Original Correspondence.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 288, 3 March 1849, Page 3

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the New Zcalander. Sir, — I am directed to request that you will ue bo good us to insert in your paper the enclosed copy of a Protest sent by the Settlors of this District to Mr. G.sbornc, Commissioner of Crown Lands>, and confer a favour on the signers thereof. I have the honour to remain, Sir, Your ohedient Bervnnt, Win. Hart. The Pah, Onehunga, March 1, 1849.

Oiidinnga, 22nd February, 1849; Sni.—We, the undersigned Settlers leading within the Hundred of Onehunga, protest against the election of Cnptain Kenny, Mr. i'owditch, and Jerry O'Keefe, as Wardens for this llundied, anil which miscalled election took place at a meeting of the settlers held " for the purpose of electing from among themselves three Wardens for tha said Hundred," at Onehunga, on the 19th day of February instant, for the following tcasons — Ist. Because it is prejudicial to the prosperity of the settlers that the regulations for depashumg cattle upon the waste landa of the Crown should be in the Imnds of the pensioners in this Hundrpd, they being totally unacquainted with such matters, and not knowing whom (from among the settlers) would be most competent to form eucbi emulation* for the depasturing of cattle as would be ju&t to all parties interested therein. 2ndly, Because, under any ciicumstancc;, the pensioueis have a majority of votes, ninct en of thorn having takca out licenses to departure cuttle upon the waste lands of the Ciown within this Hundred, the whole number of licensee taken out being thirty-seven ; and it is rno&t remarkable lhat nineteen pensioners should have taken out licences to depasture cattle, fflim theie are only some thiee or four of them who possess any Mock, and th.it only a few in number. L is, in fact, making the wardens the organ of the pensioners, instead of the setters. The undersigned are by no means desirous of depriving the pensioners of the li'ht to run cattle on the waste lands of the Crown., On the controiy, we are of opinion they should have that privilege to its fullest extent, and lhat without nnychnge whatever; but we object to their having any vote in the matter, lhoy cannot be considered as independent seitler>, they being i in fact } a poition of tlh> military force of tho countiy, under the control of their officers, and having, from previous habits and present position, no feeling or interest in common with the settler. 3i\lly. Because the pensioners nme to the meeting having been previously diilled to vote for three individuals, and for whom they did uiianimously vote, two of wliom, at least, would be incompetent to the dutips assigned to them, and have not the confidence of the settlers. And farther, tho settlers present at such meeting as aforesaid, finding that thqir interests had been sacrificed by the number of licences unfairly granted to the pensioners, declined to vote at all at such meeting. 4thly. We further protest agninst the use which many of the pensioners intend making of their licenses, a fact notorious to every one in the neighbourhood — namely, that of transferring the benefit of them to speculators in cattle, and who do not themselves possess an acre of land in the colony, thus not only materially injuring the value of the property of tho Crown, but also that of the settleis, on abuse of the rights of property ; to prevent which, it was at one lime hoped that the system of granting licenses, if propci ly followed out, would ha\e been amply sufficient. We further regret that the pensioners themselves should have been so badly advised as to have brought themselves into collision with the sutlers upon a subject so deeply affecting the inteicsts of both, as, in most cases, the employment we have been induced to give them was done as much to serve them as fiom the prospect of any pecuniaiy benefit that could be derived from the labour of such old and infirm people, whose previous habits of life totally unfilled them for agricultural pursuits. We therefore request that you will be so good as to lay this our protest, before his Excellency the Go» ver-in-Chief, at your cailieit convenience. We have the honour to remain, Sir, Your obedient humble seivaiits, Wm. II vkt Patrick Donnovan J VMCS BICVtiHEDGIi Witt. POITER T. Henry James Macky. To W. Gisborne, Esq., Commissioner of Crown Lands, &c, &c.