RECALL OF CAPTAIN FITZROY.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 18, 4 October 1845, Page 3

RECALL OF CAPTAIN FITZROY.

May 5. — Captain Rous hoped the indulgence of the House would be extended to him while he called its attention to a matter of considerable public importance, in which he felt a somewhat peculiar interest. It would be remembered that in the month of March last, an hou. member opposite, on the occasion of an unopposed motion for papers respec'ing New Zealand, took the opportunity to make a very serious attack upon an lion, and gallant friend of his, he meant Captain Fitzroy. At the time that attack was made, he (Captain Rous) was absent. The attack was fierce, the defence was feeble, insomhch as the attack was unexpected. ("Question, question.") He was about to conclude with a question, — He had heard, with great pain, that his hon. and gallant friend was about to be superseded in the Government of the colouy ot New Zealand 5 and the: fact occasioned an additional pang to him, because he had not had an opportunity of defending him. He had long known Capt. Fit/roy as an honourable .straightforward man, and a most efficient public servant. The Speaker informed the hon. and gallant member thai' he was out of order. There was now no question before the House. The hou. 'and gallant member should reserve his statement till the motion •was' made for reading the order of the day. Captain .Rous would then content himself with simply putting his question, whether it was true that Captain, Fitzioy had been recalled? ■ Mr. G. W. Hope said, the hon. and gallant officer having given him notice of his intention to put this question, , he was now prepared to give -him air answer. In giving him that notice the hon. and gallant gentleman had stated that his .object was to inquire whether the grounds on which it was proposed to supersede Captain Fitzroy, were such as in any to affect his character as a gentleman and an officer in Her Majesty's service. In the first place, he might state to the House that the determination of the noble lord under whom he acted, to appoint si successor to Captain Fitzroy was communicated to no one beyond the members of the Government, except to Captain Fitzroy's nearest relatives. He therefore presumed it'was from them the hon. and gallant officer had derived his information. The grounds on which that syep was taken were such as in no way to affect his Character as a gentleman and an officer in Her Majesty's service. They were, moreover, in no way ; connected with the charges made by the New Zealand Company'; or as regarded his conduct in these negociations, in which a slur was cast on his honour and character. The House would probably not wish him to go into a statement of the grounds on which it was proposed to supersede Captain Fitzroy 5 in fact, but for the question which had been put, no public communication would have been made of these cir cumsfances; until a full explanation could have been afforded. He might, however, be allowed to read a passage from the despatch sent out by the last New houth Wales mail, intimating his recall to Captain Fitzroy, from which it would most plainly appear, that the grounds of that step in no way affected his character as a gentleman and an officer. The hon. arid learned member then read the following extract of a despatch from Lord Stanley, addressed to Governor Fitzroy, dated the 30th April, 1845 :—"The

concern with which I announce this decision is greatly enhanced by the remembrance of the public spirit and disinterestedness with which you assumed this arduous duty, and of the personal sacrifices which you so liberally made on that account; nor can I omit to record, that in whatever other respects our confidence in you may have been shaken, her Majesty's Government retain the most implicit reliance on your personal character, and on your zeal for the Queen's service. You will, therefore, readily beI lieve, that I have acted ou this occasion in reluctant submission to what J regard as an indispensable public duty." (Hear, hear.) , Captain Rous said, he did not rise with the intention of finding fault with Lord Stanley for superseding his gallant friend Captain Fitzroy, for the best of all reasons, — he was totally ignorant of the grounds of his dismissal ; but his object was, when the supercession of Captain Fitzroy was made puclic, to be allowed to pay his tribute to the public worth of that gallant officer. Captain Fitzroy was a midshipman under his (Capt. Rous's) command, in a corvette, in ] 822 and 1823, and he would give the house his word that there was not a better seaman or officer in Her Majesty's Navy. From 1831 to 1834 Captain Fitzroy commanded and surveyed the coastof South America, from the river Plate to the coast of Chili. In the performance of this arduous duty, as he could not complete the survey of Cape Horn, without the assistance of a second vessel, he purchased and fiited out, at his own expense, a schooner; He likewise brought to England, three natives of Terra del Fuego, whom he educated, that they might be useful in the event of her Majesty's Government forming an establishment in that country, and the Admiralty refusing to send back these natives in a vessel of war, Captain Fitzroy was obliged to charter a merchant vessel to convey them home. Not one six-pence was repaid to him, and he actually spent one fifth of his private fortune in the services of the state. In 1843 Captain Fitzroy informed him in that house, that Lord Stanley had offered him the government of New Zealand. He (Captain Rous), had advised his gallant friend to refuse the appointment, knowing that an angel from heaven could not reconcile the differences between the natives, the missionaries, and the New Zealand Company. At that time Captain Filzroy had the honour of i epre senting Durham, and he had a public income of £800. per annum, as a conservator of the river Mersey, and as one of the elder brethren of the Trinity House; all of which he gave up, besides a great sacrifice of private property, to accept the trifling balance of per annum. He mentioned tnese circumstances to show the house that Captain Fitzroy was always impressed with one idea,— how he could best serve h<s country. As long as the New Zealand Company existed in the colony, as long as they had an imperium in iviperio in that colony, it was utterly impossible for any man to govern it. He wished to know why the New Zealand Company dared not bring forward their promised motion? All he (Captain Rous) could assure them was, that whenever they dared submit that motion to- the house, he would bring forward two charges against them, — of getting money under illegal pretences, and of inveigling labourers and ariificers from this country, under pretence of finding them employcnsntand good wages, iud then desertiugthem, and leaving them to starve. Whenever the case of Captain Fitzroy's dismissal came before the House, he would be prepared to give an unbiassed opinion. Mr. Aglionby said he would not occupy the time of the house by any observations upon the remarks which had been somewhat irrevrrently introduced by the hon. and gallant member for Westminster. He would only say that the hon. and gallant officer was entirely ignorant of the whole subject, and at the proper time he (Mr. Aglionby) would be prepared to meet the charges of the gallant member. Mr. R. Trevor begged to thank the hon. Under Secretary for the Colouies, (Mr, G. W. Hope) forthe manner in which he had communicated to the friends of Captain Fitzroy, the intention of the Government to recall that officer. He was well aware that the hon. and gallant member for Westmmstar, Captain Rous, had for a long period, taken a deep interest in the welfare of his gallant relative, Capt. Fitzroy. He would be extremely soiry in any way to embarrass the Government, for the intimation he had received was made in the kindest spirit, and he took this opportunity of thanking the noble lord at the. head of the Colonial department (Lord Stanley), for his courtesy. The hon^ Under Secietary, (Mr G. W. Hope) had to night read an extract from the despatch sent out to Captain Fitzroy. The only point on which Captain Fitzroy's family had entertained any anxiety was completely set at rest ; for it was clear that ( nothiug had occurred during the time he held the appointment in New Zealand, reflecting in any degree on his high character as a gentlemen and an officer. (Hear.) He (Mr. 1 Trevor), hoped ' the Government would be fortunate enough to secure the services of a gentleman who would be more successful in dealing with the difficulties oj the situation. Jt was impossible to overstate the immense difficulties of the position Captain Fitzroy was called upon 10 fulfill when he assumed the government-, and he would venture to say the Government would not obtain a more able or mors honest servant than his gallant relative. (Hear, hear). Mr. Ward could not allow this discussion to close without saying that there was something absolutely unfair on the part of the hon. and gallant member for Westminster, in making a distinct charge against the New Zealand Company. He (Mr. > Ward) had no connection wiih that Company, but he, believed they possessed the means of proving that .almost every charge made against them had originated in their difference with the government. When he saw Captain Fitzroy's friends coming forward in this manner, he thought, as an individual perfectly disinterested as to this quession, he ought to say, that though there might be no imputation of the moral character, or upon his character as an officer and a gentleman— a notion' which ho one could dream of entertaining, — he believed that no measure of the Government had given more satisfaction to any person who had watched over the progsess of our.colony in New Zealand than the recall of Captain Fitzroy. The conduct of that gallant officer had been most mischievous and unfortunate ; and if his friends would parade his high character as a gentleman, he (Mr. Ward) must .say that no man had showu so little fitness for the office to which he had unfortunately been appointed. Sir R. Inglis was understood to say that the hon. and gallant member lor Westminster, must regret some of the observatiohs he had made upon this subject. He had long known Captain Fitzroy, and he fully concurred in every word that had been said in praise of that gallant officer, not only m his public capacity, but in all the relations of prfvate hie; nothing could be purer than the intentions with which he accepted office, and as far as intentions went, no man could stand more completely exonerated than he did. . ~ Mr. Mangles felt assnred that the hon. and gallaut member foy Westminster, would upon reflection, see

the injustice of imputing to the New Zealand Company that they had raised money under false pretences. Mr. G. W. Hope said, that there had been nothing said against the private character of Captain Fitzroy. On the contrary, every credit was given to him for an anxious desire to discharge his duties; he had evinced great courage, and had made great sacrifices. May. 7. — Captain Rous gave notice, that on Tuesday, 20th of May, he would move a resolution to the effect that the Waitangi Treaty with New Zealand should be maintained in its strictest integrity.