To the Editor of the New Zealand Spetator and Cook's Straits Guardian.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 12, 28 December 1844, Page 3

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spetator and Cook's Straits Guardian.

Sir, — On the 9th instant, a meeting of the settlers and resident sectionists* was convened within the Commercial Hotel, to hear read his Excellency's answer to the petitions of the settlers, praying for the speedy settlement of the land claims, and for protection against the aggressions of the natives. His Excellency sympathises deeply with us, and states his inability to redress^ our grievances. He, however, made aiv offer; through Mr. Symonds, to remove us all, free of expence, to Manakau or Wangaroa, where we should be nearer the seat ofpovernment, and less likely to be annoyed by the natives. This bait would not bake. No compensation was offered to those who had invested their capital in houses, and in cultivating the soil, and a proposal to land us destitute and anprotected amongst a strange, and perhaps hostile tribe of uatives, was too generous Jpr the unassuming Wanganui-ites to accept.. Here "the %tjves are" our friends, and' we may, continue to live under their suffrage without, coming into any serious collision wilh them ;* bn't so long as they know that' they 'can "fob and plunder, nay, even murder us with impunity, the settlers 'will be occasionally annoyed with petty-acts of theft and outrage. • The natives are willing to sell their lands, and have signified their intention to accept the payment awarded to them ; and, as the Government is too embarrassed in their' financial matters to advance immediately therequired sum, a few of our mohied settlers have promised to lend the Government of the amount, and we only wait the approbation of his Excellency to complete the> purchase with the natives. Before closing- this lettei, I should wish to remove a false impression which exists in the minds of too many of . your Wellington settlers, regarding Wanganui. It is general--' ly believed, that this is a -place not:- well adapted, for, agricultural purposes, and- that - the natives are averse to its settlement by Europeans. It is four years since" I located myself here, and 18 months since I com- . menced to cultivate the soil, and every day x 's experience confirms my belief, that farming can be carried on here with -success-. 'and ■ profit, by those acqujtfftte^J Avkh the science , of agriculture. This statement is,not madeon hazard;; — it is founded on fact. ,_.Mr..JBell t one of our first settlers, will shortly reap his fourth crop oh'fhe same ground^ and I dp not hesitate to say r thaiit'js. equal in quantity-,, and -quality to any produced on the Hutt. The greater part of the land about Wanganuj is available to the farmer, and the extensive cattle runs, covered with luxuriant grass, extending into the* interior," "and along "the coast to Waimati and Rangitilu, affords' tio the rearer of stock 'the pleasant prospect of" ample increase and remuneration. - As to the natives, I can confidently assert that they are equally anxious with the: European! that the land claims be settled ; a*nd fhaf '^uy person inteuding to settle here, will at ' leaa'tP 1 have no*more annoyance than he- woiilo( *e.x- - pe.ne.ncje : in;;,any .other: settlement "in nhfci colony. , „'..,., - t.\ \. -. I trust, Jfyfr.- Editor? tha,t.ypu-will giv-e^tais | letter a place ijj your . colnisps, and.anat I Wanganui tnay yet, throqgh t^e..mediam'-6f your waluafcle #aper, ca,Bt t/ off,that ; s,tigma':wilh* whjch' feelings, of t interest • and^en^y hay© unjustly .branded it.^ ■st, s t , tui: - Iz . t ".". ," lam,,Sir,^ : ". ./, . r '..^ t ,.i I , Y° ur ptedienf "saß-vHgt^.^ . Wanganui, December 1-6, 1844.