TO THE PUBLIC.

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 1, 2 April 1845, Page 2

TO THE PUBLIC.

Various reports were circulated yesterday, by one or two persons calling themselves gentlemen, endeavouring to injure our paper in the estimation of the colonists, so as to obtain subscriptions from the inhabitants to enable them to carry out a crotchet peculiar to the brains of a few. We hold parties who can descend to such subterfuges to be beneath

notice, but they have had the cowardice to attempt to blast the hopes of five individuals, honestly endeavouring to procure a livelihood for themselves, and to benefit the Colony, Of the truth of the statements uttered, our friends will soon be enabled to judge. We will only state that we have not a J. P. among our number to ask for subscriptions, or a Jack Pudding to collect gossip and scandal.

The last number of the New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Straits Guardian furnished the settlerneoJ;| t with the disastrous results which have ensued to the British subjects, of Eutopean origin, by the successful outrage upon peace, law, and order, on the part of the British subjects of native origin, at the Bay of Islands. Outrage of the description was palpable to all persons in the habit of reflection, and possessed of the experience* needed to anticipate the consequences of proceeding in violation of sound principles and justice. The impolicy of the line of action so obstinately pursued by the Government has been pointed out, for years past, by several journals in various parts of the Colony, and elucidated by setting forth, from time to time, the necessary and mischievous consequencs as they arose. The climax is attained, but unhappily, as too often occurs, at the expense of hundreds of innocent individuals. The Colony has long been upon the threshhold of inevitable difficulties; and though naturally unwilling, the Colonists have been forced to enter and endeavour to contend with them, and though, owing to circumstances over which they have no temporary defeat has ensued, we feel a profitable advance has been made. Nothing is more mischievous to our best interests than being kept in a position which may be termed paralized, and that has long been the painful condition of this Colony. None can doubt the issue of the present contest, and men will rejoice that they are placed in a position to cope with, and assuredly conquer the enemies of peace and happiness. Towards the natives we have always entertained the most friendly feelings, and have hoped, and been sanguine too, that we were animated with principles which, if they could be applied, would be mutually beneficial. We did, in the early stage of the Colony, flatter ourselves, that we should be able to point to New Zealand as an example of the benefit of acting upon enlightened and generous principles towards those who have not had equal advantages with the British born subject. We do not despair of being able yet to call attention to this Colony as an example of which all the settlers may well be proud. Painful as the circumstances which have arisen are, we feel confident the settlers do not blame the native population ; but attribute all the mischief, and properly, to the infatuation of the Local Government, and to the false philanthropy of inexperienced enthusiasm in Great Britain. The natives have been invited by mistaken policy to adopt proceedings as detrimental to themselves as to the settlers. They were unintentionally, we sincerely believe, urged on to a course, which none can justify; but it would be an unprofitable proceeding to proceed to the proof of this. It is for us, holding, as we are entitled to do, the Home Government responsible for all the evil which has ensued, to point in that direction. Let the people of Great Britain but feel that the cause of. all the mischief is at home and our remedy will be found to be at hand! A vicious system of Goverment will now be exploded. It can no longer be sustained. The evils it produces are but too palpable. We may safely anticipate change. Loud will be the denunciations in England against the Colonal Office and we shall profit by them, and we say therefore let none under the temporary influence of fear, be induced' to abandon this fruitful land, and most promising of all Great Britains Colonies. Those who would abandon the settlement at this moment cannot be men, and they may go further and fare worse.

Let us endeavour to regard our prospects as arising out of recent events.- Great Britain has never been known voluntarily to yield a colony she had established. Her tenacity is as proverbial as it has sometimes heen profitless. We doubt in fact whether

John Bull appreciates anything for which he has not paid dearly. This is a vulgar love, but a good guarantee to New Zealand. It is palpable now that to be properly colonized New Zealand must be conquered, and John Bull's pride will cause him to conquer and to colonize it. He may do so profitably with an imperceptible amount of his enormous surplus and positively mischievous capital now wearing out his breeches "pockets. He will do so. Immigration has long ceased and especially from home; and emigration is taking place, but this we would endeavour to prevent by placing the settlers prospects before our readers. Immigration cannot be renewed yet awhile, but at no distant date it will be renewed and thousands upon thousands will resort to this land, and we conscientiously state we feel convinced, if doomed to leave their mother country they will not be able to find a better land in which to obtain peace and plenty. But before immigration from home on a large scale, can be renewed security must be guaranteed ; and we may have in the meantime to deal with severe trials, alike for our present security and future profit, as men will not fail to do who are descended from a good stock. But though we cannot look for the civilian and his capital we may calculate with confidence upon soldiers, sailors and Government expenditure. We feel confident of an agumentation of our numbers forthwith of classes invaluable to us, under present circumstances, with at the same time the of dipping our hands freely into John Bull's pockets. Our colony must be a battle-field of the only profitable kind. John Bull will send his people to fight and will pay us for awarding him the space whereon to do so. Be assured of this. And though we may not have peace just yet, as a consequence we shall have plenty; and at no distant date we shall have peace and plenty. We say therefore, there is hope, and let us be prepared to make a long pull, a strong pull and a pull altogether like men, and we will yet attain the purposes which induced us to come to a land unsurpassed in soil, climate or anyother advantages.

Our readers must all be aware of the recent lamentable and disastrous collision at the Bay of Islands, in which we not only have to mourn over and regret the deaths of thirteen of our countrymen, the wounding of many more, the spoliation and destruction of the Town of Kororarika, and the utter ruin of an entire community of industrious individuals ; but to reflect with shame on the disgrace which has been inflicted on the honour of bur common country. To the causes which have led to this conflict, we purpose devoting a small space ; not but what our fellow-colonists are as fully and perhaps as equally well informed on this subject as ourselves, but merely to show in the columns of this journal, the folly and inhumanity of ever again carrying on a system of imbecility so fraught with danger to the aborigines of a country, as that pursued by the Local Government of New Zealand.

The WVirau Massacre occurred in June, 1843. That sanguinary and brutal affair was soon known throughout the length and breadth of the island. The natives looked-on—as-tonished ; the Europeans waited with confidence for the arrival from England of a new Governor, who ultimately came in the person of Capt. Fitzroy. The Maories expected on his arrival that summary vengeance would be taken for their misdeeds; the colonists relied upon justice being done.

We need not repeat what was said, by his Excellency, at Waikanai, r: again give publicity to the Missionary-canting-jargon of the crafty Te Rauparaha. .Suffice to say that nothing was done or threatened, and from that hour may be dated the birth of a legitimate full-grown native hostility. But Capt. Fitzroy had sown the wind, and was soon to reap the whirlwind. For him to have publicly proclaimed impunity for the Wairau Massacre, was bad ; but it was a hundred fold worse, when the parties implicated in that affair are considered. Had the murderers been civilized men, the conduct of Captain Fitzroy would have been duly appreciated, and the fear of ever again failing into the clutches of the law, would have kept them quiet. But those concerned were savages in every sense of the word—possessing onfy the minds of children, with the physical power of men, as well as all the worst and most ferocious passions which afflict human i>»«n r o That men would reflect or think was needless to, expect; and others of their countrymen soon evinced a desire to equal Rauparaha and

Rangihaeata in their acts against the colonists since none were overawed by a fear of that power, which the natives formerly conceded to the laws of our country. About four months after the interview at Waikanai, the seed sown by Capt. Fitzroy began to flourish in the north, and " Honi Heki" appeared on the field. Johnny in his first, essay, which was merely a feeler, cut down the British Flag Staff at the Bay of Islands, and committed numerous atrocities. Had the Governor at that time paid Johnny according to his deserts, the British Flag would still have been waving on the shores of the Bay. After Heki's success, Heu Heu appeared at Wauganui, followed successively by disturbances at Nelson, and in our own neighbourhood. The whole is summed up by the lats frightful tragedy at the Bay of Islands. Every thinking mind can thus trace the fruits of the temporising' policy pursued towards the natives engaged at the Wairau. In fact, each chief as he appeared on the stage, referred to the unpunished acts of his predecessors, as reason sufficient for his conduct. We now fain hope and trust that no side policy will be further pursued; if the system is carried on, we would not give a groat for the live 3 and property of the settlers in New Zealand. But we believe his Excellency will now see the error of his way, and that justice will be done on all those who have disturbed the tranquillity of the various settlements. Let firmness tempered with mercy be the order of the Government, and all will yet be well —but if that is not done—we see nothing but a dark and gloomy horizon before us.

Shore Whaling.—We are glad to perceive the activity which pervades our port in consequence of the approaching whaling season. Our merchants seem all alive to this important branch of our resources, &nd small craft are constantly sailing to, and arriving from, the different stations belonging to Port Nicholson. Some three hundred men will leave our neighbourhood to employ themselves in the hazardous business of whaling, and we heartily wish them that suci-ess which from the nature of their pursuit they so richly deserve. The first month of the season, May,' will soon be at hand, and we fain hope that at the conclusion of the season, no one engaged in the transaction will have cause to regret the amount of money which he may then have to receive.

Owing to the news from the north, the volunteers muster very strong every evening, on Te Aro and Thornden Flats. The inhabitants now seem to feel the necessity of learning military exercise, for the protection of themselves, their wives, and their property. They may never be called to turn out for the protection of the settlement, but they lose nothing by being prepared, and perhaps may be the means of averting even the contemplation of an attack on the place.