TO THE EDITOR ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENTS

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 13, 14 May 1845, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENTS

REMOVAL OF GOVERNOR FITZROY. Sir,—Since Capt. Fitzroy's arrival in New Zealand, he has not acted the part of a man of sound mind. Led away by some visionary belief in the qualifications of aborigines, he has pursued a course, which in all likelihood will tend to the extirpation of the Maori race. Besides which, he has brought the colony over which he presides, to the verge of ruin. Unfortunately, as you have so often stated in your journal, there is no acknowledged law by which a mad Governor can be removed. But though such is the case, I do not see why the settlers of any colony afflicted by the presence of such a man, should not pass the Rubicon. Were we situated at a less distance from Old England, we should not have the excuse that we possess now, and might be stretching a point too far in effecting the removal of an insane man. But when the conduct of his Excellency actually affects the lives of 10,000 of his countrymen, ought they to pause? Surrounded as the settlers are by pressing and imminent dangers, should they long remain quiescent, or hang back from assisting in removing the man, who from the tenour of his proceedings, will bring destruction on them all. I do not advocate physical force, for I possess sufficient sense to know that we should defeat our own object by showing a disposition to use it. But let each settlement publicly proclaim Capt. Fitzroy'a incapacity to fill with honor to his country, the post he now fills. Let a Public Meeting be called in each district, and steps taken to make known the universal voice against his Excellency. And I call upon you Mr. Editor, to set it on foot in this town and neighbourhood, and, believe me when I say, you will find numbers to back you. Call upon Colonel Hulme to take the command out of Capt. Fitzroy's hands, for the honor of Old England. If the gallant Colonel does so, he will receive the thanks of the colonists here, and of our countrymen in England. I remain, Sir, Your's respectfully, Clinker.

Nelson, May 2, 1845. Sir, —In a recent number of your paper and also of the Wellington Spectator, I observe that I am somewhat roughly handled on account of a comparison I drew at the dinner of the Agricultural Society here, between the Wellington and Nelson statistical returns. I was hurt on reading the remarks referred to, to think that the Wellington settlers did not know me better, than to snppose I could have any desire to detract from the merits of their settlement, and that they could discover any such intention in the observations that I made with the view of encouraging those whom I was addressing, in the enterprizing pursuits which during the past year had been attended with very satisfactory results. Read at a distance in the grave columns of a newspaper the remarks I made may have borne a different aspect, but I am confident that if the readers had been present when the remarks were made, they would have received them in a different spirit and have spared an old fellowsettler the observations you have bestowed upon him. Peihaps the matter is scarcely worth noticing but I regret any thing which might tend to estrange these settlements from each other, and am therefore unwilling to allow the opportunity to pass of assuring you, that you have misapprehended the feelings with which my observations were made. I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant. William Fox.