ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 738, 11 May 1853, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander, Sir, — I heg your permission to tender my thanks, publicly, through your columns, to Mr. James Dilworth and Mr. Joseph Newman, for the readiness with which they acceded to my request to withdraw their claim over a small farm 1 had applied for under the new regulations, especially as I understand their names have been publicly mentioned, when another party was referred to, in connexion with this case. There were three large applicants for the same block in which the farm I applied for was included, these gentlemen being two of them ; hut as soon as they were aware of the circumstances under which my application was made, they readily gave me the following letter to the Commissioner. I remain, Sir, yours, &c. James Reid. Auckland, May 9, 1853. (copy.) Auckland, May 7, 1853. Sir,—As Mr. Reid has expressed to us a desire to secure 200 acres included in the block of land applied for by us at Rama Rama, we hog to withdraw our claim, so far as it relates to the 200 acres Mr. Reid has applied for. We remain, Sir, Your obedient servants, (Signed) J. Dilworth, Joseph Newman. To the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

THE TENSIONERS AND MR. WILLIAM BROW N. Is tliis a man to bo beloved ? Ob, monstrous fault to harbour such a thought ! Who wets his cheeks with artificial tears, And frames his face to all occasions.” To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir, —I see that Mr. Brown (supposing him still to be his own charioteer) in the Southern Cross of this morning, guesses me to be his active “friend.” lie is wrong again. I desire to be no man’s enemy, in the ordinary acception of the term ; but, believing as 1 do of Mr, Brown’s political principles, I feel that as one desiring to fulfil his duty as a good citizen of the community, so far from being his friend, in the sense in which Mr. Brown would understand that title, i. e., —a supporter, when he aspires with such daring to the highest position in the community, I cannot be other than an antagonist—or. as he would call it—his enemy. I am glad Air. Brown promises to reproduce his articles upon the Pensioners in full. Had I, as an opponent of Mr. Brown, a newspaper at my command, through which, fearless or careless of monopolising its columns, I could have done so, he may rest assured I should not be dragging them forth from their obscurity piecemeal. I have seen too much of the Pensioners not to know that they could well discriminate how a pretended sympathy for them was made a vehicle of abuse for the Governor and Government ; that they would see how the “poor pensioners,” the “ mushroon settlement,” the deep injury to them of paying them such an enormously high rate of wages as 3s. per day, and the charge of encouragement of “their dram drinking propensities,” was all to suit Nlr. Brown’s own purposes of attacks upon Sir George Grey ; and their avowed “pity” and assurance that in the Cross the pensioners had “a true friend” was — all gammon! I say, that knowing that the pensioners would be well able to discriminate here —if 1 had had the unlimited command of the columns of a newspaper to expose his want of consistency, as lie has done to write others down, and to attempt to write himself into the highest position in the community, I would have wished no better than to reproduce his own articles, I am very glad lie is going to do it himself. I believe the pensioners will think of him now as they did then, and to show to those of your readers, who were not in the colony at that time, what they did think of him at that period, and having no faith in his statement that he will not “garble and mutilate” the pages of the Cross of that time for his own purpose, I would draw their attention of the following letter published in the Cross of the 26th February. To the Editor of the Southern Cross. Sin, —In your paper of the 29th of January, there is an article on Paparoa and the pensioners there located, i n which there is a great deal said which the pensioners think is calculated io prejudice them in the eyes of the settlers ami the public at large and do them a perman rnt INJURY ; for should all yon say of them he a Honed to pass uncontradicted, who vtoiu.d employ them either at present on in futurk? First, however, as you *eem not to understand the conditions on which the pensioners agreed wiih the home Government to serve in New Zealand, allow me to inform you that the pensioners bv their contract were to have a free passage to New Zealand, and on arrival, were to be put in possession of a cottage of two rooms and an acre attached thereto, the quarter of which was to he cleared and made ready for cultivation ; the cottage and acre to become the absolute property of the pensioner. He was to be employed by the Government the first twelve months at the colonial rate of wages. He may be allowed to hire himself out, but not at a greater distance than five miles from the place where he is located ; but, should be take private employment, and be thrown out of work the first year, and fall back upon the Government, he can then only claim Is. 6d. per day. For this free passage, &c., he is to serve the Government for seven years; he is to be called out 12 days in each year and attend church parade under arms, for which he is to receive nothing ; but should lus services ho required in aid of the civil”power, &c., he will receive a sum varying from two to four shillings per day. What the pensioners have to complain of in your article is not the number of men which you state to be ernployed on the roads (220)-thesmall amount of labour which has been done, and the cost of it. With the eost, the pensioners have nothing to do. \ou are vety much above the mark in the number of men employed on the roads, for, although I have not the means of giving an accurate account of the number, 1 question if there has, on an average, been more than 10() actually labouring on the roads, and 1 feel confident that if the excavations were rnea-ured, and the number of men taken who performed the same, it would be found that the pensioners had done a fair day’s work ; for there are many among them who know what a day’s work is; and taking the work as a whole, it has been done. You are incorrect in stating that there has not been a perch of land turned up ; there are ten acres turned up, two wells sunk, and out-offices built by the pensioners. 2nd. You complain of the high rate of wages (3s. per day) which the pensioners receive, and that it is a cause of great injury to them It is really a pity, sir. that the pensioners cannot agree with you in this particular, hut, dear shoes, dear clothes, dear provisions, See., dearer even than in Auckland,— will not admit of your supposition, and they are so foolish as to suppose it is actually too low. By your own showing, even, they ought to receive 4s, per day, for you state that they could get 4s. per day in Auckland, therefore, taking Auckland rates as the average, the pensioners are actually receiving less than they ought to receive. And in reply to their not availing themselves of the higher rate of wages about Auckland, there are many objections against such a course, — this is the place where their cottage and land is to be, and where, of course, will be their wives and

families; here is their appointed place of muster every Sunday, and for beb g absent tlx r at 11 r*e several times, according to tlie conditions of the contract, they are liable to a forfeiture of pension. Then, again, a considerable number of the pensioners came here for the express purpose of cultivaiing the land on their own account, and not tu hire themselves out as labourers ; besides, it is very expensive going to Auckland, as many of thorn feel who have business there. These, with other causes, deter the pensioners from going to Auckland to seek employment, and not the fear of having to do a harder day’s work there than here, for they know that they do as hard a day’s work here, and are closer watched than they would be in Auckland, or any other place. You, sir, complain of the expense of the police force here, and suppose that we must be either in a state of insubordination, or that they are unnecessary. The pensioners here know that they are not now, nor have they at any time been necessary, —indeed, the police here think the same, and I believe every person who has visited the settlement, either on duty or otherwise, would bear us out in saying that tbe ten policemen which have been appointed from our own force would he amply sufficient to subdue any irregularity which might occur, more especially as every man here considers it his duty to support the authorities in the just execution of their duties ; and in proof that they are not necessary, and that the expense might be saved, I may state that there Lave been but two cases in which the police have acted, and one of them was a case where a pensioner was inveigled out of his bed, and put into confinement for being drunk. Hoping you will do the Paparoa Pensioners the justice to publish the foregoing,—l am, &c, (Signed) James White, Pensioner, Late Gunner, Royal Artillery. This letter of Mr. White’s does indeed contradict “much calculated to prejudice the pensioners iu the eyts of the settlers and the public at large, and to do them a permanent injury,” and which, if allowed to pass uncontradieted “ would prevent their being employed then or now,” and is accordingly accompanied with an editorial note, longer than the letter itself,_ and which is a regular stew of apologies, recantations, reavowals, ami fresh abuse of the pensioners and the Government. First, the Editor —or rather Mr. Brown —for it was then he declared himself his own charioteer —acknowledges that he is obliged to confess that verbally he has fallen into statistical mistakes, accuses Mr. White of “trying to lead him off upon a false scent,” and declares “he doubts greatly whether the pensioners are worth 3s. 6d. per day,” and the “ proceedings of the Government a shameful waste of public money,” and that it ought to bring them (the pensioners) near Auckland, and then by offering them small wages induce them to hire themselves to the public. ITo then clearly sees it desirable to rein up, and, having dealt his blows about him in the most random style, desires “ it not to be supposed from his remarks that ho wished to see the pensioners compelled to receive low wages.” What, in the name of sense, docs he mean if his observations—“ another very unnecessary expense is the high rate of wages, 3 s. per day, winch is given to them and ‘•we doubt very greatly whether they are worth 3 s. (id. per day at such spade husbandry'* —mean anything they must mean that he does wish to see the pensioner receive low wages. He had predicted the ruin and failure of the pensioner settlement ; he desired then as now to be thought a wise man ; and he did, notwithstanding his disavowal, attempt to make them believe that they were flic most ill-used and miserable creatures iu the world, and thus aid in bringing about the consummation of his own prediction. But he has been foiled —truth lias prevailed —and in this, as in many instances, Mr. AY in. Brown lias been disappointed. slore anon. —A our’s. Ac., “What’s ix a Name 1”

To the Editor of Ihe New -Zealander

Sin,—Eockln? over the columns of the Southern Cross of May nib. I observe a passage, which ! understand as intimating that the gen(lmian therein alluded So asserted at a meclingthal Mr. Brown. hu\ io.g an interest in m many things in the country, is one reason w Sn he could not lake special can- of She interests cl other trades. As (was a listener at that meeting, i shall give you my impressions. 1 understood— that the fad o! Mr. B. beingconcerned in somany w ays, was considered the best surety for ids advocating the interests of lids district in (be general assembly, against the powerful and combined interests ol (be oilier districts,—as it was ably demonstrated In another speaker, that all questions of legislation, affecting the several districts, would be there determined, and the outlay of onrgcnciai revenue an ! land revenue would be in I heir management, returning to ns only such portion as they did no! choose h> appropriate : and as the Governor and Legislative Council would have the final approval or disapproval, we see that we lone no defence against the 25 voters overruling our 12 and voting our money away—only the check that may be or may not be used by that Legislative Council or the Governor ; and no remonstrance of our Pion incial Assembly or our Superintendent can lie of any avail. The Governor always bring aide to slate that whatever was done*was bv a vote of the General Assembly, in which this district was represented by numbers in proportion to its numerical strength. Tims we are completely at the mercy of (be Southern Company's Settlements. if it is true, whai is said for Mr. Brown—that if lie cannot obtain Mu; Superinteadeacy ue wiii not serve in any oilier situation it may not he of much moment, as it appears, for want ol persons willing to go to Wellington, we shall have to make up our representation from gen - tlemen belonging to that Settlement, one more or less to supply -Mr. Browns place wid be ot little moment. Now we know Mr. Brown count make himself exceedingly obnoxious to any Governor as Superintendent, but as a Representative no could not reach him, except by invective. The next view, or rather that taken b\ r the Southern Crons writer—seems to indicate a mere surface view of the question, intimating that Mr. Brown being engaged in a variety of business, cannot lie influenced to support any one business more than another. This did not appear to me to be the argument advanced ; but that Mr. Brown through these multifarious and local trades had power over so many unreflecting men, that he could inevitably place in any Council one at least of the Candidates, when there were two or more to be returned for any one place, which would enable him lo pack both Councils, in such manner that ho could not only carry any particular measure but could also lead the Council into any line of conduct, or policy which he desired. This appears so very plain, that I find it perfectly understood, among those accustomed to relied for themselves and ! rather think that writer is quite aware of (his fact, hut had knowingly written that article as a snare lo those who do not think. As an exemplification, it was staled hy another of she speakers that Mr. Brown had at one time a sway over the late Governor Kilzßoy, and that Hie Governor, under his temporary influence, shut up the Customs and thus saved to the merchants the advance of duties on imported cargo, and also saved (he natives from payment of any duty as consumers. In lieu there was established a pioperty (ax, which was levied on!}- on toe Europeans—and consequently (here was almost a total destruction of revenue. On my enquiry , I learned, that (his lax might be commuted for at 12/. per annum, and thus while it was quite insufficient for a revenue, the smaller dealers and operatives had to pay the full lax, up to

I V. rale payers ; bul, all wealthier properties paid no more, and thus the richer the man Use less tax he paid. And this was one of Mr. Brown’s pet schemes, which affords some idea of his notions of political economy ! Now in my opinion (he rich man having greater moans and greater profits, should pay his full rate at least. Referring to son o former observation about money bills which by Use arguments of one of the speakers is now more plain to me, I understand, that as our land revenue and general revenue will be appropriated by I fie general assembly, we cannot reckon upon any public works being done incur Province except by local taxation, and consequently these are the money bills, winch the Superintendent will have to bring forward. Now in doing this, would Mr. Brown bring in his old favorite scheme of scrutinizing small properties and commuting large ones; would he pul a lax on absentees’ waste lands, or valuation ot cultivated lands—in short how would lie raise his revenue for local works ; and if there should he an unreasonable hearing on any class, who is to disallow the bill but the Governor-in-Chief. And then would come collision, and while every other Province would be working harmoniously with the central government, we would have an everlasting bone of contention to gnaw—perhaps it might be Mr. Brown’s old absurd crotchet of a Poll-tax from which the Governor only could rescue us. Something is said about aristocracy, which I confess I do not very well understand. To me it seems the gentleman alluded (o, like most other men, prefers as a model the institutions of his own country, and 1 think he is right. In America we have Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and a President, and each Province has its Governor and Council; they do not mince the matter, they do not call them Superintendents bul Provincial Governors, knowing very well while silly men arc cajoled by names, (hat there exists no such thing as a Government wilhoutan aristocracy. Neither did they hesitate to place General Jackson twice as President, although he was a military man. As to the motives which may have actuated the person alluded to, we have nothing to do, it is the opinions that ha has set forth that the public have to judge of. They seem to have been fairly s’aled, and il I, as onelikely to remain long in New Zealand (if quietly governed) have any right to j idgc, I must say the course and arguments liken by that gentleman, are perfectly consistent r.:ul well borne out. At all everts he decides on (he merits of the case, and not upon parly or personal ability. It is one thing to he able to do well, quite another to be dispo-#ci iO do so. —Yours, etc., A Lover of Trie Consistency,