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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 740, 18 May 1853, Page 2

IMPORTANT INTERVIEW WITH BIS EXCELLENCY SIR GEORGE GREY YESTERDAY.—THE NEW ZEALAND COMPANY’S DEBT. RE-BUILDING OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE IN AUCKLAND.

On Tuesday the I7ih instant, the following gentlemen —Messrs. Brown, Whitaker, Salmon, Forsailh, and Dignan—as Representatives of the people, elected under the Provincial Councils Ordinance, waited upon His Excellency by appointment, to present an Address against the payment to the New Zealand Company, of any portion of the prolion of the proceeds of the Land Sales in this Province.

Mr. Whitaker briefly explained the general principles upon which the Address was founded, and the reason why the signature of the Member for the Suburbs of Auckland, being temporarily absentfi om the Colony, was not appended to it.

The Memorial was read as follows To His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C. B. Governor and Cornniander-in-Chief in and over the Islands of New Zealand, etc. The Memorial of the undersigned Members of the Provincial Council of New Ulster,

Siiewetii,— That your Memorialists, as Members elected for the Districts of New Ulster, unconnected with the New Zealand Company, j n the month of January last transmitted a Petition to the Right Honourable W. E. t Gladstone, for presentation to the House of Commons (a copy of which accompanies this Memorial) praying exemption for those districts from the payment of any portion of the New Zealand Company's debt, and setting forth at length the grounds on which such prayer was preferred. That the recent extensive Sales of Crown Lands, and the probability of future sales of still larger amount, —dhc results of the recent beneficial alterations in the mode of disposing of Crown Lands—render the Land Fund of the new Province of Auckland a most important object of consideration, and appear to your Memorialists to call for some immediate step in reference to the New Zealand Company’s claim. That the Province of Auckland, as just constituted, under the “ Act to grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand,” contains about thirteen millions of acres of Land, with a population of about 10,000 Europeans, and 70,000 aborigines,—nearly 5-iilhs of the whole population of New Zealand,—and possesses a trade and shipping equal at least to (hose of all the other five Provinces of New Zealand together. That all the Districts of this Province arc, and ever have been, as unconnected with the New Zealand Company and its colonizing operations as any one of the colonies of Australia. That not one shilling of that Company’s money has been spent in any way for their advancement or advantage, nor have they ever received from it any benefit or service whatever —so much, indeed, the reverse, that, during the ten years of its existence, (he Company sought every occasion to calumniate and injure the Northern Districts, and the settlement of Auckland in particular. That your Memorialists would deprecate any attempt to evade the payment of a just debt, but they unhesitatingly stale their conviction (and in this respect they represent the universal feeling of their constituents) that so far from any moral obligation resting on this Province to pay any portion of the New Zealand Company’s claim, they firmly believe that it is the duty of every man in (he Province to use every effort in his power to prevent a fraction of its revenue from being applied in payment of a charge which cannot be looked on in any other light than as obnoxious, unjust, and oppressive. Thai your Memorialists cannot but believe that the infliction, under the circumstances, of such a charge, in direct violation of Her Majesty’s Faith as to the disposal of (he Land Fund pledged to the Settlers by the Royal Instructions of 1810, especially when no opportunity of being heard against such a measure was afforded to those who are (he sufferers by it, can only have been permitted under misapprehension and mistake, and they have every confidence that, as soon as the facts become fully known to those who have the power, the injury and injustice done will be so manifest that the grievance cannot fail to be at once redressed.

Your Memorialists therefore respectfully, but earnestly pray that no part of the Land Fund of the Province of Auckland shall he paid 1 over to the New Zealand Company, till the Inhabitants of the Province shall at least have had their case considered, aft or having been afforded an opportunity < f haying it fairly heard ; and that your Excellency will he pleased to lend your assistance towards the relieung this Province altogether from a tax, the injustice of which is so deeply fell that its enforcement cannot fail to produce discontent and disaffection amongst Her Majesty’s loyal subjects. And your Memorialists will ever pray, etc. W. Brown, F. Whitaker, J. Salmon, T. S. Fobsaitb, A. O’Neill, J. Mackv, W. F. Porter, P. Dignan, G. Clarke, His Excellency the Governor then read the following reply. Gentlemen, — In this memorial you request me for various reasons to delay issuing instructions for the payment to the New Zealand Company of a sum of about nine thousand pounds, which under an arrangement recently sanctioned by Her Majesty's Government is now payable to that body from the Land Revenues of this Settlement, the object of this delay being to allow of the case of the inhabitants of IhisProvince being carefully considered by the British Legislature, after it has been fairly staled and fully heard. Several months since Lieut.-Governor Wvnyard and the Executive Council, transmitted In me strong representations against the policy and justice of charging upon the Land Revenue of this Settlement the debt of 208,5701. i ss. alleged to be due to the New Zealand Company, together with (he large arrears of Interest now due upon that amount. I forwarded those representations to Her Majesty's Government staling any entire concurrence in them, and m c reply to those despatches may be expected to arrive in the Colony within (be next three months. I have also upon several occasions recommended Her Majesty’s Government, so soon as it had been ascertained what amount ought o be admitted to he due to the Now Zealand Com-, pany, to sanction an arrangement which wou have enabled the Government, after the sary enquiries had been made, to have direefea from w hat portion of the Land Revenues of> e * Zealand, and in what proportions, the aniouct due to the Company should have been paid. It thus appears (hat it is the opinion of Jjj® Executive Government of this Province that • amount of 90001. claimed by the New ,^ n r Company fiom its Land Revenues, ought tied- 11 .

(0 be paid to that body, in equity oi P stjoa has been further conuntil He who! 1 ( . Govern ment. The sidered h> H , s0 find from the memorial same op |nlo ' ’-oscnled to me, entertained by JO* chosen i.y (ho J. V this part of New Zealand lo re'hall have much , L ' m complying with the prayer of your pleasu j j f ce i entirely satisfied that in T nl °rpferrim r the whole subject for the consilontion of Her Majesty’s Government before .In nliim io take so large an amount from the ? d Revenue of this district, I am adopting hS course winch is best calculated to promote lie interests of Her Majesty’s service, and the honor of the Crown. G . Gke T , Govcrnor-in-Chief. Tn (he Members of the Provincial 10 Council of New Lister, presenting the Memorial. May 17lh, 1855. Mix Whitaker drew His Excellency’s attention to the third paragraph of the reply. Ij.pi n terminated at the foregoing sentence, it would have been most satisfactory, but the third paragraph seemed, in some sense; lo admit the justness of the Company’s claim. Mr. Brown and Mr. Forsailh alsocalled the attention of His Excellency lo this part of the reply, and asked for some liuTher explanation. His Excellency explained that whatever might he the ultimate decision of Her Majesty’s Government, with respect to the amount Justly due to the Company, and as lo the relative obligation of the pledges which had been given lo that body, and those which had been previously given to the Settlers of New Zealand generally, his own opinion was that this Province should be exempted from bearing any share of the Company's Debt, and that he had so reported lo Her Majesty’s Government.

In reply to a question from Mr. Whitaker, His Excellency staled that no payment had yet been made to the Company, although a sum of about 9000/. was now lying in the chest, payable according to the existing regulations. A document had been prepared, showing the exact amount up to the 31st March last, a copy of which should be handed to the Deputation. Mr. Dignan remarked that this fact was a satisfactory corroboration of the opinion expressed by His Excellency that the Land Fund of tins Province should be exempted. The Deputation then tendered their thanks to His Excellency, and expressed themselves satisfied with his reply.

Mr. Whitaker said there was another subject upon which the Deputation would be glad to ascertain His Excellency’s views, and with permission they would ask a question. It had no reference to the subject of the address, and they did not by any means wish to lake His Excellency by surprise, or press him for an Immediate answer; but an answer might save the necessity of waiting on His Excellency on a future occasion. The Governor having signified his willingness to receive the question, Mr. Whitaker proceeded to lay before him the great want of a Government House, and the necessity of some steps being taken towards the re-crcc-lion of one. His Excellency, in reply, staled that plans had already been prepared, and if it were the wish of the inhabitants that a Government House should be built, he should be ready to comply with their wishes. Mr. Forsailh said that the Deputation might, he believed, unhesitatingly assume the responsibility of declaring it to be the wish of the inhabitants generally, that a Government House should be built. His Excellency then said he would consult his Executive Council upon the subject, and if they coincided, immediate steps should be taken for the purpose. The interview then terminated.