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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Rare Volume

(Copy)

(Copy).

Memorandum of the Council of the Northern Association, Auckland, New Zealand, transmitted to the London Committee for the purpose of being laid before Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.

The Council of the Northern Association of New Zealand request the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to two Acts recently passed by the General Assembly of that colony, which it believes to have an important bearing on the subject of the separation of the islands into mutually independent colonies. The Acts referred to are the "Representtition Act, 1865," and the "Outlying Districts Police Act, 1865," of which latter a copy accompanies this.

By the former Act a majority of votes in the House of Representatives is given to the Southern Island. The latter page 8 Act, having been Introduced and passed through the Assembly by a Ministry representing Southern interests, may be taken to indicate the policy likely to be adopted by a Southern Government in relation to native affairs.

So far as the Council understands the provisions of the "Outlying Districts Police Act," it empowers the Government to confiscate land in any district where the natives fail to arrest any native suspected of being guilty of murder, &c, who shall be supposed to be harboured within such district. This Act was passed in opposition to the views of the Northern members, and, in the opinion of those who are likely to be well informed on the subject, it cannot be brought into operation in the Province of Auckland except at great risk to the widely-scattered settlers of that province.

The policy is now advocated in the South that war may at any time be carried on against the natives without cost to the Southern Island, and that the expense of native wars can be met by the confiscation of native land This Council believes such a policy to be most delusive and dangerous. The mere cost of military operations is no measure of the ruinous consequences to the Northern settlers of a protracted Maori war.

The objections made by his Grace the late Duke of Newcastle and by the Eight Hon. Mr. Cardwell to the "New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863," appear to the Council to be more cogently applicable to the" Outlying Districts Police Act, 1865."' Without pronouncing any opinion at present as to the necessity and suitableness of the former Act, this Council is convinced that the application of the policy now advocated in the South will by the natives be regarded "not as a punishment for rebellion and murder, but as a new and flagrant proof of the determination of the colonists to possess themselves of land at all risk to themselves, and at any cost."* And "as rendering permanently insecure the tenure of native property throughout the islands."

The confidence of the natives has yet to be gained before a lasting peace can be established in the country. It is possible that by wise government the natives may be brought to see that they have a common interest with the settlers in the progress of the colony, and that their true wisdom is to make common cause with Europeans in developing the resources of the country, and, instead of relying on their own strength, to trust to the protection of the law. But no hope of a secure establishment of peace can be entertained so long as the natives regard the intentions of the Government with suspicion and distrust.

The Southern Island has now a majority of votes in both Houses of the General Assembly, It will be in the power of a Southern Ministry, notwithstanding the opposition of the repre- page 9 sentatives of the North, to force through the Assembly measures calculated to keep alive the suspicion of the natives, and thereby to render the restoration of mutual confidence between the two races impossible.

If Her Majesty's Government is not prepared to undertake the responsibility of establishing peace, order, and good government in the northern districts of New Zealand, the Northern settlers not unreasonably claim to be left to govern themselves, and to determine the policy of which they have to bear the cost and to reap the fruits. They are content to be left to rely upon themselves, and to live with their Maori neighbours as best they may; but they are not content to be at any moment embroiled with the natives by the people of another island, who are secure from personal danger, who avow their ignorance of native affairs, and who have comparatively little interest in the maintenance of peace.

That this Council may not be thought intrusive in submitting to the Secretary of State a question relating to the internal Policy of New Zealand, it begs to state that the members of the northern Association whom it represents have a very large stake in the country, and that they are especially interested in the successful colonisation of the Northern Island.

Auckland, New Zealand,