THE ALBERT MEMORIAL – WHAT SHOULD IT BE?

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1713, 9 August 1862, Page 4

THE ALBERT MEMORIAL - WHAT SHOULD IT BE?

To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir, —I tako the liberty of addressing you a few remarks upon the tenor of the artiele in your paper of last Saturday respecting the Scottish memorial to the late lamented husband of our Qaeen. It is one thing to give cheerfully to honorable and public objects, and it is another to pretend great desire for their furtherance, while conjuring up certain insurmountable objections, unheard of, and unknown to others, but sufficiently cogent to compel you to close your purse strings, and give Utopian suggestions instead of a decent contribution. I must say I much regret that our colonial sympathies should in the present instance have had so unfair an exposition at your hands. I have been given to understand that you hail from " Caledonia stern and wild," but if so I fear you m.ust be a son of that degenerate class, who prefer prudence to patriotism, and would rather cling to their bawbeo than save their honor. That there are too many like-minded I confess, but it is much to be deplored that one of this class should be found occupying your position. You must have been fully aware that no demand was made upon us by the letter to General Cameron, but simply an opportunity considerately afforded us of doing oursolvcs an honor in joining our compatriots in a noble and national undertaking. The unkind and uncourteous manner in which the proposal has been treated by you, and the self-evident folly of your absurd proposition of raising a pile of bricks on the Government Domain as a memorial to our prince, is quite worthy of the suggestive genius that has been pointing out to the public the propriety of levelling headlands and erecting exchanges, &c,, &c, but I contend it is not becoming on the part ot a Irae Scot, whose ancestors had " wi' Wallace bled." Had you, sir, really desired to substitute a fcasiblo project, you would have suggested the building of a ■ wing to our Ragged School and Industrial Orphan Home, which truly would havo had a strong likelihood of being adopted; as being most congenial to the life and labours of the illustrious prince whom we all desiro to monumentalize. I am anxious that this protest should appear in the same sheet in which your remarks will doubtless appear again to-morrow, and relying upon your impartiality, I resort to your paper instead of to that of a rival editor. I have the honor to sign myself, as I trust I ever shall feel, A Douglas. Auckland, August ff, 19G2.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir, —Observing as I do that you admit to your paper letters on all subjects, I take the liberty of soliciting space in your columns for a few words about Mahurangi. We havo been hitherto a silent people here—working and saying nothing; but you must not imagine from that, that wo are oblivious to the turmoil of political strife for over going on in our metropolis. On the contrary, wo are frequently contemplating the war of faction —and condemning the prevalence of private ambition and personal malice, which is so constantly preventing the progress of our provincial prosperity. yp« vflmrt p ft mi pfypnr m mm of t|w fjwt

that every 34 men in the Colony had to pay one man to govern them This seems expensive; but it appears to be inadequate to the proper government of the said 34; for last week a gentleman who is an occasional visitor here, has been soliciting signatures to a petition purporting to be from the settlers of Mahurangi, and praying the Government to appoint us a Resident Magistrate. What does this gentleman mean? Has he seen crime going unpunished among us, and therefore thinks we require a magistrate ? lam sore he has not. For the last five years we have required a magistrate once, and that in a case of wife-beating. What then can be his motive? Fas he among that " army of martyrs" you so pathetically describe, some friend burning with the patriotic desire to benefit his adopted country at a salary of £250 per annum? I am at a loss to conjecture? But believe me, sir, we do not wish to increase the number of those who, without returning any equivalent, live at their ease on the hardly-earned wages of the industrial settler. The Government officer has a good right to be paid when he has work to do; but when roads and bridges are required in every direction, we protest against providing sinecures for gentlemen to whom the countiy owes nothing. I am, &c, Pro Bono Publico. Mahurangi, July 31, 1862.

To the Editor of the New-Zealandeb. Sir, —You have often drawn the attention of the country districts, shewing them the great advantages to be gained by having their local board. Now, sir, I think that no eane man will gainsay it, that all districts whcie local boards have been formed, if the Government gives them a fair start, that is, an undisputed line of road, have done well. Now, sir, as far as lam informed, the Government has not given thePukekohe Board this start. In September or October last our Board was formed; the first thing they did was to ask the Government to point out their line of road. So in complying with this request the Superintendent sent Mr. Heaphy to point out the line of road. This done, they asked for tenders which were sent in, and one of them was accepted. The contractor began his work, and when he began to cut the bush on a part of the line of road running through Mr. Hamilton's land, Mr. James Hamilton tried to stop the work. However, the contractor forced the cutting of the bush through his lands. Mr. H. then cast a ditch across the road. Now, sir. I do not know what amount of correspondence took place between the Board and the Government about this dispute, but I believe Dr. Pollen told one of the commissioners that they ought to fill up the ditch. This was not an order from the Superintendent but simply the Doctor's opinion; however, the ditch was filled in. The next thing done by the owner of the disputed land was a fence put across the line; here it stands, and to make things still worse, Mr. James Hamilton told one of the Board, they might begin to cast a bridge that is required on this disputed part of the road, but that he would cut tho sleepers. Now, sir, here we are with our year's rate spent and a gate placed at the end of our road next to Drury, so that at present we are completely closed in. Surely the Government of Auckland has the power of opening a road into this district, if not, the result will be that a number of hard-working settlers will have to forsake their newly-acquired homes. Now, Mr. Editor, I think the rate-payers ought to know who is in fault, so that we may not say hard words against a party not being guilty. Sir, if you can aid us in this you will oblige, Yours. &c, One who has paid his rate. August sth, 1862.