THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT.

Wellington Independent, Volume II, Issue 66, 30 May 1846, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT.

Saturday, May 30, 1846.

If the welfare of this settlement were unaffected by the opinions put forward as those of the settlers, it would be very interesting to watch the exceedingly clever game a cotemporary is now playing. Its object is to excite and keep up a quarrel between the settlers here and the Local Government of New Zealand, for what purpose we may be able to discover hereafter. Captain Grey, when here, by his straightforwardness, his readiness to receive and to afford any information which could be of service to the public, the pleasure he evinced at observing the pro* gress made by the settlers, the deiermination he expressed to form proper roads and bring the neigbouring District under British authority; above all, his acting in some of the most important steps he took, upon the advice of the Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company, had Completely deprived the faction of the Company of any opportunity of direct attack. It was necessary to prepare the public mind for such a purpose, hence the abuse of the Government officials in this district right and left. After this has continued long enough to satisfy any reasonable person that the whole of them are an idle, careless, incompetent, and unworthy set, a cautious attempt is made to transfer the responsibility to Captain Grey wi h a saving—if— . That movement being observed by the public without any marked displeasure, another step is advanced, and now a gentle tap is given without We find that " Wellington and its neio-h bourhood are more in jeopardy than it has ever been since its foundation, and that unless something decisive be done with the rebels, the result of Capt. Grey's proceedings will have been exceedingly disastrous to this settlement."

And is this the result of a movement repeatly, continually, and most offensively urged, when there was not a sufficient force in the settlement, without a word for more troops. Has not a simple demonstration been sufficient. With the Calliope in the harbour, the troops in the Hutt and at Porirua, the Militia, the Volunteers and the armed native allies, all ready to resist them, do the rebel natives need to be "crushed" in order to be convinced of British superiority, and prevented from " dealing indiscriminate ruin and destruction throughout the Land.'* What becomes then of all those objurations upon the authorities for having omitted to drive the natives out of the Hutt when there were only 150 soldiers in the settlement. If that proceeding of Capt. Grey, which took place at the express instance and request of the New Zealand Company has with the forces at present in the neigh! hourhood of Wellington placed the settlement in jeopardy, who will say what would have been the consequence had it been attempted with the small force in this settlement before Capt s Grey's arrival? And to whom are the settlers in a great degree indebted for having no stronger force Lre at the present time 7 What public body in a deliberate proposition made to the Home Government, stated that a small number of troops would be sufficient for the settlements in Cook's Straits, [See New Zealand Company's Report on the proposition for forming the Province of Victoria.] . What object can be gained for the settlers by involving them again in a quarrel withthe Local Government? None what ever, we believe, at all events none of a beneficial character. "But" says some one who considers the Englishmna's ri,ht

to grumble, 1 corresponds with his ohli™. tion to pay taxes, " tf wo gain nothing j™ crying out against Captain Grey we shad lo a c nothing." Is it so ror;ain tn'at no i n: jury can arise to the settlement from a groundless opposition to Government. The New Zealand Company has notful£tl| C cl ft 3 engagements to the se tiers, it has evinced no intention of doing so. On the contrary as a writer in the Spectator has well J v [ forth, in on article which probably C umo nearer the truth than he intended, the settlors have bom injured by the Company that like the cries of a beggar's brat, thi'ij sufferings might attract for its bout-fit the attentive sympathies of the British Houso of Commons. In its celebrated reply to Dr Evans, the settlers of whose sufferings anu pie use had been made, were coolly recommended to the tender consideration of the Government, after all the resources placed by the House of Commons at the disposal of" the Government, for promoting the i n . Crests of this ha&been exhausted for the benefit of the Com|rany, There is no probability that the purchasers of land to which no title has been obtained,will be compensated out of the land recently ac-" quired by the Company, except by the in." tervention of Government. And with what prospect of relief will the settlers after running for ten years at the tail of the Company, and joining in every attack upoti tire Government, whether reasonable or otherwise, apply to the Government to obtain them redress from the Company. How obviously it is the interest of the [ Company to keep the settlers embr<riled with tho Government. But should settlers suffer themselves to be bo kept. We think not. As to that part of tire press in this set-, tlement which arrogates to itself the ex. elusive privilego of representing public opinion, We leave to the common sense of our readers.whetherit is likely.tbat a new*, paper which has not expressed consistent opinions for a fortnight, or even four days together, is likely to create in readers elsewhere very favourable impression of the Port Nicholson settlers for steadiness of purpose, and absence of factions motives.