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To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Christchurch, Oct. 18,1852. Sir, —As one of " the public," whose champion (although wearing his beaver down) your correspondent " 3§." professes himself to be, I venture to hold opinions widely differing from his. The existence of natural pasturage in this colony is, like the existence of valuable mines or prolific fishing-banks, a source of wealth supplied by nature, but which requires the expenditure of much capital, the exertion of much enterprise, and the use, at certain periods, of a large and certain supply of labour. The undertaking is attended, in its earlier stage,—namely, the importation of the stock—with an uncommon degree of risk, against which there is no regular insurance provided. And the constant personal attention requisite for success, and for safety against the various dangers to which flocks and herds are subject, renders the life of the stock-owner for some years one of hardship and self-denial. Labour is dear and scarce; timber and fuel still more so; shelter totally absent from a large portion of the district. The production of wool at a cost not involving loss would probably be impossible, without the aid of nature in supplying the sheep with food. It will hardly be denied that, in this stage of the colony, its prosperity is mainly, if not wholly, dependent on the use of the natural pasturage ; and that the health and wealth of the colony would be very effectually promoted by encouraging stock-owners to remedy the main defects of the country as a pastoral field ; that is to say, to plant trees, to erect fences or other shelter, and to replace, by the sowing of English grasses, several of the native kinds, which, being only

annual or biennial, are destroyed in the flower. What, then, should be the policy of a Government, or " Public," in making laws on this subject :• Should it raise a revenue by taxing the staple business of the country, and by putting a price on the use of the natural pasturage as high as the stock-owner can possibly afford to pay? or should it afford its subjects every facility in its power for making the most of that natural pasturage, and thus render the whole body of colonists better able to contribute, under a system of taxation which should weigh on all alike ? The policy advocated by a 3f " is that of putting the highest price possible upon the use of natural pasturage, for no other purpose but that of getting revenue out of the stock-owners. It is a remarkably easy and pleasant sort of taxation for the governing body, or public; since the owner must pay, or his sheep starve. But it is surely a very unwise sort of tax ; as it is imposed exclusively on the article of primest necessity in the colony. The contrary policy, which I venture to advocate, is that of acknowledging that the natural pasturage of the country, which nature has freely given, should be used by those colonists who may be willing to do so, without let or hindrance of any kind from their government ; and that it would be wise for the public to provide, by law, facilities instead of obstacles, perfect liberty of choice by the stock-owners, certainty and stability in the whole proceeding. The pasturage regulations of this colony, whether made by the Local Government, the Canterbury Association, or the Otago Association, are calculated to check pastoral enterprise by means of direct obstacles, and of giving to the whole process a character of uncertainty and instability. For under none of them can any large capital be safely invested in operations such as I have described above, the result of which would only be obtained at the end of some years. This could only be done if the planter, or sower, or builder of shelter, enjoyed the protection of a pre-emptive right, not only over the spots so improved, but over the whole run when made more valuable by those improvements ; as well as a tenure of the whole, guaranteed for an indefinite term, except against freehold purchasers. I therefore agree with the resolutions passed by the meeting of Stockowuers, and with the spirit of the Report issued by their Committee. Moreover, I agree with your correspondent "A Sheepowner," that it would be well, in order to give certainty to the system, if the whole of the pre-emptive rights in this settlement not yet exercised could be extinguished by some equitable compensation, and the practice of attach ing those rights, as a bonus, to the purchase of freehold land exclusively, could be discontinued. This done, let the Government, or Public, go in advance of pastoral enterprise by a survey of the country sufficiently accurate to avoid ignorance and litigation as to boundaries. Let it grant, to every applicant, the natural pasturage of whatever tract he may apply for: only taking care that no one enjoy an exclusive monopoly of water-frontage, or other advantages, the' exclusion from which would render back country unavailable to others; and also taking care that a sufficient head of breeding-stock be placed on the run within a suitable period. Let the applicant enjoy a pre-emptive right over the whole of the land'applied for, at the same uniform price as that of freehold land in the district; and let his tenure be guaranteed to him, against all but freehold purchasers, for so long a terra as he chooses to keep the required quantity of stock on the land, and to pay yearly in advance his rent; which I think would be quite high enough for all necessary purposes, if it should pay the interest of the money expended on the survey, the cost of registering applications and licenses, and that of occasionally inspecting the stock, with a view to ascertain that a sufficient quantity is maintained. If this system, which is at all events a simple one, were adopted, I should not think, like " I§," that this was " an entire surrender of the waste lands, and of all controul over them to those who happen to be the first occupiers." The Government, or public, would stili determine what should be the price of freehold land. But, supposing other than pastoral pursuits to advance upon "the hitherto waste lands, ' those who happen to be the first occupiers" would, at least, have the opportunity of buying the land which they might have themselves improved, at the same price as any other person, perhaps

then for the first time seeing the country, could buy adjoining land as yet unimproved. I earnestly feel, that " those who happen to be the first occupiers" do so chiefly, because they happen to be more brave and enterprising than those who do not happen to be the first occupiers. Surely we may allow them so inadequate a recompense, as that they shall feel secure of the ultimate possession, on the same terms as others, of those spots to which they happen to be the first pioneers, and of which they happen to be the first reclaimers and improvers ; having a keen eye, doubtless, to their own ultimate advantage, but displaying an energy of action, a perseverance against difficulties, and a steadiness in the pursuit of an independent livelihood, which well deserve the gratitude and emulation of their fellow-colo-nists. For the success of their enterprise secures a supply of the only produce which constitutes an export from the colony. Their avocation, too, trains up a hardy, patient, and independent class of colonists, deeply interested in the advancement of the country, aud capable within a short time of furnishing leaders to the people, who shall be possessed of leisure and competence. Those leaders will thus be able to advocate, in the promised Elective Assemblies, the wishes and requirements of the inhabitants, against the attempts to obstruct their progress which may be expected to emanate from the Colonial Office or its servants. Like " I§," as an old New Zealand Colonist, I advance my opinions on the subject. But, unlike him, I conceive that the interest of the -Public is quite as great as that of the Stockowners, in the adoption of such a system for using the natural pasturage of the country, as will most vigorously encourage the safe and speedy development of that resource, so as to produce a considerable export at an early date. Since I see no object in wringing the greatest possible amount of rent from the Stockowners, I abstain from entering into any examination of I|'s calculations as to the effect of the gold discoveries on the ability of the stockowners to pay a greater or less amount of rent. But in reply to his argument that the present system was virtually assented to by the present tenants, and that, being free agents, who ought not to have come under it if they did not like it, they have no reason to complain of "injustice," I would venture to remind " Hf" that even the Agent of the Canterbury Association allowed their present terms to be not perfectly satisfac tory, but only as much so as he could venture to make them in contravention of the Association's instructions : while the stockowners had many of them already incurred great risk, and even loss, in the process of importation, and were actually in the dilemma of being obliged to accept whatever tenure they could get, or to see their sheep starve, unless they should squat illegally, or run the risk of another removal. I am, Sir, Your very obedient servant, E. Jeeningham Wakefibld.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18521023.2.14.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 94, 23 October 1852, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,590

Untitled Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 94, 23 October 1852, Page 9

Untitled Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 94, 23 October 1852, Page 9

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