THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Tuesday, September 10, 1861.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1434, 10 September 1861, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Tuesday, September 10, 1861.

LUCEO NON UEO. " If I have been cxtinirmthed, yet there rite A thousand beacons from the ipark I bore."

There appeared in the columns of our contemporary of Saturday copy of a native address to Sir George Grey which is at present lying somewhere for signature. We cannot allow it to pass without comment, now that it has been brought so prominently before the public. The style of thing will not do. Addresses are 'generally very stupid though perfectly innocent productions, but they admit of being converted into most objectionable and mischievous documents, and the one before us is a case in point. Under pretence of greeting Sir George Grey on his arrival in New Zealand, language is made use of which we really think most disgraceful, and which we regret to see additional notoriety given to by the public press. His Excellency, the leading men of the country, and our soldiers and sailors are grossly insulted, the insults — which of course we take for granted were first concocted in the native language — are done into English by some patriotic individual for the benefit of his white countrymen, not so well posted up in Maori slang and Maori karahias as himself, and it is fondly imagined that this effusion will be a choice and suitable offering to her Majesty's representative when he sets foot on theseshores. One sentence we must quote from the address in support of what we have said and as a sample of what will go down in certain quarters as a correct style of treating public matters. "The dogs of Governor Browne and of Potatou, aie here biting one another. Their keepers have acted foolishly. The chains of the pakeha dogs have been loosened, and they have bitten the Maori dogs, which have turned upon, seeking satisfaction after they felt the pain." Now if our native friends chuse to call themselves dogs, and their European agents recommend them to do so as the best means of recommending themselves to Sir George Grey on his arrival here, all right, we have no objection ; but if they go further and apply the same elegant epithet to her Majesty's forces, we are inclined to think that they will not find Sir George Grey will quite approve of their style of addressing him, and as for those European agents who lend themselves to an insult to their countrymen by countenancing such language and translating it into the vernacular, we recommend them to keep in the dark. Englishmen can stand bad language from children and semi-savages, and indeed they generally listen to it more in sorrow than in anger, but when they find men who ought to know better prostituting their talents and aiding and abetting in the manner in which some white man has aided and abetted the natives in the preparation of the address we are alluding to, they are apt to lose patience. We all know the manner in which addresses have been before now concocted, and native signatures obtained in New Zealand. We speak with knowledge when we say that so well is this fact known in Auckland to men best acquainted with the natives, and in such bad odour are all addresses of this kind, that many friends of his Excellency Col. Browne, who could have procured address upon address from different parts of the country, and signatures innumerable, were unwilling to exert themselves in the matter and refrained from so doing. They knew that they could easily procure a bona fide, hearty expression of approval of his Excellency's conduct during his tenure of office, but they likewise knew that all expressions of native feeling in writing are of no great account, and are regarded at best with suspicion. In reference, however, to the address of which we are speaking we may mention one rather significant fact. A leading chief from the Thames whose name we understand is affixed to it, on his attention being subsequently called to the very sentence which we have quoted, stated that he was not aware previously of any such expressions having been made use of. It might be instructive to find out how many others perused the document which they signed, or how many there were who thought that they were doing anything more than greeting an old friend by signing it. It would likewise be highly instructive to find out where and by'whom the precious document was drafted, and it would not surprise us to discover that it had a European rather than a Maori origin. We perceive that an adequate number of signatures having been obtained, the address will be presented to Sir George Grey on his arrival by a dark but distinguished deputation, and probably graciously received without any very minute enquiry into its contents. If so, however, her Majesty's representative will probably be rather taken aback, when he finds on subsequently perusing the paper presented to him, that he has been returning thanks to her Majesty's liege subjects for the loyal and respectful manner in which, they have spokei\ of her

Majesty's forces. It will be likewise pleasant to discover that he has been thanking the good aboriginals for an address in which his predecessor is described as "rebellious or perverse" — the words occur in this precious document — and in which he, Sir George Grey, is recommended to get rid of two unknown gentlemen as individuals who have brought about so melancholy a change in the disposition of that once loyal officer, Colonel Browne. We must give this passage in its entirety, for a cooler specimen of impudence we have seldom come across :—- " Do you drive hence from your councils — — , , who have made Governor Browne rebellious or pei versi. The Maoris have likened this Governor to a mill, tli'e handle of which each man takes hold and turns it round (i.e. the Governor is misled by each party in turn.)" Sir George Grey should be warned against receiving such addresses as these. It would be as well for him to appoint somebody to examine them before they pass into his own hands, and he receives them with a bow. We are told in the short note forwarding this one to our contemporary, that there are several others on the stocks ; this, we presume, is a sample of the lot, and if it is so, we do trust, not only for the sake of the colony, but for the sake of the Maoris, and of Sir George Grey himself, that they may be withdrawn and some apology made for the insults already offered.

The debate in Committee of Supply on the Native Land Purchase Department on Wednesday and Friday, was a most remarkable one. There were indications during it of a very strong difference of opinion amongst responsible ministers. Mr. Fox evidently wished to cashier the department, whilst Mr. Mantell, who knows something about what is wanted in the Colony, was on the other hand rather averse to so summary a proceeding. Our premier showed an animus on this occasion which we were sorry to see. He brought forward no arguments, no substantial charges, but merely said the department ought to be swept away. What was to be substituted for it he did not take the trouble of stating. Delenda est Carthago seemed to be his motto : make a clean sweep and get rid of them all. If there is one thing more than another calculated to bring a government into disrepute, more particularly a new one which lias as yet to prove itself, it is an attempt to make light of the services of men who have already proved themselves. What Mr. Fox is, time will show, what Mr. McLean is, time has already shown. The latter gentleman's department has done something, Mr. Fox so far has done nothing save to get into office. He was noisy in opposition, he is modestly silent on the treasury benches. He neither proposes nor suggests anything except to turn out the men who can work and have worked. We are afraid that for many years to come, call it what you may, some sort of native office will be necessary ; if only to supply Mr. Fox's negotiators with secretaries when they start oft those peaceful pilgrimages we heard so much of a few weeks back. But at all events the services of men able to speak to the natives and to treat with them will be required, and an injury will be done to the country if such services are spoken lightly of rtr treated with contempt. More particularly ought we to recognize this after a war in which gentlemen connected with the Native and Land Pm chase Departments have done good service and shown themselves most zealous and indefatigable public officers.