THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 1, 25 April 1848, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

From the Times, December 15. New Zealand, since the date of the Treaty of Waitangi, has been the subject of a succession of the most cruel experiments. A rabbit in the hands of Dr. Majendie could scarcely have met with harsher treatment. From Captain Hobson to Captain Fitzroy, from Secretary Normanby to Secretary Stanley, and from him to Secretary Gladstone, these tmfortunite islands have been totsed about tike a shuttlecock to the entire and perfect rain of every white settler who has bad the misfortune to be connected with them. It is difficult to see one's way clearly through the history of New Zealand. First came the original schemeof the missionaries to steal a march upon the Government, and erect the colony—if so it should prove at last.—into tbe likeness of one "of the proprietary colonies of the seventieth and eighteenth ceatariesi in the North American Union. Mr. Dandeson Costes and his fellows, thanks to the pood sense of the House or Commons, were foiled in that attempt. Then came the era of Captain Hobson, and the first establishment of the New Zealand Company, under the auspices of the Wakefields. The capital of tbe colony was fixed at one of its most distant points* Between the bickerings of the Colonial Office and tbe Company it was impossible for tbe settlers to obtain title to a single acre of the land in the purchase of which they bad expended their fortunes. These were the halycon times of protectors of aborigines, and of Wairau massacres. Then came Captain Fitzroy and bis as si gnats. Every where the natives were in revolt against British authority. John Heki in the Upper and Ruaparaha and Uangihaeta in the Lower district of the Northern Isl nd, kept the flume of rebellion in a glow. Hostile natives hemmed- in on every? side tbe rising town of Wellington, and yet the white inhabitants were forbidden to form themselves into an armed rm'ttia for their own security. The original settlers were fast disappearing. Their means had long since been exhausted. They had gone out on the faith of promises,—they could find nothing but good intentions; at last, not even those remained. Such, we believe is a pretty fair statement of the condition of the colony during the time Governor Fitzroy administered its affairs, and the disputes between the Company and the Colonial office were at their height. . In a moment of blissful inspiration the happy thought occurred to some fortunate statesman 'that what New Zealand wanted had net yet been discovered. Many things had been tried. — they hid all failed. The civilization of Great Britain got spoiled aud rusty in the sea voyage to the Antipodes. There was no need of any very nice theological disputationist—- \ tbe natives had to be instructed in the first rudiments of Christian practice aod belief, there was no need of equity lawyers, nor of common lawyers, of currency doctors, nor of any of the various quacksalvers of civilization. New Zealand had occasion for one thing, 1 and one thing only,—to be governed by a " man." i It was under these circumstances that Captain Grey was appointed, and as far as the conduct of a Governor at the Antipodes can be criticised with safety, he seems to have been eminently worthy of the trust. The event has happened in his case which invariably happens when a man of real ability and force of character takes the place of a mere pretender to these qualities. A sort ot spell has fallen on the islands. Hostile aborigines are conciliated, native chiefs check mate each other. We hear little or nothing of insecurity of life or property, or if such shonld unfortunately exist, it rapidly disappears By the last despatches for instance, we received the official intelligence of the disturbances which had been suppressed | by the rigour nnd decUion of Captain La ye. It is difficult of course to find a reason for every thing, bui some way or fither a man like Governor Grey always finds or makes efficient subordinates. He inspires all around/him with his own spirit. Every one knows that if ne would gain the approbation of his chief he must endeavour to emulate his vigourof purpose, and energy of character- So far, all was well. The man for New Zealand had been found. It was too much to expect that he .would be left to carry out his task wfthout interference from home. We dare say, there never was a Secretary at the Colonial Office, who has had the good of the colonies more earnestly at heart than Earl Grey. In Mr. Hawes he has found a painstaking and enlightened coadjutor Between them how ever, last tession, they manufactured a spick and span constitution for the islands of New Zealand, which was to be the implement of the practical activity of Captain Grey. The*e were to be municipal bodies, and electoral bodies, and distinct Houses of Assembly, and a united House of Assembly. The gradation of totes was a subject oi the closest calculation. All the nice and delii.ite machinery, in short, which revising

barristers and the Common Pleas, and/Parliam'entary Committees can scarcely maintain in its vicious perfection at horSfe was sjtddenly to be transplanted into New Zealand??* Jerddy Bentham and the Abbe Syeyes could'not have been more ingenious or more unwise thai Earl Grey and Mr. Hawe9j**luckily for them, and for all their new Brummagem conßtitutiori arrived at -thf"; Antipodes, there was a man there of sufficient sense and Sufficient determination to it up again in a blue box and sendfithome again ttf Downing Btreet. Its originators deserve the bighesf credit jn this respect They have not taken offence at the conduot of the distant Governor. They'have had the courage and discretion to come before Parliament, and say, " Captain Grey is in a better position than we are to know the truth of this matter—we pray hon. gentlemen to suspend, ( ? cancel) that measure which last session we prayed them to enact" We unfeignedly admire Earl Grey for the sincerity of purpose and anxiety for the public service he has displayed in this matter. Jt may not have fallen to iSe lot of many of our readers, unless they have visiled Ltsbon-or South. America, to have had a share in framing a constitution. It is a bitter moment when we are compelled to gulp dowta the works of our own hands. Earl Grev, however, has had the good sense to do sq without a murmur. He has not, like Sic Fretful Plagiary, considered the greatest defects of this bant* ling ,of his imagination, its most obvious beauties. When Captain Grey tells bnn that the New Zealanders will refuse to submit to 3 taxation imposed by the votes of a 6mall minority of whites, he assents to the suggestion, and asks Parliament for powers to suspend indefinitely his own favourite scheme.