LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 343, 14 May 1863, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

. ■ May 2nd, 1863. Sir, —I doubt whether Mr. Hewett will increase people’s opinion of his fitness for the position of a member of Council by attempting to cast doubts on what he must know to be true. I must beg, however, to assist his conveniently imperfect memory by reminding him that no one found fault with the Bridges themselves, the’’ framing of which iu spite of the tricks played with them, will remain to testify the soundness of its principle when Mr. H. and myself are in our graves ; but that the Wardens were censured for adding some 60 per cent, to the cost of the Bridges by shifting them, after the contracts were let, from the sites for which they were designed, and which had been approved as the best by the Provincial Engineer, to others for wish they were quiet unsuited, and where the ground was unsound. Your obedient servant, H. C. Eield.

May otli, 1863. Sin, —No doubt tlie Superintendent thinks that he has risen above the vulgar level which he commenced at—namely, abusing Governor Grey and his policy. He thinks lie is now entitled to be considered one of the aristocrats, and accordingly he has joined Governor Grey and the Missionary party to uphold the native, right or wrong, in ruining the white man, and he takes every opportunity: to crawl after Governor Grey to soft-soap him. On examining what would be the best policy for him to serve, he appears to have determined to prefer his own private interest to the'public good, and to have abandoned his old plan of speaking things plain, and turned to mystifying. All ancient history vvill prove that the system lie is trying to establish never will succeed. When he and his party got into office he tried all that lay in his power to encourage the natives in imposing on the white man, and a great many people were deceived by him by his talking one thing and acting another ; but he is beginning to be found out now he. and his party succeeded in their attempt, to injure the country, so far as to prevent law and order being established, and in getting tlie natives allowed to keep all the stolen property that they had in their possession.

He and his party succeeded in dividing the country when it was of the greatest importance that it should be united,, and by that means enabled the natives to prevail against us. They have succeeded in rendering our large military force useless. They succeeded in diverting the Home Government putting a stop to the natives robbing and murdering white men. They imagined that they had got into Sir George’s good graces, but they found it different when Grey preferred Domett to them. Not many people will be surprised at the Superintendent’s speech when they know what he has done before, where he terms an attempt to compel natives to respect law, and put them on the same footing as white men, a war of races and extermination.

He spoke of Sir George’s conciliatory policy removing fears and prejudices out of the natives’ minds ; the natives’fears and prejudices are, that if they commit auy crime they will be called to account for it like a white man. His Honor never seems to take it into account that nearly all the natives in the province set the law at defiance, and that they will take the Government’s pay for doing nothing, but when any of their party mades a breach of the laiw, and it is necessary to apprehend them, they always let the offending party slip through their hands. He seems to forget that our grand object is to establish a salutary fear in their minds against committing crime,

and to establish, a prejudice in favor of law and order. It appears to me that the day is not far distant when Dr. Featherston will meet with a just reward. The consequence of his past policy is a dead lock, as far as Government is concerned, in native matters, and a monstrous expence in bribing natives, and paying the military for no purpose but to protect the natives. The future : consequence will be a heavy debt, and the British Government, disgusted, will withdraw its troops and refuse to assist us any more, and we shall all either be obliged to turnfkingites'along with the natives, or leave the country. G. Stonewall J. J.

May 11, 1863.

Sir, —The Native question is again the topic of the hour, to the exclusion of almost every other subject, and no doubt to the .stoppage, meantime, of much of the business.of the settlers in this island.

As showing the result of an opposite policy to that which is being pursued towards the natives here, may I request you to reproduce to your readers the following portion of your London Correspondent’s letter in last issue, being his account of the recent dispute between Great Britain and Brazil: —

“ but in addition a perfect godsend for the Opposition turned up just before the opening of .Parliament ill the shape of a serious dispute with Brazil. This dispute is a tedious story, and I need not trouble vou with .any details of it beyond saying that Mr. Christie, our representative at Rio Janeiro, claimed reparation from the Brazilian Government for two matters—the plunder of a vessel shipwrecked on the coast, and an alleged insult to three officers of the British frigate Forte in the city of lljo Janeiro... Ihe Brazilian Government disputed the justice of the claims, and . refused, oi* at least deferred, redress. Mr. Christie then instructed the British admiral on the station to execute repiisals ; tlie Admiral did so,, seizing several Brazilian vessels to hold as a guarantee till the British demands were complied with. . Under this coercion the Brazilian authorities succumbed. They paid the indemnity, though under protest, and agreed to submit the question of tlie insult to the, officers to the arlntiation of the King of the Belgians. >So the matter rests for tlie present.” This dispute is said by tlie latest telegrams to have been amicably settled! Such is tlie happy result from the bold and .determined policy of'our'ambassador at Brazil. "VV hat a contrast does it exhibit to that which is now developing itself as the result of the policy which has been pursued in regard to tlie plunder of the Taranaki settlers and the stranded steamer Lord Worsley ! OBSERVER. ..