1845 - Wakefield, E. J. Adventure in New Zealand [Vol.II.] - CHAPTER II

[Image of page 22]

CHAPTER II.

DURING the month of June, two or three vessels had arrived from England bearing immigrants and passengers. Their news consisted of the appointment in England of a Judge, Attorney-General, and Land Commissioner for New Zealand. The latter officer was said to be appointed for the special purpose of investigating and reporting upon the claims to land in Cook's Strait, not held under the Crown. A third colony, to have a town, harbour, and district of its own, was talked of as in active preparation by the Company, as one of the measures of vigorous colonization consequent on their acquisition of the Royal Charter, and their agreement with the Government, which required them to double their capital, and guaranteed to them an undoubted title to upwards of a million of acres of land.

[Image of page 23]

Progress had been made in the signs of civilization in Wellington itself. A large and well-furnished chemist's shop, with the due allowance of red bottles and blue bottles, and glass jars full of tooth-brushes and sponges, and gay labels of quack pills and ointments, showed a broad front to the beach near Barrett's hotel. As this shop, which gloried in the sonorous title of "Medical Hall," was close to the usual place of disembarkation for passengers, it became a much-frequented morning lounge; especially as Dr. Dorset and another of our oldest medical friends were partners in the establishment. Many other equally gay shops began to ornament the bustling beach. Two clever rope-makers had begun the pursuit of their trade on a large scale, using the phormium tenax as prepared by the natives; and they received ample support from all classes, there being a considerable demand for small rope for the running rigging of ships, fishing-nets, and whale-lines for the stations in the Strait.

The trading and cattle vessels from Sydney and the other colonies brought news of a more brotherly spirit shown towards us by the inhabitants of those countries. The newspapers no longer teemed with unmitigated abuse of the place and the people; and a few staunch advocates contradicted the less frequent calumnies, and took up the cudgels which our newspaper had got tired of using against such mean adversaries.

Rangihaeata and his followers had destroyed some of the bridges on the Porirua bridle-road, and in some places trees were purposely felled across the narrow path with a view to prevent the easy passage of travellers. No notice of these acts of aggression was taken by the Police Magistrate.

A trading-boat from Cloudy Bay to Wanganui had been wrecked near Rangitikei; and the crew had been

[Image of page 24]

drowned, including a Ngatiraukawa chief, named Koraria, who was a passenger. In consequence of some outrages committed on the body by the Ngatiapa natives, a party of the Ngatiraukawa had made an excursion across that river, had killed 100 pigs, and taken the wife of Hakeke, the Ngatiapa chief, as a slave. But they had moreover tapued the beach between Otaki and Rangitikei, thus preventing the passage of native or white man in either direction for a considerable space of time. It was this which had delayed the surveyors in their journey to Wanganui. Many other parties, bound thither or to Taranaki, had been grievously detained, to their serious inconvenience in many ways, by this stringent application of one of the old maori customs. Koraria had been a brother of Watanui, and the observance of the tapu was therefore most rigidly enforced.

On the 1st of July, the aggrieved travellers had made a formal application to the Police Magistrate at Wellington for his official interference; thinking that, after the proclamation of the sovereignty of the Queen of England over New Zealand, the officers of the Queen would feel themselves bound to forbid the obstruction of the natural highway by any class of Her Majesty's subjects.

But Mr. Murphy had met the question in a very easy and diplomatic style. His official answer "deeply regretted the inconvenience to which the applicants were subjected; but he had no power to interfere with what was an immemorial and recognized usage among the natives."

He hinted at the probability that "this and similar customs might become the subject of acts by the Legislative Council of the Colony;" until then, he could "discover no grounds which would justify his

[Image of page 25]

interference." He added, that he understood the tapu had been laid on the beach "simply in consequence of the death of a chief, and not from any desire to injure the English settlers in the country." "To attempt violently to break through it, therefore," he concluded, "would probably excite feelings of hostility to the settlers, which would involve greater eventual inconvenience than any that can be experienced from a temporary interruption of communication, and might therefore be inexpedient, even if it were strictly legal." And so they had to wait until the natives took off the tapu of their own accord, or accepted heavy payment for a permission to pass. The beach had only just been made free, when I came from Wanganui.

In the town itself, the want of authority vested in the sole legal officer was producing great mischief. Numerous persons were squatting on the lands reserved for public purposes, and destroying the ornamental timber upon them. They were not ejected, as the Police Magistrate probably thought that such a course "might be inexpedient, even if strictly legal."

Now that people were locating on the most available lands, both in the town and in the neighbouring country districts, much complaint was made against the evil of non-resident proprietors. Many of these had given but very limited powers to their agents, restricting them in most cases to the granting leases of seven years' duration. And the industrious colonist passed with reluctance and heart-burning to some less available situation, while some of the best sections lay idle and unoccupied under such ridiculous conditions, to be increased in value merely by the exertions of those who built or cultivated on the surrounding land.

[Image of page 26]

The indignation at Captain Hobson's neglect of the settlement was fast increasing in violence among the settlers. Daily examples of its evil effects were presented to each member of the community. People of all classes began to sum up the various grievances of which they had to complain, and to inquire what proofs had been manifested of the "kindness and consideration," which Lord John Russell had recommended to be shown towards the colonists of Cook's Strait, in his instructions to Sir George Gipps on the first appointment of Lieutenant-Governor Hobson?

To pass over the treatment of the loyal colonists as rebels in their first connexion with the Government, the first feature of kindness was the crimping of the labourers in the Chelydra, and the withdrawal of the troops.

As though in jealousy of the fine harbour and its increasing commerce, the harbour-master had been dismissed, and no other appointed in his place. No provision of any kind had been made for its pilotage or lighting; the only pilots being volunteers, recommended by the Company's Agent, and unable to claim, legally, any remuneration for their services.

Notwithstanding Lord John Russell's very specific instructions for the establishment of tribunals of all kinds, the whole provision for justice had been, for eighteen months from the arrival of the Lieutenant-Governor, a single police court, with undefined authority and scanty jurisdiction. Thus, in the wretched hut which served for a jail, --where prisoners were heavily ironed, in order to prevent them from walking through the straw walls, --two men, committed for trial, and who, until fully convicted, were to be considered as innocent, had been incarcerated upwards of eleven months. And in a community in which much pro-

[Image of page 27]

perty was daily changing hands, and very numerous commercial transactions took place, debts remained unpaid, and contracts unfulfilled; wills were unproved and unexecuted; and trespassing, in its various forms, occurred daily and with impunity.

The natives had begun to ridicule the idea that "Wide-awake's" white men were cared for by the Governor or the Queen. The soldiers, while here, had only been used once, and then without effecting the object for which they had been called; and in too many instances, both before and after their removal, the natives had been allowed to see that the person in authority steadily refused to interfere when a settler was aggrieved by their increasing insolence and extortion. Instances were gradually multiplying to prove that this spirit of non-interference excited in the minds of the natives a reckless and presuming disposition; and that such connivance at their caprices and cupidity could not fail to excite the very spirit of hostility to the settlers, which the Police Magistrate professed to dread as the consequence of a firm repression of these bad dispositions.

Very children in their ideas, the natives could not appreciate the merciful forbearance and peaceable respect for the law which prevented the settlers from retaliating or acting for themselves; and it appeared to them that the pakeha were a timid and submissive race, relying entirely for defence and protection on distant chiefs, who neglected their tribe in the most marked manner. And already many of the colonists who felt the warmest interest in the welfare of the natives, began to dread lest this state of things might last too long, and lest the mercy and generosity of the superior race might at some period become exhausted by continued and increased irritation, till the strong and civilized European should turn in anger on the simple savage, confessing his inferiority too late.

[Image of page 28]

Towards the end of July we had a batch of news from "Hobson's Choice," as Auckland was very generally called. This came by a cattle-ship from Sydney, as our dates from that place were two months later than those from our own metropolis.

From Adelaide, Port Philip, and Hobart Town we had also two months' later news than from the seat of Government, which Captain Hobson had chosen on account of "its centrical position."

The three islands had been proclaimed, in accordance with instructions from the Colonial Office, as New Ulster, New Munster, and New Leinster. Except in official papers, these names have never been used, from their great similarity and inconvenience. I doubt whether, even at this day, the great majority of European inhabitants know which is which without looking at a map.

The proclamation had been accompanied by another, recommending the Europeans to be "kind to the natives."

This advice came with peculiar grace and naivete from the Auckland Government, which had not yet pretended to produce a farthing of revenue from the valuable reserves of the natives at Wellington. It had not made the slightest provision for their education or comfort. It had not cared whether they were hungry or fed, naked or clothed, clean or dirty. It had taken no pains to make them acquainted with the laws under which they were now living. It had neglected every one of the statesmanlike processes necessary to assimilate this numerous population to the more advanced race with which they were daily coming into closer contact, by gentle and imperceptible degrees. It had not yet made an attempt, in any way, to secure for them the improvement of circumstances, both bodily and mental, which they had a right to expect on becoming

[Image of page 29]

subjects of the British Empire. Truly, the catalogue of native grievances against the powers that be, appeared already in as fearful array as those of the white settlers. They were still living in filthy villages, subject to disease from the accumulation of dirt, and their residence in ill-ventilated and closely crowded dunghills; still left at the mercy of wars, cannibalism, infanticide, and frequent scarcity of food from unskilful cultivation; still clothed badly and inadequately; still ignorant of all that it was absolutely necessary at this time for them to know. The neglected settlers at Port Nicholson had already done far more than the Government towards the moral and physical improvement of the equally neglected natives.

A paragraph from a Port Philip paper described the son of a chieftain as having attended the Auckland Governor's installation levee, and bowed, and offered his hand, and said "How d'ye do, Mr. Governor?" in Maori. "The Governor," it continued, "was much amused; and remarked that it was an excellent finale to the first levee in New Zealand." The Governor of New Zealand had been long enough in the country to have secured the respect and friendship of the native chiefs, and a dozen or two ought to have been at his right hand, proud of showing their gratitude for some substantial attention to the permanent interests of their people.

There was at this time scarcely a settler in Port Nicholson of any class who had not a whole family of natives forming a part of his own. Epuni would frequently walk the six miles from Pitone, in order to call on Colonel Wakefield, and his other friends in the town. And this not on a begging visit, for he had now too much property of all kinds to beg of anybody, but because he began to enjoy the pleasure of civilized

[Image of page 30]

intercourse, and took pride in the friendship and example of his rangatira pakeha. Thus he would stay with my uncle for an hour, chatting about the improvements which he was carrying on at Pitone, in imitation of those in the town, watching with admiration the progress of the garden, or the preparation of the lawn for seed, talking over the news from Auckland, learning something of our laws and institutions which was not beyond his understanding, and becoming more fit, at each visit, for being raised to the social station of his friends. He seemed to take especial pleasure in having the opportunity to teach his sons and younger relations a lesson in good behaviour by these visits to well-behaved people. Epuni himself was a gentleman in every sense of the word, and would have been recognized as such in any society. I never saw him do an action, make use of a gesture, or betray a feeling, inconsistent with the most refined good manners. It needed no recommendation from Auckland to make one kind to him and his. There was an influence in his very look and speech, which must have disarmed the most ungenerous despiser of savages.

On the 25th of July a small trading schooner brought the Governor's answer to the address of the Magistrates, and other news, direct from Auckland. This was the first arrival from that place since the 3rd of May.

The answer inferred that the "circumstances, tending to disturb amicable relations between him and the settlers of Port Nicholson," were attributable to them. His Excellency held it inexpedient to discuss here the suggestions which the Magistrates had thought fit to offer on the government of the colony; but he assured them that their interests should be cared for according to the instructions which he had received from the

[Image of page 31]

Colonial Minister, and that any present or future suggestions for the benefit of the "Southern district" should "receive due consideration."

He concluded by an intricate statement, that "he had reason to hope, when the arrangements of Government were fully complete, that many of the inconveniences of which they complained would be found susceptible of easy adjustment, and that he would not allow himself to believe that he should be denied the satisfaction of soon meeting the settlers at Port Nicholson on terms of mutual confidence and support." This was certainly carrying the language of diplomacy, if not to the terseness, at least to the ambiguity of a Delphic oracle.

The first number of a newspaper published at Auckland, and also the first number of the New Zealand Government Gazette, published there by authority, were received by this opportunity. The independent paper, called the Auckland Herald, made a very respectable appearance, and promised to take a good stand among the press of the South Seas.

The principal Government doings had been a fresh arrangement of the Clendon job, by which the vendor of "Hobson's Folly" was to receive a part of his payment in 10,000 acres of land, to be chosen according to his own taste, in the immediate vicinity of the town of Auckland. A considerable balance was also to be paid him in cash.

The following officers had been gazetted: --Edward, a brother of Lieutenant Shortland, as Private Secretary; Colonel Godfrey and Captain Richmond, as Commissioners of Land Claims; a Mr. Coates, as Sheriff; David Rough, who married the Governor's governess as Harbour-master of Auckland; and Robert A. Fitzgerald, as Registrar of the Supreme Court and

[Image of page 32]

Manager of Intestate Estates. Lieutenant Shortland soon afterwards married Mr. Fitzgerald's daughter.

Three coroners and health officers were appointed for the Bay of Islands, Auckland, and Port Nicholson respectively; that for Wellington being Dr. Fitzgerald, who had been appointed Health Officer some time before.

A long list of land claims at the north were advertised in the Gazette, in the order in which they were to be investigated. And a proposed Government sale of suburban and country allotments, near Auckland, was postponed till September.

A subscription of nearly 500l. had been raised in Auckland for the building of a church. Mr. Churton, appointed Colonial Chaplain, had handed in to this list a small sum from "former parishioners at Threapwood," which there was every reason to believe he must have received while under an engagement with the Church Society to afford his spiritual aid to the settlers of Port Nicholson.

A finance minute, issued at Auckland, set forth a receipt of somewhere about 50,000/., and an expenditure exceeding that sum by several hundreds. But the actual receipts had been 41,000l. advanced from New South Wales, and 21,000l., the produce of the land-sale. Out of this profuse expenditure, which seemed scarcely to be explained, it was at least certain that not more than 1000l. had been expended for the benefit of the community at Wellington. The Governor's experiments in founding cities had been very costly, if not strikingly successful.

Captain Daniell and Mr. George Duppa returned just at this time from an expedition in the Balley, having been requested by Colonel Wakefield to observe and report upon the country and harbours in and near

[Image of page 33]

Banks's Peninsula, with a view to the selection of a site for the expected colony of "Nelson." They had coasted from Kaikora, or the Lookers-on, to the north side of the peninsula, and Mr. Duppa had ascended the banks of one of the rivers which flow into Pegasus Bay, for eight miles from its mouth. They described the isthmus, which connects the peninsula with the main, to be not a sandy neck, as hitherto represented in the charts, but a broad extension of the level, low, and fertile country which reaches from the broken ground of the peninsula to the foot of the snowy range of Southern Alps, and extends far to the north and south, watered by several small rivers. They united in describing this tract of country as affording rich pasturage and excellent soil, and sprinkled with numerous groves of pine timber. They also spoke in the highest terms of the harbour of Port Cooper, and Port Levi, now called Port Ashley.

As the last paragraph in the Governor's letter to the Magistrates seemed to imply that he was really "coming," a meeting was held on the 30th of July, to consider the manner in which he was to be received.

Mr. George Butler Earp presided; and 250 people of all classes were present.

A motion was made, which met with the support of Mr. Hanson, for the preparation of a merely formal address to the Governor, expressive of the satisfaction of the settlers at the visit of the Queen's representative to this port, and of their unfeigned loyalty to the British Government. The very proposers, however, of this measure, declared that they had signed the petition for the recall of the Governor, and that they were still of the same mind. These were Mr. John Wade, an auctioneer, and Mr. Rowland Davis, a carpenter; the two great leaders of the "popular" party in the Wellington

[Image of page 34]

discussions. Dr. Evans, in a masterly speech, proposed an amendment to the effect that, while the Governor's intentions towards the settlement remained uncertain, any public expression of opinion on the occasion of his expected visit would be premature and inexpedient. This amendment was seconded by Mr. Molesworth, and, after some animated discussion, carried by a very large majority.

Early in August, a large vessel arrived from England, with immigrants and a principal agent, Captain King, R. N., for New Plymouth, and proceeded to that settlement.

On the 5th, an affair of a very serious nature had taken place at Wellington. The dead body of a native had been discovered on the flat behind Te Aro pa, by two Europeans. Two doctors expressed their opinion that he had died of apoplexy. The body was removed, by the natives of the tribe to which he belonged, to their pa at Kai Wara Wara. Mr. Murphy obtained their permission to have the body opened, in order that the medical men might give their opinion at a coroner's inquest. Just as this was about to be done, Warepori came up to the spot, furious and bent on mischief. He forbade the proposed proceeding, and endeavoured to persuade his countrymen that the man had been murdered by the white people. His fiery eloquence had its wonted effect in stirring the wild passions of his audience. A sudden excitement and thirst for revenge was soon produced; and threats of "blood for blood," and utu for their countryman's death, were loudly made. Mr. Murphy was described as having retired pale and panic-struck from the scene; and he found it necessary to send round to a large number of the colonists to hold themselves in readiness to preserve the public peace, should any violence be attempted. His

[Image of page 35]

call was responded to by an immediate muster of a large body of the settlers. Their promptness and determined appearance had a sedatory effect on the natives, and a slight degree of quiet was restored towards night.

A meeting had been called for this very evening, on some question connected with the proposed Corporation Bill. Previously to proceeding on its intended business, the meeting was addressed by Colonel Wakefield, Dr. Evans, Mr. Wicksteed, Mr. Murphy, and several other persons, on the subject of immediate importance. Captain Hobson was severely censured for having so long left the settlement in a defenceless position, and the following resolutions were unanimously agreed to: --

"First, --That the executive authority, vested in the Police Magistrate resident in Port Nicholson, is inadequate to the wants of the settlement."

"Second, --That the mischief arising and likely to ensue from this want of sufficient executive power is solely attributable to the neglect of the Government, placed several hundred miles distant from Port Nicholson, the principal settlement in these islands."

"Third, --That unless the Queen's representative speedily adopts measures to remedy this evil, it will become necessary for Her Majesty's faithful subjects to organize the means of protection against disturbers of the public peace and the opponents of British law and authority, which is presumed to be established in New Zealand."

The meeting then proceeded with its original business.

The natives still continued to assert that the man had been murdered by the white people. They supported their assertion by an ingenious piece of ex parte evidence. The native had been driving a pig with a flax rope; and it was found, they said, tied up near

[Image of page 36]

the corpse, by means of a knot, which they recognized as of pakeha tying, and never used by the Maori people. This, even if true, was of course very insufficient proof; as a native might have done the deed, and then tied the pakeha knot in order to throw the suspicion on the wrong shoulders.

The continuation of this belief among the natives, and the flocking of large numbers into the pas in and near the town, whether to weep over their relative or to discuss the matter, induced a serious apprehension that an attack was meditated by them. To inspire confidence, Mr. Murphy invited a large number of settlers to attend at the court-house on the following day, Friday the 6th, and swore them in as special constables for a fortnight. During Saturday and Sunday great excitement prevailed; armed watches were kept; and some foolish and timid people raised false alarms by spreading exaggerated reports and firing guns during the night. The natives continued to talk and bluster in the different pas in their usual noisy way; and an instance was shown of their imaginative powers by the minute representation of the whole proceeding as supposed to have taken place, performed by a chief in one of the villages before a large audience of both races.

On Monday morning there was a large assemblage at the court-house; and one of the special constables proved the use of calling out undisciplined men and arming them on an emergency, by shooting a man in the next rank accidentally through the leg. Mr. Murphy published a "Government Notice" this morning declaring that there was no danger; but appointing commanders of the volunteers, places of rendezvous, special constables, and signals of alarm.

Two days afterwards the natives met, and performed their funeral ceremonies over the corpse; after which

[Image of page 37]

everything remained quiet, and the excitement gradually subsided.

But the law of England had not been carried out. The body had not been opened, and the coroner's jury had not sat; though this might have cleared up the doubts. The natives had been too long allowed to indulge their "immemorial and established usages," and in consequence a "spirit of hostility" to the white man was probably treasured up, which might not have arisen at all had the natives been made long before to understand, respect, and obey the institution of carefully inquiring into the causes of every suspicious death.

With every wish that their simple friends should understand all these usages of civilization, what could the settlers do, when they had themselves to complain that too many of them were neglected in their own case? How could they preach of the benefit of laws which hardly existed, while the natives had before them the daily proof that the only man to whose authority the settlers bowed supported a different opinion, and wished to preserve their barbarous customs and untaught prejudices intact? The poor natives were most to be pitied. Hearing one thing from the colonists, who still wished to impress them with the advantages of civilized law, and then the contrary from the Police Magistrate, and his subordinates, who assured them that they should be allowed to follow their own wishes, is it to be wondered that they began to be influenced more by the words of him who had evident power to loose and tie, who could put irons round people's feet and hands, who had constables and boats at his orders, who said to the highest among the settlers "Do!" and it was done?

Mr. Davy, who had been sent by the Bishop of

[Image of page 38]

Australia to supply the place of Mr. Churton, was only a candidate for orders, and therefore unauthorized to perform the ceremony of marriage. Mr. Hadfield had, during this period, kindly travelled from Waikanae more than once, to marry couples and to perform service on the Sabbath-day. During his short sojourns in Wellington, he had acquired the respect of the colonists as much by the polish and affability of his manners, as on account of the universal knowledge of the worthy way in which his missionary duties were performed.

About this time we were deprived even of the inadequate services of Mr. Davy, who had been guilty of two unpardonable offences. He had married several couples, although without power so to do. He had refused to give an account of nearly 50l., paid to him as one of the collectors of a charitable subscription for a public hospital. But the fact that he had been giving a series of champagne lunches and riotous bachelor's feasts sufficiently accounted for the defalcation; and he was ignominiously expelled from the club, of which he had been admitted a member, and scouted by every person of respectability. As no one would attend to hear him read public prayers, Colonel Wakefield, Mr. St. Hill, and some other gentlemen, arranged to take it by turns to perform this duty.

On the 14th of August, the Tyne had arrived in the port, bearing the Judge, Mr. Martin, and the Attorney-General, Mr. Swainson. I had the honour of being introduced to them at my uncle's house, when I arrived from Kapiti two days afterwards. A very high opinion was formed of the talents and capability for public action of these two officers; and great hopes were entertained that their addition to the official staff of the colony would cause a change for the better in our treatment by the local Government. It was gene-

[Image of page 39]

rally supposed that they came from England imbued with that spirit of kindness and impartiality towards the Cook's Strait settlers which had distinguished Lord John Russell in his manly concessions to the Company at home.

It was felt that nothing could be worse, in a political view, than the present state of things. It was now three months since a word of official correspondence from the seat of government at Auckland had reached either Colonel Wakefield or Mr. Murphy. It was known, through the Sydney papers, and by casual information, that a Council composed of a majority of Government officials, was legislating at Auckland for the whole colony: but the great numerical majority of the inhabitants had no opportunity of expressing their feelings or wants to this body, while the Governor and his obedient Parliament could hardly be supposed to know anything of the desires or necessities of those for whom they were making laws. Besides this, it was known that profuse expenditure, from which this part of the colony derived no benefit, was paving the way for a taxation of which it would have to bear its share. It was certain that jobbing, in its worst shapes, for the good of the official inhabitants, had been allowed to usurp the place of the necessary measures of real advantage to the country generally, in the decrees which had as yet issued from the proclamation metropolis.

For nearly nineteen months the Governor had been promising, but omitting, to make that important visit to the principal part of the population which should surely have preceded his final choice of a site. And when the complaints of those whom he had thus neglected, and tantalized, and harassed, and oppressed, reached his ears, he had written letters condescendingly to say, that he should soon bear down the "olive, branch," and pacify the discontented insurgents.

[Image of page 40]

It began to be thought that he was expecting to be recalled for the absurdities and follies already committed during his mal-administration, and that he had therefore postponed his visit indefinitely.

The settlers did not know then, that in May 1840, his Excellency had been writing despatches to the Government. in England, calling the loyal settlers "demagogues" and men "guilty of high treason;" that in October and November 1840, he had been depreciating the location and capabilities of Port Nicholson, only on the unfounded evidence of Lieutenant Shortland, in order to excuse his selection of a desert site, before he had compared it with that already colonized. They were not aware that Captain Hobson flattered himself for more than a year, that he should be able to stop all the complaints of those distressed, all the bitter feelings of those injured, all the resentment of those neglected, all the indignation of those defamed, by coming to "meet these people, clothed with that power and dignity which became his station," as he wrote to Lord John Russell. No rumour had yet reached Wellington of the long chain of concocted evidence by which his Excellency had secretly supported his hasty decision before the tribunal of the Colonial Office; of his unfounded abuse of the harbour and climate which he had not seen; or of his suggestions that the Company should no longer "be allowed to locate emigrants wherever their personal interests might dictate, or where, from the difficulty of communication with other parts of the colony, they would be placed solely at the mercy of the more wealthy settlers."

Thus the Governor depreciated the older settlement as under the disadvantage of distance from that which he had so capriciously founded many months afterwards, though he alone had produced the disadvantageous circumstance. So a man should knock another

[Image of page 41]

down, and then argue that the injured party ought to be deserted, and considered an inferior, because of his forcible degradation. So a despot might decree that the principal London market should be held on Dartmoor, and then complain that the porters of Covent Garden were placed at the mercy of the wealthy orange-dealers of London by the difficulty of communication with the uninhabited heath.

His Excellency knew that this string of despatches could not have met the eyes of the Cook's Strait settlers. He was probably confident that this secret and ungenerous vilification of his subjects, in order to serve a band of hungry and unprincipled flatterers, or to justify his own penchant for founding cities in a peculiar way, would never return round the world to stand side by side with his open expressions of conciliation and harmony. Thus he had been able to profess sympathy and friendly intentions towards those whom he had calumniated. He would hardly have been willing to present himself at Wellington at all, could he have predicted the public distribution of his unmanly aspersions against the inhabitants and their location.

The rule of the Colonial Office, which provides that a colonial Governor shall be enabled to send home his defence together with the accusation made against him by his subjects, does not provide that colonists shall be enabled to send home their refutation together with the calumnies heaped upon them by their legal protector.

Thus the Governor of New Zealand could safely write to the Colonial Office in order to disparage in the most unmeasured terms, a community of some thousand Englishmen, and immediately afterwards arrive to meet them "clothed in power and dignity"