REPLY WHICH MIGHT BE MADE BY SIR CEORGE GREY TO THE MEMORIAL OF COMMITTEE OF THE ABORIGINES PROTECTION SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 171, 31 May 1864, Page 4

REPLY WHICH MIGHT BE MADE BY SIR CEORGE GREY TO THE MEMORIAL OF COMMITTEE OF THE ABORIGINES PROTECTION SOCIETY.

[From the " Mailbiiougli Press."] My Lords and Gentlemen, —I have received your memorial relative to the conduct of tho war now waged in this country between the European intruders and the Aboriginal inhabitants. Tn common with you, T experience profound regret at the failure of those measures taken by mo for the preservation of peace, which you are pleased, to term " wise and henificient." These expressions are particularly flattering, when it is considered that tho wisdom and beniiiconce of a given course of action are usually tested hy the success of the measures cmployed, and the good resulting from them. Now, in the matter referred to, my labours in favour of pence were productive of war ; my endeavours fit economy resulted in augmented expenditure; and my hopes of raising a reputation already high have been disappointed. I was unable to efi'ect anything in favour either of the natives or of myself by the course you so kindly eulogise. You read my views aright in attributing to me a desire to establish liritisli supremacy in the disturbed di-triets, and to secure an honourable and lasting peace. These, I may take the liberty of mentioning for your information, are the objects of the present war, which was not undertaken by tho Crown of T!n»!and and the Ciovernmeiit of Xew Zealand, for 'the purpose of giving effect to any special opinions of mine : hut as the last resort loft" to an enli-htened authority for terminating an increasing antagonism between'the Kuropean and native races, highly detrimental to the ink-rests of both. 1 trust ever to deserve your encomiums upon my sens.- of justsce, which, however 1 should certainly e.ase to merit where J to disregard the ellims of Her Majesty's F.uropean subjects, who colonised Xew Zealand upon the faith of protection to person and property hy the (iovemment of the colony, in favour of those riirhtly belonging to the native inhabitants. You say nothing more than the truth in describing my position as dillieiilt and responsible ; and, although I cannot venture to decide what Knglishmeii at home may he justified in saying or doing at this crisis, 1 can have no hesitation in assuring you that their action will not he permitted to influence in the slightest degree my decisions, which must be founded upon a full acquaintance with circumstances, of whieh parties at a distance are necessarily ignorant. You advise me to take the first favourable opportunity of terminating the war by negotiation. Tho council is good, hut more easily given than acted upon: for it might have occurred to you that if the dilliculty could have Leon settled hy that means, the presence of ton thousand J'.ritish troops here would have been uniicceswiry. I used to hold myself famous at negotiation, but William Thomson has taught me belter; h> in o my reliance upon that mode of terminating hostilities is a good deal weakened. You proft.'.-s alarm at the proposal to confiscate tho territory of the hostile tribes; what, then, must be the state of your feelings, when you become aware Ihal the measure you .-o much dread, the opposition of your iiiends here. Jt is worthy i.s actually resolved upon, despite of not,-, however, that the parties in the colony who view the confiscation of native lands with disapproval hase their objection to the policy upon very different-.ground from that taken up by you. A knowledge of the circumstances under w'lueh the natives hold their land, and an acquaintance with this capabilities and value of their territory generally, protect resident advocates of Maori rights from tin- conclusions arrived at in your reasonings on this part of the subject, l-'or example—it ha.-, not b..e1l uiseoveled here that-taking possession o! conquered territory has a tendency to widen disuil'eclioii among the Maori tribes. Un the contrary, tin) fear of losing their lands is believed to have restrained the great body of the peaceable natives from rising in aid "of tliuir bret.here. in arms : neither is it supposed by pm-sous acquainted with native customs tiiat the loss of lands will prevent the defeated tribes from coming to terms yielding it peaceable submission.

Your ideas on this point seem to ilow from an exaggerated notion of the value set upon land by the .Maori, and of the necessity to him of possessing it ill large tracts. Tlie Maori is not a hunter : and there is no greater necessity for him holding an extensive territory, than there is for hi.s civilsed neighbours, doing so." Moreover, he is under no appYehoiision of being entirely stripped of his inheritance. The natives knows, what you gentlemen .seem not to be aware of, that ample provision will be made for his maintenance, hut although he may dislike I lie idea of Wing compelled to labor fur a living, yet yon will not be inclined to deny that the change from idleness to industry is one of the most obvious modes by which a solution of native iliilieulties can be ellect'cd. In fact, no -;re:,ter boon could have been conferred on the aborigines of Xew Zealand at our formal occupation of tin- islands, than to have dispossessed them of their nominal ownership in tiie soil. Hy adopting an opposite course imaginarv rights ha'vo become to .some extent real ; and the marketable vallum thus given to their land has led to endless quarrels among the different tribes, arising out of claims which there were no data for settling. Wilii respect to tho historical analogies which you quote- in favor of making peace with the insurgents whouever it may suit them to ask for terms, 1 may observe that 1 am not aware of any such having a bearing upon the present case. Tlie quarrel here is being fought out upon an island ol no great extent not upon a vast continent like America or Africa; but 1 forbear to suggest in extaiso geographical reasons for an ultimate amalgamation of the races, which, equally wiih physiological causes, ought to be perfectly* understood hy tlie representatives of an association undertaking the protection of aboriginal peoples of the most different types, and existing imder every peculiarity of circumstances. JJelieve me, I quite appreciate the delicacy of feeling which disclaims tlie idea of dictation or recommendation to si responsible public officer. At the same time I would observe that little danger to general interests is to be apprehended from interference by parties really ignorant of tho merits of the question which they undertake to prescribe for. To you I cannot say as did General Cameron to liishoji iSclwyn—" ue xittor ultra cnjiuluni" —because your professed avocation is interference in the atlairs of aboriginal races ; but 1 may suggest that abstract philantrophy is not sufficient for the came you have in hand. Nothing le.-s than a practical acquaintance witii the circumstances of the people whom you wish to benelit will give you tlie power of doing so ; but it is a pleasant thing to feel benevolent and wealthy —still more so, perhap.., to suppose you are thought to lie so by others. Thai you may long rest undisturbed in the possession of these and other respectable opinions, to which 1 am indebted for the memorial now before me, and maintain the position >vhicli gives them any weight, is the best- wish whicb in conclusion I cuu oSLis > ou.