HAWKE’S BAY STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 90, 16 February 1863, Page 3

HAWKE’S BAY STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.

A general meeting of the shareholders of the Hawke’s Bay Steam Navigation Company (Limited), called pursuant to notice published in the newspapers, was held in the Council Chamber on the evening of Friday, 13th February, at 8 o’clock p.m. There was a fair attendance present. On the motion of Mr. D. M‘Lean, seconded by Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr. James Anderson was called to the chair.

Mr. Kinross, the Secretary, read the report of the sub-committee appointed to enquire and report as to the most suitable description of steamer to be ordered by the Company.

Erroiix of sub-committee of the Hawke’s Bay Steam Navigation Company, (limited,) to the General meeting of shareholders, hold in the Council Chamber, on Friday, 13th February, 1863.

In compliance with the Resolutions of the General Committee, we have made particular enquiry, and have been fortunate in obtaining valuable and reliable information with regard to steamers, and more especially of the sort ofßoats adapt ed for this Port. We furnish herewith memorandums kindly handed to us by Captain Robortoon, Inspector of steamers for New Zealand, and chief of the Marine Board, which he gave after carefully inspecting the Port with his colleagues the Board. We also give letters from Mr. Murray, the Harbor Master, giving fully his practical opinion regarding the sort of boat best suited to enter the Iron Pot at all times. Such trustworthy recommendations, coinciding with our owu views and wishes, we how beg to recommend the Shareholders to order from England two steamers of smaller dimensions in preference to one Boat of more capacity.

We make this suggestion to the Shareholders after mature reflection and under the firm conviction that such will bo for the benefit of the Shareholders, and more fully develop the resources of the Province.

Should the Shareholders adopt our recommendations with regard to two steamers, the probable cost of which, built on tho Clyde, and complete in all respects, will, wo are assured, not much exceed £II,OOO. It will be necossaary to enlarge the nominal capital of tho Company to not less than £15,000. This we beg you will at once take into consideration.

In order that no time may be lost, we would fairly suggest that some of your members be asked and authorized to open a credit on behalf of the Company in anticipation of tho calls to be made to the extent of £4,000 and to guarantee the balance of cost to the party in England through whom tho steamer is ordered.

With regard to the chartering of a steamer, w r e are led to believe there is little probability of obtaining one under 30s. per registered ton. We have written to a neighboring Colony to obtain further information on this point, and will lay the result of our enquiries before you. We are not yet in possession of sufficient data to give a decided opinion upon the subject.

Mr. J. A. Smith then proposed the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Tuke, and carried :

That the shareholders having heard tho report of the sub-committee, approve of their recommendation, and sanction the ordering of two "small boats in preference to one larger one.

Moved by Mr. "Wilkinson, seconded by Mr. M‘Lean, and carried :

That it is expedient to increase the nominal capital of the Company to at least £15,000, and this meeting of shareholders approve and authorise its extension to that amount say £15,000. Moved by Mr. E. W. Knowles, seconded by Mr. W. Miller, and carried : That shareholders having ten shares and upwards in the Hawke’s Bay Steam Navigation Company (Limited), who may bo willing to do so, be requested to make arrangements for ordering two steamers of the dimensions recommended by the sub-committee, and to guarantee payment in England of the same, in anticipation of calls ; and also that they be authorised to obtain on behalf of the Company, a letter of credit for £4,000, or such sum as may be necessary to enable thorn to get the steamers required built, on the most advantageous terms.

Moved by Mr. Tuke, seconded by Mr. T. E. King, and carried:— That the solicitors of the Company be requested to prepare with all possible despatch the necessary deeds of incorporation of the Company aud have same executed and duly regietered that the Hawke’s Bay Steam Navigation Company, Limited, may be legally incorporated; and that Messrs. Tiffen, Begg, and Kinross be a Committee to examine the draft deed. Moved by Mr. Sutton, seconded by Mr. Robjohn, and carried : That the Secretary be requested to alter the prospectuses of the Company so as to embrace the clxanges effected by the foregoing resolutions. Moved by Mr. M'Lean, seconded by Mr. Towgood, and carried ; That the proceedings of the meeting be advertised in both the local papers. Mr. Tiffen moved, and Mr. M'Lean seconded, a vote of thanks to their respected Chairman, which was cordially agreed to.

The following extracts, from an Irish paper, will show that, notwithstanding the lamentable accounts received of the outrages going on in Ireland, by treating those people firmly and kindly, an amount of respect and esteem is engendered for those who hold authority over them. The gentleman referred to in the memorial is a brother to our respected Resident Magistrate, and we feel a pleasure in giving it publicity. LANDLORD, AGENT, AND TENANTS. We have barely room to invito attention to the address presented to Edward Curling, Esq., J.P., Agent to the Devon Estates, by the Tenants of those portions which were recently disposed of. To them and to him, the address and reply are equally creditable. To tho landlords of Ireland the documents should bo as full of conviction as they are of instruction, and impress upon all, 'legislators and landlords, the true wisdom, the sound policy, and the absolute profit, of dealing liberally with occupiers ; encouraging them to improve, assuring .them the permanent enjoyment of their investments and living upon their honest labor—letting them live and cherish the gratitude which fair play inspires. —Munster News. ADDRESS TO EDWARD CURLING ESQ., AGENT OF THE DEVON ESTATES IN IRELAND. Dear Sir, — We the tenants of that portion of the Estate which has recently been sold, whilst wo felt it our first duty to express our grateful acknowledgements to our noble Landlord, are not unmindful of the debt of gratitude we also owe to you. Wc are well aware you always took care to apprize us that the many benefits conferred on us for the last thirteen years, came directly from our good, our generous Landlord ; but at the same time we are not insensible to tho fact, that the best intentions of the kindest landlord may be frustrated, his most generous efforts may be paralysed by the want of sympathy, tho want of intelligence on the part of his agent. In all the efforts for the amelioration of our condition, you more than sympathised ; you warmly co-operated ; and by the energy which you employed in carrying them out, you soon proved the wisdom as well as the goodness of the course adopted in our behalf. You were ever the steady friend of tho tenant, and in being so, you felt convinced, and it now stands manifest that you best secured the true interests of the landlord.

We had confidence in our judgment, and we, therefore, readily adopted the improvements you suggested; wo valued your friendship, wo respected your sense of justice, and we endeavoured not ineffectually, to bo punctual to our engagements. We know you to be the fearless advocate of moderate rents, and certainty of tenure, and we felt confidence in the future.

You organised a Cattle Insurance on the Estate, and thereby disarmed the worst enemy the grazing farmer has to encounter. By lesser difficulties we were not disheartened, because we knew that every well-disposed tenant had a helping hand in the Agent. Your frequent visits to our farms, and our homes were received with a glad welcome, for experience had taught us, that you came to suggest something for our advantage, or to inspect the progress or completion of some improvement already suggested. Our connexion of thirteen years standing is now about to terminate. You differed from us in country, you differed from us in creed, but from the commencement we felt and now gratefully avow, that next to our good Landlord you were the best friend we ever knew.

The tie of agent and tenant is about to be severed, but our friendship will still abide; and now at the close of this long connexion, we ask you with confidence is the Irish tenant that unmanageable animal that his enemies, his calumniators, and many false friends represent him. The improvement in the condition of our holdings and of ourselves answers no; the rent roll at the Castle answers no; your truthful nature answers no. No, it requires but the qualities which you brought to this management, a warm heart and a clear head, to render him what each man who now addresses you acknowledges himself to be, what the Beneficent Being who blessed our land with fertility intended every Irish tenant should bo, the contented, the peaceable, the prospering, and well secured holder of an improving farm. Adieu, kind Sir. The Irish tenant is not ungrateful : his gratitude is not prospective ; to the gift which accompanies this, each amongst us has gladly contributed—it will bo to yourself a pleasing reminiscence of our grateful friendship; to your children an incentive to works of usefulness and virtue. Signed nr Eighty-two Tenants. Newcastle, November 11, 1862.

MB. CUBLING’s BEI'LY. My deab Friends, —I have received with pleasure and with pride, jour affectionate parting address, and the kind present which accompanied In other countries it is considered sufficient if men entertain grateful sentiments for favours conferred. In Ireland, it appears evident that to rouse the warmest feelings of gratitude and attachment, justice and fair treatment only are required, for those are all that you have received from mo. It is true that I have watched your progress with interest and solicitude. We met in times of the direst adversity—you have surmounted the greatest difficulties in a manner which reflects honor"and credit on yourselves, and also on the liberal policy which has been adopted by your beloved Landlord. I feel as much pain as can have been experienced by any of jmurselves, at the sevcrence of our connection ; but it is a consoling reflection to both, that during a period of 13 years, an angry word has not passed between us. I have never hesitated fearlessly and zealously to advocate the interests of my employed, and I have been met by you with respect, and with the most punctual fulfilment of your obligations. I should be guilty of injustice, if I did not acknowledge publicly, the readiness and cheerfulness with which you consented to an augmentation of your rents, when prices had risen beyond the standard of my valuation of your farms. When prices had receded below that standard, you received with thankfulness the abatements which your ever considerate Landlord allowed you; and when the circumstances altered, you freely assented to an arrangement to repay the obligation, thus proving yourselves to be honourable and trustworthy men. It is conduct such as this, on both sides, which establishes confidence in each other, and engenders reciprocal sentiments of respect and good-will. I exerted myself to establish the Cattle Assurance Association, to teach you to relj' on your own exertions, and to nourish feelings of independence. You nobly responded to the call, and you have tlie satisfaction of knowing that many tenants on the Devon Estate, have been saved from beggary and ruin, by the exercise of common prudence and forethought. It has been to me a pleasure to witness the energy and industry with which many of you have improved your dwellings, and your buildings for cattle, and the extent to which the drainage of your occupations has proceeded. Much however remains to be done, and I shall esteem it to be the greatest mark of your attachment to me, if you will henceforth determine thoroughly to eradicate from your farms, docks, thistles, and other weeds, which are the worst enemies of the farmers, an eyesore to the Landlord, and a disgrace to the Agent. Land is the most grateful of all things, for liberal and judicious management, |hut nothing bears malady longer for neglect and ’impoverishment.

My friends, although our relations in matters of business have severed, I shall not say “adieu.” M e shall I hope still bo near neighbours ; I sli all occasionally, call at your dwellings, with the full confidence of meeting the same hospitality and hearty welcome as heretofore ; and I beg of you not to hesitate to make application to me, if I can be of reasonable assistance in the furtherance of your interests.

I thank you again for your kind gift, which I shall preserve with the greatest care as a testimony of your friendship. My children are proud of your respect and esteem for their father, andyvill I hope, study to deserve a similar reward. It only remains for mo to convey to you my best wishes for the welfare aud happiness of yourselves and your children, and may God bless] you all. Believe me, yours faithfully, EDWARD CURLING. The gift referred to in the companying address consisted©! a beautiful silver pocket flask, on which is engraved the following inscription : “ Presented to Edward Curling, Esq., J.P. by grateful tenants on the Devon Estate, on their being severed from that property by sale, after 13 years experience of his kindness and judicious management.” “ 1862.”