ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, January 17, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 780, 22 January 1853, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, January 17 , 1853.

Sib,— The writer ityling himself "Metoikoi," wishing to dimtge the character of Sir George

Grey, has inflicted on the public four dense columns of letter-press in the Independent in an attempt to prove — what? that Sir George Grey preferred preventing any evil results which might possibly have resulted from a momentary error of judgment of Earl Grey, by quietly correcting the | Colonial Minister's error, instead of gratifying '* Metoikos" and sundry disappointed land claimants, by attacking the chancier of that nobleman. Luckily, both for .himself and New Zealand, Governor Grey was no alarmist, for, had he echoed the opinions of the alleged terrified Northern settlers, he would have been rewarded with similar abuse to tha| subsequently utfairly bastowed on Governoi Eyre for repeating officially the terrors of the Southern faction at the e»rthquakes »f 1848. The leaders of the faction, the present allies of Metoikos, have always derided the Treaty of Waitangi, and scouted the very idea of acknowledging any native right of ownership to the unused land of New Zealand ; in fact, their bitter hatred to Lord Stanley and their ceaseless abuse and opposition to every Governor who has ruled New Zealand, has arisen from the refusal of the local Government to eject the natives by force from the hereditary freeholds which the natives bad never sold or alienated ; the Government, wisely preferring the juster, and even eventually the cheaper mode of buying fairly and peaceably the land from the natives. The des- | patch of Eat! Grey, so opposed, in the opinion of Chief Justice Martin and the Bishop, to maxims of justice and souui policy, (and if cartied oat rendering the peYraanent presence, of an army in New Zealand indispensable, as only by force could it ever become practically the law of these islands) was hailed with clamorous applause by the Southern faction, who imagined that they j foresaw an endless commissariat ' expenditure j flowing indirectly into their pockets. * Mostly en- i gaged in trade, few or none of them cultivators | of the soil, their own homes Covered by the guns of British ships, they cared little for the property j or lives of the poor scattered peace-desiring settlers ; in fact, from the first, tbe faction shewed a ceaseless desire for a war* which would end by crushing, if not exterminating, the natives, and they were prepared to g<J far greater 'lengths than those suggested in the despatch of Earl Grey. Earl Grey was misled, in reversing the just views before adhered to by Lord Stanley, by the cla- \ mours of tbe venal press of the Southern settlements, by which be seems to have been thoroughly deceived, but be honorably withdrew tbe j offensive portions of hit instructions when convinced of their impolicy by Governor Grey. However noble the motives of the deservedly respected high functionaries alluded to by " Metoikos," in this case they resemble in wisdom the chaplain and lieutenant of a frigate imprudently paralyzing the crew by shouts of fire on seeing! smoke rising from the hatchways, whilst the Governor resembles a prudent captain ordering them to go quietly to their stations till the danger was averted. Critically placed as Governor Grey then was, it was a great victory to avoid alike a contest of races, and avert any stigoo* on tbe home Government. It is doubtless grievous to '■'Metoikos" and the Governor* other personal enemies that Sir George should have so adroitly extricated himself and the colony: from tbe dilemma caused by Earl Grey's despatch, without imprudently directing public anger on the Colonial Office by holding up the Colonial Minister to factious abuse, or plunging the colony into civil warfare.. . Beset by difficoltiesj »ntt surrounded by elements of anarchy that might have puzzled Cardinal Richelieu, be saved the colony by a course of policy from which no evil has ever resulted to either the settlers ofcrtbe native*— and the colonists regard the attacks of "Metoikos" on his person and policy as the spiteful but harmless hiss of a toothless adder. With reference to the intended insult in the conclusion of " Metoikos' " tirade, I would merely observe, that I admire Sir George Grey the more for having earned his rank by his own courage, exertions, and self reliance, and I heartily wish that, like him, every settler could repeat of himself with truth, the speech of the proud comrade of Diomede :—: — So far our deeds ercel our fathers' fame, Oar glories darken their diminished name. I remain, your's truly, AN OLD COLONIST. '