Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette, Volume I, Issue 49, 5 February 1842, Page 4

Government, they were told that the Bill should be ameliorated, and that they should derive every advantage which their enterprise and industry had deserved. That upon these ameliorations (as they were called) being submitted to the Colonists, they were astonished to find that they consisted only in a Lease of the Lands which the Government had admitted in the Preamble of their Bill to be validly purchased, and that Lease for a very limited period,—a measure which they are confident that the British Government had never conceived, nor would sanction, if passed by the Government of this Colony. That such a measure is not only, in the highest degree, unjust to the European population, who had made these Islands their home long before the interference of the British Government; but, it it is also, iL a still greater degree, unjust to the Aborigines themselves, inasmuch as they, who are acquainted with their habits and customs, well know that their only inducement to part with their lands to Europeans, was to encourage a white population among them, by which they might the better participate in the advantages of civilized life, and procure the arts and comforts of civilization in return for their produce, which, in all cases, after they had become acquainted with Europeans, has never failed to exceed the demand on the part of the latter thus shewing the superior energy and industry of the Native population. That the consequence of abstracting the European population from among the Natives, as contemplated by this Bill, would inevitably have the effect of rendering the latter discontented, and would deprive them not only of their accustomed articles of baiter, but would also take away the incentive to industry which now exists among them ; besides which, it would have the effect of rendering them jealous, as is already experienced, of the tribes adjacent to the principal European settlements, and would give rise to a bad feeling amongst them, which could only end in enmity and bloodshed, as well with Europeans as Natives. That the whole of these evils appear to be contemplated for the mere sake of trying an experiment of the system of “ centralization,” without taking into account that this country is thickly peopled in every direction throughout its vast extent with a Native race, who, under a wise and judicious system of government, would consume more articles of trade than the whole European population, and that they can only be supplied by fostering and establishing settlements wherever the Native population abounds, —thus creating a very great outlet for British goods, and receiving in exchange such articles of produce, as will always find a ready sale in the Australian Colonies, as well as in the Mother Country. That such a system of Legislation is unworthy of a country, which the commonest foresight and sagacity can predict, must, from its geographical position and hydrographical advantages, one day become the Britain of the Southern Hemisphere. The object of the Government of such a country, ought rather to be to legislate for the future prosperity of so important a Colony, than to sacrifice its present interests and its future destiny to a mere visionary theory, of which nothing more has been proved than that it has been found to fail wherever it has been adopted. Moved by C. B. Brewer, Esqr,, Barrister, and seconded by William Brown, Esqr. 2nd. That on acconnt of the numerous pledges and promises thus given, and in every instance, no sooner given, than broken on the part of the Government of this Colony, and above all on account of the manner in which the promised concessions of the Government, in regard to the “ Land Claims’ Bill” now before the Legislative Council, was exhibited yesterday in the amendments proposed by the Government, as well as from the discovery made through the candid, open, and generous opposition of the independent members, of a deep laid scheme on the part of the Government to d prive us, unjustly, of the whole of our lands, by means of a Bill so carefully and so sophistically worded, as to be utterly unintelligible to any person not thoroughly bred in the school of political intrigue and deception ; it is the firm belief of this meeting that the object of the Government, in proposing these amendments, was, to punish the original settlers for the firmness with which they have legally opposed the Government and maintained the rights and liberties of the British subjects in New Zealand. Moved by George Thomas Clayton, Esq., Bay of Islands, and seconded by Mr. Johnstone of the same place.

3. That on account of all the various reasons stat d, it can now no longer be concealed that this meeting has no confidence in the good faith of the Government of Ne v Zealand, and is fully convinced that it woul i be detrimental to the interests of both the Native and European population, as well as calculated, in an eminent degree, to reflect on the hitherto untarnished character of Great Britain, if the administration of the Govern-