The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-19 00:00:00

4rregtilAr colotesatiou Liking ;:lace tlere ; non 'hie
crimes had not been nnfrequent, and scenes '.f anar •
chy and confusion followed each ether. Su h scenes
took pace is 1.:32, and took place Z. gland, that it eat
not unfrequert to see the heads of oat! v - Into
museums .n this coun Ina.; ters •,t arlo. it w
fount necessary to make a proiAH ion ''h--ir impor ation.
In 1842, there vt as a vast improvemei, , bit. 4:me the rstabli-h-
-men, of British authority there t.ll .4g 1.-:se got ',Torre, when
the New Zealanders had no'llirg to (.10 it. The Govern-
ment of that country must have been ill condo ted, or else such
an alt -ration for the worse would not have taken place. If there
had been a good policy and a proper firmness such a state of
hings would not have followed. It was at: attributable to the
rroneous pol cy pursued there. With regard to the land case,
was allowed by Lord Stanley himself that it was the onset-
( t state of that matter ihat produced all these evils. The
on .Gentleman (the Member for London) had stated that the
reaty of Waitanga was thoroughly comprehended, but if the
House permitted he would be able to meet those arguments. His
(Lord Howick's) complaint was that neither those who had
been entrusted with the colony, nor her Majesty's Govern-
ment, had understood the paramount importance in colonization
of the proper administration of waste lands. The principle of
wise colonisation was, that of selling land to be distributed
to those who really meant to use it; and by applying the
price so received in great works necessary fur the successful
occupaticn of land. Had the Government understood
this sytem of colonization they would have immediately ob-
tained from the nati ;es of New Zealand their acquiescence
in the disposal of the land. By this means, all mischievous
dealing in land would have been done away with. The laws
respecting real property in this country were quite unintelli-
gible to the natives of New Zealand. He ( Lord Howick)
recollected, when he was in the New Zealand Committee, one
witness incidentally said that he knew a chief in New Zealand
who had stated that he had a great title to his land, inasmuch
as he had eaten the former owner.—(Laughter.) The Mem-
bers of the Committee would recollect that.

Mr. . MILNES—I put the question myself.
Lord HOWICK continued—That was one of the ground 3
which were considered by thenatives of New Zealand as sufficient
for the establishment of titles to land in that part of the world.
This being the state of things, an English gentleman was sent
out to decide according to the rules of English law, disputes as
to the titles of real property in New Zealand. Why, such a
tribunal as this gentleman had to preside over was ridiculous,
and its proceedings must only be a farce. He (Lord Howick)
was sorry to trouble the House at this length, but having been
on the Committee on this matter, his attention had therefore
been directed forcibly to this subject. If the Government had
pi operly understood this subject, they would not now have
been placed in those difficulties with which they had
now to contend. Mr. Hobson had pointed out in his
dispatch of 184) the great evils which had arisen, and were
arising, from jobbing in lands both by natives and Europeans.
He would just read an extract from the last report of Mr. Com-
missioner Payne. dated the 6 h of July last, which would
cleat ly show the state of things in New Zealand. Mr. Com-
missioner Payne stated that he had travelled over the country
where he found millions of acres of land upon which the human
foot had scarcely ever trod, and it slid appear truly lamentable
that the present few inhabitants should be differing on the sub-
ject of land when there was so much of it unoccupied in other
parts of the island, which they could easily make available for
their purposes. The natives were little disposed to agree to
his laws ; not because they wanted the land themselves, but
merely because they objected to Europeans taking roesession
of it Now this was the course of the present policy of the
Government. They had taught the natives to extort from
s tilers compensation fur lands which had perhaps for ever
been lying waste and unoceupied. Where was the sense of
such policy as this', 'Well, then, this was the main cause of
the present difficulties in New Zealand. Let him now con-
trast his with the effects which might have resulted from
a different policy ? Suppose they had said to the natives, " You
have givn up the relit of possession of the land to the British
Government, ant the British Government will give you for
that laud what ie is worth ; but, with res ect to the waste
land, which you have never occupied, the British Government
will give jou ne compensation, but they will take care that it
is so improve.{ that it shall mutally turn out to your advantage."
If this line of coeduct had been taken with proper firmness, the
acquiescence of the natives might have been ultimately obtained.
If ~the Crown had been appointed trustee of the waste lands not
ccupieti by the natives, many evils would have been avoided.
Industry would have been peomoted, there would have been
no disput es between settlers and natives, chiefs would have been
maintained in their position as regarded the whole community,
civilisation would have gone on, and the greatest and moat
noble scheme of civilisation that had been promulgated for the
last 200 years would have realised a glorious result. Nothing
was more certain, as it appeared from the evidence of those who
were well acquainted with that country, than that there was
a disposition on the part of the New Zealander to look up with
almost superstitious reverence to the white settler, and that
they wculn readily obey all commands that might be put upon
them. This was the state of affairs at first, but by allowing the
power that had been originally exercised: to fall into desuetude,
contempt had gradually increased, and the effect of the power
of the white man was destro) ed. Mr. Shortland, in June 1640,
in his account of affairs iii New Zealand, had told the Governor
that he was assured of the allegiance of the settlers, and he had
great pleasure in informing him that her Majesty's Go-
vernment was established amongst both natives and settlers,
and the entire population was in a satisfactory state.
This was, in 1840, not less than one year from the arrival there
of Captain Wakefield. The report also stated that there was a
slight disturbance with respect to some land occupied by the
natives; but the moment persons representing the Goverment
interfered, the matter was completely and quietly adjustied. In
1841, Governor Hobson wrote to the Secretary of State,
stating that the native chiefs had expressed their willingness to
comply with every order that he might give. From that
period, and for two years after, Captain Wakefield's arrival there
he extorted a general acquiescence and submission to the power
of the Government.l He said, also,:that the natives were con-
structing a road. He interfered, and told them they could
not do that, as the Queen only had the power of ordering it,
and the project was at once abandoned. The policy
of the Guvernment seemed to have been lessened by
degrees, and their power had been slowly falling. The
first effect of their mismanagement was the encroach-
ment of the settlers on the land of the Hudson.
In December, 1841, two years after the Company's settlement
Mr. Clark, the protector of the aborigines, set forth that
they were peaceable and tractable, but remarked that
some apprehensions were entertained by them, respecting the
retention of the lands. So that up to this time they had the
natives respecting their measures, and evincing a friendly
feeling towards them, and as being desirous of amicably set-
tling the disputed claims. The native who barbarously mur-
dered" Mrs. Roberts and her children, and in whose case the
Governor showed great laxity of duty, by not promptly using
the authority which he possessed, was brought to justice, and
suffered d= a, h, so desirous were the aborigines not to violate
the law. Three m ,tithe afterwards (on March 12th. 1841,)
the Governor wrote to the eff• ct that depredations were com-
mitted on propel ty by the natives, and regretted that he had
Tit t suffic.ent power to put a stop to such practices, as a spirit
of hcstility had a isen between the native and white settlers.
How a British officer could write in this strain, he (Lord
flowick ) did know. The power of the Government ought to
have been sufficient, and was sufficient, to protect the rights
of the colonists trom a2gression, and they ought not to have al-
lowed those rights to be trampled upon in the Kay they had
been. In February, 1842, those disturbances became more
serious, and for several months peaceable Bri+ish settlers were
wantonly and outrageously interfered with, and had their pro-
perty deeroyed by lawless natives. The unfortunate men in
seeking redress for these enormities were bandied about from
one official to another, and then told that they might seek their
remedy in a court of law against the natives of New Zealand.
In some of the outrages the natives made no claim to the land,
as was the fact in 'dr. Swainson's case.—( Hear, hear.) The
Noble Lord proeeetled to read the letter which was of great
length, anti which concluded by saying that the colonies ought
to be governed by moral influence, and not by physical force.
Now he ( Lord Hewick) asked was it right to give to those per-
sons vvhose house s had been burnt down--whose lives had been
en !angered, and their crops destreyetl—the option of
a civil action against the barbarians?—( Hear, hear.) The
Governor woull take no means to repress the savages
who broke through all laws, and at the same time
he enforced the laws against the settlers, who
were sacrificed to their obedience.—(Hear.) In a further
part of the letter the writer stated that he had great difficulty
in watching over both parties to prevent a collision, which
would be most disastrous. This was the forerunner of the
massacre of June, 1843 ; and they subsequently allowed this
barbarous chief, who had been the cause of all the worst
scenes of atrocity which had taken place in New Zealand, to
trample upon their laws, giving him an overweening
netiun of his own power and their weakness—( Hear )-.-
and encouraging him in his outrages. The consequence of the
impolicy of their officers was the tragedy of June, 1843, when
the lives of British officeis of the highest rank and character,
and gentlemen against whose character not one word had been
said, were sacrificed in a manner which was really painful
to contemplate. He said it deliberately, and most de-
cidedly expressed it as his opinion that this dreadful calamity
was directly traceable to the impolicy of the British Govern-
ment, and he believed the blood of these murdered
men still cried cut to them to give better pro-
tection to the settlers in the colony of New Zealand.
For what does civil government exist, if those things are to
be allowed? If their power be used firmly not to oppress the
natives, not to rob them, but, on the contrary, to maintain
due discipline, and to teach them what were the blessings of
peace, order, and security. If that had been the policy of the
Government from the first instance, no man could read those
papers, anti believe that any resistance would be offered to
their authority. If the European settlers were organised as
they ought to be, their authority would lie absolute. If he
had made out his case that this state of things was the result
of a bad policy, it was the duty of the House to acquiesce in
the amendment of his Hon. Friend. If they carried that vote
for going into Committee, in Committee their resolutions
should be mainly confined to condemning what was
passed. They could not improve their policy, with-
out pronouncing an opinion on their past errors.—( Hear.)
He thought that any governor that was sent out ought to go
out armed with full powers to dismiss any of the subordinate
officers of Government, if he should see cause. To many of
there parties was to be attributed the anarchy which at present
existed in New Zealand. The Governor should be a man of
the highest character and station He should be sent out with
unfettered powers for the restoration of order, and when that
r. storation was accomplished, he (Lord Howick) hoped that
the Government would revert to the old custom of our ances-
tors, and allow the colonists to govern themselves. All experience
was in favour of self-government by the colonies. In New
Zealand was to be found the ill-effects of a distant Government.
He saw the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary-at-War
cheer that sentiment—he smarted, perhaps, under the sting
which he ( Lord Howick) had so often felt of that pest of
Boards, thethe pr n
Boreidoifrade.---(Loud laughter.) It might be
said that
to the natives; buth
life he advocated entailed a want of security
as recommended by thete policy
of the Government should be,
the two races distinct, but t:
assimilate wZ ea l a n d Company,and
amalgamatenot
th,
ht o k
ee
me p,
before long a great part of the native population would possess
the English language, and take their place with their fellow-
subjects of the British
by repeating the declarraian-r- He would conclude
with which he commenced, that
the substantial question
,e the House was the approval or
disapproval of the policy
of
Zealand.—(Hear,
by the Government towards
the celony
ear, hear.) Independent of
considerations of the administrative( incompetency at home
as compared with that abroad, independent of the differences
between the Company interested in the colony and either Go-
vernment. he repeated that the proposition no:Won virtually was the
eolaarsnee pursued by the
dieapproval of that Heuse of
Government at home, and the adoption
, Hear, hear.) w and more suit.
ezr regarded
able system of administration.—( 14
the inter std of the British who had colonised, and we
suffering in those parts, he shou'd admire and applaued theirti9w
sympathy. and if, in turn, they would do justice to the settlers
anti the natives they could not reject the motion of his Hon.
Friend the ,llem her for Liskeard.—(Cheers.)
Mr. HA WES explained that he had not proposed a Govern-
ment of colonists,lbut a local self-Government.
.1111-. MANGLES then moved the adjournment of the debate.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
House was adjourned.

Livers l'rotn Odessa of the 22 1 ult. mention the
receipt of news from Teilis, announcing that the expedition
directed by Count Woronzoff in person against the Caucasiar.s had
n6t been successful. After a warm enkrgement the Ru s.an
troops were compelled to retire, after sustaining a considerable loss.
This event, no doubt, caused the sudden departure of the Emperor
from Warsaw, announced some days since.