AUCKLAND TIMES. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1842.

Auckland Times, Volume 1, Issue 7, 26 September 1842, Page 2

AUCKLAND TIMES. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1842.

There is a degree of apathy attending the conduct of the people of Auckland, which is calculated to excite no little surprise—but which it would ill become us to pass over with neglect, we have a public duty to perform, and we do not shrink from it. We call the recollection of our fellow-Colonists, then, to the Memorial which they adopted at the Public Meeting of 12th August, and which the people’s chosen agents, the deputation, have till this moment been contented to permit'to remain utterly disregarcfed; Let us recapitulate the circumstances as they actually occurred, and we think it will not escape the attention of the most unobservant of us, how disgraceful is the position, politically speaking, in which we voluntarily remain. The original meeting, though largely attended, was adjourned for a week—and a numerous and respectable measures for the important occasion of the se-

cond ; at this meeting five hours were consumed in deliberation, and an attendance was given such as Auckland could never boast before—a memorial expressive of public dissatisfaction was, after amendment, unanimously adopted—the illness of His Excellency the late Governor supervened—and it was strongly urged, that during the interval which was thus indefinitely interposed, an answer to the people’s prayers should be sought for from acting authority—from his then Deputy and present Successor. — This measure was, as we conceive, improperly rejected. His Excellency the present Acting Governor has expressed, all along, a desire to communicate an answer to the address of the people— which is yet, nevertheless, most unaccountably left in abeyance, because the memorialists themselves are too apathetic to ask for it. These are the facts of the case ; however astounding the last item among them may appear. Now, we beg the attention of our readers to a few reflections, which naturaliy arise from our present position*.,.. It is.agreed on all hands, that the affairs of this settlement are in a stagnant state- it has been largely imputed to the late Governor, that the measures of his administration had been conducive to our want of prosperity, and we applied to him for remedial measures, which we declared to be imperative. Has the decease of Captain Hobson, whom personally we all respected, and upon whose memory, of course, none would now wish to cast blame—has his decease altered the state of our affairs for the better —has it relieved any of those political anxieties which the memorial sets forth —has it not, on the contrary, opened to us, at least, the possibility of a change in Government, which if it was then necessary to our welfare, should be now, more than ever, apparent to our view : now more than ever, a determined object of our solicitation.

It may be said, that the late despatches of L(rd Stanley leave the present Governor, without the power of efficient assistance, to the need jf Auckland—even if he were disposed to renderit —now this, we strongly deny. The Governor of such remote Colonies, as New Zealand, havq must of necessity have, discretionary powes vested in them. Cases of emergency occtu, which demand proportionate decision—now thi misfortunes of Auckland may be traced to a wan, of decision as a primary cause of them, a caus> which in the mischief it has produced, is seconc only to the land gambling which the Government fostered—and the new settlers so foolishly indulged in. Is this moral pestilence, this habitual sloth, this last worst vice, which can attach to the character of a Colonist, to remain among us for with this only variation in its symptoms—that/ the reproach of its cherishing, is shifted from the Government to the people. The private enterprise of the Colonists, in the country districts—so far as high prices—scanty periodical auction sales—and wilful surveying impediments would permit it to come into operation—is evincing wonderful strength, with the advancing season —but whether the commercial relations of the place, whether the ultimate success of the

Colony, will be wrought out, or not, depends upon the measures of the Government—this is the point, upon which hangs the question, whether we shall receive that co-operation from the Australian Colonies, and from Great Britain, without which we shall do nothing—are we content to remain another twelve months in ignorance of the intentions of our rulers. The realization of the Capital of the Colony, by the sale of land, is suspended, and those who possess land here, by whatever title, officials and all—know not whether their own is their own, or if it is, how long it may be so—that is to say for their own use—it is quite clear that the power of alienation belongs to none. TVIW ! ZZ-jj-J 1 be doing, we are losing every thing which ought to be dear to us in the character of settlers. Our instant duty is to extract from His Excellency the Acting Governor what are his views in regard to the Colony, and if they are inefficient to the emergency—we should ourselves communicate with the Home Government. The following is an extract from a private letter—such extracts might be multiplied ad infinitum :

'* I had made all my arrangements for settling at Auckland, but the neglect of the Colonial Office in sending out emigrants for which we had paid, made me apprehensive of its progress. Most unwillingly I found myself compelled to prefer a Company’s Settlement, and alter visiting Nelson finally settled down there. As an interested party, Ido not feel myself competent to describe that Colony—but while I admit the beauty and safety of its little haibour, its delightful climate and absence of wind, its picturesque scenery—grazing and swampy land. I frankly confess that I prefer Auckland.”