To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator, and Cook's Straits Guardian.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 3, 26 October 1844, Page 2

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator, and Cook's Straits Guardian.

Manners-street, Tuesday morning, October 22,1844. Sir,—l believe you sincerely desire the pros- v perity of the-colony, and would be sorry to publish any thing in your paper which might

have an opposite tendency. But, in order to prosperity, vre want the hearty co-operation of all parties. Now I submit to you, whether the tone of your remarks about Missionaries in the leading article of last week, Was calculated to secure their hearty co-operation. Most of the Missionaries of my acquaintance sympathize deeply with their fellow-settlers, and would gladly do any thing, or make any sacrifice, to promote their interest. They cannot forget that they are Britons— God forbid that they should!— and every thing that concerns Britons concerns them. It greatly pains them that they cannot prevent the natives from pursuing their present course, though they are as sensible as yourself of its evil, and would feel pleasure in persuading them to more friendly feelings and actions towards the white population. My special object however is to point out a slight mistake into which you have fallen, with reference to Otago. The question you propose goes to shew that the'^atives there are better than those in our neighbourhood, because they have not had Missionaries, &c, till recently. Now, Sir, Otago has had a resident Missionary longer than either Taranaki, Wanganui, Port Nicholson, or Cloudy Bay. Hopttfg that you will only beatow censure where it is deserved, I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, Samuel Ironside. [We can only say, that we mentioned the missionaries incidentally, and always in conjunction with the Protectors, in the article Mr. Ironside alludes to. We doubt not Mr. Ironside is correct in stating that one missionary was stationed in the Middle Island some time ago, but this fact does not impugn our argument, that the natives in that part of New Zealand have been less interfered with by both Protectors and Missionaries than elsewhere, and that they are on that account more civilized than the natives in the Northern Island. — Ed.]