vote; Bible^; p^a^esi^p^sS^JtaJb^^^ their own.:, schemes. In. the^^s|ag-^iey can ;^e {. finish;iOT'^r^tan^St^fit^fa of antagoM^-^). Goyelrani^iitJ 'digaffißcted natives.. Tha^^'Sp^iaM^G^o^ ' «SS|Sf ■$** febftpif a^d; custurbance," is, we^iJxm^i^Kto jfei^sp:. moreT J cofrecfi^' sMetl, :jo^iS^ badly -disposedl i«itr(es baj# becdnie^^Roinan: fpatholie^anjd not: vihatlife E^nl^lQainolicV J^e^ecome badly; disposed natives^ Z f ;?f?f ;