THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1861.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 379, 11 June 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1861.

.Our readers will perceive that a public meeting, according to advertisement, was held in the Odd Fellows' Hall, at half-past seven o'clock, on Friday evening last. . Never have we seen, on so short a notice, so large aa attendance of respectable people. The object of the gathering was to discuss the scheme proposed and adopted' in the Nelson council,—-in a hurried manner for a matter so vital to our interests,—for adding certain clauses to the existing waste lands regulatiousV to enable, British commissioned officers, uoivcoramiasioned 'officers, and privates, both Miuval and military, to receive free grants of land in this province. Similar grants have frequently been made in our American, African, and other colonies, but chiefly in places oi wide extent,

and in many respects uuiuviting... Yet they havenot, as far as we can remember, been confined to one more privileged class j to a caste by no means the fittest for reclaiming the waste, and to the neglect of many-far more needy portions of the people—of those who inherit infinitely better industrial capabilities. Our fellow-citizens, having considered this P|fiigct.- of a majority of their Provincial represenEH&es to be manifestly as unseasonable a's'.urjustJWine together accordingly to deliberate on an affair so grave. Mr. Drew, being invited to the chair, opened the proceedings in a calm and sensible manner. In his appropriate speech he requested any who might be so disposed to freely inquire into the question about to be mooted, as it evidently affected all more or less. A petition to the Council on the subject under consideration, having been'read, it was then submitted for investigation and approval.

The meeting was addressed by Messrs Hill, Webb, Rankin, Eban, and others, expressing generally strong opposition to the measure in contemplation. Several of their arguments and statements were of a telling description. Nor was the main question of the evening unargued on the ground of its intrinsic import. Several of its bearings were glanced at, rapidly probably, but so as to kindle the honest thinkings of the audience. Our readers are invited to refer to another part of the present issue to enable themselves to gain a fuller expression if they desire it, of the opinions which were energetically announced and as energetically echoed by the overflowing enthusiasm of the assembly. The unmistakable responses to the speeches and well-timed remarks of Mr. Hill, Mr. Eban, and others, quickened the march of several honorable members, fresh from their duties in Council, to the platform. Foremost oame Mr. Elliott, the sire of the offensive .clauses; ■ It is no disparagement to him to affirm that he never truly approached the question, and coldly as his rather bitter allusions were received, be made the best of a very bad cause. Mr. Oswald Curtis, the godfather, we believe, of the bantlings of his precursor, did not «tfhibit his wonted smartness, although calm and collected as usual. We may be mistaken, but our fancy was that both these gentlemen looked too. much fascinated by their senatorial wisdom as reflecting their respectable selves. But they could not disguise, even by smiles, a temper rather combustible. Taking their statements and animus together, they seemed to represent their featured dispositions, at that especial time; in something like coarse turpentine—a dangerous kind of thing amongst flashing luoifers, or words as apt to set both |hemselves'and others ou fire. If is a pity to see men of their improvable qualificatious spoiling their own graces by personalities akin to—- f You lie—not quite under a mistake.' Mr. Curtis's rather spiteful aim in this mode at Mr. Saunders, to neutralise the effects of that gentleman's effective speech, only, recoiled to the injury of his cause. Fortunately Mv.~ Saunders quietly set himself right with those who will not, on slight grounds, withdraw their confidence in his integrity. Mr. Parker, as we thought, dealt some home thrusts. As for Mr. Adams, the Provincial Solicitor, he acquitted himself in his best and mo3t liberal manner. Altogether the spirit and unanimity of the meeting was a success well calculated to convey to the late majority in Cmncil, and.to the province at large a very useful lesson as to the growth here of public opinion. Nay, more, the healthy development of public opinion will raise a barrier against the encroachments of the home government on our liberty to use our own resources ourselves. It will offer too an indomiiable resistance to the meddlings of incompetent colonial centralists, no les3 than to the still snore petty imitations, in the same line, of mon who, whatever they are in their own eyes; are .not stout enough, at least mentally and morally, for the various duties of statesmanship. It will also teach an advancing people to look out for representatives, intellectually tall enough to look over and beyond the tiny conventionalities of olass and party. It wil show them the broad prospect of general interest in all its rich importance. It will convince them that legitimate legislation is not for even soldiers and other fighting men exclusively. It; will assert unfair aggrandisement of persons in certain garbs, whether red or blue, at the • expense of those who pay them with the sweat of their brows, is a miserable robbery. It will avoid the wretched unconsideied cant about the claims of our 'brave champions'—who on the life average of a host, endure severally only the fraction of a fight, and whose existence principally is a.long parade of rarely-soiled finery ; whilst a thousand times their number are battling with poverty, to pay for the galas of a soldiery during whole generationSjOf peace. The true soldier, who," converts duty into patriotism, or even martyrdom, it will find out and honor; but the folly of rewarding all, of'each rank and•' caste alike indiscriminately, will be scouted as blind and reckless profusion;, an infatuation like that which' wantons in the tremendous evils of a national debt—the earthly damnation to comparative serfdom of the posterity of some five hundred years. It is a fearful question whether an English debt aed. theforces and armaments as now established, will not in the hour of some brilliant usurpation, awaken a deluded people, a people led astray by worthless opinion's, on some eventful morning to the startling sight of a proud empire in chains? •>.-.•. •. ■

A good deal, of talk has lately transpired relative to military'officerß, and the 'tone' to our society which' they might impart. -Small compliment this to our bishops, governors, clerical, medical, scientific, official, and other professional gentlemen. It sounds as if tailors and drillsergeants were equal to all our necessities in the ! way of genteel accomplishments. Surely even the .ladies, wkh all the eclat of dancing with Hum beaux in full uniform, must secretly despise i the small gossip that lauds the social tone de.rivablefrom this quarter. Besides, have we not in the colony snne hundreds of magistrates,,! magnates, and volunteer and militia grandees ? In all conscience theao^ wi h the reports of rifles and the tones of bugles, followed by. sweet domestic; cannonades of piano-fortes, will accomplish all the toning we can decently require. If not we oau get a cargo of truer civilisers in proftssors of all things graceful without tempting them to domineer over us by the gifts of estates.*! Freely do we grant that many officers are irreality fine samples of humanity. We know such to abouud; men experienced in all the wajs.of greatness, accustomed to mingle in the. best circles, conversant with the populations and* countries of all varieties of customs, and peculiarities ; men at once generous, brave, polite, and correct. But what of that ? Such men, after their terms of service,' are mostly too well established at home fixtures to come hither. Those who desire to emigrate are principally t suoh 03 have become impoverished by yam

expenses and- usages, or jaded by luxury and indolence, ami so are glad of a change, and still more so if it can be obtained at the fid^o cost. Thero may be a considerable.number of such with families acquired after life's summer, of gaiety and extravagance, has made them grey, aud left them in the sear loaf of exhausted qua: lificatious. Engfand aud India too have a legion of this order; but we are not sure that either they or their children will transfuse a spirit of superior virtue and social worth through this colony, if they ever arrive here. To say nothing of their lack in other respects, they have mostly, with age, lost energy, or their families, like themselves, are too encumbered with the notions and associations of artificial and conventional classicism to unbend suitably, unless constrained by severe privations, to more natural circurastauces. Barely pan. they mix with those whom they account below, them ;- consequently, whatever of tone can be given by their amenities and intercourse, they become too reserved in their accustomed stiffness, to yield to parties overlooked as inferiors. Hencp it is that, seeking for something more congenial to their attachments, they associate, as formerly, with supposed equals or superiors only. ' In' this way they become the promoters, and abettors of cliques, and olden placeraongery, and power. •'-■■_' ! In saying this we keep out of sight the few really excellent ones, who are too good for pauper grants, and also the- many gay and worthless ones, who are ever a nuisance—the Vane Tempests, the Page ts, the Osbornes; the Yelvertons, and many more whose • tone .to society' is none of the beat.

Much has heen bruited concerning the coming here of Anglo-Indian officers and invalided civilians. Doubtless, if we could gain personages like those illustrious heroes who have partly redeemed our empire, in the East from utter, abasemeut and ruin, it might be to receive-a 'tone 5 which might energise our settlement benignly aud vibrato iv eudless lives of benefit. But all such are either sadly cut off and embalmed in their fame and sanctity, it else; they become too necessary elsewhere to be tempted by the dole of, J-150 in scrip, as a means of support. As for others, there .is rather too much risk, unless they have ability to como without the alms we are to bestow, Let any man see what characters figure most prominently in the annals of the divorce courts, as divorced or divorcing officers,' and he will not be very apt to expose either wife or daughter to the unapproved 'tone' of tho commissioned worthies of continental India. At alleyents, he would not throw away his country without some inquiry into the antecedents of those,who ace to eDJoy it. He will naturally, ask for ampler certificates than those of mere service, tfr even of a red coat in co3tly trimmings; not unfrequeotly a symbol of the.hot blood of the wearer —blood that would have been better devoted, loug ago, iv nobler'engagements than any of the flirtations for which these gentlemen, are excessively notorious. . :

We have little faith in disbanded or wornout soldiers or even sailors, and none, at all: in absolete officials. Of able-bodied seamen and others, with fair recommendations, somewhat might be appositely advanced. But why these, in preference to meu of the soil, or useful artizans? If laud is to be giveu, let it be to all who have specified claims, arid iuasensible method. Tpsuch, in the becoming uniform of their deserts, let it be entrusted on wisely-framed conditions. What if Ihey were to pay a small rental to the revenue for ever? surely a measure of this kind would be highly beneficial. We are of those who regard this,' the best way oTihusbauding: the laud of a nation, as suited to our colonies:

We view this subject of sufficient importanca; to resume it in our next.

Fires at Wanganui and Canterbury.— The necessity for possessing powerful fire, en-' gines has been long advocated here, and; has found confirmation in the loss of property that, haß occurred by fire at Wanganui. We learn, from a Wellington paper that the office of Mr.' Roberts, and the stores of Messrs. Gudgebri and' Co., and Messrs. Taylor, Watt and Co:,:: on either side of the first; have been burnt to the' ground. The military with their fire engine, besides numberless civilians were present, but nothing could be done to arrest the loss of about ,£BOOO worth of property. The bonded . store' of the latter firm, however, was happily rescued* from destruction ; partial assurance only hadf been effected upon greater part of the property., Intelligence alao appears in the: Independent of• the 7th of a large fire at Christcburch, that.occurred on the night of the 23rd u!t., commeiicr ing at Wilmer's brewery, and spreading tip others' until the whole of Cashel:street appeared to be' endanged • trie pulliDg down'of Barnard's auction rooms arrested its further progress after totally destroying five houses. The damage' done is estimated at The account was extracted, from the Press a paper newly '" started at Christchurch. : V (

The : Government Prizes.—T He competi-! tion at Wellington for the above, resulted.-in a! militiaman scoring. 12 points; (Joseph Mitchell^ and two volunteers making 14 each (H; EL do !B. Brandon, and P.TElowley), the score on tho whole waa a very low one. . At Wanganui,'the highest score of Nelson has. been1' beaten; by1 private J..Summervell9,.whb scored I% points j.very many others ranged from that to eleven points, so that, the> shooting appears to :have been above the average for the number of • men entered. We point to another column for a resume of the firing in this pioviuca.

The Waisatos.1 — A Wellington paper'con-, tains the following from '. Wangapui j—The Natives-—Mete Kingiof Putikihas received a letter- from John Williams (a Putiki Chief), dated Auckland; 23rd April, in which ho states that the Rev. Mr. Burrows,, Church missionary,', was about to visit the Waikatos with the terras offered them by the Governor j one of which was the giving up of the King, movement; If they did not agree to these terms, Mr. Burrows was to bid them good bye on the. part of the Bishops and Clergymen,—a phrase which the natives here understand to imply that war would immediately commence. : ADELAiDE.-r-Flour 10s. to 4515 155.; wheat 6s. Bd. per bushel at the port.

Chinese-.—About 2000 Chinese attacked 80 Europeans and drove tliem off the 'diggings near Bathursfc; one or two of the latter killed. Gale.—-Tbe Benares was nearly lost on her passage from Sydney to Melbourne; masts, &b; gone. The gale was terrific; several wrecks are reported. • Floods have been pretty prevalent throughout Australia. ■♦* '. ' ~ H.M.b. Habrier—This vessel left Sydney for New Zealaud on May 28th. _■".'. . . Taranaki.—G loomy accounts; sickness prevalent, deaths common—whole families swept off. The Provincial elections betoken & strong auti-miuisterul feelings. Governor 'tagp un-» oonular. Sdwoner Ravaa wrecked j two

MILITARY AND NAVAL SETTLERS

- PUBLIC MEETIKCx'AT T'flE ODDFELLOWS' MALL. •

Ox Friday night lust, June ("th, in pursuance of a notice l>y advertisement, a very huge number of persona assembled to consider', the subject 0} '* Grants of Laud to Military and Naval Settlers/ as now before the Provincial Council.

Mr. Henry Drew having been called to the chair, read the advertisement convening the meeting, and said he trusted the ques'ion would not be made one of party. He hoped that -the expediency of the measure now passing through the Council would be thoroughly and fairly tested,_without any considerations of party interfering with the true merits of the matter; he would call upon

Mr. Euan, who said he knew nothing of party and cared less; but he had attended that evening as J^duty, when he found that so momentous a question was before the public. A petition had been put into his hands referring to proceedings touching the Waste Lands, which if allowed to pass would be unjust and impolitic. He would af once read that petition, and reserve for a while, any remarks that ho might have to make on the subject:—

PETITION,

To the Honorable Provincial Council of Nelson. Tho petition of tho inhabitants of the city and province of Nelson, in public meeting assembled, humbly slieweth:—

That your petitioners.have heard with regret that measures are being taken by your honorable Couucil to introduce clauses into the Waste Lauds R filiations, by which land is to be given away to Military and Naval settlers without offering- bimilar advantages to any other description of settlers. Your petitioners believe that any attempt to offer privileges or inducements for settlement to any one class of settlers, which are to be extended to no other class, is both unjust and impolitic. Your peti i.wcrs are of opinion, that if land is given to any descnp.ion of settlers, ifc should always be on the condition that such land should be occupied by the parties receiving tho Fame, and that no parson Bliould receive land scrip immediately convertible into cash to the impoverishment of the Provincial Revenue.

Your memorialists feel that this province is not in a position to give away an indefinite portion of its land find, the whole of the land being under mortgage for money borrowed, the principal and interest of which have to be paid out of the proceeds of the sale of the. land. The prayer of your petitioners therefore is, that your Honorable Council will not pass any regulations by which land scrip will be conferred on any one description of settlers to the exclusion of all others, and that any land given for the purpose of inducing persons to settle in this province, will be given only on condition that tho parties receiving the same should occupy the- land conferred upon them, and that precaution should be taken to prevent an unlimited demand being made upon our very limited land revenue for that purpose. And your petitioners as in duty bound will eve r pray. Signed by the unanimous request of the meeting. . ' HENIIY DREW, Chairman.

Mr. I. M. Hill said he thought the way in which the Council was disposing of the Wast;? Lands of the Province in connexion with the grants of land to Naval and Military Settlers was a matter of great moment to all present, and therev fore no apology was necessary for speaking to the question on that occasion. If there .was any money, or spare revenue to dispose of, why. should the class proposed have a preference granted above all others? The measure had been hastily decided upon by the majority of the Council. If measures of such importance were to be hurried through, they should at least consult their constituencies on what belonged to them before disposing of it so prodigally. But above all, why these inducements be offered to one class alone ? Why should not other professional mm, and non-professional men also, be placed upon the same footing, it if were a just and necessary measure ? Isut that Naval and Military Settlers should have an exclusive right of that description was past his comprehension. Btsides, military men, if judged by antecedent, were not particularly good settlers. He remembered at least one case where a person had bought scrip from one of the class, that it was now sought to advantage unnecessarily, at a.consijjerably reduced rate. He had said that some had sold out; he did not wish to mention names, but he might refer as a casein point to that of Captain L ivyrence, who having obtained his £800 worth of scrip, waited a few years, and then sold out and left the province; he had an opportunity of doing so, and who should say that lie was exactly wrong in accepting, but Governor Gray was highly blameable in allowing such inducements to exist at all.

He believed that there was scarcely an instance where compensation had been sought by a Blue Jacket, and yet they were a better class of settler than military men. But again, can we afford to give away our waste land when our Revenue depends upon it ? so far as the present generation was concerned, things might last, but was there no consideration due for the future ? This outcry to reward these men had not come from any general desire to acknowledge such claims, for it had been suddenly instituted by a gentleman who wa3 crying out for more labor, but military settlers have shown a great aptitude for becoming logs at their heels, and wanted good billets provided for them when we had got them (hear, hear). There was a class of people who had claimed compensation uselessly that if there was anything to spare' had indisputable claims, but they were set aside. He referred to the mechanics and laborers who had stood the brunt of first colonising the settlement. If the proposal had been to induce all classes to come it would not have been quite so glaring, but the selection of that class above all others, who had been of very questionable advantage heretofore to the province, was wrong and ihdefeanible. He would be more prepared for the admission of some general scheme, that would have fairness on the face of it, but he was not prepared with any scheme himself, for he was no schemer (cheers).

Mr. Webb was opposed to the measure under Us present aspect, as persons who have held some nomiual military appointment, or otherwise retained the grade or lived by their wits, never having been of the least service to the country, were to be found who would doubtless be glad to profit by it to the prejudice of that justice which should only permit of reward and encouragement to men worthy of it. He was not altogether opposad to recognising the expediency of granting such advantages to worthy men—-such gallant men aa we read of in connection with the dangers and hardships of the Crimea; those were the individuals who deserved some consideration. But to reward those who did not merit it, to put them in a position to enable them to sell it shortly afterwards and leave for another colony where they might do the same thing, reminded him of the many instances that occurred at hoihe of men who went the whole round of the country and took the bounty money at eacli place for enlisting. But at'the Cape, at Canada, and at other colonies,, a desire, had been shown to reward these men when deserving, and he was not opposed to the plan if justly and efficiently established (cheers). Mr. DonsoN, M.P.C., was then called to speak to the question by the Chairman, but no special view eminating from that gentleman. Mr. Eban, in the absence of any speaker to the question, would say that lie thought the matter before the meeting resolved itself into this— Should naval and military settlers be given a large amount of ihe land of the province # They had been told that it had been usual to give grants of land to military settlers. Anciently, ..such grants were accorded to military persons who had sprung up from amidst the people, men who had been insufficiently, paid for their services until their merit called for special recognition—valiant men who had deserved reward ; but that was a totally different thing to the measure before that meeting, and was but just and reasonable. The Romans, however profligate in aftertimes in abusing this custom, in their purer commonwealth and national heroism often did so. Macaulay refers to thia as occurring when Horatius Codes, one of the three brave ones successstUy kejjt Ihe budge qycp th<* Tiber:

j ' They gave him :bf tho cornland, which was of public right, as. much as two strong oxen ..could '"plough from morn till night.' So of the Conqueror of England and his Normans: William divided the rich domains of the oonquereil amongst his great feudatories and their retainers, in our famous England. Thus the Saxon and dominant race have been favored with an entail of hostility which lias caused endless bitterness between the aristocracy and the industrial classes; and it would seem, lie said, to lie the intention of a small party lo do something of lhe kind here, although we were not like our unhappy forefathers a subjugated people (cheers). • Yes, this attempt; to get ihc upper hand in this manner over the laboring portion of our province is a deplorable relic of the feudal ages. But why did any party, he asked, want to saddle our settlement with fighting men, either naval or military ? It has been said by some they will improve our respectability, and give tone to society. Spruce descendants of nobles and gentles, without: any special deserts, refinement, industry, and so forth, will give a precious something, styled tone, to our rougher colonists. From these our magistrates and grand jurors are to be placed over the sturdy breed of bona fide farmers, cultivators, atid traders. The military particularly, who have been the best paid men of their profession in Europe, are to ome here, where they have earned nothing, done nothing, to choose the best of our mortgaged lands, to the injury of old settlers who have to pay off.the debt of the province. Men who, whatever have been their nameless services, have done nothing for either us or ours, and who have been remunerated already for all their prowess, are to have every possible advantage ; because, to be sure, they are fine fellows, whom it may be inconvenient to indulge with favors at home. English hangers-on are to be hung upon the necks of our posterity. Their grants of scrip are to secure them nice pickings in New Zealand! But why, he said, are the red coats or bluejackets to be preferred ? Are they more useful than doctors who war against our disease?, or engineers who can bridge successfully our dangerous rivers, or missionary and other teachers, who exalt our minds, or who have 110116 so much to civilise the ferocious savages of these islands? Gentlemen, (said he) it will not do to encourage the fighting mania in this way. If you will reward by giants of land, do so to really useful, brawny-chested, laborious husbandmen. These will defend us, if we want champions, much cheaper ; and if we are to judge by recent efforts near us, as gallantly a* ma} r be required, from either Maori?, or Frenchmen, or Russians, or if soldiers are to be patronised by large boons, let it be in Taranaki, where their achievements have been so notorious (cheers). Don't send them here, with no impressive recommendation but that of serving in red coats. The red coats, he avowed, whatever the private excellencies of the men, were the sole title flaunted in our eyes, for our choice of worthies to enjoy our broad acres. Our industrious poor, hardy workmen, the nine-tenths of the British, were.to be set aside, as to either compensation, or easy advantages, and the scions of affluence and luxury are to be warranted to come and live on the fat of the land—land which they have neither won nor paid for by their exertions. Surely it would be wiser to encourage in this bountiful mode those who really need encouragement, and by years of long toil amongst us—aye, unrequited toil, have crying claims for help. If you will (he said) do a right thing, do your best for the true defenders of the soil—for your volunteers and fellow-settlers —for men like those who in their red shirts followed Garibaldi to victory—men of the stamp that now-a-days gives empire and freedom (tremendous cheers).

The Chairman again read the petition

Mr. W. Rankin said they had heard a good deal about the claims of soldiers, but there was such things as feather-bed soldiers (laughter). At fifteen he had buried the red coat under the blue shirt—he had actually served 10 months ; but where was his compensation ? (much laughter). Why should he confiscate his rights to such claims ? lie would not have compensation from Nelson, if disposed to ask for it at all ho would go to Wellington, where -ho had served. Let them go to where they had earned it. What was an officer frequently ? Why one who had bought his commission, because his father couldn't afford to keep him (loud laughter). There was only a certain amount to spend—say, for instance, 7s. Gd,, and he says, ' Here is 55.-to get you a commission, and you have the remainder to do your best with (loud laughter); now you're provided with a living.'—Well those men get worn out, or they catch a severe cold—on purpose—come here, and then they say, ' I want my £200 worth of land'— now where was his ? (Roars of laughter.) The Chairman observed many of the members of the Provincial Council were preseny perhaps some of them would come forward and enlighten the meeting. Mr. Elliott regretted that he was wot there earlier; lie, however, congratulated them.upon the merriment they enjoyed, especially as he was himself the culprit, if thevc was one at all, to whom was to be attributed the grounds for the calling together of that meeting; he therefore begged a patient hearing, Jle had better begin by saying what was proposed to be done: it was, that all officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates in the Military and Naval Service on full or half-pay, whether belonging to M.M. service, or to that of the East India Company, should after a residence of two years in the Province be entitled to £150 worth of land scrip (for officers) that clause had been passed in Council that afternoon, ile had himself proposed £200, but the amount of .£l5O was ultimately passed. The next clause contemplated giving .£SO to non-commissioned officers and £30 to privates, and stood over for consideration. He would now tell his reasons for proposing such a measure, and they could then tell whether, they appeared as full and sufficient-to them as they did to himself. It was the usual practice to recognise the claims of military and naval settlers in all the crown colonies, and to a greater extent than he had proposed in our case, and it appeared to him that when the Crown handed over into our hands the whole of their vast estate in New Zealand, an act that had surpassed his greatest expectations, they also handed.down to them a usage, or regulation, that having been long instituted and recognised, he thought they were bound to carry out as an engagement that should be fulfilled throughout. He thought the class of men under consideration had much larger claims upon our consideration than the Is. Id. per day, which a previous speaker had inferred to be a sufficient reward for-their services, obtained for fighting our battles, while we reap the fruits of peace.; and plenty.. Those who had suffered from the burning sun-of India* or the'vicissitudes of the Crimea, had sacrificed the best years of their lives in our service, deserved a recognition of those services at our hands, and to deny it would be discreditable to us as colonists or Englishmen. "Such 'claims had been recognised by the "northern provinces': Wellington offered 400 acres to officers, and.commensurately for lower grades, and it was not creditable to attempt to set Aside the undoubted right which he felt that class deserved to the remuneration we could offer them." Ho was persuaded that they made excellent settlers. The question had been well received in the Council, but amongst his fellow townsmen there, appeared to be some opposition. Mr. W. Rankin : : You referred to some of tile 58th as good men; were they fiom the Reduction List ? because if so, they were discharged for bad character!* (Loud laughter.) • . '' ' "

Mr. Er.LTorT explained that claimants must produce ffftod conduct certificates previous to obtaining scrip. ' Mr. Saundrhs said the question had been brought before the council on two very distinct grounds." It had in thii first place been advocated as an admirable immigration scheme. Wow Mr. Adams had told them that the introduction of 23 settlers of that description.into this province had cost us no, less, than .£3OOO ;.,well if they considered that that-amount-would have brought about 180 of the laboring class, instead of only 23 of the former, he thought there could not be much doubt about that not being a very economical plan of ImniigutiQU (cheers), Hq could almost wish be

was on the other side, so that he could have scope to dwell grandiloqi c ltly, as others had done, upon iheitnmens! amount of sacrifice of health, or of blood, that had been upent in our cause, lie had been'reprosenfed as a ' peace-at-any-pnee man, but really he thought that his discourse par-' took of an opposite characfc-, very often at least ; it would not be correct to represent him as neglectful of the claims of those who deserved it, for he should really despise himself if be should not be ready to admit to all fair benefits those who had earned a right to our consideration. But he never had much opinion of the generality of the officers of the army of England, who, for'the most part, obtained their commission by no standard of merit or fitness, and who were well known in many eases to have retained them while it was perfectly safe to do so, and to sell out when a battle was imminent. It was in consequence of the unfitness of such men for such positions that had made it an invariable fact latterly that whenever our military forjes were called upon suddenly to act, the English army was worsted at first, and it was only when the command devolved upon the more competent men who took their places, and the stubborn doggedness of the English, who would fight under the most adverse circumstances, that ultima'e success was obtained. Did the army consist of tbe crjam of competency and resolution, it might possibly be at once admitted that the claims of such wore worthy recognitions, but the best army that England could boast of was in the time of Cromwell; but under the present system, by which officers were made perforce out "of the younger branches of families, it was not likely to be a selection of the best men of England, worthy of all sacrifice on our part to appreciate them. Why then should they give the amount originally proposed, or that which it had been reduced to since thu advertisement of this meeting had appeared ? _ Why should an officer get so much more than a private if it was to be viewed only as an immigration scheme, and why had ono applicant, been given £300 and the rest rejected ? He could understand how a lot of technical rules might exist by which one man would be'benefitted and the lest unrequited, and if the military settlers are entitled to such awards, if it is desirable, if it is politic, it should be based upon services rendered, and the man proved to be thoroughly deserving of it, but don't come to the people to ask them to give land to all redcoats! Mr. Elliott appeared to have a heart full of gratitude for the liberality that had been displayed in handing over to the colonists the 'vast estates of the crown,' but he had forgotten to say that a largo debt of hundreds of thousands of pounds incurred by the New Zealand Company was also kindly conferred upon us at the same time. That appeared to him to. be the chief obligation they stood under. (Loud cheers and laughter.) Mr. Cuktis felt a strong inclination to contradict some points that he had observed in the speech of Mr. Saunders. That gentleman had told them that 23 military settlers cost £3000, and contracted it by stating the quantity of laboring men that might have been procured for the same sum. But instead of 23 persons intraduccd for that sum he should have said 23 families, probably 100 persons, which was a much larger number than Mr. Saunders had stated; he felt sorry that Mr. Saunders had made such statements. Tbe late regulations recognised i>3oo as the amount of claim, this had been now reduced to £150 by the last clause passed in council, and throughout the time the question was before them, Mr. Saunders had pressed the claim of his own friend very vigorousl}', and when on the committee formed to consider the question, Mr. Saunders had said that any person should beentitled to scrip, and had actually voted on all occasion for it. (Mr. Saunders: No, lo.) It was contemptible to talk about the ' red-coats;-S as had been done that evening, and it was preposterous to suppose that any person who liked to apply would have scrip granted to them. The reason for there being a difference in the awards was clearly because the £30 worth which was an inducement to a private would not be so to an officer; the latter class would not come for so small an award. lie thought it an advantage to encourage the arrival of military men in the province, the}' had already proved the desirableness of their presence. (A Voice: 'Tell us ''where.') Why the Volunteers, for instance—they could not have drilled themselves had it not been so.

Mr. liirji asked why one application for compensation had beeu granted and the others rejected? '

Mr. Curtis would explain. Major Cook while in India had heard' of the regulations which we had published to the world, and had acted upon that understanding snd left India with the belief that he would obtain it. The .regulations were in the meantime rescinded ; but he (Mr. Curtis) considered that, we were bound to grant the claim that had induced him to do so, not as a matter of legal right perhaps, but as a matter of honorable engagement.

Mr. W. Rankin said if the usage was the same throughout the Crown colonies, ag Mr. Elliott had told them, why did not the claimant ask for hind in Calcutta, where he was supposed to have earned it ?

Mr. Saunbehs said that he mu3t perforce reply to the serious charge against him that Mr. Curtis had so ingeniously concocted, otherwise ho was so used to being similarly-abused that he should have allowed it to pass, feeling pret,ty certain of the result of any appeal that he might make to the confidence of his fellow-settlers. So much for the. friendly advocacy of the petition entrusted him, he could say that it was put into his hand on going into the Council by a person that lie never saw before, and he had never seen him since (lauglner). J3ut he thought that if one claim was to be acknowledged 'that all, were equally necessary, and if granted at all one was. as urgent as another, and it was upon that ground jonly that he had acted when the question was sbefore the Council, Therefore Mr. Curtis's assertion that he had recommended one claimant in particular, was a very undesirable statement for anyone to make to that meeting., They had been told of the 400 acres granted by Wellington for that class, and Auckland had been cited as another instance, but they had omitted telling that meeting that the Southern Settlements had ignored the thing—they had no excuse for doing so where there was no reasonable grounds for fear on account of natives; it was a different matter northward. It had been argued as a scheme of defence, but he certainly should consider 180 stalwart laborers of more effect than the 23 military settlers 'that had been introduced instead. Why should Nelson allow her lands to be portioned away in Otago and Canterbury, though there was no necessity for li, and did not allow it (cheers). Mr. Adams would not find any fault with military and~navai: settlers; the point was quite apart from the reason why he opposed the measure in the Council. Mr. Elliott had told them about the crown handing over their estates, but the island had been saddled with a debt of ,£2(30,000, afterwards compromised to the sum of £200,000. If the proposal were- to bo looked at in the light as an immigration measure, a much more extensive 'and just scheme should be instituted. The speaker proceeded at some further length to state his views on the question,, principally reiterating what lias already been before the public in the Reports of Council, .and sat down amiost loud .cheers. * ' .• -

Mr. Parker' referred to the question having' been made one of class, (no) ;he contended that the proof of it was evident in itself. If such settlers were desirable for our defence, why was the private not likely to defend us equally with any other grade 'I But it had been said that the accession of military: men wouid 'give a tone to society,' that meant to' suppers and select balls, .which were very well in their way, and not objectionable; but he did object .where the estate of the people-' was involved. Such ' tones' to society should come as gentlemen, and not as paupers. The compensation that was sought for by "the working men. who had been suffering' for years and years was" neglected, and who were the parties tlrst opposed ifc; why the very men who now could see a necessity fos making exception, in favor of military settles I

Out of that class ho knew of one who had joined the-volunteers, but the men found that they could drill themselves much better than he could, so he gave up. As a.body they had not been the first to show their* readiness at defence ; they had no! gone to Tavanaki, and ho much fearc.l that there were too many instances where tiny would be found wanting if the time arrived to rely upon them. If one resigned his military appoint m< nt lately, and came here tor £300 wonii of km!, why should not another who resigned In 1853 be equally entitled ? But three years ago no one could get sucli rewards, yet now a fresh idea lias come over aome members of Council in order to get ' a tone to society ' (cheers). Mr. Giiant said that a number of invalid soldiers, who could not even get over the Mokatupu, were not likely to bo of much service in our defence, and continued a speech in which he referred to Mr. Elliott's connection with that schema and the immigration measure, during which ho was called to order by the Chairman; he concluded by telling the meeting to ' down with such a measure,' and ' away with such a man.' Mr. Euan then proposed the following resolution :—' That the present meeting deems it inexpedient, under present circumstances, to offer free grantsof land to any particular class of persons to settle in this province.' Mr. I. M. Hill seconded it.

Mr. Elliott said that the debt of the province had been covered by the Amuri land sales during the last four years. The Chairman put the resolution, which was carried unanimously. My. I. M. Hill proposed that the memorial be adopted and signed by the Chairman in behalf of the whole meeting.

Mr. Stkkl seconded it.

The Chairman againj-ead the petition, and the proposition was unanimously adopted. A vote of thanks for the efficient assistance of the Chairman was then given, and the meeting, which was one of the largest and most orderly that have met tor some time past,'then dispersed.