ADDRESS TO HER MAJISTY.

Press, Volume III, Issue 69, 6 September 1862, Page 4

ADDRESS TO HER MAJISTY.

The fullouii.g is the Ad.lres, all,, 1,,) j o j , leading Hrnclc, W i,|, ,h, H,. 6ll | uliuue llluv ,,':. fi^ Most GitAcrors Sovereign — your Majesty's loyal subject's, then n and Hous, of Representatives of New Zealand in l> ° Oancil assembled,-in all faithfulness and Zu al to v.V.. »!' l,aiDent service, humbly solicit your Majesty's interfemm | ajest y'> from this Colony the evils with which it is thrlt , to avert From a Despatch just received from your I] 2 c tary ot State for the Colonies, dated 2Cth Mn? 1 -arnt with deep concern and anxious forebo'dm>r of «£" ay " sequences of such a proceeding, that it is the intention nf Majesty's Government to relinquish the duty uf c "™™ ? y T Native inhabitants of these islands, to cast the wlTi" g ? e and responsibiUty thereof upon ourselves ill"" 4 " tune to withdraw the troops necessary to protect \). % B! \ m ' settlements and maintain your Maie/ty's ■•uthoriH n ° ,lsll We humbly represent to your tint d, proposal would be fraught with injustice to ,m'",h' s C °'"* 6 probably l>rm X the settlements t<. the brink of llU n '■mil possibly issue in the destruction of the Native race ' eVC " Had the evils which at present distnu t this country h produced by our own mi.scovernmcnt of the Natives it have been considered just tc throw upon us (]',<, obli'i-iti" 1 remove and remedy them. But from the fir«t ° n **' iheColonvtheL-overnment of tl,e Native' hi, t'"' "' hands of Your Majesty's Representatives, and Officers reVrT siblo to them alone. An absolute control over any J,!,,:,,! *• affecting the Natives, over the- .-idmini,! ration of ' to them, and especially over nil transactions f or , disposal of the.r lands, has been scrupulously ret'iii ed } Your Majesty's fteproentatives under th«. orders of < Secretaries of State ; and the li-ht in whuh the settlors nl a body have been viewed by fJovernnient in their relation to the Natives, has been one which shewed them to the latter objects of suspicion and distrust to preserve them from whom it was necessary to ]ws peculiar enactments, and ostablis} especial protectorates. ' ' ' It was ui.der a rovernment conducted on these principles that war with the Natives broke out in 18-15, a \ Vlir w]\kh commenced with an act on the prut of the insurgent chief IT eke. (the cutting down of the f.'overninent nY/stafF) intended as a distinct reiection of your Majesty's povct irutv. It was undeniably a (iovernment and not a s '(tiers' war. And all tinT'fos Mit disturbances have arsen cither from a desire felt by this Natives for the esfnblishirient of law and order anion!; themselves a duty which devolved, while the Onvernmpii't nifiintainetl its exclusive rivht to rovern them, foh-ly ujuin the Coveriummt-or from a determination to found ~a sc-paratc nationality-a sentiment which is not to the FC-ttlersJ'ut to 11m; Clovernment, and has necessarily manifested itself in a lvlullion directed against the latter not in war against the former. There is abundant proof of the correctness of this vi'w in ])uhli.shed despatches and ih-elarations of your Majesty's representatives theimk'Kvs. And- tho very despatch of your Majesty's Secretary of State which h;is !.iven occasion fur this humble appeal to your acknowledges th:it the systin of ,C'ov;rn:i)cr the Natives by 1 lie English nettlers from participation in it has proved a failure. The proof of the failure is a.-sinricd to be. iiie present disturbed state of the country and the. repudiation of your Majesty's sovereignty by so ni'.ny of the Natives. This ai pears to he then a clear ndnission on the part of your Majesty's Secretary of State that the (!<-\ en.nic.iit ;uid not the settlers are accountaide for the evils of the present stale, of things. If this injustice then (.1 renderiu;': r.s lesiionsible fordisorders. which we had not the power of it> a]i|iarent, it appeal** still more unju.it r.s well a? impolitic, to transfer upon us alone the obligation to extricate the Colony from its difficulties at tho present moment. -Hud the Natives heen in a state of ]);.-acc and prosperity, and of a> knowieuLed allegiance to your Majesty, the traiiJir of authority to govern them or the responsibility attending it, niitht have been accepted b> us with !:ratitiide for the Voniidence displayed in us, and a reasonable anticipation of favourable results. But your Majesty's Secretary of State proposes t<. make this transfer at a time when the'exert ise of the duties it involves is full of difficulty, and must entail upon the Colony expenses it is not in a condition to bear, and dancers it cannot without the aid at least of the presence ol' your Majesty's troops, successfully contend with. It is to be mad ■at a time v. hen a body of the natives are endeavounici to establish a scjiarat* nationality, and have set up a "Kin,;" with bands of armed men to maintain it. When many other tr.be.3 are alienated or disall'ected, and at the dodo of a war which lias failed to convince them of the superiority oi your Wajesty's aunt 5 , and has left one Britit-h settlement reduced t.:> a mero lnihtan garrison, the rebel Ni.tiVes at tLir. moment holdim: jmisfcssioh. avowedly by riuht of re-c<,i,(iucst, of one of its principal agricultural district.-, which had been occupied and cultivated for years by peaceful and industrious setlh v*. i" ; .fo extricate, the Colony fri-m the:* diirieulties and restore traiHjuility and prosperity, will obvioii.-ly be a work of time, involving much expense, "and require a linn, ami wiutmus, and wise adnimistiation of (Jovi'ininent. (.Hir bet.t endeavours will always bo loyally and cordially to co-o|»'i'ate wnh and assist to the'b.'St of our pow.-r. Your Majesty's jvepre tentative in this m.itious t;u;k. I'ut we cannot think it just tliat the Uv.-k should h; imposed exclusively uj>on oursc.veti. or the powerful aid of the Home Govcn meut withheld from us. And we are grieved to perceive that \oiir Majesty s Secretary of State appears to be under the impression that there is a disinclination on our \ art to take upon ourselves * fair t-hiuv of the lmr.i>ii <>f tho .kfi-n-.-L- of the country, citucr in raisin" of men or money. Tin- shan- "f the expenses c«m nected w.tiithe late war,'whi« li U.i- .olony is c-ji1!j«I upon «• pny. amount to sowl- of inouvn.ds ot i-uu.ui- t< ■ Hie whole revenue oi tlie Colony iv fiut for two year* Aw the taxation ru\nWitc to rai.e this sum j;lr,ady «"> ,,u . ,,1 \r. .■■x ihn-~i us mu, ; h for ..-wry iiidlv.dual iv the Col-ny as is. \m« per head by the pe< i>le oi' KntJai.d. . t , ~ The Secretary of Mate seems tu. tier to be of o,ui.. ? n the Colony can'be defended by Militia alone Ihe opnuoi i< all Y..i!r'iM;.j.-:t\ , s -nf t.w Z^ 1 ! I *''-; , -."„ Military Con.maiMlr, v.iiii tin; ceui.try. l.t been c iVen against this view. 'J he iact that the ; are i«.l:itvdmu'fiim, anoU.cr, siluaUd at t-ivat a.i exiendod l.ne of sea coast, wit I. t, o. ahn«.s. . J -^ *\.Hided U!oll!:t:iiUoU.S lOUl.ti-y I'. 1 -!.'!' ; ' :,l '" l ~,...,„;, i (i 1...i..":i.,w by 1 .id., of v. ; .vli!:- N..ti-.,-s v.i...tlms with ,t:;,.,i to t!..m M- i;!, 1 tl.ir nuvc. to att.Mk ar.y '-„ ot ti.u.. *-|'-"-' '>; £ L> SllllTfi.-i.t t-. slow 111.! iuip ( .Sf,.l.ihl.V «.i M>y • x " 1:tl;: ''~;:;„,,; ,: t ., ..j the i:,.1u,.y». .0 bu,., :«.■ ..;r ..-*■ all event.' in the case of a μ-m r.il war, a..v >..•- • ■ of a | iir ,, ,H.,1i.,. or the ~«.; «n-n. i! r'\ ' ii'-rimltui-al punmiU- wouhi Ut=- n '-■ ■>' "" tift ll> , L ," , { ~- v tl . ' •it, re ~s ; ,ootl;er o,.,MU,r.t.uu v h.th vv hu,n ; ,> \^, c to >..ur it !•::-■ ' ■■«']•'->' '■"','; .j"',' ), y y»» r to its own r.fo.iuvv.,, a,nd the » im.-<- ■ - t( _, Majesty's troops it vill bj obv.ouJy mi] oi*M~ * l ' r

assert or establish your Majesty's sovereignty over the large uorticns of the NoitlK-m island u<it occupied by them, but inhabited by the aboriginal population. They would be obl-ireJ to lay down lines oi demarcation, and leave all the country, and the Native inhabitants outside of these lmes, with a large extent of sea coast in various parts, in a state of virtual independence. How tar this might complicate your \ Majesty's relations with the Natives and possibly even with ! the European powers we cannot venture to predict. ' Moreover if the settlers were thus left to their own defence, ' a nV war fc,iat n,i^ht arise, , - ,,1 m t! i« present state and ! temper of the native race would be al»u>*t lun-Uab'.f, would, in j a ll probability degenerate into a guerilla warfare of continual surprises and massacres, the ultimate consequent's oi which would I)J, after incalculable loss to the settlers of hfe and piopeitv, the certain extermination of the certain r.-uv. To avoid all these evils, to give a chance lor the restoration of prosperity of the Colony, to secure tne safety of the settlers, the preservation of the native rare, we therefore implore Your Majesty to cause this determination of your Majesty's Government to withdraw its aid and support from the Colony to be r e-considered. We pray Your Majesty, to direct that such measures may be resolved on as will be consistent with the welfare of both races inhabiting the.se islands, with the pregervation in its integrity of tins portion of the empire, with the maintenance of the honor and dignity of your Majesty's Crown, and with the magnanimity of the' people of England. MU FITZGEHAI.D'S RKSOLUTIONS. I. That this House has taken into its most s< r'.ous consideration the Despatches recently laid on its table, lroni His Grace the Duke of Newcastle to His Excellency .Sir Geor'e Grey, especially the Despatch dated 2rth May, 1562. IL°That this House learns from the contents of those Despatches - 1. That Her Majesty's Government, recognising that thf government of the native race by the Colonial ofiice has tailed, has resolved that in future the powers and responsibilities of the Crown in that behalf shall be exercized and undertaken by the Queen's ordinary Government in the colony. 2. That the Imperial Government will in future decline to contribute towards the burden of educating, civilising, and governing the native ran. , , in any other manner, or to any greatar extent than by remitting the contribution towards the cost of maintaining the Imperial troops in the Colony which the Colony has undertaken to pay to the extent of rive pounds a head fo.i every man so employed. 3. That for the troops at present stationed in the colony that contribution amounts to about twenty-live thousand pounds ayear; but that it is the intention of the Imperial Government shortly to recall a considerable portion of the troops so employed, and to that extent to diminish the amount of the Imperial aid to the Colony. 4. That no ship of war can be placed at the service of his Excellency Sir George Grey, notwithstanding that hia Excellency's presence is equally needed at various points oi the coast in order to treat with the native tribes; Jmt that if Biich a ship of war is required, it must be provided by the Colony out of its own resources. 5. That a sum amounting to nearly £200,000 advanced by the Commissariat chest for the expenses of the Jl/ilitia during the last war must be forthwith repaid by the colony to the Imperial Government. That all such expenses must in future be paid by the colony, and that the whole cost of constructing the military road to the Waikato by the troops, must be refuuded in like manner. 6. That the Duke of Newcastle is under the impression that the wars which have hitherto taken place in New Zealand were wars between the settlers and the natives, ami were undertaken in accordance with the wishes and for the benefit of the colonists. 7. That his Grace is of opinion that the coloaista of New Zealand have exhibited a disinclination to make such sacrifices as they might fairly be expected to make, in defence of their own lives and properties, and in the maintenance of the Queen's authority throughout the Colony. 111. That this House," being of opinion that, in the divided authority heretofore maintained in the government of the colony, has lain one main cause of the evils under which the 'colony has labored, learns with groat pleasure that that source of disunion and disorder has been put an end to, and that the administration of native affairs will in future be conducted in the orJ.nary manner by the Queen's Government within the colony. IV. That, in the opinion of this House His Grace the Duke of Newcastle has been greatly mis-informed as to the nature, origin, and objects of the wars in .New Zealand, and that this House deems it right, on behalf of the colonists, to repudiate the charge of having at any time occasioned, desired, or counselled such wars: and to assert that such wars were undertaken wholly at the responsibility of the Queen's Representative in the colony, at a time when he was .accountable solely to the Imp rial Government, and when the Legislature of the colony had no control over his actions. V. That, whilst this House.will not shrink from the grave responsibilities now imposed upon it, it deems it right to record its opinion that an act of great injustice will be committed, it the inhabitants of a young and struggling colony are charged with the whole cos* of educating, civilising, and governing a race over whom the Government of the Queen and the authority of the law have as yet been only very partially extended; an act of still greater injustice if that burden be thrown on the colony at a time when the cost, the difficulty, and the danger of thie task have been vastly increased by past government in which the colony has had no share, and for which it has boon in no degree responsible. 'VI. That, whilst this House recognizes to the full on behalf of the colonists the duty of defending their own live* and properties, it desires to express its conviction of the impossibility of eliciting the military ardour of a colony under » system which placwsthe local forces in a position of marked inferiority to the Queen's ordinary army, not only in the Performance of military duties, but also in the distribution of honors and rewards due to meritorious service. VII. That this House deems it necessary to record its strong conviction that, in a country where the adoption of any Particular policy may require the aid of the military power, it }8 essential that the Government charged with the responsibility of directing that policy should be armed with the control of the military power by which it is to be enforced. That peat calamities have already fallen upon this colony, wars "aye been needlessly • prolonged, lives lost, and treasure squandered, solely fot the want of tome local authority having Power to remove inefficient and incapable commanders, atidto entrust the execution of military operations to men capable of conducting them to a successful issue. This House is therefore °f opinion that the safety of this colony imperatively demands that the disposal and control, of the whole of the military roices within its limits should be absolutely, vested m Her Majesty's representative. , "111. That in the opinion of this House, the time has arrived when the whole of the relations between the Mother Country and the Colony as to the extent of their mutual ligations in respect of the. native."race, demand a careful revision and adjustment ' That "finch adjustment should •abased upon a calculation , of the. whole, cost of re. eUnaingt he nativo race from barbarism, and completely

Joshing he Queen's authority throughout those island ! Nat the share oi tins cost t,. he eontnbuted by the rr ,lt,y f and Ult> r,,lrtn >- riiuull be j rsnlt ! sya fa r of the interest of each in the ™ e P n T 1 ,!? a consideration of the extent to which the u*t and difijculty of the work has b,en increased by the Uovermuent of the nativ, B during past years. That in con--Bd«ati»nof a money coutr.lHitiou so ascertained, the Imperial Government should be held to be discharged from all future obligation in respect to the native race. And that in eonsiueraton of the colony now iindertakiii" the sole management «t natn-e affaire, it should be held to "undertake the" entire ! cost and responsili.hty "f their conduct for the future. That if it were thought desirable that any Imperial troops should be leit vi the colony, the wliole cost of such troops should l>e (.'harir.'d as a part of the Imperial contribution. But that tins arrangement should hu deemed to refer solely to the native poiiey, and .should be distinct from and in' no wise prejudice, any arrangement which may be made between the mother country and the colonies generally, for settling their joint contributions towards the military defence of the latter. IX. That respectful addresses he presented to her Majesty, and to both houses of the Imperial Parliament, setting forth the views embodied iv the foregoing resolutions. X That a respectful address be presented to His Excellency the Governor, praying his Excellency to support the prayer ot such petitions by all the means in his power. XI. That it is desirable that a Special Commissioner or Commissioners be despatched to England to lay the said addresses at the foot of the throne, and b.fore the two Houses of Parliament; and that an .Act, of the General Assembly bo passed, empowering the said Commissioners to act for and on behalf of the colony, and to make ail such arrangements as may be necessary in order to carry the objects of the foregoing resolutions into full effect, and to appear if necessary by Counsel before the House of Lords and Commons.