THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 29, 26 November 1845, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT

"Wednesday, November 26, 1845.

The circumstances under which the Proprietors of the "Independent" again come forward to

compete for the favour and support of the inhabitants of We'lington and its neighbourhood, seem to call for a lew words of explanation-

Engaged as we have been almost from the

landing of the first settlers in working the press first established in New Zealand, we were by

the sale of that press, at the notice of only a few hours, deprived of our accustomed means

of earning a living. No blame is attached to any for this circumstance, such however was the fact. The business of printing necessarily tends to unfit the workman for heavy out-door labour, and, in the position of affairs in the Colony, there appeared no other resource than h.ave recourse -to that to us precarious means of support. We determined therefore to appeal to our friends and the public for assistance, in establishing another press, and the appeal has been responded to with so much* kindness and liberality, that we should in vuin attempt to make a suitable acknowledgement, or to express the feelings of gratitude which it has excited in us. We pLdge ourselves that we will endeavour to our utmost to promote the welfare of the community whose free gifc has placed us in our present position. With respect to politics we desire to represent the opinions of others, not as our own, but aloag with our own, and therefore invite communications ffora all persons who desire to express their opinions on the current topics of the day, reserving to ourselves only the necessary discretion of omitting those which do not -appear to possess sufficient, interest. We shall freely comment on the measures of the Local Government, endeavouring at the game time to avoid observations calculßted to,give personal offence. We shall also notice from time to time the proceedings of the New Zealand Company, and if not always in the laudatory tone which has been generally adopted, yet invariably with the desire to support its fair claims. 'We deem it unwise'to exclude from our columns the statement of fauts and opinions which bear upon the interests of settlers, because the existence of those facts and opinions may in itself be matter of. regret. .. We desire to present our readers with such information as will assist them in forming a correct judgment of the progress in England of opinions and of legislation affecting the colony, and also to collect such materials as may enab.'e-our friends in England to see more clearly the practical difficulties with which the settlers here have to contend. That New Zealand stands, if not first, at least among the first, of British Colonies, so far as climate soil snd position-are concsmed, is now ascertained. The claims of the settlers to protection and assistance from the British Government *re admitted. The danger still remains, that the benefits of British legislation may be lost for si time for want of sufficient iaformation as to the actual difficulties to be encountered in the settlement of the various | questions which have sprung up between the j Government aud the Settlers, the Government ] and Company, and the Company and Settlers or . Land Claimants under it. ! We have also to request information, and shall willingly insert accounts of all matters of local interest, accident*, offences,.improvements effected or proposed ; proceedings of Religious and other associations, and particularly of all facts tending to shew the difficulties and annoyances to which the settlers upon land are exposed from the want of proper titles to land, and the exemption of the native population from the control of British law.

o» THE NEW GOVERNOR.—CAPTAIN GREY.

The attention of the public being naturally fixed on the New Governor, it may be as well to lay before our readers such particulars as we lvive been able to collect respecting him. Captai'< Grey is in , the 81st Regiment of foot, and we believ •, about 35 years old. • His first appearance in the civil service of his country, wa3 as the leader of an exploring expedition into the north of New Holland, soon after the formation of the colony of South Australia. On that occasion, he traversed a considerable tract of country, and met with large tribes v of natives far more warldte and hostile than have j ever been heard pf.before. ,'His party was attacked by one of them and l.c rect ived a severe wrun ' from

a spear. He was compelled to relinquish the further pursuit of his undertaking, and after suffering srreat privations and hardships arrived in Spencer's Gulf, where he was joyfully received by the settlers who had given him up for lost. On Governor Cawler'mecall he was appainted Govt rnor of South Australia. We regret that we have not at hand an account of his administration during the beginning of his government of that co'ony, It is to be found in the "Sydney Morning Herald," and was read by many persons in this plsce abont fwo years ago. Therein is described the vigorous manner in which Governor Grey reduced the expenditure of the Local Government, from we believe i?lOO,00O per annum, to about i!3l,t!(io. Such a curtailment of the public money, of course,, occasioned great discontent. Hundteds of persons were thrown out of work as well as a large body of officials dismissed j the excitment being so great that mobs assembled around Government House, and the peace was with I difficulty preserved. During these tran'actions tbe Governor displayed the greatest moleration; exhibiting a mixture of amenity and firmness that was deservedly admired. Afterwrrds by rigidly adhering to a system of economy he succeeded in bringing the expe.iditure of the government within the income derived from the co'ony, as well as in inducing a great proportion of those who were idle or very little em,loyed in the town to quit it, and betake themselves to agriculture aud other pursuits in the country, The result was that the settlers from being impoverished and discontented became a thriving and a happy community. A considerable land fund now exists for defraying the expenses of immigration ; and population and employment for it, increasing ■ simultaneously ; and South Australia has a prospect of becoming an import mt dependency of the British Crown. That the colonists have appreciated these services cf the Governor, is proved by the regret and even chargria expressed by them on hearing that Captain Grey had been appointed to the Governorship of New Zealand, and that he is held in the very highest tstimat'ton by the Home Government, is proved by the .same fact. It has been reported, we believe incorectly, that Captain Grey isrelated to Lord He.wick but whether he belong to Lord Grey's family or not is of little moment. It 'v, however, impo-tatt to our fellow-colonist to know that Captain Grey wos intimately acquainted with many of the; np't intelligent promoters of colonization in Lo don ten yeara ago, tb*t he was one of the original members of the Colonial Society, and tint he thoroughly understands the subject of systema'ir; 'colonisation, Hence we have good ground for believing that the new Governor will see at a glance the vaiious errors on the part of the Local Government, as well as on the part of the New Zealand Company; from which have resulted all the grievances of the Company's Settlements. An old Colonist, at present in England, used to say that the interest of the settlers in Cook's Straits had been "crucified between two thieves," meaning the Local Government on the one hand, and the New Zealand Company on the other. In some respects there was perfect truth in this assertion. From previous knowledge, and from what Captain Grey has done in South Australia he would appear to be the man above all ethers able and willing to remedy the evils that gave rise to this strong expression. Theie is, however in New Zealand, a question which will be new to Captain Grey, and which is the backbone of every discussion amongst -us, namely—managing the Maories. The settlement of it would put the ability of the ablest man to a severe test. Great indeed will be the merit of the successor to Captain Fifzroy, if he succeed in mastering a subject to which a thousand difficulties have, been added by the short sighted policy of the Governor. As regards our settlements the readiest Avay to settle the Maori question would be to dissolve the noraical union between them asd the North, and confer independence on the Scuth. By no other method can a Governor of New Zealand give fair play to the advantages of our position in Cook's Straits, and do justxe to the different interests existing in the colony. It is, however, useless to speculate concerning the measures cf the new Governor on this vital point. We shall very soon know what they are from himself, and by them alone let him be judged. o By th« next vessel from Awckland we shall, no doubt, h ar of the arrival of lur Excellency Captain Grey at the seat of Government. We look for. ward wi'h much anxiety for the first public notification of the intended policy of our new ruler. So much depends upon this, the weal or woe of thr colony, th t «11 minor subjects sink into insignifi cance in comparison with ibis one great object.

Wk are glad to heir that New Zealand is beginning to attract favourable uttention in the sister colonies more especially in New South Wales. The u n :u voidable panic caused by the disastrous affairs jn the north seems to have reached a crisis, and better times are now anticipated even by those most dts. heartened at the breaking out of hostilities. The new appointment in the person of Captain Grey tlie welt-known and popular ruler of South Aus tialia, to the Governorship of New Zealand, has given universal satisfaction, not only to the settlers in this colony, who are more immediately interest, cd, but to the inhabitant* of Sydney. They antici pate that the. troubles of this unhappy land are on the eve of adjustment, and the knowledge of » more energetic ruler coming amongt us ha caused such a reaction in the public mind in the neighbouring colouies, as will prove productive to ourselves of the most beneficial results The tide of' re-2migration is new stayed, and we may shortly anticipate receiving considerable accessions, to our numbers, frcm those ph C e 5 which for some time have been locked upon, as 'cities of refuge," by our fell)w. countrymen iv these Llands.