NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1017, 23 March 1865, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND.

(Prom the Times.) The following letter hsa been addressed t . to the Right Hon. H. AMerley by Mr - Fitzgerald, a gentleman of. igrmti authority ' it) and influence in the colony :— i) " OkrateSinrch, Ife* ZiMlnod, ,d . ■■..■."■ .., ': *' Ut.V.'i4ilßM. :■ »- "Mi dssak AbdmbiiKT— Yobn*»yremember n tb*t three yttn.Bfto J «w6 y«a a tetter «ta tha «" iiAte «f this colony, wi» «b yoti nrbli*hed in the w Time*. and upon which'tie Timta did me the i- honor to comment ta a leading article. lam ', isdnccd to trouble yon-again foeeauiia I despair of any coiifJuakm to the perplexity foto wliinii tbfs cjrony b»s iftllen by ihe *itenmtioa of drivelling nad of vidntoa which oar Government has ex- + jiibiseddariO)Kthela«tthr««yf:'rra,unle!«thepeop!« of Kugland c«a be broafcht to sec matter* in their * true light. And I may cWm «om* eourfderatioa ! for epfoioßs wMea, tteadly hel i and exprened lor '1 t»]on(t&tlms, have be«n tsow fully justified by tlw 1 course of events. No doubt & great change „ h»u taken plac* in the view* on yonr tide of the v water; ior, wij*z*a*. tbtn public opinion was lv fat ar ot tbia uojoit war, and troops and inon*y ", without istitt were appllel to its vigorous prostti cation, ft te eletr that now oil, from ibo Govern« meat downward*, are u'ck nn-i diiguvted «t finding—what I lotd you at the time wo-ild be foand to bfc (ho ca«B~t«jot tho object iv view—the thrashing the »a'i«e« into Huoaiiwi ro— was one 1 imp-* ible to be achieved by the menu* *pp!se 1. * Bat, if we may judae twra th* number of leitera '' which libto appeared in 77«« Times, asd f«oa» the spteshe* in Parliament, the Inclination of_ the & Engiith in now to t -tow the whole oftheedtnm •" and b'a?DC on the co'o'iint*. and to deicribe them, 8 on n creed} atid rapa-ioun race whose mole object * is to dfßtroy the r.aliw, and to occupy the land 2 in their room. " On the other hand, it seems to he Ihe fiwhion f to ucatt the character of 8k Ueorge Grey, »nd ,to represent him aa istnndini? between the notices j and their oppressors, and as only hampered in his , benevolent ZeAxna by the jjreed and violence of > the colony. Haying, ever fsiooe I returned to the j , cotony !o 1830, opposed the policy which ha* be?n I pursued by our Government in native aff-iw, it Is j not for me now to deny that the conduct of the , colony, as a whole, has been such as to aubject ua r to the charge? which are now male. Kay, more, ; I have repeatedly and constantly urged on my : follow &tlonf*tiitli\t the counts they were pur*u- : int? wool'! luauredly bring upon them the_ die- , )?rac« which i» now attachfl-l to our prooeediocra. B4 I cannftt allow it to b« supposed that ihn Mtlnnv only !«to blame. Yob, at all eTCnta, tf>- , gather with thwe who nre at all acquainted with tbe course of event*, ma^t know tbar. tbosc eTeota are do© quire a* much to the policy of the Knglish Govframeit and to the conduot of tbu 'Jo?eruora who hare been placed over a*, ts to oiarnelTCs. Ho»wTcr nnwite the prooee'liogp of tho colony, they bare in a irrent me<uore arisen out of the "OTiriittona which Knglaod has forced upon »w, and as yours is half ?he fault, no yoa »re delmrred from iaii.-tinp that we shall bear a!! th-i blatne. " And, firet, let me point oat what co many of thn write™ and speafcerw in Knglatid aeeiu to be itj.want of, that Auckland is not tli« w^ole, or more than ft very small part of the colony of New Znalaatl. It export" les» pra<Suce than n!moat ;>ny other port. It due* not contain one quarter of tSifi popniati'm, or pay one quarter of the public rt-vr.ucs. Whatever intcr«;bt Auckland may ibavt in the continoance of the war, with ihe pros))cct of acquiring native lands, or with the tiain^diato «am ot a large ruilifary cxpendi* !«re, to the Mi'ldle Islsn'i the war haa been a hfavy bnrdon. witheat a Hhjid«rft<!eeiniiißft*ataro. Our credit is daroag-ii!, oar oubiic works are storpc-d, our money in laken aw iy to be expanded ia a diHtnat settlement with wbich iv« hiivn few relations, cc .rciol or other, and which i» p'incipaily known to v* as the wat of a Gavernment, who*edis«--ice and inace'Hibility make* it only a cioir op out progress. When the Woiiotaro difficulty first nroae, tiieMii^ile Island, which had really no more interest in the matter fli'in yon have in l>on lon, caiie forward in a loyal nnd piiiemus Np-rit t« support Qovernor Browne in a difficult am! critical position. lam one of thofl* who think fiat the Middle Isiand wa.v wrontr. and that tbfl wbo'c t»»Ucy of Governor Browne; and hi» Ministers ia that miserable iiffiir was a fearful mi-'tflk". But you nre t*wid when ynu talk of »Ncv; liand to give th<t Middle Island olonists ere >r ihe raoit loyal and <li* interested Bapport, «.i vac Governor iti a cause which cou'd in no powibSo eve»t result in other than eeriotw loss .3 th".m*e!ve*. And when bard language is ueatt out to us you arf> hoard to rememher that tbe whole poiicy of this war from first to last has been that of the Governors who have been set over us, anil who have been charged by tlie llomc(Jiovernm«l nt with thn sole rcnpbnstbility of conductinjr our native nil'uirs. But Ido not write now to defend the colony from aspersion for its past conduct, rather I want to impreos on you that England is still persisting in a course <•( folly which will Kuwiititill larper waste of blood and treasure, and must end in the disruption of all ties ?K>twcen the e-ottmy and the moth'.r country. You can have little'idea of the finllinfr effect on tin- colony of that perpntuul cry that Hir ti. Orc-y h the saviour of the natives, anil tlmt to him alone tho Government nm«t look for that fhir find righteoui deatiiic? widch tho colonists arc not dtepwW to nciKMii to their native neighbors. Whatever policy <his colony has aiapted pincc Sir G. Grey returned to tliii Government has be/m cither his own, or has received his full awnt. Nor can any distinction be made between the Governor and thn colonists in the action taken toward* the native*. ' On tbo contrary, n« on« of those whn hivo ever a<!vocate'l a ppac-fiil a»imini*irat|on of Ih.f pnvcrnrriont of the natives nnd who bailed th« arrivat of Sir 'leorce Grey i« tbo Cilony, in tire bops that hi* old reputed inflaenca wiih ihe uativea mi((ht!»» of Msrvi'ie in winding back their confidence. I, together with others, now lienoooc^ Sir (jooreft Gray an the folc cause of tho rutiewat of the native war. and n • hßtrinkr pursued a. trwe of conduct which has di Bltoyfd the la-t s)ir"rt of brisk a!:d eonfideneo whii*h the hostile tribes en!crtaia"d In our fnith and h'>no"- -*s it U T«ry ncowary that tbe truth shouU he known in thi> matter, I wili state to you a few facts, ths truth of which i s not to be disputed. And that it m iy not be nrfs«i that lam statiiiß thiDßs Sn England to which Pir G. Grey cannot r.'ply fur months, I will promtie you fo R»y nothing but what has bo~n mat1, i over nnd over ax>\n in ihe c bny- I hive myself brought l s»n;e «f these facts bef re lh» Hou*e of RepresenutJves wii^re they have tmt bean d nisi ; others you will find in the Nr-w Zealand J J»rliam«nt*ry paper?, "At the iir-it meetlnti; which Sir Q. Q -ey bal with the Wsikato tribe" he u«ed nn cxprcs«ion «rhich the nativff* bnve «<• ver fonrotten. He said be (ii'l not ir>te..d to otta«»k the Masrl Klutz; 'ha intended to die round him s" that ho vouM tumWe down.' On every occasion when they complain of some unexpected move they quota this expression. They ara always anticidatinur fome new cafty dwige on the part of the Governor. They nra in a state of" nioroso d^strntt ' Browne.' they sal'?, ' w.is a liswk. We could «<>« him in the air. Grey is a r«t~we do not Imow where he will come up ' At that mceiinu - the Governor had talked nt many things; bat li» («nH not & word of nuking a mtlitwy road to the Wfitksio. Three day* «fte!* he cams back so immenm b«lv of totdlera «c» at work makintr the road. Tho natives felt that they )sy) bena deceived, and they eai'f. 'Ko you think wa tire fools 1 Do you think we don't know tlmt the Governor means to attacks ua? What is the use of hi* coming here ana talking peace? What does be make that road for unless he means war?' TM« was the language u«d t* a friend of mine; and it prws tbar. Sir Gcotro Grey had managed to instil into the natives at an oarlv period im utter distrust of his pacific intentloas'—tt distrust which tlie event fully justified. I will mention another fact. Sir G. Grey obtained permission to erect on some land in tho Waiknto, belonging to a man named Te Whcoro, a school-house and court-house. He then had a plan made of a Btrontj bullet-proof military redoubt, capable of containing a strong body of troops. This wa<sent up into the w«« kato, but the moment It was commenced the ■ natives caw what was meant and took_ nlnms. i They pulled it down and threw the timber into the river. You can well Imagine tiieefil-ct of such ;an art of treachery on the native iitind. And yet ! this is one of tho acts of violence in the Waikato which is quoted as justifying the attack on that country. Yet this -was done by Sir George Grey himself; for the Prime Minister did not cym kaow of it when I mentioned it in tbe House. I

Yet liow could we expect the nttiven to put any fifth In us after that! Again, Sr.Q. Grey repeatedly prom bed that tbe affair of the Waitara purcte** should be inquired into and justice should be done. Yet for eighteen long monti* Jie madiy no Inqpiry and tottk no Btdi»i«Mte*iMr. inptiie-'niti'tcr.- He T^ent 'to Taranak! ia 1803, and there, after a few days, he carae to the conclusion that the <j»s* wwi one of *oclt jra** and bckioafi injuttiae a» tOKquir* that Ibc Wallara jlioa'd be Riven nfi mioiiCA, even im the face of the nlatudiior ri ocr eeeor* by ambtuii at Oaifnra, Yuvt are awste. that wb*n ihe war came to 8 temporary concju*kso, jurt before Governor BeowaeV rrc*lt, (he troow held some military potts on ifce Waltara, while tbo uativoi oecupftd the Satarafaisfca country, which they bod conqaered front the Bnglith. Sir G. Grey, aithotsch bo had many mental before promised to investigate the Waiuara care, and to do justice in St. proceeded early In IBfl3to roarota an army Into TlieTetsrsiniaVaio recover It, before h.iwnsrmarfe any inquiry at all into the facts of the Wai tarn. " Bat if tbe Waltars>*?« was so momtitonm as ho represented it, ws» it likely tbnt the natives wonld submit to the reconquest ot tbe Tauraimalta before jartia* b»I bctn done in the nft*r» ? Wag ft possible that an* other mult then war could chsimi 1 If the native* h*id only the same opiufo-i as !o tbe wrcntf done at WaUarn wh'cli fir G. Grey ban hlnwelf fxprewid in bU de*patobe», surely tj»ey were fully justified bosb ia right &nri in law in their muitame to each a wicked ajigrewien. Therefore, one (it two tblnn» jDU«t b# true. KSthw tbe cots of tie oecupariou of the Waltara t y Governor B:owne wan not *uch as Hir George Grey biw repre««iited if,; or, if he fea* deteribed It honestly, he Is himc«df guilty of a repetition and aggravation of lb« wrong by making-war on thetntiiTeft at Taiarainuika, be. -forehebal? taken n "ingle (top to era*! the cruel injustice under which bo ban liim'elf represented th'tn to he smartim?. It >n to this ntujjutone of Kir O. Grey rbat tbe whole of the renewal of the war ib doe, and how tbin ixtrtordfaary man csn, af'cr this, hive contrived to hoodwink the Engifah pablfc into ths Men thut the administration of thin colony b»s hcon one of peace I eanuot eves eneas. Sir Q. Grey then returned with tbe srra> to Auckland, and planned tbe iovMioa of tbo Woikati country.. You hsva heard it ttHici that the Waifcato waii Invaded became the Wniitnto tribes were about to invade .Auckland. 1 can only say that tbe resolution to invade Waikato wai taken lonjc before there was any report of such an intention. Kewl, tbe chief of tbe Keratinianiaputnt, Li 3, undoubtedly, recommended tbe Taraniki tribrt to stack th? soldiers at Taiarairnakr, bat it van perfectly well kr.own tlmt all the chiefs of tbe lower Waitbto were oiiposvd to thtit conrw. Bo many feiseho'ds h&ve be«n flprem] nbcnr, end that from higb quartern, to jnntify this wicked act of iuvaslou—oae planned and exectitwl by Sir Q. Grey himself- -that it is newnarv for m« to nconre you that uutil the Ooyprnor invaded TaUmimtka before incjuirinr? into Wnftara. an he had promlned, Woikato wa«_ perfectly quiet, cumbtrs of fingliah families )i?iii|; throu shout ths wboio eiiitrict in perfccl security. When Tatarai mi ka wan iuvadled -in other words, wben (iicy bcenn the war at Bin exactly where Colonel Brown hid left it eff-a thrill of fear ran iiko wlMflre tbrooshoot all the tribes. The WailtatM caw the time of their inv«i«ton was drawing nigli. They began to send the Europeans out of their district; but no act of rioleuco aKainstaDy Knglifthinan took piace, until (ieneral Cameron croHrd «be MaDU^afawhiri &nd marched into tbe Wsikato country. Timn came Koheros, then the murder* of the out sfittierH. But that was after we Jiad iava'le'l th«ir oovotry—not before. •' I will state one fact more—the moat Important, f think, of alt. " After the taking of ilangariri the natives sent to sue for peace. 'J'hfi Uo»ernor replied that the General must no usii.terrupiet! toNßarniwahia, the Maori kiritr'f) (ilao-, aud thnt ilitn he [ wou!<ltr<"iitwiththffm 'i'hanati»e:'replied that the | I Heneral ►hoal'l go there, snd than ihry would treat, j i They immediately withdriiw all tlicir forojs to th« WJUthwat-d of KKnrunvahia, and <"ur itrmy n»-nt up nnd occupied it wiihoat opp;*ilion, pus-pi.-iiT a defile wlii'h might have bran readily (icfvn te<! no an to c.ui3<' ut grttnt. trouble and lam. NoiwitbKeamling that the : iltmn faith of tbe Governor had ben ple«tgcd that nejtotiaiion* (ihou)tl be opened for j<ea'pc, no commuoication of on; kind whatfiver wm i>>ado to the natiren Tlie army continued to arlrauce und the natives to fight with tho cour.je of tfespair. It is tbe opinion of many in ihia country thatju.it as favorable tetaie of peace could have tyifsa obtains! affcr Eangarirf, as will tven siow ever b* mad« after all the fubgrqueut, and, as we believe, uiHfcciaary slauuhter. You will find the evidence of tlnse facts in thi; Se^nioiii)) papers of 18G3. Tbe letter of Peoo Pukewha nnd the O»v----ernnr'a rep'y will be found In i& No. 5 D, pp. 6, 7 8 " After tlicpo occurrencca I hold that tho estimation in which Sir G. Grey is hold by the tintives is such tlint no lasting or honorable peace is at all possible through hi* agency ; and I roprret to say that the confidence with which lie has inspired tho European population is of the same cliara<:ter. " Bat the question of maja importance to us all h, not what has this particular Governor or that done, but how is the colony to be governed, and by whom? Duriiic Governor Browne's time the Governor was alone charged with tho conduct of native aflairs. When Bir O. Grey arrive*! he recommended that the native matters should be placed under the local Ministry, as all others had been previously placed. Tho JJukc of Newcastle assented, and dinrgwi the colony wit i ail responsibility for the future. But the colony, rcscuting the language bis Grace wm pleased to use, which seemed to intimate that the Home Government having «ot tho colony into a aor«pe would leave It to set out as it <oald without further assiitanee, de.lined to accept th« r^pansibility offtred. The Duke a^ahi wrote decJitiing to atter the tlfc'»iMi of the hone Government, «nj Jncistic^ that the co'ony ninst in fu'ure pursue iv own oonree. The Assembly formally accepted the t-ust, mo thrunt upon it in ihe ■"•c^sion of 18G3. nnd Im miidiately voted thr t e mil ions of roouev to carry out the war to a com.'losir»r>. Now, I am not iiruuing tb'it the policy of 1863 wtia r'ftbt or wise one '11 I Bay if, it wa« mioptedin tli" faith, on the solemn promise, tba" the colony slioa'd de tcrmine its own eourae for the future It waa in faith of the ulei'ge given that wesboold ilo as we iho o iv nitive mailers, and that the Govercor fih'iul.-i f.Alow the a'lvice of his Miniutera, tbnt we v tail tie in noy last je>r. Ido r.ot li9«-itat<? to my that tbfsfc money wou'd nevtr have be«n Kmn'ed uulim tbe colony hid been ao'entnly asavired that tbe money would be expended iv the prowcution of a ptltcy dictated by the OoJoni'J Gov"rnn»<?iit unfetter-d by instructions frnm Bucland. If this van not tbe me >niri(? of bestowing on the colony responsibility in mtivti affairs, what did it mean? Wei), no sooner had the colony taken this «erioug »t?p than iust.uctions are sent hy Mr Cardneli. utterly violating' the engagement not only entered into, but force'l ot us by the D 1 ike of Newcastle, Jirectine; the Governor to act on hia own responsibility without, or even contrary to, tlw adviw of bis Minktcra. Wow, can yon .<uppose that tbe tjo!ony will submit to thi« olayiip? last und loone? fttsght we submit to it! You msy say that England has a full right to interfere when her troops nre ftnployw!. *dmtttett. If you don't lik«> th<j «inployment of tbe troops, by all means take ttiem iway. We cannot complnin if y-n io tbat. Bat, tnstea-l of doiu^ thai, you leave the Iroone and infcrfere with onr policy—almo«t • before the ink is dry on the paper in which you promised you would not do so " Bit the <lwa9trous part of yonr poliny In that you are destroying a!l pubiin lifo amonjr wl What man of indeptn-lence will take ofHcs if nil bia hbonrs are likely to be prostrated by the caprioe of the Governors .-itting nnder mjtractiona from home. Believe me,, yoa cannot make tespons-ble govercruont wnrk in the colonies ut.lfisis you allow tbe Mioiawra to feel the full weight «if their ponitjun *>« the adviaern of the Crown within tbe limit's of tbe colony. Instead jf thi.', you are asking n* simply "to play like Jhildren at responnibl* eovernment. We will not io thin. Jf you cad given v* full mpoßaiblHty jeaxß Htm, and had ateodily refused a* all military awsmtttnee beyond your normal contribution So oar defunce, we ehoaid have had no war; The jolnny i» now raoidlv chiDKintr, and eoini? fn •gainst the war. Why ? B«taa»e ir, is stiifering in its pocket. Why has n»x party—the pmee party —never been ob!a to carry our views? Besiuse yon deprived net of oar ulronttest arfjnnent—that tlio war would1 not pay-that we wuld not afford it. You not only fliadle "wer for «, relieving us of the expense for somoUino, but )y the eaonpuim commteaiiat oxpeoditttie you

made it a goad speculation—at all events, to a part of the colony—to contiaiie (he war. You give us responsible Government with one hand,, and with tue other destroy all tbe influences by \ which party Government operates. You give vi! na eixtnnotai temptation to do wrong, ant! then, abuse twfar doing it ._ "I am cure yoei must now make up your miod in England to one of Mo courses. ,TU» Home Government intwt abeolutelv abstsia from, any interference with tho Cotonial Govemmeot,, '~ and must Ib»vc vs to work out tlie problem as bent we m&y, or you must tak • the Northern Island into your own hands and eorern it, and pay for governing it, hb you like. The Midi'Je island must, in tbat ene, fe made a ««parate icotaiy. I think you will find that colony will decline tli©. offer of troops on the terms you set on them. I thhk you will soon b» t>.ld by the colony that it wiii viteno nnore money at all for natire nfiairs nnle*B ft i« aitowett to have unfettered control. Bat, Above a 1!, joa ramt be toll that those wiio have Inhonjd lv the «w*?of pea re for years, and who have seen all they hare t-tnvett lor wrcokt d by tbe craft snd dupHieity of Sir G. Grey, cannot patiently sufxnit toisee a char never for phiianthopy claimed by on; Io whom alone tbe whole of the wax tor the last two y«;ir* is <ioe ,; and whwse conduct at thi" mement, aclinir u» he is withcot any lOotatry (it at!), i* merely aeapiog up foe Mb *ttere**or trouble and difficulty, which be is himself iiteajnblt of mfeting. I warn y-iu that tbe tine Sir Q. Ori-y is now taking- wiiti the Datives will land y>u in another war boton very lonp. " I hnvo ouly one wordfto bat in conclatior. Ton will hear some fco!i«b people lay, if the tronp* are remred, tbe co'oaute will kiil all 'be natives. Notbinir ran be mo-a ab-ard. Tbe colony is not so willy as to wafte I's money in any «uch erlventure. Yon have been filly enough to let u« waste a few million* of your money ; bat the moment it cotn«s io wasting our own, the colony bepin*, a& it hns now bejruo, to m\i oat for reace. Thi* demand for peace wudd hare com« two ywmi bro hid yea ' sot allowed lou.raeive* to be batnboozEed by tie p^irty iv the col. Ny whine interest it hw been to prolong the war into supplying n« with tbe mesv a of fightipg gntuL The Dnke of Aewcaetie could r.ot have known want he w«a dti.-g when be offered u« rtjipo'nnibHity with oat giving u» tl>e commend of, and rtqu'irUip a* to pay for, the traps. It w a farce. Bat it cannot go on. You moat m»s«cd the Constitution in the Northern I'liod,, and govern it like a Crown colony, leaving tbc Mi<i<He liland as a reptrate colony, or yoa must let the whole thins; nlcme, nnd let the colony m«n*ee In own affairs, which I hive the most perfect confidence it can do perfectly well."