The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-19 00:00:00

BRITISH LAWS.

Lieutenant-Governor Grey, in a dispatch to Lord
Stanley, dated Port Nicholson, February 17, 1846, writes
as follows :

I beg to transmit for your Lordship's information, the
copy of a very remarkable letter, which has been addressed
to me by fifteen of the most influential chiefs in this
part of New Zealand ; indeed every chief of great im-
portance but one has signed it. These chiefs express,
in the most deliberate and decided manner, their
desire that the laws of the Queen should be firmly and
permanently established among them, in order that they
may be raised to a more enlightened itate. I have quite
satisfied myself that this letter is entirely their own pro-
duction, and that the idea of addressing it to me origi-
nated with themselves, and that it was written at a dis-
tant native village, where they were not in communica-
tion with Europeans. It, however, accorded so entirely
with my own known and recorded views, that I enter-
tained in the first instance some suspicion that it might
have been an artful piece of flattery, written with some
ulterior object. Subsequent events, however, convinced
me that it was written in complete sincerity.
Mr. Kemp did not reach the pah of Taupo until late
on the, evening of the 16th, when both my letter and
message were received with a satisfaction which left
no doubt whatever of the sincerity of the
fifteen chiefs who had written to me, and my letter
was immediately forwarded by a messenger on horse-
back to the chief signing the letter, who lived nearest to
the pah of Taupo, at which my reply had first been re-
ceived; whilst Puaha, a chief of great influence, to
whom Mr. Kemp had delivered my letter, started at
once, and travelled all night, in order that he might wait
upon me this morning. It was impossible that any one
could have expressed himself with greater propriety than
Puaha did when he saw me, and I have every reason to
believe that he will exert the whole of his influence to
preserve tranquillity and good order in this part of New
Zealand. I have, &c.

(Signed) G. GREY.
P.S.—Since writing the above dispatch, I have re-
ceived two letters, copies of which are inclosed, from
Te Rauparaha and three other of the principal chiefs in
this part of New Zealand, from which your Lordship
will see that they participate in the general feeling of
satisfaction at the determination of the Government to
require from the natives as well as Europeans obedience
to our laws.

(Signed) G. GREY.
(Translation.)
Taupo (Porirua), Jan. 19.
Friend, the Governor—We salute you. e are now
living in considerable uncertainty; we are living in con-
siderable anxiety in reference to your intentions, as to
what they really are ; this was not the case formerly
while our friend and guide Mr. Hadfield was dwelling in
the midst of us ; we used to hear what your (the Go-
vernment's) intentions really were ; then our minds
were free from anxiety, and however frequently it may
have been said to us by white persons,' " Your land will
be forced from you, you will be destroyed," or expres-
sions of like character have been used, Mr. Hadfield
used at once to say, " Regard not these expressions,"
whereupon our irritable feelings became calmed. There-
fore, our request 'to you now is, that you may be pleased
to provide for us some friendly adviser who shall be able
to understand both our customs and those of the white
people, that he may constantly explain to us the laws of
the Queen ; we are itnxious that the laws of the Queen
should be firmly and permanently established among us;
that by that means we may be raised to a more enlight-
ened state, for we have already ministers of God teach-
ingus the laws of God.

Ve now end this communication, deliberately con-
sidered.

(A true translation.)
(Signed)

H. TACT KEMP,
Protector of Aborigines, South Division.
(Signed)
THE NGATITOA TRIBE:
TE RAUPARAHA
TE WATARAUKI NOHORUA
RAWIRI KINGI PUAHA
HENRY MARTYN TE WIUI
ROBERT HURUMUTU
THOMPSoN TE RAUPARAHA
NOBLE TE TAIEPA
PAEA.
THE NCATIAWA:
WILLIAM KING WM-
WATA TE HERNPOUNAMU
RIWAI TE AHIT
THE NGATIKAUKAWA:
TE WATANUI
ZACEIARIAII TE REINGA
• SOLOMON TOREMI.
Wellington, Feb. 16.
I have received your letter of the 19th of January last,
I am much pleased at the sentiments which that letter
contains ; I feel satisfied that those who wrote such a
letter must be men of sufficient intellect to understand
the measures I intend to pursue, and that they will
readily assist me in conferring benefits upon their coun-
try, and will be glad that they themselves can take a
share in raising New Zealand to a higher state of civi-
lisation, and in preventing the recurrence of those atro-
cities which formerly so much disgraced these islands.
As you felt in doubt as to what my intentions were,
you did well to apply to me to remove those doubts ;
always follow the same course, and whenever you are in
doubt, write to myself or Major Richmond.

We will give you an immediate answer ; the Queen
has directed me to do all in my power to insure your
safety and happiness.
Maoris and Europeans shall be equally protected, and
live under equal laws; both of them are alike subjects
of the Queen, and entitled to her favour and care ; the
Maoris shall be protected in all their properties and pos-
sessions, and no one shall be allowed to take anything

away from them or to injure them ; the Europeans sha 11
be protected in their property and possessions, and no
one shall be allowed to take anything from thou or to
injure them, nor will I allow Maoris to injure one an-
other : an end must be put to deeds of Yiolence and
blood. You will always find me ready to aid ycu as
far as lies in my power ; if, thereforeifyou are at any
time in doubt and difficulty, do not hesitate to write to
me ; you shall receive a kind •and friendly answer. I
think that it would be well for you to send some of your
number to Wellington to see me ; I can then say many
things which are too long for a letter, and after having
met one another, we should be mere intimately ac-
quainted. (SignO) G. GREY.
__ .

Otaki, Feb. 17.
My dear Friend, the Governor—Salutations to you.
We have received your letter ; we have heard your
words, like the light of day to us ; our hearts are glad
at your words ; friend, now will I hold fast your words
for good, and for living in quiet, both of natives and
Europeans ; but your protecting word has come forth,
for one and for the other ; your kind words are a light
to us. Now, for the first time, I can say there is day-
light to the natives ; and now the errors of this place
will not come forth through me—l mean the errors of
the natives ; if you cannot come here, will you write a
letter to me; that is all. Written by me,
(Signed) TE RAUPAIRAIHA.
To the Governor.

(Translation.)
Kaiwarawara, Port Nicholson, Feb. 21.
The Governor,
This is our deliberation. We have decided that the
natives of the faith should hearken fully to the laws of
the Queen, which proceed from your mouth, from the
Governor. Leave us below under the wings of the regu-
lations of the Queen and yourself. Let a good regulation
be commenced, that'the faith may grow among us ; that
we may not profess faith in God while we are reverting
to error, because there is no one to use the scourge; that
our race, the native people, may grow; and that we may
forsake our evil customs, great and little quarrels, such
as taking away land, removing land marks, robbery,
murder, and very many other of our customs among
ourselves. Now this is our consideration; it is for your
good customs to beat down our evil customs, with the
help of God, that the work left for us may be the culti-
vation of provisions for the life of the body, and the faith
of Christ for the life of the soul. It is for you and for
the ministers of God to make these evil people grow (in
good), that they may grow; then they will hearken to
the truth, to the Queen, to the governor, and to the
minister.

It is for you to observe these considerations ;,it ends
here. From the people of your tribe, the Ngatiawa.
(Signed) WILLIAM KING WITI.
LEVI TE AHIY.
THE TEACHER OF WAIKANAE.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY

THE GOVERNOR.

By the Cleveland, arrived from Port Adelaide, papers
have been received, containing most important news
from that colony. A claim had been put iu on the part
of the Crown, to the right of royalty to the produce of
the mines. This step is exceedingly unpopular in the
colony, and strong remonstrances will be presented to
the home Government against its enforcement. The fol-
lowing is his Excellency's message :
" Government House, Adelaide, South Australia,
" April, 1846.
" One of the first subjects of importance to the future
welfare of this province, to which my attention was
directed, on my assuming the administration of its
Government, was that of seignorage, or royalty, on
metallic minerals discovered on the waste lands of the
Crown.

" The correspondence handed to me by my predeces-
sor in office showed that this source of wealth had at-
tracted the attention of capitalists in England to no
inconsiderable extent. A company in London had
proposed to her Majesty's Secretary of State for the
Colonial Department to treat with the Government
for a monopoly of all mines in. South Australia
belonging to the Crown upon the basis of a lease, with
rights of mining, upon payment of a seignorage or
royalty, upon the produce of those mines. Ths proposal
was rejected by Lord Stanley ; but the question of re-
servation of royalties, with a view to the ulterior benefit
of the colony, was submitted for the consideration of her
Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and to
the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners, as
well as to oue of the first geologists in England, and sub-
sequently to her Majesty's law advisers.
" The result has been to elicit some important infor-
mation as to the system of royalties at present in force
in the United Kingdom, as well as to a joint opinion of
her Majesty's Attorney and Solicitor-General removing
certain doubts suggested to the Colonial Land and Emi-
gration Commissioners, as to the power vested in her
Majesty, under the Act of Parliament now in force for
regulating the sale of Crown lands in the Australian
colonies, to reserve royalties upon minerals upon the
alienation or conveyance of Crown lands. This opinion
meets also another question which has been mooted in
the colony, upon the provisions of the 12th clause of the
Act 5 and 6 Victoria, c. 36, when by it has been con-
tended that it was imperative on the Governor to sell on
demand lands that bad been offered for sale at public
auction and not sold.

" I do not anticipate that there will be much difference
of opinion amongst the colonists upon the question of
the expediency of reserving a moderate royalty on me-
tallic minerals, when it is declared under authority that
the proceeds thereof, after deducting the cost of collec-
tion, will be applied to the same purposes as the grass
proceeds of the sales of the waste lands of. the Crown,
under the Act 5 and 6 Victoria, c. 36. _

•
" Instead of large present receipts, founded, perhaps,
on gambling speculation as to the chances or probabili-
ties of future results (which receipts will cease as soon
as all the mineral land has been selected) there will be
provided, in aid of a constant stream of emigration front
the United Kingdom, a growing income apportioned to
the advancing wealth of the colony. Such is the view
taken by the Commissioners and by her Majesty's ad-
visers, and in which I entirely concur. With regard to
the proportion of metals and metallic minerals proper to
be reserved to her Majesty, the practice in England
and Ireland is almost too varied to be other than an
approximate guide. In Cornwall the royalties range
from 1-10 to 1.25 of the produce ; in Devonshire, from
1.8 to 1-18 ; in Cardiganshire, from 1-7 to 'l-12 ;
in Derbyshire, from 1-8 to 1-12 ; in Cumberland, from
1-8 to 1-12 ; in Yorkshire, from 1.6 to 1-12 ; in Ireland,
from 1.8 to 1-15. A mean proportional between these
various fractions would be about 1-11. Her Majesty's
Government, however, consider that 1-15 would be a
fair proportion to reserve in South Australia, from which
I see no reason to dissent.

" Wherefore, acting with the advice and consent of
the Council of Government, I have framed a few short
rules based upon this principle, for the future disposal
by this Government of the waste lands of the Crown in
South Australia.

" FREDERICK R. ROBE,
" Lieuteiumt-Grovernor."

" REGULATIONS.

" His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, by and
with the advice and consent of the Council of Govern-
ment, has been pleased to establish the following as the
regulations under which all Crown lands will be here-
after disposed of by him under the provisions of the re-
cited Act :

" On waste lands of the Crown hereafter to be alien-
ated or conveyed, for any estate or interest, there will be
reserved to her Majesty, her heirs, or successors, one-
fifteenth of all metals, and ores containing metals lying
upon, in, or under such lands, payable in kind, at the
mouth of the pit, shaft, or quarry from which they may
be raised ; this, together with reserved rights, will be in-
serted in the deeds of grant.
" A right of free access to all mines by duly appointed
servants of the Crown.

" A right to select for free occupancy a portion of
land not exceeding one quarter of an acre, near the
mouth of every pit, shaft, or gallery, or quarry, from
which metallic minerals may be drawn, for a residence
toor
rse
ot store
of or
the
sou cclh
opeeoros,os n
dors
h p eorrs odnos
eas maybt forbe appointedn o
other
purpose, with privileges of access, or building thereon,
and of removing outbuildings so erected.
" All questions regarding the commutation or com-
position of royalties will be considered and determined
by the Governor in Executive Council ; and applications
for that purpose must, therefore, be addressed to his
Excellency the Governor in Executive Council.
" Lands will in general be sold as heretofore, but with
the reservations already stated.
" Lands known to contain metals and metallic ores
may be obtained by lease, with the right of mining, for
periods not exceeding twenty-one years, if so desired by
capitalists.

" On applications for leases of lands with mining
rights being approved by the Governor in Council, the
leases will be proclaimed for sale at auction, in the same
manner as lands intended for sale in fee simple.
" All leases so to be granted will contain clauses of
forfeiture, and provisions for re-entry for non-payment
of royalties, or for underletting or assignment of the
whole or any portion of the lans by the lessee, without
license in that behalf first obtained from her Majesty, or
the Governor in Council, acting on that behalf for her
Majesty; also a proviso that it shall not be lawful for her
Majesty, or any person acting on behalf of her Majesty,
to sell the reversionary estate expectant upon the deter-
mination, of the lease, without the consent, in writing,
of the lessee, or other party to whom the lease may
belong."

IRISH SUPPLIES.—The importations of Irish pro-
visions into the port of Liverpool during the week end-
ing the 11th inst., comprised the following list of ar-
ticles :-8,783 firkins, 248 half•firkins, 1,093 casks,
baskets, &c., and 106 boxes of butter ; 109 tons weight,
1,640 bags, and 107 quarters of wheat ; 1,482 sacks of
flour; 163 quarters, 260 sacks, and 1,290 barrels of oats;
205 bags, and 313 other packages of oatmeal ; 217 bar-
rels of barley ; 100 sacks of malt ; 24 casks of hams ;
173 packages of bacon; 147 of lard; 61 of whisky; 158
sacks of meal ; 2 tierces of beef ; 119 barrels of pork ;
602 packages of linens and cotton; 186 bags of farina
flour ; 158 sacks of meal ; 41 sacks, 39 tierces, and 300
barrels of seed ; with a variety of other articles of lesser
interest and importance. The importations into the port
of Bristol in the same period comprised 2,222 packages
of butter ; 614 barrels and 229 sacks of oats ; 18:2 pack-
ages of bacon; 71 of lard ; 160 of flour; 41 barrels and
160 sacks of barley; and various other articles. The
arrivals at the port of London during the week 'ending
the 15th inst., from Ireland, have_consisted of the fol-
lowing:-203 packages of porter ; 1,524 packages of
bacon ; 1,602 boxes and baskets of eggs - 142 casks of
pork; 19,300 firkins and ether packages Of butter; 2,030
packages of lard; 149 of hams; 38 of waste; 112 of malt;
376 of salmon; 119 of general provisions; 2,936 barrels,
28 bags, and 5,970 quarters of oats ; 53 lambs, and 117
pigs ; with a variety of other productions, both of food
and general merchandise, too numerous to ba further
particularised.