The Sun.
London, England, 1838-10-15 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND.

An account of the changes dnd present condition of the
population of New Zealand, by SAxe Bannister, Esq., was
read before the statistical section of the British Association,
22d August, 1838.
It would appear that since the general peace British emi-
gration has increased at the following rate :—ln the first
five years after the peace the average number of em;grants
to all parts of the world was annually 5,000. In the five
years ending 1831 it was annually 20,000. In the seven
years ending 1837 it was annually 70,000.
The case of New Zzialand, as exhibited in the following
facts, is an important illustration of all the points connected
with the subject :
The New Zealand group consists of the Northern Liam],
the Southern Island, Stewart's Island, with some smaller
islands. Its situation is between 34 and 48 of south lati-
tude, and 167 and 178 of east longitude. Its exact extent
is uncertain ; according to the account put forth by the
New Zealand Association, it is about 95,000 square miles,
or 60 millions of acres ; according to evidence given before
the House of Lords in 1838 it is about 10,000 square miles.
POPULATION.—The population consists of Ist, native
tribes ; 2d, white residents ; 3d, white visitors, or transient
population ; and 4th, mixed race.

FIRST.—WITH RESPECT TO THE. NATIVE TRIBES.—
In 1769-1773 the population of the whole group was
estimated at 100,000, according to the testimony of Dr.
Reinhold Forster, contained in his observations made during
a voyage round the world (1778, 4t0., p. 224). " The
southern isle of New Zealand has very few inhabitants ;
but the northernmost, according to the accounts we had
from Captain Cook, and from what we saw in' some few
places as we passed by, is much better peopled—nay, in
some spots, very populous ; therefore, allowing 100,000
souls to both isles, we rather think our estimate to fall short
of the true population." Mr. Montefiore, in his evidence
given before the House of Lords, in the year 1838, says,
with reference to the present time, " I have heard the
population stated at 500,000 to 1,000,000 in the whole
country, but I think this is impossible ; and Mr. Coates,
the Secretary to the Church Missionary Society, in his
evidence before the same Committee, states that " there
are above 200,000 in the whole country, viz., 105,000 in
the northern island and 95,000 in the southern." Mr.
Polack, in his evidence on the same occasion, states that
" there are five natives to three square miles of land, or
130,000 inhabitants in the whole country ;" and, in his
recent work on New Zealand (Vol. 11., p. 343), he says
that " the native population is, about 150,000, or three
persons to about two square miles." The Rev. W. Gate
states that there are about 180,000 in the northern island,
and adds, " I have seen the greater proportion of them."
The• native classes are the chiefs, the ' common free
people, and the slaves, or prisoners of war. The chiefs are
about one-tenth part of the whole. A considerable number
of the natives are absent from New Zealand in foreign
ships, or in visiting foreign countries.
SECOND.—WHITE RESIDENTS.—There are from 1,800
to 2,000 British subjects in New Zealand, of whom 158
are runaway convicts or sailors. On the Souther.) Island
there have been Europeans during the last thirty-five years,
principally sailors and whalers ; two or three hundred Eng-
lish are settled in Queen Charlotte's Sound, in Cook's
Straits. There is another English settlement in Stewart's
Island, and another in Dusky Bay. The first religious
mission was established in 1814, when some runaway convicts
were found in the North Island. Traders had already
bartered European goods for flax. In a petition addressed
to King William IV., in 1837, by 193 persons, including
24 Wesleyan and Church missionaries, it is stated that
" several of your Majesty's subjects have resided in New
Zealand for more than 20 years, since which their numbers
have accumulated to more than 500 north of the river
Thames alone. The frequent arrival of persons from
England and the adjacent colonies, is a fruitful source of
augmentation, and there is reason to anticipate a rapidly
rising colony of British subjects here." It was given in
evidence before the House of Lords, that " European
settlers have increased wonderfully of late" ; and Mr.
Polack, in his work on New Zealand, states that there are
" 150 white residents in the Bay of Islands," • and that
there are three or four whites with every tribe, the Chiefs
not suffering them to be taken.
THIRD.—WHITE VISITORS, OR TRANSIENT POPULA-
TION.-1642. Tasman, Dutch, mutual hostilities between
natives and visitors. Oct. 1769, Cook, English ditto.
Dec. 1769, Surville, French ditto. 1772, Marion, French,
ditto. 1791, Vancouver, English.
From the time of Vancouver's visit to the present day
(1791-1838) an uninterrupted intercourse has been kept up
with New Zealand, some thousands of vessels of every
description having touched on every part of the coast, from
the North Cape to the land farthest south.
NORTHERN ISLAND.—The Bay of Islands was princi-
pally preferred after 1791. •
One thousand European and American sailors have
been seen at one time in the Bay of Islands.
In 1836 the following ships visited the Bay of Islands:—
British Whalers 64 Ships of War 2 Traders... 27... 93
American ditto. 49
French ditto.... 3
Tahitan Traders

SOUTHERN ISLAND.—In 1836 from 12 to 36 ships were
seen at t time in the Southern Islands ; and 300 sailors
have been known to " run" at a time there.

FOURTH.—THE MIXED RACE.—A considerable popula-
tion is springing up from the marriages or other intercourse
of white settlers and visitors with New Zealanders.
_

The white iohabitants and visitors are chiefly English,
with many Americans, and some few French and other
Europeans.
The classes are-Ist, Official persons, as the English
and other agents, consuls, arid occasionally the military and
navy ; 2d, the Missionaries dependent on societies in Eu-
rope ; 3d, traders ; 4th, sailors ; sth, convicts ; and Gth,
mechanics and labourers.

The whole of these people do some good, and all have
done some evil in New Zealand ; and the particular influ-
ence of the different classes upon the character of the
natives is the most interesting circumstance in the history
of New Zealand. What that influence has hitherto been
will be easily inferred from the facts brought forward under
the several heads in this statement.
WHITE VISITORS, OR TRANSIENT POPULATION.—The
circumstances attending the transient visits of Europeans
to New Zealand have not differed from those which have
attended their occasional visits to all savage countries.
Want of caution, and want of consideration for the rights
of the natives, h,ve led to frequent massacres on both
sides. But the New Zealanders have generally evinced
a good disposition towards their visitors ; and there is less
blood shed at present between the two parties than was
common in former years, from the times of Tasman,
Cook, and the rest. The killing of a white man by a
New Zealander is now more rare than the murder of
white men by white men in the country.
THE FRENCH.—The chief peculiarity in New Zealand,
with regard to white people, is the asserted dislike of the
French by the natives, which involves cirumstances of the
greatest importance, and in which there is a mystery proper
to be cleared up.
It is certain that one of the earliest visits to New Zealand
by a French ship occurred in 1772, the commander being
M. Marion du Fresne, and that, from some unknown cause,
his friendly intercourse 'with the natives was suddenly
changed into hostility, which ended in the killing of M.
Marion and many of his officers by the natives, and in the
French taking extremely sanguinary revenge.
It is asserted that, in consequence of this unhappy event,
the New Zealanders have a peculiar dislike to the French ;
but this is in the highest degree improbable. There is,
perhaps, no example of a lasting feeling of vengeance in
any savage people for the civilised nations that have injured
them. Their placability in this respect is one of their re-
markable characteristic:, and it is altogether distinct from
their revengeful disposition in individual cases.

MACCUBBINIANA.—THREE APPEARANCES.—
The late Lord Douglas, although himself an Episcopaliin,
courted upon every occasion the company of Maccubbin, the
Presbyterian Minister of Douglas. His Lordship seldom
visited Douglas Castle, the ancient family scat, except in the
time of grouse shooting, but he frequently invited the country
Pastor to spend a day or two with him at Bothwell. Upon
one occasion, when his Lordship had for a guest a titled Bishop
of his own Church, Maccubbin was particularly asked to make
one of the party. After dinner, when the reverend guests had
partaken of some of his Lordship's choicest wines, his Lord-
ship remarked that his own favourite beverage had not yet ap-
peared, being under a sentence of condemnation. No sooner
had his Lordship said so, than a hint was given that its pre-
sence would be most acceptable. This was accordingly
ordered, and a bottle was very quickly despatched, when the
Bishop declared it excellent, and moved for a second appear-
ance, after which Maccubbin would prononuce absolution, ac-
cording to the rules of his Church. Quick as thought the old
Presbyterian retorted, " My Lord Bishop, I believe you to be
very well versed in the rules and tenets of your own Church,
but you betray a lamentable ignorance of Presbyterianism ;
for, in all cases of scandal, we never absolve until after three
several appearances I" Glasgow Argus.
ENGLISH LAW.—Law is become in England not
but the most rapacious and dishonest
o
andost e xthPernmost licentious of strolling comrdians are
only l
trades
atdhee s ;
m
those who, under the title of barristers, accompany the Eng.
lish Judges in their Circuits. Itl cross-questioning, as they
term it, or examination of deponents against their client,
they bear no respect whatever to honour or genius, or any
kind of worth ; and the accuser, who has been robbed, de-
frauded, or otherwise injured, has a graver and more intole-
rable wrong- i.-pending over him, not only than what he has
already suffered, but even than what the criminal himself, in
most instances, has to fear; so:rris
shameless
.thwe
W. Landon
so
unrestricted the invective, of bayrristers,—S.