§ Captain Roussaid, that the House would be pleased to recollect that in the month of March last, on the occasion of a Motion on the subject of New Zealand, an opportunity had been taken of making a severe attack on his gallant friend, Captain Fitzroy, the Governor of that Colony. He was absent when that fierce and unexpected attack was made on the character of his gallant friend; but he consoled himself with the idea—["Order, order!"]
§ Mr. Speakerintimated to the hon. and gallant Member that he was out of order.
§ Captain Rousproceeded to state that he had heard with great pain that his gallant friend, Captain Fitzroy, was about to be superseded in the Government of New Zealand; and it was an additional pang that he had no opportunity of defending his gallant friend; and he, therefore, took that opportunity of asking a question on the subject. There were hon. Members on both sides of the House who knew Captain Fitzroy perfectly well; and he appealed to them, whether they had not found his gallant friend, both in his public and private capacity, a most honourable man? ["Order!"]
§ Mr. Speakeragain intimated to the hon. and gallant Gentleman that he was quite out of order, when there was no question before the House, to make any statement, except what was necessary by way of explanation, to render the question he was about to put intelligible.
§ Captain Rouswould ask, then, whether the report that Captain Fitzroy was about to be superseded in the Government of New Zealand was true or not?
§ Mr. G. W. Hopesaid, that his hon. and gallant Friend having given him notice of the question, he was prepared to give an answer. The hon. and gallant Member, in giving notice of the question, stated his pur- 173 pose was to inquire whether the grounds on which it was proposed to supersede his gallant friend were such as in any way to affect his character as a gentleman and an officer in Her Majesty's service? In the first place, he (Mr. Hope) might state that it was intended to appoint a successor to Captain Fitzroy in the government of New Zealand. The determination to take that step had been communicated to no one beyond the Members of the Government, except to Captain Fitzroy's nearest friends. He presumed, therefore, it was from them the hon. and gallant Member had obtained the information. The grounds on which that step was proposed to be taken, were such as in no way affected the honour and character of Captain Fitzroy as a gentleman, or an officer in Her Majesty's service. They were, moreover, in no way connected with the charges made against him as Governor of New Zealand, to which the hon. and gallant Member had referred; nor had the determination come to by the Government on the matter been communicated to any persons, except those before stated; and it had no reference whatever to any charges brought against Captain Fitzroy, in regard of those negotiations in which a slur had been cast upon his honour and character. The House would not wish him to go into a statement of the grounds on which it was proposed to supersede him; and, in fact, no public communication could be made of the circumstances, until the Government were prepared to give a full explanation of them. He might, however, be permitted, for the satisfaction of the hon. and gallant Member, to read a passage from the despatch sent out by the last New Zealand mail, which would show that the grounds on which Captain Fitzroy was superseded were not derogatory to his personal character. In that despatch of his noble Friend, it was stated:—
The concern with which I announce this decision is greatly enhanced by the remembrance of the public spirit and disinterestedness with which you assumed this arduous duty, and of the personal sacrifices which you so liberally made on that account; nor can I omit to record that in whatever other respect our confidence in you may have been shaken, Her Majesty's Government retain the most implicit reliance on your personal character, and on your zeal for the Queen's service. You will, therefore, readily believe that I have acted on this occasion in reluctant submission to what I regard as an indispensable public duty.