England and the New Zealanders. (Concluded from our last.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume VI, Issue 430, 12 August 1851, Page 4

England and the New Zealanders. (Concluded from our last.)

Th'ese natural apprehensions slumbered for a season after the commencement of the colonization of the country. They were waked up again, in the north, mainly by certain effects of British sovereignty which the natives had not foreseen ; in the south, maiiily by the proceedings of the New Zealand Company. Governor Grey amved in New Zealand in November, 1845. Shortly after his arrival, he wrote to Lord Stanley from Auckland, November 21st, 1845, as follows : — "Terms of peace having been proposed (previous to my arrival) to the rebel chiefs, which were made conditional- upon their surrendering certain tracts of land, I found that an impression was still prevalent that the Government desired to get possession of their lands from the natives (Parl. Pap., 11th May, 1841, p 108); even some of those chiefs who have hitherto been in alliance with the Government, were so apprehensive on this point, that they would not rest satisfied until they had an opportunity of personally conversing with me, and thus assuring themselves off my future intentions with regard to them. This interview has just been concluded; and I explained to them that Her Majesty was aware of the various difficulties which now existed in New Zealand, and that I had been sent here for the express purpose of inquiring into and adjusting these difficulties ; and that, until I had had an oppor- | tunity of making the necessary inquiries, j and of satisfying myself which were the best means of removing the present evil, I could give them no information upon the line of policy I might think it proper to adopt j that, in the meantime, they might rest assured that the Queen's only object was to promote their welfare; that the British Government did not entertain the idea of I depriving them of their lands ; and that, under no circumstances, would the services of those chiefs who so actively and energetically assisted the Government be overlooked. They expressed themselves perfectly satisfied with these assurances on my part, but added that they feared that I should find that the evils which disturbed the country were much greater than I had been led to suppose ; and that they were much pleased to hear that I was about to enquire for myself, and to obtain information, upon the state of affairs here. They concluded by stating, that the assurances they had received were so satisfactory that I might rely on their affording every assistance in carrying out my views. Their whole demeanour satisfied me that every suspicion was removed from their minds." (Parl. Pap., 1846, p. 2.) In a despatch of November 22nd, 1843, Governor Grey says (Ibid, p. 3), "The only means by which I can hope to receive the allegiance of the chiefs, who have naturally no abstract sentiments of loyalty, is to attach them to the Crown by permanent benefits, which may convince them that Her Majesty's intentions to them are benevolent in the highest degree, and that the Queen entertains no idea of despoiling them of their property/' Governor Grey proceeded immediately to the Bay of Islands, from which place he wrote further, on the 24th November : — " I find that great distrust regarding the intentions of the British Government, upon the subject of claiming all lands of the natives not actually in occupation and cultivation, exists among many of the most influential and hitherto friendly chiefs in this quarter. They are tolerably well acquainted with the details of the discussion which took place in the House of Commons, at the end of June last, regarding the state of New Zealand, and their apprehensions are avowedly based upon what transpired during the debate to which lam alluding. (Ibid, p. 16.) In consequence, Governor Grey gave to the natives the assurances mentioned above, which, he was satisfied, had " produced a very favourable impression upon many of the most influential chiefs." (Ibid, p. 18.) As to the South, Mr. Commissioner Spain says, in September, 1843, of the conflict at Wairau, " This fatal business put an- end to all confidence on the part of the natives in the Europeans, and they came to the conclusion that the British Government had suddenly altered its policy towards them, and intended to take away from them all their lands by force." (General Beport, p. 300.) "It was my painful duty to act as a magistrate during the proceedings immediately consequent on the melancholy catastrophe at Wairau, which has done so much towards the estrangement of the two races, and from which may be dated the existence in the native mind of a feeling of jealousy and animosity towards the European stranger, but little calculated to strengthen the bonds of friendly intercourse betwixt us or to promote the advancement of civilization." (Reports, p. 16.) In this way, from time to time, the old suspicions have revived and gathered strength. It has been conceived by some of the natives that the missionaries have been, from the beginning, parties to a plot, jointly with the Government, for seizing the native lands, and that they were employed to prepare the way for the execution of that purpose. This supposition or suggestion has naturally found favour with some of the leading heathen chiefs. It has often been avowed. So high has the feeling run at times, that, in one part of the country at least, it was

made a subject of serious discussion whether it was not necessary to combine for the purpose of driving the English wholly out of the country. Nor has this notion been made a secret ; it has been openly mentioned. Still, confidence has on the whole prevailed, because no act of aggression has been committed by the Queen's Government. Acts of injustice committed by others have only accustomed the natives to appeal for redress to the Queen j and have ended in strengthening their confidence that the Queen would always cause justice to be done. So long as the British power presents itself to a native tribe as friendly and just, every tribe is anxious, and is induced by the strongest motives, to make that power its ally and protector. The importance of maintaining in the minds of the natives a favourable disposition towards the English authority, may be seen from the following remarks of Governor Grey, in a despatch dated 11th December, 1845 : — " The friendly chiefs will now be j able to bring into the field a much larger | number of men than they have previously ! done ; I ought also, perhaps, to state to your ! Lordship that in many operations in the j field, such as occupying a wood, lining the j banks of a river, &c, the native troops afford the most essential assistance to Her Majesty's forces y indeed, I do not think that our operations could be successfully conducted without their co-operation." (Parl. Pap. 1845, 6, p. 29.) If then, in warring against a small part of the native people, our success has been so dependant on the co-operation of native allies, what result can we expect when, by our unjust policy, we have united against us the entire native population ? The conduct of the British Government in this country has hitherto been such as to produce amongst the natives generally a considerable degree of reliance on British justice, and to remove, or greatly diminish, their natural and reasonable apprehensions. In particular, those who have received Christianity are disposed to look up to us for guidance and government. But let the plan of confiscation or seizure be once acted upon, and all this will be at an end. The worst surmises of the natives will become realities. To them we shall appear to be a nation of liars. All our means of exercising a moral influence over this people will have ceased, together with all the hopes (which we have naturally professed to hold most dear) of success in the work of civilizing and Christianizing them. The Christian faith itself has, from the necessity of the case, been received mainly upon our credit, that is, in the belief that the Pakeha who proclaimed it was a true man, honestly seeking to benefit, in every way, those whom he instructed. Our dishonesty shall be seenj if the Christian religion will be abandoned by the mass of those who now receive it. That such will, in that case, be the result, may be shewn (as ! far as any result yet contingent can be fore- ! shewn at all) from the language and conduct I of the natives since the contents of Earl Grey's Despatch became known. I This consideration can scarcely be deemed | a slight matter in the judgment of any Englishman ; certainly it cannot appear so in the judgment of any Christian man. ■ .