My Lord,
In reference to my despatch No 33 of the
22nd of March 1849, upon the subject of the manner in which lands were to be secured for the production
of the agricultural supplies required for the support of the children to be educated
at the Industrial Schools established in
New Zealand for the civilization of the Native race, and in reference to your Lordship’s reply
to that despatch of the number and date specified in the margin, by which on account
of the great importance of the successful development of the proposed plan, authority
was given to me if I found it requisite to do so, even to allot gratuitously lands
for the support of such Institutions, I have now the honor to report—
2. That several large Institutions conducted respectively by the Church of England,
the Wesleyan body, and the Roman Catholic Church
are now in full and successful operation in
New Zealand, and that grants for portions of land requisite for the growth and production of
the necessaries of life required by the children, and for their training in agricultural
pursuits have been issued gratuitously to these Institutions, conveying the lands
in trust for the use and towards the maintenance of such schools so long as religious
education, industrial training, and instruction in the English language are given
to the youth educated therein or maintained thereat. Such grants being made in the
names of the persons who are authorized by the Education Ordinance to exercise entire
control and supervision over the Schools.
3. That these Institutions are founded in the first instance jointly by the Government
and the religious bodies who conduct them, and each school is then supported by the
religious body to which it belongs, by the produce of the land allotted to it, and
for the first few years, until it becomes self supporting, by the Government.
4. The funds supplied by the religious bodies are chiefly derived from the large Missionary
Societies in England, the lands granted to the Schools are also the property of the
Crown, and the
value which these lands are rapidly acquiring from cultivation and improvement is
imparted to them by the children educated at such institutions, and by their teachers
who are I think, in nearly all instances, paid and supported at the entire expense
of the English Societies, and must be so for a considerable number of years. These
Institutions which must shortly exercise so exclusive an influence should therefore
be regarded as to some extent being not Colonial, but British property, which should
be administered for the welfare of the entire empire.
5. I have on several occasions called your Lordship’s attention to the condition of
the many Islands in the Pacific Ocean in the immediate neighbourhood of
New Zealand, and have pointed out the absolute necessity for the protection of the interests
of Christianity and civilization, as also for the protection of the interests of out
commerce & shipping, that the inhabitants of these Islands should be converted and
civilized, and that they should be encouraged to adopt out language, laws, & customs
and to use such articles as we could advantageously supply them with, in exchange
for the many commodities which these Islands produce.
6. Your Lordship is also aware that the Wesleyans and Roman Catholics have already
extensive Missions in several of those Islands, and that the Colonial Church of England
is about to establish Missions in other of the Islands, many of these are however
so unhealthy, that English Missionaries cannot advantageously reside there during
the entire year, and the Missionaries with whom I have consulted are anxious to remove
the most promising children from those Islands, and to educate them in
New Zealand, where they will be surrounded entirely by Christian associations, and where also
they will be brought up in British customs and habits, with British tastes, and with
a knowledge of the English language.
7. In order therefore to give every facility the development of a plan which I regard
as essential to the interests of the Empire in this part of the world, I framed the
grants of land for the support of the Industrial Schools now under consideration,
in the enclosed form, in which it will be observed that I have inserted words which
make these Institutions available for the education of poor and destitute persons
being inhabitants of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean; the effect of
which words will in fact be to make such Institutions a component part of that great
system of Missions which the piety and benevolence of Great Britain has established
throughout the Pacific, instead of confining the operation of them to New Zealand
alone, and although such a proceeding undoubtedly vests considerable discretion in
the hands of the Missionary bodies, I am sure from long experience of their proceeding
that this may be safely done. As however the objects I have contemplated by the issue
of these Grants is a very extensive one, embracing rather imperial interests than
those which fall within my immediate jurisdiction as a Colonial Governor, I have thought
it right to report that I have done for your Lordship’s information, in order that
it should not meet with the approval of Her Majesty’s Government, no such Grants may
be issued for the future.
8. In as far as the interests of the Colony in
New Zealand are concerned, no valid objection to the issue of such Grants presents itself to
me. For
New Zealand would still enjoy the greater part of the benefit of these educational
Institutions, whilst their establishment in this country would probably lead the
Missionary Societies to continue their operations in
New Zealand, and to lend this country their aid for a much longer period than they would otherwise
do; and
New Zealand itself being made the centre of education and civilization for a large number of
Islands, and for the Missionary establishments, would, from the great
[???] to its shores, which would spring from these causes, become in a great measure the
metropolis for a considerable number of Islands, and would certainly enjoy our extensive
influence and lucrative commerce.
I have the honour to be
My Lord
Your Lordships most obedient
& Humble Servant
(Signed )
The Right Honorable
Earl Grey
&c &c