ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Issue 105, 1 August 1843, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

P district was surveyed—no one belonging- to this I phuanihropic Company to sympathize with his I countrymen, and cothe forward with the rightI hand of fellowship, and with a warm and geneI rous heart to say—l am happy to see you arrive |in safety after so long a voyage; but T beg leave || to apoligize to you on behalf of the Company | that the land which you purchased lias not yet 1 been surveyed owing to causes over which we 1 had no controul; but I will use my best endeaI vour to make you as comfortable as circumstances will allow, and here you may locate 1 yourselves free of rent till such time as it shall be | in- our power to prepare the district allotted for |j your reception, and convey youand your families, I and your effects, free of expense, to the same. No; nothing-but distauce and dry reserve, was all that the poor disappointed land purchasers got | for all their outlay ; several of whom, who had I purchased temporary houses, made of a species I of straw, from land sharks who were ever ready

in their hands for land which they (the Company) held out to the. world they had bought of the Natives, and which they bound themselves to put US' in the peaceable possession of, iby all that binds man to man in the transac- : tions of life—the pledging of their word and honor that they would fulfil their engagements to the entii'e satisfaction of parties who were willing to purchase from them. How far these engagements have been fulfilled, the sequel fearfully has demonstrated. No doubt a few (chosen ?) have got possession of land, and have been extorting most exorbitant rents from their less fortunate fellow land-purchasers and others, who are thus, by this wrongous system, obliged, after expatriating themselves 1*6,000 miles,’ to pay to the uttermost farthing for a spot of ground on which to place the sole of their foot. (One Pound!.'!) In the case of many j who were disembarked at this place bitter dis- ; appointment, was the first thing that wounded j their spirits, when they found that though they | had purchased early numbers (second series), ! and though the land was not chosen for a year and a-halt after, that because they were longer on the voyage than others, they were therefore, to add to their comfort (dis ?) placed 100 or 150 farther back on the list of choice at the Land-office ! Precious system ! These things are now however cared very little about, though grievously felt at the time ; for it matters little whether they were first or last on such a list, for land which in all human probability they are destined never to get possession of. In many instances, too, I am informed it is not land at all, but pure sea-sand, or undrainable swamp. It was understood in England to be arable land they were to get for their money. Priority of choice has been to many a ruinous concern. It would have been a much better .and far more satisfactory way, had good land only been surveyed, and allotted by ballot; for every one has not the opportunity of making a survey of the district to be chosen. It puts the certainty of good land clearly in the hands of the already opulent, who have plenty of time and means to spare to make a proper look-out—the nature of

I the country admitting of the odds. The second series purchasers have been the worst used of all. Where is the honor of the New Zealand Company in having landed the I'" purchasers of that district at Port Nicholson, to find their way at their own charges as thev best could ? Vile imposition ! • And where again, let me ask, is the honor-of the N.Z.C., with all their fine theory of landing laborers on the spot? Damnable falsehood !!! The truth of the matter is, to quote the language of your special-plead-ing contemporary —“ They would wish to see Wanganui sunk to the bottom of the sea.” But it will not be so easily submerged. It will U yet make them hear on the (leaf side of their I head. They could not have been more mortii fied had they been told on coming to Port Nij| cholson that their land was in the moon, than |j gulled in the way they have been. They can H never forgive nor forget that ungenerous, un- |! friendly, and unmanly false assertion of the j| Gazette, that they were a set of grumblers. i This will stick in their gizzards. And so long |f as the Wanganui sj « “ Rins rowin’ to the sea,” §Hf,'the unkindest cut of all, will never be forgot. J Many landowners in the second series, thus |j cruelly treated, have sold off, and bade adieu to the Colony for ever. P Again, it is no doubt fresh in the memory of || many of the unfortunates of the second series, H when they found themselves disembarked in an H entirely different part of the country from that H which the New Zealand Company bad allotted Bfor them, that there was no place set aside for them on which to locate themselves, till that

| to impose upon the unwary, by telling them 1 that the land was free for two or three years, I owing to the unsettled state of matters had no sooner paid away their money for these wretch--4 ed hovels, than down upon them came the | pompous landholders, Tins is my land, and I p tell you what it is, if you do not very speedily | remove yourself I will order the constables to I take the roof from off your house. This was | the language of these little republic men to :»their unfortunate land purchasers ; and when C you tried to reason with them, that you were | landed in this part ot the country many miles l from where your land was, and that the parties 1 from whom you bought the house had informed

•• To the Editor of the New Zealand Colonist. , Sir —ln the Colonist and the Gazette, where the New Zealand Company is decried by the one, and the Government abused by the other, the land purchasers, who. are the sufferers between the two contending parties, have just reason to curse their hard fates, that they have been duped by the Company, and taxed arid misruled by the Government. That both are to blame, shamefully to blame, every man who takes an impartial view of the matter must admit. The. Company, by its plausible representations, have led men to place their capital

you that the land was free till such time as' things would be properly arranged—all that you got in return was—that is your misfortune not mine. Give us a good out and out Tory Government rather than a happy little republic as the Gazette c alls it, comprised of such scurvy money humbug bloodsuckers —we would then have had a .certainty of getting rational treatment, at any rate, aye, and our rights too. Respected Sir—Many thanks from the grateful hearts of a suffering, disappointed, and heartbroken people, are due to you for your unwearied exertions for the general welfare of the Colony.—l am, Sir, Your most obliged servant, A" COLONIST. ! Wellington, July 31, 1843. !

(To the Editor of the New Zealand Colonist. “ Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lesthefall.” i| Sir —When reigned, || and Ravens hovered over the great cow-hunt at || Wakatu, men enjoyed a hearty good laugh at || the queer articles which consecutively appeared in the Gazette, and perfect good humor prevailed f| throughout the colony: But now that Reynard, I. :<< whose tongue is sharper than a two edged sword, '§ cutting in ribbands even the veil of private life, H has succeeded to the absolute dominion of what $5 Gov. Hobson, not perhaps inappropriately I called the venal press of Wellington, the plasters have been most unmercifully pulled from off old sores that were supposed to be nearly healed, and transactions which men of ordinary prudence avoid as much as possible to dwell P upon, have been published to the world in the f| plainest language that malice . can employ, by p| that wee shameless newspaper the Spectator. fl Does it matter one whit whether the Editor is I\ ready to prove every word of what he has f written ? Most assuredly not. The object of | his malignant obliquy has suffered for his faults j by having to resign his situation here, and being < refused as the Gazette says, by the pure-in-heart J people of Nelson, and is now removed to a dis--|j tant part of the country. Can it, let me ask, be $ any thing far short of cowardice, to say nothing of a man when he is present to defend himself; but, on the' contrary, to attack him in the most i'j violent and scurrilous manner when absent, ‘3 heightened, no doubt, a great deal, by the | writer being apparently a man of good education ? y It cannot be supposed otherwise than that your f contemporary wishes to proclaim to mankind, | & by exposing the faults of others, that he himself | fi is one of the “ unco guid,” who themselves, pair 1 ? .l bodies, though not tormented with a treacherous I inclination bump, are perhaps like unto whitened 1 ,f sepulchres ; for it has been wisely said of old j time, that there lived not one that doeth good ■i and sinneth not —no, not one. But halt, my || pen ! the Editor of the Gazette is a wonderful j £| phenomenon, a rare avis in this vain transitory U world, it has always been the case that there j jj| have been a chosen few who can easily perceive S the mote in the eve of their neighbour and | S friend, and hunt him from hell to Hackney for the same, but who are nevertheless obscure | enough not to discern that there is a beam of no | j§ ordinary size in their own. You will see that!

I when one man is hauled forth before the public I in this way, that all may likewise be treated the p same by this miraculous drum major whenever he takes it in his head—and no man can be safe.

| Really when things of this sort fill whole columns $ of the Gazette, it would be well for all the men

5 of Port Nicholson, and more especially for l those connected with the said venal press of If Wellington, not to speak to, far less habitually walk arm-in-arm on the beach with, tap-u-tip •* wahincs. It would be well to put the unwary ■, and unthinking on their guard, to take very great care not to have the very appearanoe of ;i evil —since $j “ There’s a cliil among us taking notes, (And when we are gaen,) ><, ’Faith he’ll print them.” * I quote the address of Scotland’s Bard to the P unco guid, which may not be quite un apropos :

ADDRESS TO THE UNCO GUID, OR RIGIDLY RIGHTEOUS, fd “ My son, these maxims make a rule, l-\ And lump them aye thegither ; The Rigid Righteous is a fool, j The Rigid Wise anither. BThe cleanest corn that ere was (light May hae some pyles o’ chaff in : So ne’er a fellow creature slight For random fits o’ daffin’.” Solomon —Eccles. ch. vii. verse IB “ Oh ye wha are sae guid yoursel, Sue pious and sae holy, Ye’ve nought to hut mark and tell Your neebour’s fauts and folly ! IWhase life is like a wool gaun mill, Supplied wi’ store o’ water, The heaped lvapper’s ebbing still, And still the clap plays clatter. Hear me, ye venerable core, As counsel for poor mortals. That frequent pass douce Wisdom’s door, For glaiket Folly’s portals ; I, for their thoughtless, careless sakes, 'Would here propone defences, Their dohsie tricks, their black mistakes, Their failings and mischances. Ye see your state wi’ theirs compared, !And shudder at the niffer, But cast a moment’s fair regard, . What maks the mighty differ ? Discount what scant occasion gave That purity ye pride in, M And (what’s aft mail- than a’ the lave) M Your better art o’ hidin'.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Colonist.. Sir —Knowing that your columns are the ! fittest for the expression of free opinion, I take I the- liberty of saying a few words on what has been expressed regarding the aboriginal Natives of these Islands since the Wairau collision. That the most violent and diabolical expressions have been in this Colony used even by men pretending to the name of gentlemen, both you and your numerous readers, I have no doubt, are fully aware—such as shooting them all wherever and whenever they were seen, just as was done of old in America, New South Wales, and Van Diemen’s Land, the aborigines of which latter place, by this inhuman system, have been almost completely extirpated, the last sad remnant of whom the Governor of that country had in mercy conveyed to another island to avoid the utter extermination of the race. Dr. Lang, in one of his works says—

“ A spot was pointed out to me a few years ago in’ the interior of the island, where seventeen of them had been shot in cold blood. They had been bathing in the heat of a summer’s day, in the deep pool of a river in a secpiestered glen, when they were suddenly surprised by a party of ai med colonists who had secured the passes and I believe not one of them was left to tell the tale. Nay, a convict bushranger in Van Diemen’s Land, who was hanged a few years ago for crimes committed against the European inhabitants of the country, confessed,' when under sentence of death, that he had actually been in the habit of shooting the Black natives to feed his dof/s!”

I Let us pause and consider to what awful I lengths such principles would go, if there was | no power to keep them from being acted up to. As regards the aborigines of New Zealand—to begin and carry on a war of extermination because a few have done wrong-, none but madmen would ever for a moment uphold. There are many New Zealanders who are real men in every sense of the word. What could he be that would be base enough to lilt his hand to slay such a man as Epuni! That aged chieftain who has the true character and bearing of a gentleman, and whom we would do well to imitate. Cold must that heart be that could not feel moved at the appearance of this aged chief with his tribe in Wellington to attend the funeral of our late worthy and much''respected Mayor; and colder still must that heart be, that could not grow grit* as the words fell from that aged chieftain’s lips, which he oft repeated as he followed to the grave the earthly remains of a kindred spirit— “ My heart is dark because of HANITA !” His is the affection that is not confined to words merely, but deeds prove the sincerity of his manly heart. Yesterday he was to be seen with five canoes full of the best potatoes as a present to the bereaved widow and her afflicted family. Such deeds are truly worthy of being recorded. And will we forget, too, that the natives when that dreadful calamity befel this place some months ago, by which a great part of the town was burnt down, how cheerfully they helped, and how sorry they expressed themselves ; and that too was confirmed by their B raising a subscription in behalf of the sufferers.' I No, let us be just in our opinions, and not! come to hasty conclusions. They are men, and 9 like ourselves, there are good and bad among: them. I would conclude in the words of the poet—- “ Then let us pray that come it may, And come it shall for a’ that; [ That man to man the world o’er, !i Shall brothers be and a' that.” 2 I am, Sir, your obliged servant, e By the insertion of the above, -t N. 3 * Grit, full, like to burst. j Wellington, July 31, 1843. ' f

To the Editor of the New Zealand Colonist.' Sir —As a settler in Wellington, I should feel greatly obliged if you can allow me space for the following observations in your esteemed journal:—l have in common with, I believe, the majority of this community been struck at the violent articles which has recently appeared in the columns of your contemporary, the Gazette, ' and disgusted equally at the hypocritical professions and false assertions, as respects both the New Zealand Company, (or rather their agent):, and various members of the Government whose names it has thought proper to make use of in no very honorable or gentlemanly manner. Sir, as a colonist in the Company’s settlement at Port Nicholson—a- settlement by nature pointed out in language to be, which “ All

I Think, when your castigated pulse Gies now and then a wallop, What ragings must his veins convulse,' That still eternal gallop. Wi’ wind and tide fair i’ your tail, Right on ye scud your lee-way ; I But in the teeth o’ bailh to sail, It males an unco lee-way. Then gently scan your brother man, Still gentler sister woman ; Though they may gang a kennin’ wrang, To STEP ASIDE IS HUMAN.” The people of Port Nicholson cannot applaud the conduct of your contemporary in trampling/ as h* has done, upon the . already fallen. • Sir/ you have used moderation, and for that you will ever be esteemed by your fellow colonists. I am, Sir, yours, &c., A Port Nickian Wellington, July 31, 1843. i 1 1 j< II \ li ! | J i» !

I| who run may read,” one day to become tin 1 capital of a mighty and industrious people, as i I port —unrivalled for its easy and safe, access anc * security, and as the outport to the whole of the l vast districts of the north—as a settler in such » a place, and bearing in memory past and qwesenl ; events, I cannot, lam forbidden, by the unI statesmanlike and unworthy conduct of the i Government, to speak on its behalf. But I can, | and will protest against the outrageous personal abuse to which the editor of the Gazette has deemed fit in his wisdom to pour on the heads of almost all the gentlemen, either at Auckland or in this place, in any way connected with the Government. By his doing so, he has., undoubtedly revived the character of the Colonel's organ to its once (I leave you and your readers to judge whether) enviable reputation, of being the medium of promulgating untruths, and misrepresenting the opinions of this community. Not a month has hardly passed away but rumour informs us of the disgust of its subscribers, being insulted by the lucubrations of as complete a wool-gatherer as ever lived, and his horrible attempts at wit; but the scenes are shifted, (for the very existence of the paper) and one succeeds, who, if he would have exposed abuses and wrongs without scurrility and indulging personal tirades against ind i viduals amongst us, would have been welcomec and the colony would have had good cause t rejoice in obtaining so able a friend; but would challenge any person acquainted witi the press of the mother country and neigh bouring colonies to produce more glarinj instances of outstepping the arena of fai political controversy. I believe the partie now receiving delight, and applauding th one sided view which the Gazette is taking o affairs, will ere long discover they have fosterei a serpent, who, when it becomes sufficient!] warmed by supposed security, will turn upoi its restorers. Sir, you cannot have failed t< have observed the studied silence and reserv< of the organ of the Company in regard to tin matter, the foundation of our principal grievance viz., whether the agents of the Company eve: gave a consideration to the Natives for the lane which is disputed, and to which their agein lays claim ? The very reverse is the case ; noi a syllable is uttered—not a whisper is heard—not a hint dropped, or can be inferred from tin writing of your contemporary about this, the spring and source of all our misery, and presenl unhappy position. No, sir, the matter is toe I plain and simple, and would only be the means lof fixing eternal disgrace on the men whose duty, morally and legally, it was, years since, to have “ adjusted this difference” with the Natives. Such a subject, involving the rights of. hundreds of men whose all, in many cases, was paid four years since to a Company for land 16000 miles away, which they said was to be received by going to New Zealand ; we are left to suppose this is too unimportant and trifling a subject to engage for a moment the consideration of the independent Editors of the Gazette. A member a short time since declared that he would censure the Company when the Company or their agent deserved it. Can any honest, or sane man in this settlement in sincerity declare that the conduct of the agent of the Oompanv does not deserve great censure for his proceeding in regard to the Land Claims ? It has been justly remarked—“ Beware of the Government officers,” and as justly and properly rejoined, “Beware of the Company's officers from the highest to the lowest.” It may not be considered hereafter unwise when I now, with feeble voice, add, Beivare of the Gazette ; for as certain as the pom}) and circumstance of glorious war has been the means by which designing statesmen have allured and led away a people from contemplating bad Government at their doors ; and when disposed to investigate matters connected with their rights, this pomp and circumstance has been employed to extinguish it—so will it be found with the boasting and loud professions of the Gazette. When the excitement has subsided which his eloquent remarks on the acts of Government have produced, it will commence and ] try to enforce on the people to believe that the Company cannot and has never done wrong. Sir, the thanks of the thinking and most j •espectable majority of this colony is already j vours, and proud may you be of them; they j lave been well earned arid well deserved. May | ,'ou long continue to advocate the rights of] four deluded, but, I am afraid, swindled fellow ?ountrvmen. —1 remain your obliged servant, [ July 31, 1843. An Emigrant. |