NEW ZEALAND. [From the Times March 21, 1846.]

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 67, 12 September 1846, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND. [From the Times March 21, 1846.]

A new Colonial Secretary in England, and a new Governor on the spot, may possibly do something at last for New Zevv Zealand. Change is always a. state of hope for the miserable, and the old saw declares that " when things are at the worst they must "mend." It is doubttnl how far the proverb is applicable to this colony, for its history presents a picture of continuous retrogression and uninterrupted calamity, down to the very latest moment of which we have any intelligence, that may fairly inspire an apprehension that the worst is not come. One thing at least is certain, — that the crisis is not far distant. Whatever tnovemeut is made, whether good or bad it must of necessity hasten the fiual consummation. Vacillation can no longer be continued, nor inactivity be indulged. New Zealand must be speedily either ruined or restored. Captain Gkev landed at the seat of his Government on the I4th of last November. The scene that opened upon him must have been to the last degree gloomy and dishearfening. Civil war, suspended trade, and a deficient revenue, are enough to appal the stoutest heart. The only comfortable reflection he can enjoy is, that the evils are not of 'bis own creating, that he can hardly make them worse, but that by firmness and discretion he may in time make them better. His first task will be to undo all the acts of his predecessor. We do not believe there is a single aedsure of Captain Fitzho\'s that can be allowed to stand with advantage to the colony. This work is already commenced. Within a week, after his arrival Captain Grey was compelled^ to announce the dnom of the debenture scheme. This notable project of revenue has been disallowed by Her Majesty, and the £37,000 worth of paper currency must in one way or another be called in. It will' be for Captain Grey to devise a scheme for thJs purpose, and his success as a financier in' South Australia warrants the belief that he will' prove equal to the occasion. But as a preliminary step there must be an efficient system of taxation. Without money nothing can be done: temporary expedients are exhausted aud if they were not, Captain Grey, we hope, is uot the mati to have recourse to, them. The settlement of the public income upon a firm aud equitable basis is the ouiy remedy ior the present embarrassment ; but it is more easy to proclaim the necessity than to suggest the means. A land-tax in an iufdut colony souuds like madness. But lees upon sale and purchase, graduated according to price aud value, are uot open to any objection we are aware of. They merely inciease the purchase money by au ascertained amount, aud cuter, of course, as an ingredient into ibe contract between buyer and seller. 'I he Custom duties also, if moderately imposed and well collected, should realize a considerable sum, Then the expenditure may be cousiderably reduced, and the evtravagant salaries, which would seem to have some mysterious natural connexiou with colonial polity, pared down to a reasonable figure. These matters require tact and delicacy of handling, but they are of no great difficulty. At most, they are far less difficult tb.au some other ques.tions which the new Governor has belore him to decide. Of these subjects there is one in which all parties, however opposite their views aud interests, concur. It is the universal opinion that the uncertainty that hangs over the titles to land is the main cause of the present distress. This subject is, indeed, and always has been, the knotty point io New Zealand. It is the radical mischiet ol the colony, and, so loug a» it is present, so long will prosperity be absent. It cannot he expected that capital will be invested in the cultivation of soil which may to day belong to the cultivator, aud to morrow be awarded to some native chief. No man will build houses on another man's laud, unless ht is sure that the houses at least will be secured to him, if not the land ; but the colonist on the banks of the Hult has no guarantee that his acres and his cabin will not be at any hour of the day or night iuuuudated aud possessed by a swarm of hostile savages. So raucb ior the uucertainty, for the necessity of a final ami a speedy settlement. As ior tlie injustice of the conduct pursued toward the settlers, as much aud more may be said ou that score. We may take for granted the right of t'wlWzed nations to cultivate nature's wawt^s nli«r«vir tftey

may be found. In uninhabited regions there can arise no question. The first occupant must have the best right But in a country like New Zealand, where some inhahitants existed, although greatiy dispropurtioned to the extent ot territory, the subject becomes move complicated. No one will contend that we or any other nation had a right to disposses, the natives by force, and to establish ourselves on their lands, even though unreciaimtd from a state of nature. . But every one must coticede a power of negotiating with the original possessors, and of purchasing the use of the soil, if not the soil itself, at a price justly proportioned to the relative situations of the parties. As between the natives and the first settlers from England, the principles on •which their bargains proceeded was, we apprehend, in accordance with the law of nations, and with strict justice. The former sold their lands, and the latter bought them. The quantity or quality of the consideration, however mateiial, when the inquiry relates to the extent of the purchase, cannot affect the existence of it, so long as the consideration itself •was satisfactory to the seller, and clearly understood by) him. Where there is fraud it is another matter ; but we are not to estimate value by our own standard. The New Zealander prefers knives and hatchets, beads and coloured cloth, to sovereigns and shillings. Had he been paid for his lands in English coins he would hardly have been satisfied. It is, doubtless, true that he was often overreached by the white man, and in such cases the bargain of course, was not binding. But, speaking generally, we do not see how, if savages and civilized people are to have dealings with each other, they could be conducted otherwise than they were conducted in the present instance. AH the parade of investigation which has been going on now for some years in the colony is mere humbug. It sprang first h-om a petty animosity, and was fostered by the questionable humanity of some few missionaries. It has served no one useful purpose. The territorial disputes have not been settled nor the conflicVing claims of the natives adjusted. But these have been inspired with discontent, and have been taught to know a wrong they had never felt, — to think, themselves aggrieved. They have presumed very reasonably upon the apparent discord between the settlers, their early friends, and the Government, their official and officious protectois The result has been inroads, depredations, and massacres ; at this moment, as far as we know, an universal insurrection. We trust that Captain Grey will see these things in their true light. The colonist must be upheld in all bis just rights, but it does not follow that the native is to be oppressed. The peace of the country must be preserved, security afforded for life and property ; bnt these things »re not incompatible with mercy and forbearance towards the aborigines.— There is oo need to avenge the massacre of Wairau nor to blot out the record of receut defeat by some great military exploit. A firm front, calmness, decision, and, above all, unauimity, would, we are convinced, fully suffice to reduce the hostile chiefs to their former obedience. But if, elated with victory, and calculating upon the weakness of the British troops, they continue to p'nnder aud 'harrass the settlers, in spite of reasonable concessions, then ot course it will be needful to convince them of their error. The blow in that case should be heavy and decisive, the pun'shment a signal one. But the blood which is shed will rest upon the heads i f those •who, by a weak and captious policy, have invited the aggressions of the natives, and drawn them on to their own destruction.