LETTER V.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 23, 13 August 1842, Page 92

LETTER V.

To Captain Arthur Wakeeield, R.N. . When private rights cease to be respected, the public interest is unsafe. You have, on a late occasion, manifested an indifference or insensibility to the rights of persons, which the true friends of this colony lament I engage to make good my charge. • You have announced that a portion of the Suburban Lands of this settlement is to be distributed to the purchasers on the 2(Uh of August" A gentleman intrusted with the choice of a large number of these sections complains that he cannot make his choices with justice to his clients unless he is enabled to see, before the day of selection, the whole of the lands included or to be included in the surveys. lam not supporting the views of that gentleman. On the contrary, I speak, as I know very well, the opinion of the public, in opposing those views. Ido not think them narrow. Perhaps the gentleman himself saw more clearly than he chose to own the true side of the question. I know not ; but this I know — I have no personal cause to support him. Whether my motive for what I am about to say be idle vanity or conceit, I know perfectly well that much curiosity and much impertinence have been current respecting the authorship of these letters, and the gentleman of whom I am now speaking has been, among others, conjectured to be the writer of them. Now if he, from ambition, or vanity, or any other motive, has given colour to this conjecture, he has acted both unwisely and unworthily. Who lam is of no moment, but, whoever I may be, I am no friend of Mr. Young. I am not fond of dragging a man out of the privacy > which belongs to him ; but I must add, having mentioned that gentleman's name, that he has some right to regard me as his enemy, since I would willingly sacrifice him to the general welfare. But this is a digression. I return. Mr. Young ' convenes a meeting of resident landholders, for ' the purpose of obtaining their, sense upon the * question. The meeting was held — speeches were made on both sides — and some excitement prevailed. You deprecated the proceeding as one of " the most dangerous " that had ever been adopted in a colony. So far good. The proceeding was not a safe one. Far from thinking your opinion sound on the whole' business, I do yet think you right in deeming the discussion very hazardous. Danger was indeed incurred, but no harm was done. If,

therefore, you should be disposed to cavil at the course adopted cconscientiously by a man charged with, a very responsible trust, remember my words, as yet no harm has been done. * I was present at that meeting. I listened with great attention to all the speeches that were made by all the orators, from the Dandie Dinmont of the Waimea Road, to the temperate Saunders and the discursive Thompson. To me it seemed that you were all much in error. That persons having to choose many sections should complain of not seeing all they have to choose from, is not unreasonable. That you should refuse to let their dilemma interfere with your care of the general interest is not unjust. But that you should openly manifest disregard of the interests of absent proprietors, is neither reasonable nor just. It may be very necessary to sacrifice the latter for the sake of the former ; but it is little to the credit of persons possessing influence here that a gentleman, whose connexion with the press gives a weight to his opinions not due to their wisdom, should not only declare publicly his contempt for the interests of absent landlords, but that he should be as publicly supported in that injustice by the local Agent of the Company. No man should know better than yourself, sir, that, but. for the absentees, this settlement had never been fopned. No man is more conscious than you are of our great want of capital. If capital be one essential element of colonization, colonies are more indebted to absentees than to residents. But Ido not put forward puling claims to gratitude, I ask for justice. I maintain that it was discreditable to affirm publicly that the absentee proprietors of land were not to be considered. And ypu, sir, as the accredited guardian of their vested interests, were bound to protect them when threatened. They were exposed to that odious tyranny— the tyranny of a majority. Still your decision was, on^ the whole, politic. I do not blame you for distributing the land as speedily as possible. To say, indeed, that by the 20th of August all the lands advertised as ready for delivery will be given out, is clearly erroneous. Taking it for granted, therefore, that those districts not yet completed will be reserved for a later distribution, and that some sufficient reasons will be afforded for their not being yet completed, I am content to assume that you will not subject agents or proprietors to the injustice of being compelled to choose lands which will not be surveyed till within a few days of the period of selection. As for your being compelled by your instructions to refer to Colonel Wakefield, I am willing to believe that a momentary impulse of forgetfulness was the occasion of an excuse which you and I caa smile at on reflection. But the inquiry must not stop here. It is easy to quash it by designating it *' dangerous." So are all disagreeable inquiries. Mark well my words, sir — they import your employers, if I am right in my conjectures — the Court of Directors will be dishonoured in the eyes of the public, unless they bring to bear their whole energy on the destruction of a miserable, wicked, and intriguing Government. Why do you resort to every expedient which a prompt ingenuity and a genius for meeting exigencies suggest to your mind ? Why, when the purchasers of land were amused by the inducement of a " surveying staff," said to be the most efficient yet formed for such a purpose, are -we still without the advantage of entering on possession of all the suburban lands ? Why, notwithstanding the sufferings of that " martyred staff," amidst cold and hunger, Slough of Despond and Valleys of the Shadow of Death — amidst good report and evil report — perils of land and perils of water, and perils of wine — through flood and field, over bank and brae — why, notwithstanding the utmost exertions of our powerful " staff" — I love that phrase, it sounds martial end mathematical — why have you found it indispensable to create and discipline another staff— ay, another and another still ? On the shores of the Wairoa, on the plains of the Waimea, other flags and other stations distinguish other lines than those which mark the operations of the Company's peculiar " staff?." Why, on mountains where goats, not without hardihood, may attempt to climb — in swamps where meteor lights may dance and rushes grow, and where the credulous farmer may look for crops of corn — why are the summits of verdant hills, all green with waving fern, as if to illustrate the triumph of Patience and the labour of husbandmen — Expectat Rusticus dum defluat amnis? — why, in these extraordinary situations, do the New Zealand Company offer so noble a field for the powers of industry? Is it from their abiding faith in the capacity of human skill ? Why the somewhat remarkable endeavour to mark out one district in particular as the one of all others Beat adapted to agriculture ? Why the eagerness with which every crable nook in every petty glen is singled out for survey ? Whence all this labour? I shall tell you. Your sagacity is too well known to leave room for any question that you are not without your doubts of the capability of these islands to Support an important population. The character of the country is such as to baffle much energy and to discourage the timid. Moreover, it is such as to necessitate dispersion. We must go very far a-field for our promised lands. Was it wise, sir, to have offered so large an amount of land to every purchaser ? 230,000 acres, in such a country, is a territory too extensive to be compact and concentrated. Then, why are we here ? Let the Company ask that question of the Colonial Government. But, be relieved, sir. They who think that this settlement is not such a field as is well adapted to our energies, are much mistaken. Let it be remembered that it is by planting colonies along the coast, by forming maritime settlements, by extending our commerce and producing our own exports, that our prosperity will be increased. For all this we are abundantly provided. They who- deem our hills too steep, our swamps too wide, our valleys too contracted for production, know nothing of the power of human will — know nothing of the nature of British energy. The people who heve raised towns on rocks scarcely less imperishable than the rocks themselves — who have carried canals and roads through part* of their own country which might well be deemed impassable — who have made the ocean a channel of intercourse with the uttermost ends of the carth — who have made the power of steam an instrument for accomplishing purposes which in the old time would have been counted among the inventions of fable — who have planted colonies over all the earth,

and founded empires which are likely- to. last as long as the foundations of the world, %nd jo render immortal, the remembrance of their language and [their power,— this people have sent out an offshoot 'from their stock to be planted in a distant soil — <have watered it with their own knowledge, wisdom; patience, and undying courage, and have committed it to the keeping of Providence among dangers and storms. That offshoot shall grow up in maturity of strength, till it comes to be equal in growth even to the parent tree. No matter, then, for the obstacles in our path. The more difficult the enterprise the greater our inducement to achieve it. Another of your views manifest at the meeting in question appears to me objectionable. You seemed desirous of diffusing a close and intimate interest in property in land among the mass of the population. I can guess your motive, and it is prudent not to disclose it. This, it seems to me, is one step towards creating a population of cottiers. At a time when our prosperity depends upon the amount of our production, it is surely of the last necessity to make industry productive. Among a cottier population there can be no division of employments, no combined labour ; and by consequence, as has been ably shown by a relative of your own — a remarkable man in a remarkable age — the least amount of production. Save us from the mischief of a population of cottiers, if you would secure us from worse evils. Give an inducement to the labourers to become prematurely proprietors of land, or petty farmers, and be assured that the time is close at hand when the inhabitants of these islands will, with one voice, call for convict labour as an indispensable boon. A pleasing task remains. I would not flatter you. If I have rightly guessed your character, it is rather by advocating your views than by complimenting your abilities that you would be delighted. No man in this colony is bet|pr qualified by character, by talents, by matured experience, for the trust you hold. I hold you mistaken in some things, dishonest in none. You have studied mankind in the world's own school. You know well how to influence men. With quick judgment, nice penetration, and enough of charity and faith, you act, if I err not, on the Roman's maxim — " Quod simplex, verum, sincerumqu^est, id est naturae hominis accommodatissimumvr If is well, sir. Be as useful in peace as you have been meritorious in war, and you will find, many friendly hearts among your compatriots here. Rest under the shadow of your laurels. May you never have I occasion to resume the sword which you won by merit, and have worn with honour; and if to the. malice of the envious and the flattery of fools you continue to be, as you ever have been, equally indifferent, be assured of retaining the respect of the wise and good, and the rough right hand of An Englishman.