THE "Wellington Independent." Saturday, December 27, 1851.

Wellington Independent, Volume VII, Issue 648, 27 December 1851, Page 2

THE "Wellington Independent." Saturday, December 27, 1851.

. We loafri from tho New Zealand Journal of the 26th July, that our Political Agent, Mr. Fox, has published ft. Pamphlet, entitlod " the Sis Colonies of New Zealand." Wo doubt whether, any Colony.of tho same ago, could ever boast of having had so much of pen, ink, and paper, bestowed upon 'it, as this oilf. adopted country y but wo aro satisfied

that of all the publications ever issued from the press respecting this colony, Mr. Fox's brochure will both be read with the deepest "interest by the colonists; and will pourtray their reelings, ami opinions, with the greatest'fidelity. We of course, who have "for so "in any years fought in ihe same ranks as Mr. Fox—' who have heeil engaged iv the same struggle—who have through good and through evil report maintained the ■ hitherto unequal but now triumphant contest, wiih the common foe (Sir George Grey) of all the settlements of New Zealand—who have equally wiih Mr. Fox " registered a vow iv heaven " that we would never lay down our arms, until we had succeeded, botli in getting rid of his Excellency's dishonest, corrupt, immoral, aud grossly profligate administration, and in establishing a full and cumnlete measure of self-government; who have swerved neither to the right nor to the left in advocating the principles, to which our fellow settlers in every part of the colony, stand irrevocably committed and pledged; we, of course, would scarcely be deemed impartial critics, in any judgement that we might pass Upon Mr. Fox's Pamphlet; we should, if we expressed any opinion upon its merits, before the whole Pamphlet was before lis, be regarded as mere partisans ofthe views he holds and put forth. We therefore content ourselves for the present, with laying before our readers, the judgement passed upon it by the jNeu) Zealand Journal, and wit'> giving them some of the extracts pubdished by that Journal.

What then says the New Zealand ■Journal, of Mr. Fox's publication D Bui first let us candidly state, that the pamphlet was written by Mr. Fox calamo currente in the course of a very few days, with the view of diffusing information respecting the political condition of the colony, previous to the debate which it was the intention of the Duke of Newcastle to have raised in the House of Lords, but which his Grace has postponed till the next Session, for reasons explained by him iv a letter to Mr. Godley, printed iii our last number. The pamphlet, we admit, was written with this sole object, aiid at tho urgent request both of those parties who arc interested in the colony, and of those who intended to take part in the contemplated debate. The Duke of Newcastle took up the question of New Zealand from a feeling of indignation, at the course pursued in reference to the introduction of free insti"tiVtioiiSj "by the Colonial Office and Sir George Grey. His Grace postponed his 'questions to the Minister's, solely bec.iuse, he felt that while he might possibly force Ministers to make some declarations of their intentions respecting the proposed constitution, the Session was too far advanced to compel them at once to pass any legislative enactment conferring upon us representative institutions. We may safely venture to prophecy, that the indignation of his Grace, of Mr. Gladstone, aiid'of the other leading Members of the Canterbury Association will not be lessened, when they are made Acquainted with the hostility evinced by Sir George Grey and his paltry Oificiiil Nominee Council to the infant settlement of Canterbury, aud with the efforts made by his Excellency and his puppets to throw every possible impediment in the way of the carrying out of the scheme, upon which the settlement was founded. Still less will his Grace and the powerful party of Colonial Reformefs with which he acts, bo disposed to listen to any of Sir George Grey's sinister suggestions and recommendations, when they find that, in spite of Lieut.-Govcr-nor Eyre's noble and manly declaration of the feelings of aversion, with which tho Provincial. Councils' Ordinance was viewed by the whole body of the Colonists from one end of the Islands to the other, forcing the Ordinance through his Council of '"puppets and obedient servants," and yet not daring to bring it into operation. His Excellency iS.always " mighty valorous " before a' Council of his own Officials and Nominees, knowing that he may " bowl them down like skittles" but he "turns tail I 'whenever he meets the indignant settlers. Witness his withdrawal of the Roads and Streets Ordinance, and his burking of his pet Provincial Councils Bill. Ho _ takes every possible opportunity of insulting the Colonists, but he never has the courage to give them an opportunity of resenting his insults. He passes Ordinances, against which the Colonists unanimously protest, but he dares not proclaim them, if the consent of the' Colonists be neceSsary to their, being carried into operation! He in short inflicts insults and injury, whenever he can do so with impunity) but he pauses whenever he-thinks they can be resented. Even Earl Grey himself will feel sorely puzzled, to know which of Sir George Grey's suggestions he ought to. advocate—which'of his Excellency's various constitutions he ought to recommend ; for his Excellency has m almost every succeeding despatch on this subject, recommended a form of constitution wbo'lly different from that which he had suggested in his pl'eyious despatch; *'he has turned about, wheeled about, jumped Jim Crow" so often, in regard to his constitutions, that we defy tiny pud to know what ho really means ; he has acted the part of a sort of Abbe Sieyes in a srrJali way, and has consequently, we doubt not, rendered himself as ridiculous in tho eyes' ofthe Home Croveftimcnt, as he lias in those of the Colonislsof New Zealand. Thus he bus stuck out one time" for Official Nominee Councils, the officials forming the majority; the next - lime hd has* tried a'Nominee Offioial Council; the"

Nominees being in a mujoritv ; the third j lime, he has gone upon the opposite I lack, (as in the hist CoiuiMlTaiiil formed ! bis Council of eleven Official* and three I .Nominees. The fourth lime, he propose-, i the horrible abortion, of a Council, coin- j posed ol one third -Nominees, and two I thirds Representatives, but he is already! so dismayed at his own proposition, that, j as wo_ have already said, he dare not ' put it into execution. Further, while he has been trying thesj expeii nents in and upon the Colony, he has been busy in recommending, we know not, how many kinds of Constitutions to the Home Government. Nay, when we look over his various suggestions upon this subject,- -when \Vo see him recommending , one thing one day, and exactly the opposite the next—when we see him standing out for the most ample privileges of selfgovernment in one despatch—then in the next, expatiating upon the beauties and conveniences of Nomineeism— then in another a few months afterwards, setting forth.' (as if it were a discovery of bis own) the justice and wisdom of the Representative principlethen proposing to combine together the Representative aud the Nominee elements in perfect harmony—we say, when we consider these-contradictions and absurdities, and more especially when we look to the recent acts of certain high officials (of which more anon), and to the tacit sanction given to them by Sir George, we shall scarcely be surprised to learn, by the next Blue Book, that his Excellency has finally recommended as thematured result of his wisdom and experience, that our future Constitution should be based more particularly upon the principles of "univeral confusion and promiscuous intercourse."

But this is a quasi digression; the truth is, when we compare the Colony as it is, to what it might and would have been with fair play under Representative Institutions, our indignation at Sir G. Grey's conduct is apt to carry us away ! from the subject more immediately un-! tier review. To return, however, to what the New Zealand Journal says of Mr. Fox's pamphlet:—after shewing that Mr. Fox enjoyed peculiar facilities for becoming thoroughly acquainted with New Zealand and its affairs, the iv.btor remarks that " a perusal of Mr. Fox's unambitious, yet lucid and elegant narrative, will show that these opportunities of observation have been enjoyed by one whose remarkably candid and dispassionate turn of mind, united to great shrewdness of judgment and fearless integrity, and love of truth, has enabled him to turn them to the best account. He writes in no partisan spirit; he carefully eschews all exaggeration ; he, in short, expresses his opinions and sentiments in a manner, that carries home to the conviction of his readers, the impression that they have a thoroughly reliable and trustworthy man to deal with.''

Knowing as we-do. thu object My. Fox had in view in writing his pamphlet, and the justice of the cause he has undertaken to advocate, we doubt not that the above encomium is richly merited, and that in pleading the ease of the settlers against Sir (r. (Jrc.v, he has told " the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Tlie Journal then informs us that the pamphlet is divided into three Chapters—the first is devoted to a genera! description of the Islands, and to elaborate notices of the separate Settlements—the second relates to the Natives—aud the third is devoted to an enquiry into the nature and condition of the Local Government. Passing over for the present tho extracts from the first chapter, we cannot refrain from giving in full the following description of Raupafaha and Rangihaeata. Nothing can be belter than Mr. Fox's quiet exposure of the arrant humbug of all that has been said and written respecting Rauparaha's conversion to the Christian faith. Nothing can be more true, thau the influence he attributes, in the continuance of peace, and the amelioration of the Native Race, to the death of this hoary cannibal. Mr. Fox writes

Among the old New Zealanders, as amongst most savages, war was the ruling passion, the one great excitement of life, nilil this f.ici narrowed to a very limited space the development of iudividim-charac-ter. Indeed, I doubt if among the chiefs more than two developments were to be distinguished; that of the impetuous, headlong warrior, the ' impiger, iradundus, inexorabilis, acer,' ofthe Achilles breed, and that of the subtle, ingenious, treacherous, and long-headed schemer of the Ulysses sort.

A remarkable insl.-wce of each has been exhibited in New Zealand, ami become familiar by name even to tile English public, during the period of our colanisiilg tUO islands. Hauperalia, the older, most influential ttnil better known', died a few months ago. ltanghiaeta, his colleague and fighting general, survives hint. Raupe'raha has been dftefi described, iiis cruel treatment of his enemies whoni Uc seduced on tonrd. a ship, hung them by hooks through tlieir thumbs, out them to pieces, and boiled tbetfl for food in tbe ship's Coppers j his treachery to his relation Te Pehi, whorri iii the .critical moment of battle lie deserted, securing thereby his own elevation to the chieftainship of the" tribe ; and the part which he bore in the Wairau massacre; are the lending events by which his name has become familiar to the English reader. After the latter event he placed himself unddr missionary protection, and by pretending conversion, and likening himself to Sti Paul, he suceeded in hoodwinking his protectors, and through them persuading the Government of hia fidelity at the very time lie was supplying ltanghiaeta, the open rebel,with arms and ammunition. Detected, seized and imprisoned on board the Calliope frigate, ho was released at the end of a twelvemonth, and handed over to tho Chief of tho Waikalos, who became bail for his good behaviour. Carried by him to the nflrlh, he was upbraided wiih his misfortunes by Teraia, flid rnnn eater, while Ihe more generous Te Whoro-whcro endeavourod to soothe his aillidtioni After a few months he was permitted to return to Otaki, ihe place of his tribe. There he resumed his prt'teiiaison lo sanctity. ' 1 saw,' says an intelligent, but newly arrived clergyman, who visitedhim at.tuin time, 'amongst the other men of note, the old and. once powerfulchief, Ilaiipernlia who, notwithstanding hi* great age of more tu&u

ei-i.ly Year.i, i.i seldom missed from his e!as:), nnd who, ufiiT ii10i,,.; ..f 0 of rierpuliiiil turmoil, spent in ! "11 the savage excitement of cruel it ml bloody v.-m*. is now to be seen every in his :icowtoined | I'luc:, blessed tviiihs which ti-iur. j '"in lo love U,e Lord with u:l Ins i.e.irt, un,! mind, ■mil soul, mill sir.uij.tli.'iui.l his nr-ie.lil.nur us lii.n ■t'.i. 1 hose who kncw'ltiiiineriilnt belter, n.av pein>i|)S doulu whfitin-r il.c .1v.1.n... lnd so r-o-nplelelv cimu»cd his skin us to justify the l.elieii i which un ei.lnrjreil charily exeie.sed liv an ainial.le man llmled us possessor or indul-e. A few days bel'.uilUupiiivliii's demli, when sufferin- under the m.iimlv which carried him oil, two settlers called to see him. While there n neighboiiriiij,' lnissionarv came ill mill offered him the consolations of religion. Kauperah.i demeaned himself in v manner highly beeoiniii(j such an o--ciim.hi, but the moment the missionary was gone, lie lunied to his other visitors and -sail, - Want is u.e use of aii that nonsense ; that will do my belly no good.' He then turned the conversation on the W'aiijiuntii races, where one of his guests had been running; a horse. Such were the liist davsof lUuperahu. His death was un event favourable to toe continuance of peace nnd the um.lioration of ihe native eharaeer Hi, direct iiilluei.ee had, by his »■,.■ and recent imprisonment, been nearly annihilated ; bin the mere shadow of Ins name was something; it wit., mixed up with the traditions of the bloody wars, which, under his generalship, devastated for years the whole coast south ol Taranaki, and exterminated the inhabitants of one side of r ( ,„( ; \s Strait. It was a -tocsin to the sound of which, in U.e ease „f disturbances elsewhere, the natives ini-iu yet have responded, aud the certainty of which being no tn-jt-e heard is m event calculated to corroborate the assurance of peace. Kanßliiaeta'has never concealed his true eli.irac.'tcr beneath the veil of hypocrisy; be still continues to display its original features, as the bold uncompromising savage—still exercises his influence, reduced though it is, to thwart' the progress of civilisation, nnd dissuade his fellows from selling their laud. He tells the missionaries, when they seek uiin out in his lair, that "it is useless for them to give themselves the trouble of preaching the "ospel io the natives; that the Maories are by nature bad; that they brought the evil spirit with ti.em from the fur country from which tlieV originally r-ame ; that it is still in them, and that therefore they cannot be reformed." His wife in tlie meantime makes preparation for rude hospitality, screamiug to her attendants, and seeming to think that the nicire noise she makes, the more honour she does to her guests.— " -he was a coarse, dirty, ili-f.uoitred woman; round her neck she wore an ornament of green- ' stone ; her body, like her husband's, was smeared I with red oxide of iron ; her coarse and matted hair had evidently never known the use of ft comb, an! I her only gnnueju was a sort of; loose gown, -which i was so filthy that its origiu.U colour could, not be guessed. The result of her preparations were some I roasted potatoes and a small wild bird, cooked in ,| ihe Haines, together with some tea, served up in tin ! mugs, with dark In-own, or rather black, sugar.''* j lint Itangiiiaciais tiie type of a c!a,s whi-h i* ■ I fastdi-a.i_)=aring. in the'north, Heke and Pomare j are gone, and many a chief of a similar i-hiracti r i but less note. The circumstances out of which | such characters grew no longer exist; and though ; tlie same passions ami temperaments in iv be found in the next generation, their development will ne- , eessnriiy be entirely di Herein, changed by the changing circumstances of the times.

•Rev. Mr. Lloyd, in ISll),

We are requested to state that the Union Bank of Australia will close on Tuesday and Wednesday the 30th and 31st Install!, instead of the Ist and 2nd January, as mentioned iv the Almanack.

The Wkluxotox Ai.ma.xack for 1852, consisting of 68 pages of reading matter, and (>2 pages of a lvertiscments, aud containing the' New Tariff and the New Postal Regulations, will be published on Monday next, Dec. 29.