AUCKLAND
We have received Auckland papers up to February 18. The New Zealander of that date gives an excellent report of one of the largest Public Meetings ever held at Auckland, for the purpose of expressing the hostility of the Settlers to the proposal of Lord Grey to charge the debt of the New Zealand on the general revenues of the colony. The New [Zealander says:— "But as it was thus almost, if not altogether, unprecedently numerous, so it was also highly respectable; every class in the community furnished its contingent of representatives, and the "old familiar faces," of the longest known and best knows settlers in the district were seen mingled everywhere with those who more recently have made New Zealand their adopted home. Not a few might be seen in the crowd who did not usually take a prominent part in political movements, and who, it indeed may be said, engaged in this not as a movement connected with politics in the party sense of the term, but as bearing- some analogy to the resistance offered on a former occasion to the introduction of Convicts into the colony,—a public Protest against a step morally unjustifiable
as well as socially oppressive and unfair. The most gratifying feature of the meeting, however, was its unanimity in the promotion of its single and important object, and the subordination for the time of all matters on which differences of opinion might subsist. Such differences there undoubtedly are, on various topics, amongst those who prepared the arrangements, and even amongst those who took part in the proceedings; some of them most probably would have been glad to introduce or append expressions of opinion on questions, the magnitude of which cannot he denied or donbted ; but they wisely and patriotically agreed to place their views on disputed points in abeyance for this particular occasion, and resolved that —if the apple of discord were thrown into this movement, they at least would keep themselves free from the responsibility of disturbing the harmony of a procedure which had gathered round it an unprecedented amount of united co-operation. In this honourable course they were imitated and sustained by the meeting. No amendment was proposed or even suggested to any of the resolutions; no irrelevant question was mooted, and the proceedings commenced, progressed, and terminated, not only without opposition, but with warm and unmistakably evinced cordiality of agreement. We are warranted then in attaching special weight to this demonstration, and in regarding it as likely to command unusual respect for its conclusions, on these three grounds, the number of those assembled, the respectability and standing in the colony which the meeting included, and the unanimity with .whiqh its decisions were adopted." We greatly regret that we are unable to give a report of the speeches, although we are far from entirely agreeing with the bitter spirit of hostility to the New Zealand Company, which most of them display. Many of them are full of ability, and all worth reading. The resolutions moved were asfollows :—
Moved by Mr. Wllliam Connei/l, seconded by Mr. Newman,
" That in the judgment of this meeting, the primary and most legitimate point of view in which the New Zealand Company should be regarded, is that of an ordinary Joint Stock Company ; and that therefore this meeting has learned with sur-
prise and deep regret that Her Majesty's Government were induced to concur in so unjustifiable a scheme for the benefit of the Company as that contemplated in a measure introduced by Air. Hawes at nearly the close of the last Session of Parliament, by which—had the original intention been carried into effect—an enormous sum claimed by the Company as compensation for its losses would have been charged on the General Revenue of the Colony as well as on its Land Fund; thus —in addition to the other objectionable features of the procedure, interfering in an unconstitutional manner with the rights of the Colonial Legislature.—That while this meeting may not be prepared to deny that the " Land Fund" of the " Province of New Minister" may be chargeable with so much of the Company's claim as represents the fair value of their Assets, taken and held by the Crown for the benefit of the Settlers of that Province, it can have no hesitation in declaring its conviction that to saddle the General Revenue of New Zealand with the losses incurred by a Trading Association in its mercantile speculation—and to do this without consulting the Colonial Legislature of the Se tiers — would be an act diametrically opposed to the principles of the British Constitution, and to the immutable principles of justice."
Moved by Aldekman Mason, seconded by Mr. J. S. Fohsaith,
" That whatever may be the conclusion arrived at respecting the justice of charging a portion of the Company's claim on the Southern Settlements, there cannot be even the shadow of an equitable reason for imposing any part of it, however fractional, on the Northern Settlements. The sphere of the Company's operation was, by arrangement with the Government, limited to the Province of New Minister, and the Settlement of New Plymouth. Not only have the Northern Settlements derived no advantage, directly or indirectly, from the Company's schemes, but, on the contrary, they have been the constant, objects of open or insidious attack from the Company's Directors, agents and advocates, through the press ; from which, amongst other evils, it has resulted that mauy of the Company's settlers have come out to the colony with strong prejudices against the Northern Settlements and their inhabitants, tending to excite and foster feelings of jealousy and suspicion, which this Meeting earnestly deplores, desiring, as it does, that the most amicable relations should subsist between the several settlements, and regarding with sincere sympathy the sufferings which the colonists in the South have endured, and are still enduring through the faithlessness nnd cupidity of the Cornpuny. That this meeting regards it as the couclu-
sion of common sense and common justice, that the Northern Settlements should not be taxed in any form for the losses of an association from which they have received only reproach and injury. On behalf of the natives also, the meeting would record its especial and emphatical protest against any arrangements which would subordinate their interests (as the proposed charge of the Company's Claim on the general revenue obviously would) to the interests of the Company. It is therefore the deliberate judgment of this meeting that a respectful but urgent appeal be made to the Imperial Legislature, praying not only that any future attempt to saddle the New Zealand Company's claim or any part of it, upon the general revenue of this province, may be rejected, but also that, if the terms of the Act x and xi Victoria, c. 112, already renders the Land Fund of New Ulster liable to the charge, a supplementary measure may be adopted releasing this province from all such liability, which was imposed without any reference to, or communication with, the settlers, and without the attention of the Colony having been in anyway called to the matter."
Moved by Alderman O'Neiii, seconded by I>r. Bexsett,
" That a Committee to consist of five be appointed to prepare a Petition in accordance with the foregoing resolutions, with powers to add others to their number for the purpose of obtaining signatures."
After several names had been suggested for the Committee to prepare the Petition, it was finally and unanimously agreed that the duty should be entrusted to the Mayor and the four gentlemen by whom, as a Sub-Committee, the Resolutions had been drawn up, viz., Mr. Abraham, Dr. Bennett, Mr. Burn, and Mr. T. S. Forsaith.
Mr. Connell was then called to the Chair, and. thanks having been voted by acclamation to the Mayor for the manner in which he had conducted the proceedings, the Meeting separated, having first given three hearty cheers in expression of their cordiality of agreement in the proceedings of the day.
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Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 63, 20 March 1852, Page 3
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1,329AUCKLAND Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 63, 20 March 1852, Page 3
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