NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, August 14, 1852.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 734, 14 August 1852, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, August 14, 1852.

In the remarks which we hate made from time to time in reference to the total failure, of the Canterbury Association's scheme, we felt satisfied that we had given place to no statements which could in any way be disproved, and in this we are assured by what may be considered as an acknowledgement of their correctness by the Lyttelton Times, which journal is unable to refute in the slightest degree what we have said with regard to the Association's proceedings. That Lord Lyttelton in England, and Mr. Godley in the colony, have done their utmost to prolong the delusion, every one must admit ; but for them to make further attempts to keep up that delusion would be not only useless but absurd in the extreme; since— putting aside the wickedness of the act— it is' no longer a mere foreboding but an undoubted fact, the proofs of which are unfortunately too numerous, that the entire plan has broken down, involving in its failure the ruin of those who placed confidence in the projectors of the scheme who took the precaution to guard themselves against any pecuniary loss, in the event of the experiment proving a failure. ' It can be no mitigation of the injuries inflicted on the land- purchasers for them now to be told that if the Association had sold so many thousands of acres their social position in the settlement would have been different, that the promises .so sa-

credly made would have been as inviolably fulfilled. Theland purchasers were never warned , that the* success of the scheme, and the fulfilling of the engagements made with them, depended upon really accidental circumstances, on the contrary they were led to believe that arrangements of the most substantial kind had been made for „ carrying out the design to the fullest extent, and that complete success must infallibly ensue. Calculations were- reduced to an unerring certainty, and plans were made and talked of as if an enormous, balance actually lay tq the credit of the Association at their Bankers, Messrs. Cocks and Biddulph ; so that intending settlers, who looked only to the ' great inducements which were held out to them, placed every reliance on the promises made without giving a thought as to the probable contingency of a failure. The array of names in support of the scheme was in itself quite sufficient to lull any suspicions ordoubts which might . have arisen in the minds of those about to embark their fortunes. The attractive features were great indeed. — " One sixth of the "purchase money, or 10s. per acre, is paid to the Government for public purposes ; another sixth, which when the whole plan shall be carried out will amount to £1,250,000, is to be expended in surveying, road making, and the general administration of the plari. A third, or £l per acre, being £2,500,000 in the whole, is to be an Emigration fund, devoted to the purpose of paying for the passage of the land buyers with their families, their servants and other persons of the labouring class, and the remaining third (£2,500,000) is exclusively appropriated to religious and educational objects, such as churches and common schools, a parochial clergy, a Bishopric, a school of the highest class, and a college fit to supply New Zealand, and the other Colonies of England in the South Pacific with a local Cambridge or .Oxford." — And all this was planned and promised by one who had the assurance to inform the public, that on matters generally having reference to colonies and colonization his opinions were to be receivedimplicitly ; that on such -matters he could speak with authority, as he had f 'for some time past " been thrown "into habitual intercourse with colonists personally, and acquaintance with the various organs of colonial opinion." — What consolation, we would ask, can it be to the unfortunate land purchasers to be now told by Mr. Godley that they cannot have schools, churches, a Bishop, and- college, because a sufficient number of acres has not been sold. He and the Association in no way suffer from the failure, they coolly observe " the experiment has failed, it will be a warning to us in future should we again attempt to work out the art of colonization." Mr. Godley, at any rate, will have purchased his experience cheaply, he can lose nothing for he has embarked nothing; he possesses no real stake or interest in the country but, like his brother agent and agitator Mr. Fox, is quite ready to leave thpr colony at a moment's notice. He cannot be made legally responsible for all he has done, the deluded land purchasers have no control over him, and an. appeal to Government or Parliament would be fruitless. In criticising the proceedings of the Association and their Agent, Mr. Godley would have it believed that we are in reality hostile to the «ettlers themselves. In the same way iSir George. Grey was said to have attacked the settlers and the f : settlement when he exposed the fallacy; of > the Canterbury scheme, and stated that "he feared the present system would int jure the Church j it led men incautiously, l even in the publications issued under the „ authority of the Association, to hold out t the clergy as a feature of attractiveness, and even to use such language in support ) of what is termed the religious principle . as that ( the merest Jand speculator has an 5 interest in the Canterbury bishopric/" t But the settlers are in no way identified c with the projectors of the scheme, no s " thin partitions do the bounds divide," f the separation of interests between the i victims and those by whom they have i been deluded is most complete, the line > of demarcation between them is broad and 1 unmistakeable. They were attracted by 1 the scheme as was intended, the bait.took,^ 3 the experiment was triedj.andfailed, and" . the unfortunate, purchaser* will be left to

fldunder out of their difficulties as they' best may. We say again, let them act as did the purchasers under the New Zealand Company, and rest satisfied -with nothingshort of "their bond." Twenty months have almost elapsed since the arrival of the first body of Canterbury settlers, and up to this time with the exception of being placed in possession of their lands, we cannot see that they enjoy any of those extraordinary advantages which they were led to expect. They have • no Bishop* no churches, no <( school of the-highest class," no college "fit to supply New Zealand and the other ceteaies-of England in the South .Pacific with a local Cambridge or Oxford." Even with regard tp the promised roads and bridges, the abs ence of these alone causes much bitterness to the' newly arrived emigrant, who finds that he has to incur an expense about as great as in a passage from -England to transport his baggage from the Port to the, plains;, a pack horse can be got from Lyttelton.to, the 7 ferry over the " Heathcote, but all heavy baggage has to be sent round by water to Sumner, the owner having to incur expense and much risk. Whichever way then we turn, we find engagements unfulfilled* No wonder that Mr. Godley should be so eager to control the press, and prevent complaints from being heard. It is said that the nominal editor of the Jsyttelton Times is one who is much indebted to Mr. Godley, is perfectly dependent on him, and acts entirely under his direction. Very little reliance seems to be placed in England on the information in reference to the settlement contained in that journal. It appears that cf our Lord^ Lyttelton," as Mr. Godley styles him, felt called upon to defend the" statements contained in the Lyttelton Times, thereby assisting in the attempt to continue the delusion. All this reflects but little credit on those concerned, and we say with the Australian and New Zealand Gazette — " We do not blame the • really high minded men of the Association; they, like the settlers, have been deluded by the scheming portion of their body, who, in fact, are the only parties who have profited by it, and their pickings have, no doubt, t been worth having."

New Church.— A-* small Church is now in course of erection at Karori for the accommodation of the settlers in connection with the Church of England in that district. The building 19 of a neat and simple character, with a Square tower, from a design by W. Marshall, Esq., (who has taken considerable interest in promoting the .undertaking), and is erected on a commanding site on the left side of the road in going to Karori, about two miles and a half from Wellington. The desire for this Church acommodation on the part of the inhabitants has been shewn by their liberal contributions in timber for the construction of the building, considerable assistance has also been received in subscriptions from settlers in Wellington ; should sufficient funds be collected it is expected that the building will be completed in three months.

The first number has reached us of the Taranaki Herald, August 4th, published at New Plymouth, a weekly paper, intended to be the organ of local intelligence in that district. The prospectus states that the main object proposed in starting the paper is, to make it useful as a vehicle for useful information connected with the settlement, to promote the prosperity and -improvement of the settlers, and diffuse a knowledge of the advantages of the district as a colonizing field. The number before us contains the addresses of three candidates for the honor of representing Taranaki, in the Provincial Council, Messrs. J. T. Wicksteed.C. Brown, and J. C. Richmond. Considerable pains appear to have been bestowed on the arrangement of the paper which has a very presentable appearance.

On Thursday evening Mr. JSealy delivered a lecture on Photography in the Hall of the Mechanics' Institute. f After a few introductory remarks, the lecturer gave an account of the origin and history of the art, and explained the various chemical preparations used in obtaining copies of prints, &c, by the Photographic process, and illustrated the subject by means of acatnera, Daguereotype machine, and several diagrams and specimens prepared for the occasion. There was a very good attendance of members, who appeared highly pleased at the information derived from the lecture.

During the night the ship Persia arrived from Nelson, the Governor Grey also arrived from Wanganai after a quick passage. By the Persia we learn that the Champion was at Nelson.

Last Tuesday's Government Gazette contains a Proclamation by the Governor-in-Chief declaring the number of Members to be elected under the Provincial Councils Ordinance for "the respective Districts of the "Southern Province. As the Proclamation is of considerable importance we republish it with the view of making it still more extensively known : —