THE "Wellington Independent." Wednesday, January 8, 1851.

Wellington Independent, Volume VI, Issue 547, 8 January 1851, Page 2

THE "Wellington Independent." Wednesday, January 8, 1851.

We have, by the last mail, received another letter from Mr. Wright, the Secretary to " The New South Wales Association for preventing tho revival of Transportation," in which he again cjaims, on behalf of the Association, the support and co-operation ofthe New Zealand Settlers, in- tho great and noble Attempts at present being made, both by the Colonists of New South' Wales aud Van Diemen's Land, to divert henceforth aud for ever from their shores that vast stream of crime, which for so many years has been let loose upon them by the Mother country. TheScttlersof New Zealand both in the Northern and Southern Province, have so repeatedly and unanimously recorded their determination, to resist to the very utmost of their power, any attempt of the Home Government to make their adopted country a Penal Colony, that we feel assured, they will respond most cordially to the appeal for the second time made to them, to lend ithelpinghaud to their fellow colonists in Australia. It is true indeed, thatthereisno chance (andprobablynever was a chance) of New Zealand beiu'gmude a receptacle for England's criminals, as long as the native race exists. For how-

ever anxious the Colonial Minister might ut one time have felt to degrade New Zealand into a convict Colony, ho must long since have become convinced that the oppositioirto any such proposal would be far too powerful for him to resist. Nay so satisfied are we on this point, that we believe, if every man, woman, and child in New Zealatul petitioned for the introduction of convicts, the Home Government, although willing and eager to get rid on any terms of its felons, would not dare to comply with tlie prayer of the petition. After the sympathy which the various Missionary Societies at home have evinced ou behalf of the Native population—after the endeavours they have made to bring them within the pale of Christianity—after all the expenditure they have incurred in the hope of reclaiming them from the savage state, it is not likely, that they, wielding such all powerful influence, as they do, at home, conscious, as they are, of the pressure they can ever bring to bear upon the Colonial Office, would patiently submit to have those exertions paralized and rendered abortive—to see the great experiment on which they have bestowed so much time and labour, wholly defeated at tho very time when probably they were most sanguine of success, by inundating the colony with England's worst and most hardened criminals. Nor is it more probable, that the British Government, when it looks back upon the difficulties it has had in contending against the Natives, and in upholding its own power—when it reflects upon the incalculable mischief, which a very few convicts might produce —upon the disturbances they might create, the disaffection they might excite —will ever again entertain such a scheme as that not long since suggested by Earl Grey, viz., the introduction of Exiles. Earl Grej himselfin factsoousaw thchopelessuess of his iniquitous scheme, as far as New Zealand was concerned, for on the very first remonstrance addressed to him by the Secretary of the Wesley an Missionary Society, he abandoned it, and coolly declared that it never had been the intention of her Majesty's Government to send the Exiles to this country. But while we are perfectly secure against any direct importation of convicts ; while we may rest satisfied that we shall never bear the brand of a penal colony, we must not forget, that we are threatened with a far worse evil. There are certain advantages attendant upon a new country being made the receptacle of England's criminals,which have induced those, whose whole soul is in making money, and who regard the moral, social, and religious welfare of a community as altogether a minor consideration, to look upon the system of Transportation as a great boon. The convicts in a penal colony are kept under a strict control; a large expenditure becomes necessary on the part ot the Home Government; roads, bridges, and other public works are constructed; and contractors flourish, and make great and rapid fortunes. Such are the advantages, which (to their shame be it said,) have induced the settlers of Western Australia to accept Lord Grey's proposal and to petition that their colony be made a penal one. But while New Zealand can never receive any of these pecuniary benefits, it is threatened with all the evils of convictism in its worst form. For as Ion"----as the system of Transportation is continued to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land—more especially as long as the Governor of the latter colony retains the power of granting pardons upon condition of the convicts quitting the country, and betaking themselves to some one of the neighbouring colonies, we may calculate upon receiving a continued influx of the most hardened ruffians.— The worse and more irreclaimable the convict, the greater will naturally be the desire of the Tasmanian colonists, that the Governor should grant him a free pardon, and ship him off to this or any other colony. And when we consider the facility with which the means of subsistence can be obtained amongst the Natives, (look for instance at the settlement of thieves and vagabonds at the East Cape) we may rest assured that New Zealand will be the favourite resort of all Van Diemen's Land pardoned criminals. The result will be that we shall be saddled with the expense, without the slightest assistance from the mother country, of an enormous police force; the insecurity which will exist with regard to life and property will effectually prevent the settlement of the country districts, and will thus destroy one of the main features of attractiveness which New Zea- ! land at present holds out to the intending emigrant. To show the magnitude of the.evil we are now alluding to, we 1 need only remind our fellow settlers of the depredations which a gang of three or four escaped convicts not long since committed in this town, and of the alarm which they then created throughout the settlement. We might also refer to the Criminal Statistics, to prove, that had it not been for the occasional appearance of this class amongst us, there would really have been little or no crime. We are therefore impelled by the strongest motives of self interest to respond cordially, to the request now made, and to join our fellow colonists in

New South Wales, heart and soul in their endeavours to prevent the renewal of such a curse as Transportation, to any colony within these seas. But there is yet "other reason why we should show no lukewarmness in this cause. Iv times past, there has been a jealousy (from what causes arising we care not now to enquire) between Australia and New Zealand. We have regarded each other not as friends but as opponents and enemies. With many objects in common, we have hitherto refused to pull together. While often fighting a common battle, we have declined to actin concert—we have split up our forces, instead of combining and concentrating them—and have consequently often sustained a defeat, where we might have achieved a victory, had wo remembered that " union is strength." Now, however, the oldest colony in the Southern Hemisphere seeks our aid and assistance in the most righteous cause in which men can be engaged—and holds out to us the right hand of good fellowship. Let us then gladly seize the opportunity of reciprocating the good feeling evinced towards us, and of laying the foundation of a league, offensive and defensive, between all the Australian colonies against our common foe, the Colonial OiHce. We are in each colony at the present moment battling for the same rights, protesting against the same injustice—and insisting upon a reform amounting to nothing short of Responsible Government. If we were all united in one common league, and acted uniformly in concert, we feel assured that no Colonial Minister would long resist our demands. Let us then testify our anxiety to pull with our fellow colonists in New South Wales in every fight for constitutional freedom, by adopting and signing the petition, which Mr. Wright intimates their intention of submitting to us. We believe that with a little exertion it would receive the signature of every malj adult in the settlement.