MANAKAU COMPANY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 32, 25 November 1843, Page 2

MANAKAU COMPANY.

There are various persons in this colony connected with, and interested in the Manakau Company, and for their information we publish the following letter from Mr. Roy, | the Chief Director. From this letter it would appear that the above Company is favorably viewed at Home, and that the Government have determined to give to them the same terms as the Port Nicholson Company, and to hold out similar prospects and advantages to those who have purchased lands from them. The unfortunate death of Captain Symonds, the late resident Agent, has had the effect of completely suspending the local operations of the Company, and parties who pui'chascd their lands at Home, have not in consequence been as yet put in possession. From this letter it would appear that Mr. Heale had been appointed as agent, but we believe that the appointment never reached Mr. Heale, who is by this time on his way to England. How the affairs of the Company may now stand, it is hard to say. We perceive by a recent Gazette that Mr. Shortland, with a promptness which he never exercises except for the purpose of harassing the old settlers, .has announced that no lands are to be awarded to th.c Company. What reasons Mr. Shortland has for coming to this decision, we of course can have no means of ascertaining, but we cannot help remarking that in the absence of any person to repre-

sent the Company, it was, to say the least of it, harsh, if not extremely unjust to de! cide upon a claim in this manner, without any examination whatever. We should life 9 £o know what right Mr. Shortland has % act in this manner. There is no clause in th,e Land Claims Bill limiting time as to % proving of titles ; and if there be no law on this point, we certainly think, considering how dilatory the Government have bees themselves, that Mr. Shortland might at least show a little consideration when fc must himself be fully aware of the peculij circumstances in which the affairs of th : Company were placed through the death c; Captain Symonds. Those who have pm. chased lands from the Company should how ever represent their case to the new Gor. ernor, who, we doubt not, will at least pj them in the position of private Claimant Whatever arrangement the Government ma| make with the Company, it would be bit| fair to give such persons an acre of land fj every pound paid, the sum to be hereaM deducted from the full claim of the Coal pany, when the same shall be proved. |