AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY,

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 3, Issue 144, 25 March 1848, Page 3

AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY,

Hold on the 22nd of February, lSi/\ Present : — The Earl of Chichester, President;. The Viscount Saiidou, M. P., V, P. Lord Ashley, V. P. Lord Henry Cholmondelev. Sir R. H. Inglis, Bart., M.P., V.P. H. Kcmble, E<q., M.P., V.P. ; The Earl of Chichester laid before {.lie Committee Extracts of Despatches from the Governor of New Zealand to Her Majesty's Secretary of State respecting the large land purchases of the missionaries m New Zealand, which had been communicated to him by Earl Grey. The following Minute was then read. Minnie on lite Papers communicated by Earl Grey. The Despatches of Lieut. -Governor Grey, communicated to Ihe Committee, refer to two classes of land claims. Ist, Those obtained under the proclamation of Governor Fitziloy waiving the crown's right of pre-emption subject to the payment of Id. an acre/ 2nd!y, Grants of land beyond the maximum of 25 G0 acres established by the land sales' act. It does not appear that the missionaries of the Society are, m any degree, involved m the first class of land claims. The lists do not contain the names of any missionary or cathechist of the society. In the second class, viz. the grants exceeding 25G0 acres, out of 24 claims. G appear to be missionaries of the society, and 2 have been so formerly. These grants the committee understand to have been made on the principle that the parties had been long settled m New Zealand, and had made bona fide purchases from the natives long before Her Majesty's sovereignty had been established. It would appear from these despatches, that Governor Grey conceives that these large land claims are discreditable to the character of the missionaries, and induce them to pursue a course of conduct opposed to the interests of the natives and to the measures of the government. The subject of the large amount of land claimed by, and awarded to, the missionaries and catechists of the society, has been frequently brought under the consideration of the committee during the past liuyears ; but m no one instance lit. • it been proved ifi&t any missionary has neglected his spiritual duties to attend to his land concerns. There are also certain facts which have had great weight with the committee m considering this subject, which are too generally overlooked : 1. The purchases of these large tracts of land were for the most part made before New Zealand had become a scene of land speculation, and when the value of land was comparatively trilling. 2. Ihey were made at a time when the natives were most anxious to secure the residence of European missionaries among them. The land was often offered to the missionaries, pressed upon them, and m more than one case two tribes engaged m bloody wars with each other, mutually consented to relinquish their claims and their warfare, on condition that the missionaries would buy their disputed land. 3- These large tracts of land, according to all testimony which has reached the committee, comprise an immedso portion of worthless land, bare rock, barren land, deep-rooted fern, &c, and m many cases the natives obliged the missionaries to purchase a thousand acres of land m connexion with some moderate portion of cultivable land, which alone the missionary wished to possess. 4. The missionarias have ever disavowed all intention of Land Jobbing. A Thcy have constantly affirmed that they have made those purchases for the purpose of making provision for their large and healthy families, with which God has blessed them m the climate of New Zealand at the time when no other means of support were open to them but those of agriculture. 5. The missionaries were countenanced m these large land purchases by the precedent sanctioned by Government m Australia, where grants of land were gratuitously made to the children of chaplains to the extent of 25G0 acres for a son, and 1250 acres for a daughter ; by which means some of the Australian Chaplains of the highest reputation for worth and piety became land proprietors to a very large extent. These considerations have induced the Committee of the Church Missionary Society, upon repeated reviews of the New Zealand land question, to abstain from passing any censure upon their missionaries, or from taking any stronger measures than those of persuasion and warning against their giving any just occasion of offence by the exhibition of a secular spirit, or the neglect of the duiic3 o£ their office. The attention of the committee is now, however, called to a new aspect of the case, and to consider the prospective measures which it may be right to take m 'consequence of apprehensions entertained by Governor Grey, which have never been brought under the notice of the committee. These apprehensions are of a most fearful kind, being no less than the apprehension of a Urge expenditure of British wealth and blood, if the land awarded- to the missionaries, and various other parties, is to be lalccn possession of; and an apprehension also that British troops should prove unwilling to serve m such a cause. In the Despatch of June 25, 1864, the following statement occurs : i " Her Majesty's Government may rest satisfied ! that these individuals cannot be put m possession | of these tracts of land without a large expenditure i of British blood and money." "It is my duty to warn Her Majesty's Government that if British troops are long exposed to the almost unexampled fatigues and privations of a service which has already entailed so large a loss of life on our small force, disastrous consequences must be anticipated.'' And, m the conclusion of the despatch. Governor Grey warns the Government that if these laud claims of the missionaries and other parties be not satisfied, the Government must "anticipate a violent and stormy opposition." The committee do not hesitate to expresstheir conviction that not one missionary or catechi3t of the society would endure the idea of sacrificing British blood m order to obtain possession of land. They conceive that their whole past life and conduct for a lonp- course of years, and under circumstances of varied and peculiar trial, may well shield them from such an imputation. Nevertheless," the committee having learned through Her Mujosty'3 Secretary of State, the apprehension of Governor Grey, and having had their attention directed to the many inconveniences which have arisen at home and abroad m consequence^ of j lafe land purchases by the missionaries, and having j moreover, full confidence m the high principles of

I (he rnissionatics, are now called upon to t.'ikc Jci cisivn measures for removing all ground for such apprehensions, and for cutting off all suspicion and reproach, by declaring that no missionary or catc~ chist of the Society can be allowed to continue m connexion with the Society ivho shall retain for his own vac and benefit large tracts of unoccupied land. In carrying out this resolution, the eommittec conceive that they arc bound to treat their missionaries with all confidence and liberality, as faithful and upright men, who are invited to rise above selfish considerations, and if needs be, to make some sacrifice of their own first rights and lawful wishes, for Ihc sake of the public good. The committee cannot go beyond this resolution, an they have no power or desire to interfere with the private property of these missionaries. They must leave to their own decision the mode of. disposing of land which those who continue m connexion with the Society, may, under the operation of the foregoing resolution, be compelled to part with. But the committee trust that the proposed resolution will effectually withdraw the influence of the Church Missionary Society from the opposition apprehended by Governor Grey ; an 1 they think that they can also engage for these missionaries that they will act m the full spirit of the resolution of the parent committee, and afford Her Majesty's Government that assistance which they have on many special occasions shewn themselves prompt to render, even at the hazard of their personal safety, for the sake of promoting peace and good order among all classes of the inhabitants of New Zealand. The committee trust that they may also depend upon Her Majesty's Government for every assistance which they can properly rentier m the adjustment of these measures, so far at least, ns to allow some compensation to those who may be induced to give up valuable property legally granted to them under the authority of the Crown, m consideration of the public welfare. The committee seem called upon not only to communicate their decision to their missionaries, but also to urge upon them the duty becoming their high profession, of rising above secular and eel fish motives, and of cutting off occasion of offence from thoEe who seek it, and of sotting before other s.-.ltlers the pattern of a willing co-operation with the auMiorities of the country m carrying out such measures as may prevent collisions between the two races, and conduce to the orderly and Christian seltlemcnf; of the aborigines. (Extracted from the minutes,) Hector Stuaxth, Secretary, Church Missionary Society. Resolved 1. That adverting to the many difficulties which have arisen at home and abroad during the course of the last seven years, m respect of large land purchases by the Society's missionaries m New Zealand, to the complicated questions which they have involved, and to the apprehension of future danger and warfare, before possession of them can be obtained ; adverting also to the altered state of monetary affairs m New Zealand and to the constant declarations of the missionaries, that their chief desire m acquiring land m New Zealand, was to make provision for their children ; it appears necessary to declare that no missionary or catechist of the Society can be allowed to continue his connection with the Society, who shall retain for his own use and benefit a greater amount of land than shall be determined upon as suitable by the Lieut. Governor of New Zealand and the Lord Bishop of. New Zealand jointly, or by such other referee or referees as they may be pleased to appoint for the determination of this question, the adoption of which measure, is not to bs regarded as casting any reproanh or suspicion upon the past integrity of the missionaries. 2. That, m carrying out this resolution, every consideration be shown to the feelings, wishes, and interest oF the New Zealand missionaries and catechists, as of men against whose integrity and de-4 votedness nothing has been proved ; and that any adjustment which it may be necessary to make of their claims upon the society, shall be made upon as liberal terms as the established regulations of the society will authorise. 3 That the Right Hon. the President be requested to communicate to Earl Grey the Minute and Resolutions now adopted ; and also to tender to Earl Grey the grateful acknowledgments of the committee, with the papers so which they relate, and their earnest request that the statement of the committee may be forwarded to Governor Grey, and may also be appended to the papers, should they be laid before Her Majesty or before Parliament, Extracted from the Minutes, Hector Straith, Secretary Ch.M. Society, 0