ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume VI, Issue 550, 18 January 1851, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

'To the Editor ofthe Wellington Independent. Sir,—On my return to Wellington after a short absence, my notice was attracted by an nrticle in your puper of January Bth, under the clap-trap heading of "The Propaganda," in whicli you allude to an enquiry held in reference to certain charges of Proselytism in the Colonial Hospital, made by the Rev. Mr. Taylor against the Rev. M. Petit Jean. That-this enquiry should* have been conducted in the most open and straightforward manner, and that the utmost possible publi.ity should have been given to the evidence collected is attempt to hush up the affair being an injustice, not only to the public, but in a fur greater degree to the Rev. Gentleman, whose'conduct in my opinion has been misrepresented and traduced. But whilst I agree with you. Sir, fn deprecating anything like an endeavour to throw a veil over a: matter of this interest—l cannot pass over in silence what to me appears nn assumption on your part (I use your own words) of the office of .".Judge'and Jury" when in the article referred to'l find you without even adducing one tittle of evidence in support of your position, assuming, or certainly insinuating, ibe correctness of the charges alluded to. You have apparently forgotten, or are not aware of the fact, that the fullest and most open enquiry was sauglit for by tbe accused party, who, contrary to your assertion, was not allowed to give his evidence, and indeed you would, (perhaps unconsciously), lead your readers to suppose that it was with the accused that the endeavour to shun publicity originated. It is, Sir, in order to remove any such erroneous impressions that I n«w address you, unwilling as I am to touch on nny subject which might possibly tend to engender feelings akin to animosity or religious discord. I do not,, however, think that such sentiments are to be avoided by shirking a question like tbe present one, and I can confidently assert my conviction, that of the members of that Church, to wliich it is my greatest honor to belong, there is not one in this settlement who does not desire tbe fullest and most open investigation of tbe circumstances which have led to this correspondence, and who would not in that event confidently look forward to a complete and triumphant vindication of the.conduct of; tbe Rev. M. Petit Jean as the certain verd ct of public opinion, emanating from a community so void of intolerance, and so deeply imhned with die spirit of English fair play, ns I believe to bo tbe great body of our proiestmit fellow colonists. Trusting that such fair play may be given to us, and that you, Sir, will not-again on ex parte statements and without evidence prejudge the case, or show a spirit of intolerance to your Catholic Brethren. I remain, Sir, "Yours obediently, Chas. Cliffobd. Wellington, Jan. 16,1851.

♦—■ . To the Editor ofthe Wellington Indepenilent. Wellington, January 18, 1851. Fjuend Wireho T,—l, who am also a Maori, have rend your letters in the other Newspaper. Your letters are very foolish letters. You say ihat you have pride at your writing being thought of as the Governor's. You need not be proud on that account —it is because your writing was very foolish and very false, because it was such as would deceive and mislead the Maori men that it was thought to be the Governor's, and you have therefore little to be proud of on that account. Now. if tbe writing be really yours, let me tell jou that it shews you to be very ignornnt and very foolish for writing about what yun do riot understand, the quarrel that there is between the Pakeha settlers and Sir George Grey. I too, like you, am a Maori; but it happens that several years ago I was taken to England by a Takeha who lived at Port Nicholson, nnd there I was put to school where I learned much about the Pakebas, and I saw in England all their ways, and I will now tell you and the other Maories what is true in this matter. The quarrel with Sir George is about governing —that is who is to make the laws, who is to take the people's money, and who is to spend it. You and the other Maories have always been told by tbe Governor and the Missionaries that the Pakelias in England are governed by Queen Victoria, who sends Sir George Grey to govern the Pakehas and Maories in New Zealand in her place. Now this is

not true—it is a great falsehood. The people of England are not governed by any one man or woman, but they govern themselves—that is, they make the laws themselves, they alone give the money that is spent in governing, arid they it is who say what it shall be spent upon. Queen Victoria is only a servant of the people to euforce those laws which tbey makp, nnd to see to'tbe spending of that money which tbey give. She cannot make any law of herself without the people, and dare not take any man's money unless the people first give their consent. I

Now, this has bten the way in England for more, much more, than 1000 years ; and when the Pakeha people were very few, scarcely more in number than the Maoris now are, and scarcely more wise or more skilled in arts, it was still the same. The old Pakehas, who were called Saxons, made all their own laws, and gave only what mouey they pleased to the King, and so it has been ever since. Well, iv this way the Pakehas of England have grown very rich' and wise and great, and have filled many other countries with Pakehas, who like those now in New Zealand went out- to occupy distant lands where before only savages dwelt making little or no use of their lands. The Pakehas in particular,.who went out to America, have grown to be more than all that remain in. England and very rich, wise, and good too, and are now among the first nations of tho earth; and this, all men say,;is because they govern themselves like the English/making their own laws and spending their own money. But there are other Pakehas, as the Russians for" instance, and some others who are governed-by one man, who like Sir George Grey makes all the laws, takes what money from the people lie pleases, and spends it as he likes. So also are the Turks, the Persians, the Chinese, and many others. But these people are mostly very badly off—they are poor, ignorant, and almost as savage as the Maories were before the Pakehas came ; aud what is worse, they tie cowardly slaves, who dare not call their lives, their lands, or their children their own. They are driven about by their rulers as horses are driven Without a will of their own, and robbed of their goods as cows are milked for tlio good of those who own them. They are not even allowed to speak their own words. or hardly to think their own thoughts,- and if they have any newspapers (which many of them have not) the writers,nre. poor servile creatures, mean bud men, who use the little light of reason wliich God has given them in supporting tbe dominion of the tyrants who employ them, and in doing whatever they can to prevent their countrymen from becoming free, wise, good, and rich like the Pakebas of England. And this all men say is, .because these people do not make their own laws or spend their own money; . Now. when the Pakehas came,to New. Zealand,

because they were few and weak aud because there pere'ngt many at home who thought about them, it

happened Unit no provision was made by the Go vommimt in England for them to govern themselves, and when they mnde rues for that purpose und began to.manage their own'affairs, the Governor (Hobson) sent Mr.-B_or.land- with soldiers, who pulled down their flag and prevented their making laws for themselves. And though they have often' written to ihe people of England who make the laws at home, desiring that they may be allowed to govern themselves, and though the people there say they ought io do so, yet still they are not allowed, because Sir George Grey tells the law makers and the Queen at home that, if they governed themselves, they would hurt the Maories, and that the New Zealand Pakebas are bad people, not wise enough to govern themselves. So Sir George Grey continues to make what laws be pleases, takes what mouey he likes and spends it as he chooses, without asking the Pakebas" leave. This it is that the Pakebas quarrel with Sir George Grey about; they say they ought to make their own laws and spend "iheir own money, an they did at home—and they know that if it were not for Sir George's writing to the Queen the Pakebas in England 'would direct that they should do so, and therefore they are naturally very angry with Sir George about itSir George Grey, in wn'ting to tbe Queen, has told a great many different .lories about the fitness ofthe Pakebas to govern themselves. At first lie .writes to say thai of all the Pakebas he had ever seen tjieywerc-tbe mom fit; and then the law makers .and 'jhe Queen, told him to let them govern _hem'Beives.aud sent: out rules how they sliould do it. Then Sir George wrote back to the Queen that they • would not be fit for four years, and in the meantime be appointed certain foolish Pakebas called Nominees to make such laws as he might tell them to make, and to give bim whatever money to spend be might choose to have. Then in two years more he makes another change, and says that tbe Pakehas are now fit to govern themselves, though the four years he had talked of were not passed, aud he pretends to give them power to govern themselves. But the Pakehas are too wise, and they know that Sir George does not mean to give them the power, bnt only the appearance of it, so ihev refuse to lake his offer, and go on writing to the' Jaw makers in England, who they bear are now ready to order Sir George to give them the real power of governing themselves.

Now in all this I think the Pakehas are right and Sir George Grey very foolish. .See how often be has changed bis mind ; how he writes to tbe Queen one.thing to-day, nnd just tbe contrary to-morrow. Is this the part of a wise man ? would not even a Maori Chief know his own mind, and when he bad said one thing abide by.it. There are among the Pake'ias in New Zealand many much wiser than Sir George, who have been much more at school than ever he was, and who know far more than he does. These men do not change'their- mind every day, but they sny the same thing one day as they say another. The " bitter doctor "is one'of them, and the Company's Agent and many others ; and it is because they will not sell themselves to Sir George that he dislikes them, and is glad when be sees the letters which you have been told to write against them. These men I have mentioned might have been made great under Sir George, with much utu,if they would have held their tongues and let him do as he pleases with the other Pakehas; but.when he asked them, they refused to have any thing to say lo him.. But all the Pakebas were not so straight. Some of them, as Mr. Domett for instance, formerly used fo write and talk much about the Pakehas rights till Sir George gave bim the utu, since which he has helped Sir George to keep the people out of their rights. So olso is Mr. Dillon, who was a very loud talker for the people, but who was.;bonght by. Sir George with a little nui, and now helps him as Mr. Domett does. So also the Nominees, some of whom were great talkers for the people,- but who, being vain men, were pleased at being asked to make the laws for Sir George, and so aban-, doned the cause of the other Pakebas. Now you may be pretty sure that when men refuse, like " tbe bitier Doctor. or the Company's Agent, to hold their tongues for utu, that they at least are honest and tell you no lie; but when you see men who have said much and written much for the people, holding their tongues or even assisting Sir' George against the people because lie has given them utu, you may suspect both them who take the utu and him who gives it. A good cause needs not be supported by such men or by such means ; and a cause"which is so supported you may be sure is not an honest one. Perhaps I shall write "more next week. Do not let Sir George, or those persons be has bought with his Utu, persuade yoa to write any more. Your letters, as I said, are very foolish, and, what is worse, not at all true. You are trying to injure your best friends, and are assisting those who are the real enemies ofthe Maori, and wbopreveuttheirbecom'ing good and wise and rich as tbe Pakeha.' I remain, . ' Your obedient servant, ' - - P- .