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Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 113, 5 March 1853, Page 10

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir,—ln Mr. Gibbon Wakefield's letter to Messrs. Godley and Mathias, published in your paper of the 19th of February, whilst referring to the erroneous impressions existing with regard to the . policy and conduct of the Canterbury Association in their relations with the Settlement, the following sentence occurs, "It is not my business to tell the Truth on this subject, but knowing it exactly, and how contrary it is to the common belief in the Settlement, 1 wish to say deliberately and publicly that there is a truth to be told, which if the Colonists can extract it from Mr. Sewell, must at once correct the false impressions to which I have alluded." Now I contend that this is a most extraordinary sentence ; of course in every question, there is a true and a false side, but the truth is easily told ; why then suggest that there may be a difficulty in extracting it from Mr. Sewell. Does it not give one an idea that Mr. Sewell is sent out here to make the best bargain he can with the Colonists, and that according to circumstances and the interests of the Canterbury

Association ? Truth or its opposite will be the order of the day. On the 24 th of February, the great constitutional lawyer (as he is called) having had his name used without his sanction and contrary to his wishes by the secret adviser of the Association, appears for himself in a long letter, which you say cannot fail to remove a great deal of misapprehension. I entirely differ from you, and I think I shall be able to prove to your readers, that the Colonists will have some difficulty in extracting the whole truth from Mr. Sewell. For this purpose I must trouble your readers with a rather long extract from his letter:— " JJut there are two points, on which I think it important to remove wrong impressions without delay. On my arrival, I found with deep regret and surprise, a current belief — " Ist. That the Association had wholly failed to provide means for answering its engagements with Clergy and Schoolmasters. " 2ndly. That it had purposely suppressed its accounts —from which circumstance, taken in connection with the supposed failure of the Church and Educational fund, an inference has arisen that its funds have been improperly wasted or mis-applied. "As regards the first point, I received from several of the Clergy, particularly from Mr. Paul and Mr. Mathias, the Bishop's Commissaries, a complaint that intimation had been given to all the Clergy and Schoolmasters in the Settlement, of the intention forthwith to discontinue payment of their stipends. I find this to be in accordance with Mr. Godley's financial arrangements left with his successor, Captain Simeon. "I am happy to say that after a full examination with Capt. Simeon, we*assured ourselves that the Church and Educational fund properly applicable to the payment of stipends is sufficient to meet the Association's engagements. We calculate the available income for the present year, at not less than £1,150, of which about £750 arises from permanent investments which are of increasing value, and about £400 the due share of pasturage licenses. The fixed engagements of the Association for stipends, &c., do not exceed £800 per annum. I do not at present trouble you with details. We have explained the exact circumstances- to Mr. Paul and Mr. Mathias, as Bishop's Commissaries. "But I must add that this due application of the Church and Educational fund to its proper objects involves a derangement of Mr. Qodley's financial plans for the current year, according to which such funds were to be applied, with other funds, in the first place towards the maintenance of ordinary establishments. Without undervaluing the importance of these establishments, we agree that we can only follow one rule, viz., to apply the funds at our disposal strictly according to their proper and legal destination." Upright, praisewqrthy, good men | so the arrangements made by Mr. Godley before his departure are all to be upset, the whole place thrown into confusion, the surveys by which purchasers have been enabled to go on their land without delay (the only department of the Association which has given unmixed satisfaction in the Settlement), are to be put a stop to, and you are going, in all humility, to beg of the Governor to help you out of your difficulties because some half-dozen Clergymen have complained that they had been informed there was not money enough to pay them. Now, Sir, I contend that the common sense view of the extract which I have quoted is this, that after a full examination Messrs. Sewell and Simeon had discovered a fund which either Mr. Godley was not aware of, thereby implying inattention and neglect on his part, or that he was aware of it and was going to apply it in a manner otherwise than that in which it was properly applicable; or, in other words,-that Mr. Godley intended to apply Church' funds to

the maintenance of ordinary establishments; but that these gentlemen, whilst not undertaking such establishments, are going to Jo that which Mr. Godly was not going to do, viz., to apply these funds strictly according to their proper and legal destination. Nor do I think the matter is at all mended by saying that they have explained the exact circumstances to the Bishop's Commissaries, who are very excellent men, no doubt, as representatives of their own class,'and quite right in looking after their own interests, especially after the magnificent inducements held out to them ; but I do not think they are likely to interfere with the temporal affairs of the colonists. However, the Clergy are to be paid. Verbumsat. Now it was welh known that Mr. Godly had given the intimation complained of, and it was equally well known that he did so, because he had not the money. Whence then arises this sudden prosperity, by which the Clergymen and Schoolmasters are tobe paid off hand? You say by applying the money to its proper and legal destination; I say nothing of the kind. It is certain that it did not exist when Mr. Godley left. Where did you get it ? Did you come at it in that fairand legal way that the colonists would approve of if you had told them ? Could you not put in some small explanation of the matter, so as not to cast a slur on a man who is not here ,to answer for himself ? Or if he had been here would you have dared to make this statement ? I say you would not have ventured to do so. Why did you not tell the Colonists that the full examination you parade so much, was that of your own carpet bag, and that Mr. Godley said the exact truth when he stated there was only £500 available for all purposes? arid that having spent the sum of £10,000 set apart for the income of a Bishop, you have been obliged to mortgage the Public Property of the Colonists of the Settlements, consisting of the late Agent's house and property of every description in Lyttelton ; and that the property so mortgaged produced £600 per annum, (the income of a Bishop when you can get one to come,) and that it is this sum of £600 which makes the amount of £1,150 which is to be applied to the stipends of the Clergy this year, or until a Bishop shall arrive. Fellow Colonists, remember that Union is Strength. If what I have stated is true, (and I have no doubt of it,) there is in this letter sufficient to put you on your guardjagainst the secret adviser of the socalled great Constitutional Lawyer, and the Canterbury Association. Magna est Veritas et prevalebit. Your obedient servant, A Land Purchaser. March 3rd, 185?.