The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-03 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

BRITISH NORTH AMERICA.—TeRerrome
Or THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY,—An accredited dele-
gation from the natives of this region is at present in Lon-
don, to lay before government their complaint* against the
Hudson's Bay Company. A memorial, forwarded by the
delega,ion to the Colonial-office, was transmitted to the
company for a report upon its statement', on or soon after
the 17th of February, but up to the present time no intima-
tion has been given to the delegates whether any or what
answer has been returned by that body. The statements in
the memorial may be classed under two heads—those which
complain of neglect on the part of the company to take mea-
sures for promoting civilisation and morality among the na-
tives, and those which complain of positively illegal and oppres-
sive treatment of the natives, by the company's agents.
With reference to the fine class, the memorial represents
that no sincere efforts have been made on the part of the
company to instruct the natives, or elevate their moral senti-
ments; that they allow ardent spirits to be supplied to the
natives throughout their territories, in contravention of an
express stipulation with the British government ; that the
exorbitant prices demanded by them for goods, have brought
destitution and famine on many districts, with the crimes
to the commission of which such suffering stimulates the
savage; that by their extensive destruction of game, and ne-
glect to foster agriculture, they hazard the extirpation of the
native tribes. Under the second head it is stated that the more
intelligent natives. informed that the charter of the company
has been annulled by a later and not generally-known act of
parliament, have lately come to a resolution to import their
own supplies, independently of the company. They further
argue that, even supposing the charter to remain in force,
its exclusive provisions, pointed against other British traders,
can in no way affect the aboriginal natives, who are inde-
pendent tribes in alliance with Britain, and possess the right
of independent nations to trade with whom they please.
Wherever, however, they have attempted to act upon
this view, the company's agents have seized their
patties, and, in some instances, imprisoned those who
refused to deliver them up. The memorial concludes by
praying for a dispassionate and searching inquiry. The
time during which the reply of the company has been pro-
crastinated has not been wasted. Arrangements are being
made for having the case of the memorialists brought before
the legislature. On the merits of the care it would be rash
to pronounce a judgment; but the complaint can scarcely
fail to elicit some information respecting these vast regions,
which it has been the effort of the Hudson's Bay Company
to keep unknown and unvisited. Their concealment of the
discoveries of their agents, alone enabled the Americans to
lend the slightest colour to their groundless claims of priority
of discovery in Oregon.
NEW ZEALAND.—We have at last received an
entire file of the New Zealand Spectator (Wellington) for
the whole of September. We have on previous occasions
published intelligence, received indirectly, from the Cook's
Straits settlements of a more recent date. This continuous
series of papers conveys a more real idea of the actual state
of society there than the fragmentary notices of striking
events selected the journals of Sydney and Auckland.
The settlers at Wellington continued to express perfect con-
fidence in the governor. One instance of this feeling is
given in • change of the mode of conducting the
New Zealand Spectator. That journal wee started at
the most trying era of the settlement's existence
for the express purpose of contending in behalf of
the settlers against the bitter hostility of the then governor
end colonial secretary ; and to that end a committee of five
of the oldest settlers were satrusted with the responsible
management The period of necessary antagonism to the
government having passed away, the committee have de-
sisted from their labours, and thepaper is now conducted by
an editor as other papers are. The satisfaction felt in
respect of the governor does not extend to the superin-
tendent, of whose supercilious and injudicious conduct
grave complaints are made. He has imitated the militia by
his arrogant and professional airs, and seems to be in a
hurry to get rid of them altogether, by having them
disbanded before tranquillity is freely restored. He
hu irritated the native allies, by insisting upon their
being disarmed before (as they remark) their's and the
settlers' eaemies are completely put down. The other topics
'lauding the public mind are : the policy of the absentee
proprietors, and of the New Zealand Company. With re-
spect to the former, it is alleged that they entertain exagge-
rated notions of the value :of their lands, and impede the
progress of settlement by offering terms to tenants which no
prudent man will accept. With regard to the latter, the
colonists urge upon them the encourairement of settlement
along the lines of road connecting Wellington with Now
Plymouth by way of Porirua, Manawate, and Wanga-
nui. With regard to the absentees, it is a ques-
tion of private business, which is best left to be
argued and decided by the parties as such. With regard to
the New Zealand Company, it will be time enough to urge
upon it plans of action when the colonial office shall have ,
placed it in a condition to act. The governor had recom-
mended the construction of three military roads :—one by
Foams to Taranaki; one to the coast, by Karori ; and one
to the east coast, by the Hutt. Operations had been emn-
menced in conformity with this recommendation ; but there
were complaints of • want of earnestness and energy in the
way in which the local authorities set about them. Colonel
Mc Cleurty had arrived, and assumed the command of the
troops in the southern district.