CORRESPONDENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 122, 7 May 1853, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times,

Sib, —May I trouble you with a few words in reference to Mr. Fitz Gerald's letter of last week.

Passing over matters of a personal kind relating to myself, permit me to speak briefly of Mr. Godley. Differing as I do from that gentleman upon some fundamental questions of policy, and venturing to doubt the correctness of his judgment on some practical measures, I wish to express my best esteem for his many admirable qualities. In particular, in reference to his management of the Association's affairs, I bear willing testimony to his great financial accuracy, his prudent economy, and his excellent administration of the Land Office. Of his high honour and purity of motive it would be superfluous to speak. But Mr. Godley, like other men, is fallible, and I think he fell into error as regards the suspension of the incomes of clergy and schoolmasters. Public acts of this kind are fairly open to criticism, so long as they are judged of" in a spirit of charity, with fair allowance, and without unnecessary imputation of motives. With respect to the accounts, I regret to be obliged to repeat statements, the frequency of which must, I fear, weary your readers. I do so to correct impressions' which Mr. Fitz Gerald's letter is calculated create, and which a little consideration will shew to be plainly erroneous. The accounts of the Association have been, according to the terms of the Charter, and the practice of public bodies of a like nature, regularly audited by a public Auditor. An abstract of them, with the Auditor's approval, has been regularly published in the " New Zealand Journal," and transmitted to the colony. It is therefore, to say the least, inaccurate to assert that they have never been published. Probably what Mr. Fitz Gerald means is, that more detailed information is desired, and that the entire accounts ought to be laid before the public. His letter would also imply that this had been refused. But this is not the fact. I have stated, as explicitly as possible, that I was about to place the entire accounts in the hands of the Provincial Council, and that I would, if possible, prepare beforehand an intelligible digest of them. In the meantime, I have not been backward to afford explanations ; and with respect to Mr. Fitz Gerald himself, I have invited him to unreserved personal discussion, which he has declined, except through your columns. Whilst I take the opportunity stating that it will give me pleasure to answer all legitimate enquiries made to me directly respecting the Association's affairs, I must add that I cannot undertake to keep up a weekly newspaper controversy with Mr.Fitz Gerald, or any one else. The matters in question are matters of business, and are fitter, in my opinion, for discussion with the Church Committee jusft appointed, and whom I hope to have the pleasure of meeting shortly, than for such loose, irregular, and desultory correspondence, of which, with some inconsistency, Mr. Fitzgerald complains. In the meantime I must ask him to forbear publishing in your columns remarks reflecting- on the Association and myself, to which I cannot undertake to reply. i

I shall iveiy much regret if the course I thus "take- should, as Mr. Fitz Gerald says, throw difficulties in the -way of Lord Lyttelton's friends as regards the settlement of his claimsl It does not appear to me likely

to have that effect, though I must say some passages in Mr. Fitz Gerald's letter have an evident tendency that -way. But I must omit, for the present, further reference to them.

With respect to the douht suggested by Mr. Fitz Gerald as to the right of the Association over its property, I would refer to the explanations which you have been good enough to convey through your leading article last week.

As to the propriety of applying the income of the Endowment Fund for general Ecclesiastical purposes, during the vacancy of the See, and generally as to the Episcopal arrangements, I would only say that my views are entirely in accordance with those expressed by the Rev. H. B. Paul at the recent Lyttelton Church Meeting.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Henry Seweli,

To the Editor of the Lytlelton Times, Sir, —The authorship of a letter in your impression of the 23rd April signed " Cantuariensis " has been attributed to me. I beg to say that I did not write it, and that I do not know who was its author. I take the liberty of observing that your correspondents would have a better chance of influencing public opinion if they did not write anonymously. I am, Sir, your's obediently, Charles O. Torlesse. Raugiora, 2nd May, 1853.

To the Editor of the Lyltelton Times,

Sir, —I feel truly obliged for the ready manner in which you have hitherto given publicity to my communications ; but I did not anticipate that, by merely wishing to afford some necessary and useful information to your readers, particularly to the working-classes, and which might not otherwise reach than, that you would have attributed to me an intention of " taxing your generosity a little too much in asking you to place your columns at my disposal for electioneering purposes." Be assured, I had more important objects in view—objects in which not only Canterbury Colonists, but also all interested in the welfareof this important Province are concerned. But, I need not be surprised at your: apprehensions lest I should become, through the means of your columns, a popular candidate for the office of Superintendent when, strange to say, it is even asserted that Sir George Grey, in his new Land Regulations, has availed himself of the authority the law confers upon him to break up, for electioneering purposes, that monopoly of Waste Lands originally created by the New Zealand Company and its Agents. But you may rely upon it, the working-classes will not allow themselves to be deceived or misled, as to the tendency of these regulations, by such a production as that given in the Lyttelton Times of the 2nd of jApril, signed " A working-man ;" which w^s obviously got up by one of those modest monopolists who have been trying to get from me, as a single Run for Sheep and Cattle, from 50,000 to 100,000 acres of, in general, excellent pasture, and which some of them propose to stock amply, by beginning with, perhaps, 1,000 or 1,500 sheep! Butt hope you will be so good as to make known "to your readers that a Meeting was held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Wellington, on the 18th March, by the working-men there, with the view of taking the necessary steps for the purchase of a Block of Land under the new Land Regulations. ;More than a hundred persons were present, a great proportion of them from the :Hutt and other Country districts. The proceedings were marked with great unanimity, and a committee was formed for the purpose of

taking the necessary steps for purchasing about 40,000 acres of choice Land in the Wairarapa to form a township,—to be divided into lots of 40 acres each. A suitable portion is to be reserved for a Town, to be laid out in small allotments.

This is the right way to go to work. But the Wairarapa Plains are more distant from Wellington than those situated between the Waipara and Hurunui Rivers are from Ghristchurch. The settlers in the Wairarapa Plains can only avail themselves of a small harbour, which can seldom be approached without serious risk, situated at the mouth of the river which, after flowing through these, in many places, marshy plains, empties itself into the sea in Palliser Bay. Whereas the fine plains, undulating and hilly country, most of which can be appropriated either to agricultural or pastoral purposes, extending to the northward from the Canterbury block, embraces not only anchorage for large vessels on either the North or South sides of Motunau Island, but also a harbour fit for coasters at the entrance of the river. It is there that land was some time ago reserved for a town. Now, allow me to ask, as no land, either at three pounds an acre or under the new general Land Regulations can, for the present, be sold within the Canterbury block, what will be the consequence of an immediate move of the working and other classes toward such a country ? If the tide of industrious settlers, not only from the Canterbury block and other parts of New Zealand and Australia, but also, ultimately, from England, once flows in that direction who can turn its course until it reaches Kaikora Peninsula, on both the North and South sides of which there is good anchorage for any sized ships; and in the Peninsula itself, there is a small but excellent harbour, into which the largest coaster can enter at any time of the tide. Land for a town has also been reserved there. Taking all this into consideration, I most sincerely lament that the unsold lands of the Canterbury block are not at once brought under the general Land Regulations. At all events, ample means will not long be wanting to enable the Provincial authorities (and it will, no doubt, be placed at their disposal) to complete, properly, the Sumner Road This is now all that is required to insure the Canterbury Province going rapidly a-head. Even a College and Cathedral may before long appear in Christchurch • and who will we have to thank for this ?

Some may regret that whilst lowering the price of land, land-jobbing was not at the same time prevented by the new Regulations. _ This was, years ago, effectually done in Canada by taxing highly all pur"chased lands which were not within a given time beneficially occupied. This tax should increase rapidly till such,-clearly defined, occupation was accomplished. But. as all taxation will originate in the House of Representauves, I trust that this will be one ot the first measures proposed in it. I remain, Sir,

Faithfully yours, James Campbell,

April 21st, 1853