PUBLIC MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 109, 5 February 1853, Page 4

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public Meeting was held on Friday evening, the 28th ult., at the School-room, to receive the report of the Committee appointed by the Meeting on the 4th January. The proceedings created considerable interest, and there was a large attendance of all classes of the community. Dr. Donald presided, and called upon Mr. Wilcox to read the report of the Committee.

" The Committee appointed at a Public Meeting held in the School-room, at Lyttelton, on the 4th January, 1853, to enquire into certain charges against the Canterbury Association, aud others, connected with the passages of Immigrants to this Settlement,have the honor to report— " Ist. That at an early stage of their proceedings your Committee passed the resolutions appended to this Report. " 2nd. That in consequence of the passing of these Resolutions, those Members of your Committee who had undertaken to substantiate the charges in question, declined to proceed further with the investigation. "3rd. That under these circumstances the Committee have no option but to replace in the hands of the Public the trust confided to them, regretting that they have been unable to form any conclusion upon the Matter referred to them." William Don tald, Chairman. , James Edward Fitz Gerald, \ John Birch, (Signed) -(Rowland Davis, / Charles Crawford, *• Henry Allwright, *" John Willcox. Copy of Resolutions of the Committee. " Resolved that this Committee understand its enquiry to relate to the following points— " Ist, Whether any Immigrants were promised free passages by any person connected with, or employed by, the Association, and ■were afterwards required to pay any portion of their passage money. " 2nd. Whether any improper means were employed in inducing Immigrants to sign Promissary notes for any portion of their Passage Money. "3rd. With any money transactions existing between individual Immigrants, their employers or the Land Purchasers, this Committee consider it is not in their province to deal; the pecuniary transactions of Individuals not being a proper object of enquiry or censure by a Public Meeting." Mr. Birch proposed, and Mr. Davis seconded, the adoption of the report. Mr. Wakefield : As the originator, of the resolution at the last meeting for a Committee of Enquiry into the charges then made against the Canterbury Association, I hope I may ba allowed to say a few words to this meeting. It is three weeks since I moved for this Committee from a real wish for information upon the subject, and although I was then accused of a desire to burke the enquiry, such was not the fact; but lam afraid that one side, I do not know which, has been builty of burking. (Hear hear.) The report has not furnished any information on the subject. (Hear.) I agree with those gentlemen who did not wish to interfere with the conduct of the Land Purchasers ; for, by so doing, they would have incurred a serioui responsibility, and become liable to a prosecution for libel. With regard to any wrong done by the Canterbury Association, or others, I am ready to advise as to the legal proceedings any of you might wish to take. lam the last person to see the poor man oppressed, but I am not ready to make accusations against any one without hearing both sides. (Cheers.) As to the charges made against the Canterbury Association, they are a public body, and as such are liable to public responsibility. It was a duty, therefore, of the Committee to make every enquiry and to get every information as to the cases of the two men now in gaol—(hear,hear.) they ought to have procured the evidence of Messrs. Toomath and Hart. As to the general accusations, we ought to have had the evidenc« of Oldfield and Smith recorded on paper, and signed by the Committee. (Hear, hear.) I wish to know if the Committee obtained my .definite evidence as to the facts they were appointed to enquire into. Details are wanted to repel the charge which I have heard of the enquiry being burked. I find no information

why, though soma of the members refused to go into private transactions, the affairs of the Canterbury Association were not gone into ? (Hear.) Why is the whole enquiry stopped ? (Hear, hear.) The Committee was fairly appointed—why then any mystery? We had a great deal about facts last time—why has not the report embodied facts? (Loud cries of hear.) Let us act like men, and if one Committee will not tell us what they have done, let us appoint another. (Cheers.) I fear there has been no earnest wish to make an enquiry. I also fear that on the part of some, there has been an endeavour to get up a cry foreign to the views they professedly entertain. Such a proceeding is mischievous and injurious to class. Should there be a struggle between the working class and their employers, that class is sure to win which is just and honest in all its dealings. (Cheers.) The working class injure themselves by making unfounded charges. Give me credit for sympathy although riot a working man. I ask the working men to maintain their position as honest, truth-loving men. I believe any person leading the working class to conclusions not justifiable, would be the most mischievous leader possible, and I am pursuaded the followers of such a leader would afterwards regret their conduct. I move as an amendment, that the Committee be requested to give an explanation why fuller evidence has not been adduced.

The Chairman said he thought Mr. Wakefield's strictures were premature; as the Committee was so warmly divided, each party might prefer stating to this meeting their reasons for adopting the Report. If Mi-. Wakefield had waited he would have heard (hear, hear). Mr. Birch : As one of the Committee, I must say, I do not think we are open to the charge of dilatoriness. We met four times. At the first meeting little or nothing was done, as it was merely preliminary, in order to decide upon the plan of projeedings most necessary to pursue. The second meeting was a failure, owing to the absence of two of the members, upon whom lay the responsibility of substantiating the charges the Committee were appointed to investigate, At the third meeting the resolutions appended to the Report were considered, and it is sufficient to say that they were entertained by the majority of the Committee, and in pursuance with that resolution Mr. Wright was called in, examined, and his evidence taken down: the Committee then adjourned; and upon their fourth and last meeting, one member said he should not go any further into the enquiry. The Committee, therefore, decided to suspend their proceedings, as no further evidence was forthcoming. Why all proceedings were stopped, because the Committee decided upon not going into private affairs, while they were prepared to investigate fully and impartially every charge that might he adduced against the Association, he was not prepared to say: he entertained a strong suspicion, however, that it was owing to the evidence of the only witness examined being very different from what it was supposed he would give. Two members of the Committee refused to go on with the enquiry, and as they were the parties who had brought the charges against the Association, on their failing to do so, the Committee had no alternative but to suspend its proceedings.

Mr. Davis—You are anticipating the business of the Meeting. I beg Mr. Chairman to read the following Protest—

The Chairman—A protest against what? the meeting, the Committee, or the Report? (laughter.)

Mr. Davis—Against the report (hear, hear). Mr. Fitz Gerald —Why you have signed it. (Great Laughter) Mr. Davis—With regard to signing the Report I have been entrapped, (oh! oh! and laughter) ; I have no hesitation in saying, I have been basely and despicably entrapped. (Oh! oh!) ' '

Mr. Wilcox —'Decidedly not; it is entirely untrue that Mr. Davis was entrapped into signing it. I read it to him, and he signed it, and Mr. Crawford also signed it, saying that there was nothing in the report but what was true, as it was a simple statement of facts. Mr. Birch—You have not only signed the report, but you also seconded its being adopted by the Meeting, upon its being read from the Chair.-^(Shouts.of.laughter.) Mr. D.vvis__l can only repeat that I was entrapped (laughter) into signing it, and I withdraw my seconding its adoption. I shall now read a protest against the report-

Mr. Fitz Gerald—Before reading the pro- ! test, it will be advisable that the minutes of the Committee he read in order that the Meeting may clearly understand what really has been done. (Hear, hear.) The Chairman then read the following minutes :— The Committee appointed by the Public Meeting of January 4th, met at the Readingroom, January 11. Dr. Donald was called to the chair, and Mr. Willcox was appointed Secretary. On the 17th January, it was proposed by Mr. Fitz Gerald, and seconded by Mr. Birch, that the Committee understand its enquiry to relate to the following points : " Ist. Whether any immigrants were promised free passages, by any parties, connected with, or employed by, the Association, and were afterwards required to pay any portion of their passage money. "2nd. Whether any improper means were employed in inducing emigrants to sign promissory notes for any portiou of their passage money." —Carried unanimously. Proposed by Mr. Fitz Gerald, and seconded by Mr. Birch, "That with any money transactions existing between individual immigrants, their employers, or the Land Purchasers, this Committee considers it is not within their province to deal, the pecuniary transactions of individuals, not being a proper object of enquiry, or censure, by a public meeting." An amendment was proposed by Mr. Davis, and seconded by Mr. Crawford, " That the Land-owners having had the privilege allowed them by the Association of nominating Labourers and their families for free passages to this settlement, a portion of the Land-owners availed themselves of this privilege, and converted the same to their pecuniary benefit, by compelling the labourers whom they so nominated, to sign promissory notes to pay them the respective amounts of their passages after their arrival in this settlement: that many of the labourers are paying the sum soaenforced, and others have suffered imprisonment through inability to pay, that many who have remained in the settlement, and have hitherto resisted the temptation of improving their condition at the Gold fields, are now preparing to leave in apprehension of the consequences of remaining, and also that the conduct of the Land Purchasers who have so acted, is considered by this Meeting as injurious and likely to be of the most serious injury to the well-being of this Settlement.'' On Mr. Davis's amendment being put to the Meeting, Messrs. Crawford and Davis voted for, and Messrs. Fitz Gerald, Birch, and AUwright against. The Chairman declared it to be lost. On Mr. Fitz Gerald's resolution, Mr. Birch and Mr. Fitz Gerald voted for, and Mr. Willcox against ; the Chairman consequently declared it carried. The examination of witnesses was then proceeded with, and Mr. Wright was examined by Mr. Davis. I came in the ship " Stag.'' On the 3rd of January, 1852, all the steerage passengers were called, out of their berths at twelve o'clock at uigbt to sign notes. One of Eighteen Pounds was given me to sign, it was the wrong one ; I signed one for Ten Pounds. From what Mr. Knowles said, it was my impression that if when the bill became due I was not doing well, the Association would deal leniently with me. Cross-examined by Mr. Fitz Gerald—l never heard any one on the voyage say they were not previously aware they would have to pay the amount they signed for ; I was perfectly aware of it myself. At the Meeting of the Committee on the 20th January, Mr. Davis announced his intention of giving up the inquiry into the transactions of the Canterbury Association, in consequence of the refusal of the Committee, to enter into that of the Land Purchasers. It was therefore proposed by Mr. Fitz Geuald, and seconded by Mr. Davis, "That a Public Meeting be called to receive the report of the Committee on Friday the 28th January." (Signed) W. Donald, Chairman.

The Minutes being read, Mr. Davis read the following Protest:—

" That the Committee was appointed by the Public Meeting held Jan. 4th, to make a searching enquiry and investigation into the charges contained in the two resolutions brought before the said meeting, also the alleged treatment of the emigrants in the Gaol of Lyttelton. That your Protesters having made every effort in their power to carry out the enquiry in as full and complete a manner as possible, are now under the painful necessity of declaring their inability to proceed any further into the investigation from the following causes, viz.: At the commencement of the enquiry, Mr. Fitzgerald announced liis determination of leaving the room if the second resolution was entered into, and that we should only go into the charges contained in the first resolution, and be limited to that only; and not investigate the second, charging some of the landowners with acting unjustly, nor obtain any knowledge of the treatment of the emigrants confined now or previously in the gaol of Lyttelton. After considerable discussion on the subject, a milder course was suggested by Mr. Birch, viz., that the second resolution should be allowed to stand over until the enquiry was completed on the first. This arrangement was cheerfully adopted, and the investigation proceeded with until Monday the 17th, when Mr. Fitzgerald unexpectedly introduced a motion, to the effect, that the Committee had no power or right to collect evidence or ascertain in what manner a portion of the land-purchasers used or abused their privilege of nomination. Your Protesters, conscious that the Committee had no authority to curtail -or stifle the enquiry, urged every reason they could to fearlessly, but temperately, go through the investigation, but without avail, as, on a division being taken, your Protesters, Messrs. Crawford and Davis, voted for enquiry, and Messrs. Fitzgerald, Birch, and Allwright against enquiry, Mr. Willcox not voting ; and this division was forced on before the examination into the first resolution was completed. Also, not being able to obtain an inspection of the Emigration books of the Association, convinced your Protesters of the bopelessness of their canying out the instructions of the Public Meeting, at once decided us on laying the above facts before the public, to impartially judge of the difficulties we bad to contend with.

(Signed)

" Rowland Davis,

'• Charles Crawford."

Mr. Davis having made several attacks on Mr. Alwright for not having voted with him on the Committee, and not doing what he (Mr. Davis) wished,

Mr. Alwright said, I attended the Committee not with the object of being the Automaton of Mr. Davis, but of using my own judgment on the best course to pursue, and I deliberately say that I did what I thought was right, and would do so again. (Hear.) Mr. Davis refused to proceed with the enquiry because he could not have it all his own way, but there was no reason why he should refuse to proceed with the charges against the Association, which the Committee were prepared to investigate. (Hear, hear.) It was not true that the " able and talented leader" (laughter) was prevented going on with the enquiry, because the Committee refused to investigate the transactions of the Land Purchasers. One witness was examined, and it was not till three days after, that Mr. Davis decided upon not going on with the proceedings. (Uproar.) Mr. Davis. I had no idea that upon the division of the previous meeting Mr. Alwright voted against me. I was betrayed (oh, oh) upon the occasion. Would any one like going into an enquiry with persons opposed ? (Great

uproar.)

Mr. Gilbert. Mr. Alwright told me that he agreed with the 2nd resolution.

Mr. Wakufield. 1 beg geutlemen you will put aside personal recrimination ; let the public be satisfied with the details of the proceedings of the Committee. Their first meeting was a week after the public meeting —their first step, we are told, was to elect a chairman—that was done by us. Was this diligently proceeding with enquiry ?

Mr. Crawford. I have heard a great deal of talking, but there has been very little done. I was one of the Committee, and took a very active share in the getting up of the first meeting. Mr. Wakefield moved for enquiry, why then was it burked? When we came to the 2nd resolution, they refused to go into it. So soon as they so acted, it was a breach of faith. There are many who do not like coming before Committees.

Mr. Fitz Gerald. I have no hesitationin saying that from the moment the Committee was appointed, I hud an idea that the author of these charges wished to escape from them. I was prepared to go into them at oiice, aud

those who brought them forward ought to have been ready to substantiate them. A week elapsed before the first meeting was called, and I was necessitated, as my time is too valuable to be wasted, to write to the Chairman, upon whom lay the onus of calling it, on the subject. Well, at last we did meet, and what did we do ? Why, gentlemen, nothing, absolutely nothing; the time was frittered away in most unprofitable talk. I attended at the hour appointed for the second meeting, and waited three quarters of an hour,-but neither Mr. Davis nor Mr. Crawford were present. What, gentlemen, had you a right to expect ? That the charges would be substantiated. I expected'Mr. Davis would come to the meeting and say, I am prepared to prove such and such facts, here is my evidence. But ■ he did not —Mr. Davis never made one motion, nor one proposition on the subject we met to consider; he made, indeed, a request to have the Emigration books of the Association, and proposed going into an enquiry on the Goal. Finding that nothing was likely to be done, at our third meeting I brought forward three resolutions, in order to define apcurately the purpose for which we met. The two first were carried unanimously, and in proposing the third, that we should not go into transactions between private individuals, I said you cannot go into question where only one side can he heard; if you decide upon going into them, I will he no party to it; pursue the enquiry, if you will, but I shall leave the room. I came down to the third meeting with anxious thoughts as to the course I should pursue. I declared that we could not, without authority, go into private transactions between individuals ; but I said if you can prove that Emigration orders have been sold, then you must send such cases to the Supreme Gourt. Supposing, however, that such orders have been sold, (and I have been told that some orders have even been advertised,) which I allow to be wrong, yet what is the conviction upon the conscience of the buyer ? does it invalidate the debt due by him? is "it not still a debt of honour ? would you repudiate a debt you might contract at cards? Suppose it is a . crime to sell Emigration orders, which I would not have done myself, -are you the men to appeal against it now ? When you bought them, did you not expect to pay for them ? It was said at the meeting it was a transportable offence to sell these orders; so much the more reason then why we should not enquire into it. Were we to subject ourselves to prosecution for slander and libel ? If you want wrongs redressed appeal to the law, you can there obtain justice, better justice a thousand times over, than you can otuain at a public meeting. Was I not right, therefore, in moving that third resolution ? Where you have the Canterbury Association to deal with, it is another thing ; there is no fear of libel with them. What a miserable pretext it is that because we refused to go into private transactions, that therefore the charges against trie Association could not be entertained. Am I not justified in saying that Mr. Davis had no real intention of courting an enquiry? (Hear hear.) Because he could not have it all his own way, he would do nothing, and like a spoilt child (great laughter), put his finger in his mouth and pouted. (Cheers and Laughter.) But he has accused me of burking the enquiry; I tell him that a public enquiry cannot be burked, and I should like to see one burked that I took in hand (oh, oh). Why should I wish to burk it ? I did not wish to be put on the Committee. You appointed me. (Mr. Davis, I did not). Of course you did not, Sir ; you are not the Public—l am 'not addressing you ; I am addressing this meeting which nominated me. (Cheers and uproar.) I assert that no foundation exists for these charges in a general way: there have been some mistakes sjo doubt, and possibly some persons may have been brought to London not knowing they would have to sign bills ; but do one or two such uistakes justify making general charges against the Association ? Can you assert that the two men now in gaol were not aware tiyit they had to sign Bills for their passages? Wright's case ■was brought before the Committee, and what did it prove ? Why that he was called up at midnight to sign a Bill, and was presented with a wrong one, which, of course, he discovered. But where is the hardship of the case ? What more proper time to procure the signatures than when all the immigrants are collected together! Who is prepared to say that the Ship was not to weigh anchor early the following morning? Wright gave his evidence in a straitfu'vward mauner, and declared that no re-

marks were made during the voyage asto the method and time of obtaining the signatures, and if that proves anything, it is that no wrong was done. This is the only evidence the Committee had before them ; but if any cases exist in which men have been deluded, let us have a proper Committee of enquiry, (hear, hear,) but do not permit a single member of the late Committee to sit upon it. (Loud cries of hear, hear.) I will attend and give any evidence that may he required, and let Mr. Davis attend too, and produce any evidence he may have. (Cheers).

Mr. Davis—-I think Mr. Fitz Gerald has occupied the time of the Meeting to prevent me and my friends from speaking. He professes to have a high sense of honor but gives no credit to others for a similar feeling. He has entirely misled you in what he said about the first meeting, for I had told him I could not attend in consequence of indisposition. Mr. Fitz Gerald's conduct was dictatorial in the extreme: he and his party have stifled the enquiry : they put every obstacle in our way, and the present Meeting is a sample of our Committee nights. (Laughter and cheers). I helped to get up these resolutions, and am proud of them. (Cheers). I wanted to show that the Land Purchasers had abused their privileges, but Mr. Fitz Gerald would not let me. (A voice—poor little fellow! great laughter). I teh the " Son of my Father" that I shall have something to say about Mr. Felix Wakefield. (Loud shouts of order, chair, chair.)

Dr. Moore protested against any observations being made against an absent individual.

[A scene of indescribable uproar here ensued, several persons addressing the meeting at the same time.]

Mr. Gilbert wished the resolutions that were put to the first meeting be adopted by this. (Cheers.)

Mr. Oldfield wanted to say something— (Shouts of No, no.)

Mr. Toojiath said he should be happy to subscribe towards having the matter tried before the Supreme Court. (Yells, and cries of no, no).

Mr. Wakefield said that, having succeeded in ascertaining what the Committee did—which was nothing—he should withdraw his motion.

Mr. Alport said that the whole time of the meeting had been wasted, hut many persons having by this time left, and the remainder being indisposed to hear anything, a motion was made that the Meeting be adjourned to Monday, which was acceded to, and thus terminated one of the most stormy meetings it was ever our lot to assist at.

The Adjourned Meeting was held on Monday Evening, and was a very tame affair. The Public were evidently tired of the business, and what little was said and done was confined to a few individuals who had all the talk to themselves. Mr. Alport was in the chair, and his entrance into the room was greeted with a round of applause ; a similar honor was. awarded to Mr. Fisher, the eminent bell-ringer of the Port, who acknowledged the compliment by a series of graceful bows. Mr. Read in an eloquent harange, moved a vote of censure against those members of the Committee who refused to investigate private affairs. Mr. Gilbert seconded the motion, and favored the Constitutionalists with his views on Free Trade and the Corn Laws. Mr. Crawford said something about the two men in gaol having to pay the debts of the Association (some £14,000, we believe); and Mr. Davis wound up by reciting some doggerel verses, and declaring that Mr. Chancy was sent out by the Association to build the Cathedral at Christehurch, an announcement which we need hardly say, was peculiarly relished by the meeting. The vote of censure was carried, there being no opposition whatever to it. Two or three individuals than gave an account of* their particular grievances, which, being exparle, we, of course, do not publish, as no doubt a proper tribunal of enquiry will soon investigate these matters. Several resolutions were proposed and carried, and a vote of thanks extended to Messrs. Davis and Crawford for their services in burking the Committee, which was duly acknowledged with appropriate eulogies from each, of the other's services. Mr. Alport was duly thanked for his attendance and conduct in the chair, and the solemn farce then terminated.