CORRESPONDENCE.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 308, 2 October 1860, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of ths Colonist.

Sir—ln your number of Friday the 28th you have extracted a letter of Mr. Ironside, many years a resident Wesleyan missionary among the Maoris here, and subsequently to the European members of the settlements of Wellington and Nelson—to the editor of the Sydney Empire. Wherein he says, "As you have endorsed the claims put forth by the Bishop of New Zealand on behalf of the New Zealand natives, which I nevertheless believe to be calculated to mislead people at this time, I ask permission to occupy a small space in your journal with an examination of them." Now, sir, as lam one of those who in all his main points am equally disposed to endorse them, allow me a few words in reply to that reverend gentleman's demurrer. In answer to the Bishop's claim for the establishment of a regular forensic tribunal before which all questions relating to their title to land should be investigated, he says, 'no one knows better than the Bishop that the only difficulty in the way is presented by the natives themsel/es," to this I reply. That, so far as my experience goes not only in the character of the chief police magistrate in both settlements, but as a not inattentive observer of passing events in the early days of the settlement, I never found an instance in which the natives did not respect adverse divisions against them, and that, too, at a time when there was scarcely such a thing as a European to be found who could act as Interpreter for the natives, save and except the rev. gentleman or his coadjutors, who invariably refused to interfere in secular affairs. He then asks ' Would William King have submitted himself and his shadowy claims to the jurisdiction of such a Court ? It will be time enough to ask that question when such a tribunal is established; and until then I deny the right of the rev. gentleman to answer for King or any other native. But in support of his view of the question he cites three sentences from the District Commissioners at Taranaki, which he thinks conclusive upon that •point. He, however goes on to observe, 'the present difficulty at Taranaki is a singularly unfortunate one, on which to advance the claim for legal discussion and examination. The award of Mr. Commissioner Spain, in 1844-45, in which he derides against William King was made after precisely such a trial as the Bishop now demands on behalf of the natives. ' But did the natives respect the decision of Mr. Spain ?' There is here some confusion between the singular person of William King and the plural term the natives, which is. likely to mislead third parties. He however goes on to ask, ' Did not they by their turbulence frighten poor Captain Fitzroy out of his propriety, and induce him to set aside Mr. Spams award?' To this I emphatically answer, No; for he was as perfectly insane if not before his appointment, at ieast before he landed on these shores. But I deny the right of she reverend gentleman to visit the consequences of an imbecile Governor's acts upon the natives. It was the decision of the highest tribunal of appeal in the country; and therefore, whatever may be said to the contrary, it cannot be said that the Maoris on that occasion refused to submit to an adverse decision; for though adverse it was & final one. As regards his sarcastic remarks upon the conduct of the successive Governors, I confess I am unable from personal experience to gainsay all that he charges them with; but as lam not a member of any of the offshoots of the church militant, 1 must confess I am one of those who do not think that fighting is the best or the only means of settling secular disputes, however efficacious it may havu proved, as all history shows, of settling religious ones. Could I calculate upon a large space of your columns, I could enlarge upon his philippics on the chronicles of their Excellencies who have so conspicuously figured in New Zealand history, but shall content myself with observing that So frail the judge who men's merits scan, The greatest fool oft seems the wisest man. And here 1 take ray leave of the reverend gentlemen, and remain yours, &c., GEORGE WHITE, (21 years a resident in New Zealand).