The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 509, 19 September 1857, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Sattvrday, September 19. If the Canterbury Association carried on and ended its labours to the satisfaction of the settlement and with credit to itself, there is a Company which has been connected with the colonization of New Zealand from the beginning whose very name has become a bye-word, both at home and in the colony. At once grasping and unscrupulous, the New Zealand Company< stands in marked contrast to the Canterbury Association, whose members, whatever errors they may have made at times, have shown a generosity and unselfishness which has been veiy rare in the history of public j bodies.

New Zealand hopes socn fo pay oft" and get rid of the usurious New Zealand Company. In the mean time that worthy body assembles from time to time to rpceive dividends and to grumble at the selfishness of the colony for not allowing itself to be mulcted of more than is necessary. Unfortunately we cannot say "of more than it owes;" for by the provisions of the Constitution Act we were saddled with conditions which oblige us to satisfy claims which have been proved over and over again to be unfounded. . At the last annual meeting the directors have favoured this province in particular by their attention. In their report appears the following passage. They regret to be obliged to repeat their statement of last year, that they are still unaware of any movement having been made or being in contemplation, on the part either of the Canterbury Colonists or of the members of the Canterbury Association, to replace in any way the sums advanced by the company for the establishment of the settlement, and not as yet repaid. HjAfter all that has passed on this subject, we owe but a very short answer to such a charge deliberately brought forward ; indeed, the quarter from which it comes makes it of very little importance to us or to any one else. The Canterbury Association have fought their own battle about this.

pretended claim. The province cavilled'at no liability brought forward by the Associa tion as incurred by them, but met all those liabilities at once; and ho claim has ever been made either by the New Zealand Company or by the Imperial Government upon this province.

Under such circumstances, "[the animus which dictated the remarks quoted above is only calculated to add, if possible, to the caution with which statements or insinua. tions emanating from the New Zealand Company ought generally to be received Neither "Canterbury Colonists," nor anyone else that we know of, are in the habit of making or contemplating any movement to pay monies which they not only do not owe but for which no claim has ever been made.