MEETING OF NEW ZEALAND PROPRIETORS, TO AVERT CONVICTISM FROM THE COLONY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 394, 22 September 1849, Page 114

MEETING OF NEW ZEALAND PROPRIETORS, TO AVERT CONVICTISM FROM THE COLONY.

[From the Times, April 38.] A large meeting of the shareholders of the Nbw Zealand Company was held at New Zea-land-house, Broad-street-buildings on the 27th of April, for the purpose of considering the propriety of adopting measures to prevent the stigma likely to be cast on New Zealand, by making it a penal settlement. Mr. Aglionby, M. P., presided, and expressed his opinion that the Directors ought to offer no opinion at present, but to hear the views which had led bo many of the shareholders to request that such a meeting might be called. Mr. Watson then rose and moved a Beries of resolutions, expressing the strongest condemnation of the introduction of convict emigration into New Zealand, and urging the Company to adopt, without delay, steps for averting such a calamity. He pointed out the following grounds for the conclusion that Government intended including New Zealand among the colonies destined to receive convict emigrants: — First, that the operation was to be carried into effect with such secrecy that no colony should know of convicts being sent to it till they had arrived. 2nd, that a pledge of Lord Normanby's that New Zealand should not be subject to this disgrace, had already been broken or evaded. 3rd, that a despatch had been received by the Governor from Earl Grey, pointing out New Zealand as one of the colonies to which the new plan of convict emigration might be properly applied ; and, lastly, that this despatch had been withheld from the papers relating to New Zealand annually laid before Parliament, while the Directors of the Company, notwithstanding their intimate relations with the Colo* nial Office, were unable to inform the proprietors whether anything of the kind was in contemplation. Mr. Watson then went on to show how completely the experiment already made in violation of Lord Normanby's pledge had failed, the convicts having disappeared among the native ,population, instilled into their ductile minds the poision of vice, and prepared the destruction of those seeds of virtue and morality which had been planted with so much care in New Zealand by the missionary labours. The Government might attempt to smuggle convicts into that colony, but as these were sure to associate with the aborigines, it could not adopt such a course without doing the greatest injury to the cause of civilization. Mr. Watson was followed by Mr. Frederick Young, who, in seconding the resolution proposed, pointed out to the meeting that the Company was not bound to BUggest the way in which convicts might best be provided for, but simply to take care that none should be sent to the colony over the interests of which it had to watch. Colonies were either sinks for the criminal population of the mother couDtry, or outlets for the most enterprising and adventurous portions of her people. It was upon the last plan that the colonization of New Zealand was undertaken, and as thousands had emigrated on the faith that this course would be persevered in, a gross breach of public faith would be perpetrated if the system was now changed. The tide of emigration would then cease altogether, and the Company's land would become valueless. Mr. Halswell, a judge in New Zealand, in supporting the resolutions, stated that in his judicial capacity he had tried three of the body sent out from Parkhurst, and that two of them had been banished from the , colony. The meeting was then addressed by Mr. Burnand and Mr. Dawson. Mr. J. A. Smith, who expressed his full concurrence in what had been said, did not think that there was any chance of relief from Government, and asked what course Mr. Burnand intended to pursue. The latter gentleman in reply, suggested that a petition should be presented to the Legislature, and that the whole Parliamentary influence of the Company should be set in motion. General Briggs moved a resolution, that the best security against the evils of convict emigration would be to grant the colony a charter of free government. This resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Martin, was considered by Mr. J. A. Smith as a digression; Earl Grey was more anxious than any one else to give a free constitution to New Zealand, and he believed that measures for that purpose were in progress, and would be carried into effect as sooq as possible. The chairman, Mr. G. F. Gurney, and others, expressed, themselves in the same sense, bat the resolution was eventually carried unanimously. It was then agreed that a petition be presented to Parliament, and, after the usual vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting terminated.