New Zealand Colonist. TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1842.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 9, 30 August 1842, Page 2

New Zealand Colonist. TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1842.

Private letters have been received by the Messrs. Wallace, that the Sir Charles Forbes had arrived at Nelson from England, with passengers and emigrants for that port. The Royal William has her mail on board, and after.touch-

ing at Cloudy Bay, may be hourly expected here. The liters were dated the 29th April. We learn by them that the Bailey had arrived. Captaih Chaffers had been reinstated in the Navy. Mr. Tyser’s brig was expected to sail;shortly for Wellington, and also the Thomas Harrison, on the 25 th May, and the Olympus on the 15th of June. Three vessels were also laid on for Nelson.

Mr. Brady was very busy delivering lectures at Birmingham and other places, to numerous assemblies, on the advantages to be derived from emigrating to Port Nicholson.

The Commissioner of Land Claims proposes, we understand, to leave this place, in the course of a fortnight, for the purpose of visiting the various settlements on the coast between Port Nicholson and Wanganui, and of enquiring on the spot into the purchases of the New Zealand Company. We have also been informed, that arrangements have been made by Colonel Wakefield, under the power given to him by the Governor, to settle all unsatisfied claims on the part of the natives; and to secure for those who have purchased from the Company the undisturbed enjoyment of the land they have selected. Should these arrangements be carried out, as we trust will be the case, one of the impediments to our progress will be removed, and many available districts, which are now closed against us, will be thrown open to the enterprise of the colonists. It is, however, possible, that the arrangements which may be entered into may be subsequently violated by the natives, and that their cupidity may be excited, or their jealousies may be awakened, by the prospect of gain, or by the sight of the progress of those who settle among them. This is a cohtingency against which it will be well to be prepared, but for which we do not see in the circumstances of the colony any efficient means of protection. That there are among the natives, especially among the older chiefs, many who regret the changes which the colonisation of their country is gradually effecting ; and that these would willingly interpose obstacles in the way of its further progress, must we fear be admitted. These men feel the loss of the authority which they formerly exercised, and they perhaps feel, even more, their relative unimportance. They have, in some instances, appeared to regard with a jealous eye the introduction of Christianity ; and, if they have not directly opposed, at least they have not favoured the labors of the missionaries; because this is the ‘first step in a progress which involves the destruction of long cherished usages, and which, however it may benefit the New Zealanders generally, must be fatal to their peculiar claims to respect and their strongest sources of power. Although therefore they may be willing to receive compensation for their land, it is still possible that they may subsequently attempt to -oppose the occupation of the districts which they have consented to cede, and may plead ignorance or misapprehension as a ground for refusing to fulfil their part of the bargain. Although we are fully persuaded that the great majority of the natives are prepared to welcome the settlement of the English colonists in their districts, on the terms of receiving a fair equivalent, and of adequate reserves being made for them, yet the influence of their chiefs is still sufficiently powerful to prevent any manifestation of this feeling. Should this be the case, it is important to consider the means by which such an obstacle may be overcome. And the very circumstance that due provision is made to guard against its consequences may be the most effectual method to prevent its occurrence.

The -first and most obvious remedy is the establishment of a tribunal, specially authorised to enquire into and decide all disputes between the natives and the settlers arising from this source. The commission mow sitting to investigate land claims might be made permanent, and be charged with this special function. The recourse to the ordinary tribunals would be tedious, expensive, and ineffectual. To the settlers it would be useless, and to the natives unsatisfactory. But the appointment of one person with competent authority, who might investigate all cases on the spot, and determine at once the course to be pursued, would win confidence and inspire respect from both parties. When the disputants are of different races, each understanding very imperfectly the language of the other, and each governed by laws with which the other is necessarily unacquainted, there hardly appears any other way of arriving at a satisfactory adjustment of their differences; and the expense thus occasioned would not merely be trivial in comparison with the importance of the object to be attained, but would be less than that of any other mode by which any decision could be obtained. In addition to this, however, there should be' in the colony an adequate military force to command the respect of the natives. It is quite true that the apprehension with regard to the New Zealanders, which were entertained by many persons in England, have been proved utterly without fouiida-

tion. We have now resided in this place for more than two years and a half, r without the occurrence of a single quarrel which rtiight require the presence of the military. Still, it does not follow that no disputes of a more serious nature may not arise'; and if such should unhappily be the case, we are left with no other means. of protection than our; own arms and courage may supply. Of the results of a conflict we should entertain no doubt; but for the sake of the colonists, whom such a conflict must greatly injure, and' of the natives whose destruction it would; involve, we desire to see in this colony such a military force as may insure us against itshomniencemenfi. It is hardly just to either of th^ra^.,thusbrought into contact, that so importahi a colony as this is now becoming, efficient protection than isfifurnishted by the handful of troops stationed at 'Auckland. We know that representations ' upon this subject have been made by Captain Hobson to the home government, and we trust that they will speedily meet with due attention.

The proceedings of the last few days enable us to claim for some of the inhabitants of this place the possession, in a pre-eminent degree, of the virtues of industry, charity, prudence, and modesty. Certain individuals, whom it is needless, and might be invidious, to name, have, through the last week, been working with ceaseless activity, and untiring zeal, in the patriotic labour of persuading their fellow citizens not to neglect availing themselves of the privilege which the Government had offered to them. Their labours in this work have been meritorious and disinterested, and fully deserve the praise we have bestowed upon their industry. But their merit does not stop here. It has, in the course of their perquisitions, become evident to them that many persons would lose the opportunity of sharing in the noble privilege of self-government, for want of means to fulfil the small preliminary condition required before registration. With a never-enough-to-be-admired charity—overleaping all ordinary considerations—stopping not to inquire into the circumstances of the unhappy embryo elector, but influenced solely by a desire that all persons should share in a privilege intended to be universal—these generous individuals, from funds derived either from their own resources, or those of other sympathising friends of humanity, have paid the necessary fee of one pound. Here is charity indeed. We doubt not it will have its reward.

But let us not forget the prudence of these industrious and charitable persons. Aware of the weaknesses incident to humanity, and knowing, experimentally, or from information, that the best safeguard of virtue is the absence of temptation, they have always contrived to retain in their own hands the precious pound. They, and not the claimant, have borne this offering to the treasury of the future corporation. But for this prudence, it is within the limits of possibility that their charity would have been exercised in vain. The zeal which they had contrived to kindle in the breast of the elector, might have become extinguished as rapidly as it had risen, and instead of a name brought before the returning officer .to be added to the list of burgesses, it might have happened that the identical name would have figured before the same gentleman in another list daily presented to him in his capacity of police magistrate. This possible result their prudence has averted. But the crowning virtue of these worthy individuals is their modesty. They really belong to the class of those who

“ Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.” Not a whisper has one of them breathed of his labours or his munificence. Hardly, in their works of charity, has the left hand known of the doings of the right. Fearing the shock to their sensibilities that would be occasioned by the grateful testimonies to their virtues, which must follow the occasion upon which their deeds are made public, they have thrown over the whole the veil of a deep and impenetrable silence. Secrecy is their rule ; and they seem to fear nothing so much as that open reward which is promised to good works thus performed. So praiseworthy a reserve demands, and shall receive, all due respect from us. We seek not -to tear away the screen which shelters the persons thus acting. But we cannot afford to lose for this borough the merit to which it is entitled, from its possession of such patriotic personages. Industrious, charitable, prudent, modestmen’! your grateful country needs but to know your names, to place you among the first on her list of great men !

We copy the following paragraph from ( the Britannia, confirming the rumour, which lately reached us respecting the melancholy death of the eldest son of our respected Judge and townsmen E. Halswell, Esquire. It must afford much gratification to the bereaved parent, to learn the high estimation in which this propromising young officer was held, and the universal regret experienced at his loss.—Assassination of Lieutenant Darnley Halswell, in Upper Scinde.— The melancholy news from

India involved, at first, so much public distress, that private sorrows were overlooked; each day:, however, reveals some fresh occurrence. We have just heard of the fate of a fine youth, Eiisign Edward Darnly Halswell, the eldest son of -! Edmund Halswell. Esquire, of Gore Lodge, Old j Brompton. He was with a detachment of his regiment, near Seebee, upper Scinde; and, while, sketching in a mountain gorge, was assasinated? by some of the natives. Although he had not completed his twentieth year, the kindness, of his heart and his noble qualities had endeared, - him to a circle of friends, who will long lament the untimely fate which deprived them of one they both loved and admired.

Emigration to this colony was not likely to be revived for some time, but it was to bewigourously extended to New Zealand. Dr. Boyter had proceeded to Scotland, to procure eimgranfs to preceed to “Auckland, the capital of New Zealand,” in June. From this we presume that the Home Government had determined that Hobson’s choice was a correct one. The .'New Zealand Company were advertising land for sale at Nelson, where there is said to be “abundance of good soil.” Lord Stanley had refused to cede the sovereignty of the Chatham Islands, to Hamburgh, and had declared they were dependencies of New Zealand. We regret to learn, that William Curling Young, Esquire, while attempting to cross the Wairoa river, in the neighbourhood of Nolson, was carried away by the current, and unfortu-r nately drowned. We regret we have to notice another sudden death at Nelson. On Saturday, the 13th ini stant, Mrs. Mary Saxton, the lady of the Rev. Charles Saxton, died at his house, after an illness of rather more than a fortnight.