MEETING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.

On Tuesday evening last, a Tea Meeting of the shareholders and friends of the Working Man's Freehold Land Society, to " commemorate the taking up of the 100 original shares," was held in the School Room, Bridge-Btreet, and was very numerously attended, upwards of 100 persons being present. After tea (provided by Mr. Ross, in a manner which gave great satisfaction), Mr. J. P.' Robinson was requested to take the chair.

The Chairman expressed himself flattered at being called upon, to preside over such a meeting as the present,, and more particularly as it was one where the subjects to be discussed would scarcely admit of any differences of opinion. Most persons present must be aware that the meeting had been called to celebrate in a social manner the taking up of the whole of the 100 original shares in the Nelson Freehold Land Society, and this he (the Chairman) considered an event which the friends of the working classes might justly congratulate themselves upon. It was a matter of regret, however, that of these shares so few, comparatively, were held by the agricultural population of the settlement, for whose benefit the society was chiefly designed ; but it was still to be hoped that the agricultural labourers and small rural tradesmen would see the benefit a society such as the present was calculated to do them, and either by taking the fifty additional shares which it was in contemplation by the Directors of the Nelson Working Man's Freehold Land Society to issue, or by forming a new and distinct society, not to lose the opportunity of possessing themselves of freeholds on the easy terms which such societies offer. Tbe history of Land Associations was an interesting subject to the working classes, calculated as they were to work so complete a revolution both in their social and political condition. These societies were originated in the town of Birmingham, by a working roan named Taylor, and the account he gives of their origin was roost instructive ; and he (the Chairman) would read from a periodical publication, the particulars which Mr. Taylor has given—

" Permit me to tell the Working men of England the history of our first Freehold Land Society, which commenced at Birmingham about three-and-a-half years ago. For some time I wanted some opportunity to commence. At last 'there came a general election. 1 went in to poll, and coming out again I saw a lot of fellows running about with banners and cards, but who could not go in to vote ; and I said to a friend, are not these men as good as I am, and ought they not to go in to vote ? This friend said ' How is it to oe done ?' I replied, 'meet me at the Coffee-house to-night;' he did so, and there this society was hatched and brewed. I proposed that my friend should take the chair. He did so. I moved that it was expedient that a Freehold Land Society be formed for the benefit of the working men. There was no seconder except myself, and therefore I seconded it ; it was put from the chair and carried without any opposition. The next resolution was that the previous one should be advertised in the newspapers of next day. These resolutions were signed, B. Oaks, chairman. We headed the advertisement, • Freehold Land Society.—At a meeting of a few friends, at Coffee-house, it was moved, seconded, and carried unanimously, That, etc' Then I wrote a letter for insertion in the paper, calling upon my fellow working men to come forward and join the society. 1 took the advertisement to the Birmingham Journal, at ten o'clock on Friday night, and I knew the paper was printed off at twelve, to be forwarded to London. But then the editor's candidate was a losing man. The editor said the advertisement probably would appear, but as to the letter he could not say anything about it. The next morning at breakfast— I regretted I had not had my breakfast before the Journal came— l was looking for the advertisement, when, to my utter astonishment, I Baw my little letter inserted conspicuously, and headed "Qualify, and win counties.' I never was to frightened in my life. I put on my hat and coat and went out to look for the chairman. When he saw me, he said, ' What is the matter ?' « Matter (said I), have you seen the Journal?' He said, • No.' I said, « Why you must not be surprised if you and I go to the Tower of London'— and, with all respect to the gentlemen who wear wigs, the chairman, who wore one, was so excited, that the knitting of his brow heaved his wig up and down at a fine rate. Well, after looking at the newspaper, we came to the conclusion that the best way would be to summon four other friends to meet us at the coffee-house the next evening ; we did so, and three of them came. We were astonished at the noise it made, for even the landlady could do nothing, — she could not even draw coffee quietly for the number of persons who came to ask for prospectuses of the Land Society. Well, we had done this, and we five divided ourselves into two parties, and proceeded to wait upon some of the aldermen and other leading men, to ask for their support. When working men want great men to do anything, they, are often out or engaged. We would not be put off. We waited upon our members and ex-members, our Mayor and ex-mayors, and when I and my friend went to the last man, Mr. Brooks Smith, we stopped at the bottom of the staircase, being quite exhausted. 1 Stop a bit, James,' said my friend ; ' a thought has justj ust come across my mind.' ' What is it ?' said I. He replied, • Why, I cannot but think that you and I are destined to do the state some service before we die.' I said, 'that'a right, keep your spirits up.' Well, the next thing was, we got a small room for a meeting, which we thought would be better if we could fill it, then having a large room half filled. We put the table in the middle of the room, it was crowded out, tbe staircase also was filled, and we opened the windows, shouted at the top o/ our voices, and at the close of our meeting we got twenty-seven names entered. After this we called a meeting at the lown Hall, which was attended by eight or nine thousand people, and we had with us our borough

member, Mr. Scholfield, and other leading gentlemen. Snch was the origin of our lociety; we began with 27 members,- we have now 2,000. We have upheaved some of the counties, and we hope to upheave others with the cry of freeholds for the working men, and votes for the million. We have spent .£19,000 in land, which has been divided amongst working men, who, but for this society, would never have possessed an inch of ground.

" Our society has purchased four estates, two in South Staffordshire, and two in North Warwickshire ; we have given the suffrage to more men than had been done by all the political unions for the last ten years, and we have done it peaceably. I have no hesitation in saying that of the £19,000 spent in land by the men of Birmingham, A'IS,(JOO of it had been saved from the public-house." The Chairman stated that these land associations were now spreading fast over all England, particularly in the Midland Counties, and so sensible were the members of the solid benefit which had been conferred upon them by Mr. Taylor, in originating this system of co-opera-tion, that a meeting was a short time since held at Wolverhampton, to present him with a handsome gold watch aud appendages, as a mark of gratitude and esteem. However desirable it might be in England for the working classes to possess themselves of small freehold estates, he (the Chairman) thought it no less desirable here, and although in the colony this was more easy of attainment, yet the land monopoly which existed rendered the step here more difficult of accomplishment than might be expected, unless by paying an exceedingly high price, or by consenting to a ruinous dispersion. The object of the Nelson Land Society was to prevent both of these evil, Instead of buying land secondhand from land-jobbers, at a greatly enhanced cost, the members would get their land direct from the Government, at first cost ; and instead of being in isolated spots, a sufficient body of the members of the Association would settle "on their land to form a community, which would be able to render and receive assistance from each other. The Chairman excused himself from saying more on the matter, as he believed it was the intention of a gentleman present to introduce another subject of great interest to the working classes, and which, in the absence of Savings' Banks, would afford means for that ready investment of email savings which the working classes so much needed.

Mr. Packer congratulated the members of the Land Association on the completion of their scheme, as far as obtaining the number of subscribers limited by the regulations, and he was glad to hear that some other project was in contemplation to benefit the industrious and prudent among the working classes. The suggestion, as he understood, was to form a Sheep Association, and this, he thought, was a far preferable mode of investing savings than in Savings' Banks. In Great Britain, Savings' Banks were promoted by the Government, for the reason that, as all the deposits were invested in Government securities, these institutions, by increasing the number of public creditors, were calculated to give additional stability to the Government of the country. Here, a different state of things existed; and money was too valuable to be locked up in Savings' Banks while it could be invested so profitably in Btock. Fortunately for the working classes here, every man might inveßt something out of his earnings, if he would but practice a little 6elf-deniai — the time was, when they could not supply themselves with the necessaries of life, but that had passed, and although many might still feel disappointment at not realizing the bright expectations held out to them on leaving home, yet no one could deny but that all might now obtain every necessary comfort of life, if not riches.

Mr. I. M. Hill was glad to see so large a number of pleasant faces around him, beaming with satisfaction. The success of the Nelson Lmd Association had achieved one great good, beyond that which its promoters had designed — it bad taught the working classes that they might trust each other, and this would lead to other and more extensively beneficial results.

Mr. Riley pointed out the benefits of cooperation to persons desirous of becoming possessed of small allotments of land, saying that an individual, with only a few pounds at command, might find a difficulty in inducing a person to part with the small number of acres he required, whereas by clubbing with a number of others, they might together become possessed of a splendid property, which could easily then be divided amongst them.

Mr. Thavers said, that [ before entering upon the subject which it was his intention to bring under notice that evening, he would venture to offer a few remarks upon the Land Association, the success of which that meeting had met to commemorate. Although in some respects it differed from those which had been established in the mother country, yet in others it perfectly resembled them. It differed from them because its avowed object was to improve the social condition, rather than to increase the political importance of the working classes. It resembled them, because it tended to demonstrate the great effects which, under the system of co-operation, might be brought about by small means, where those means were applied and those effects were sought with economy and perseverance. Now, although the primary object of the founders of the Freehold Land Societies in England was merely to increase the political importance of the working classes, yet it was a notorious and pleasing fact, that those societies had also exercised a most beneficial influence upon their social and moral condition. In the neighbourhood of the large manufacturing towns particularly, were 6een tbe greatest improvement. We no longer hear of whole families— fathers, mothers, children, and even lodgers, huddled together indiscrimi-

nately in a single sleeping room. Instead of vaults and cellars, the artizan and the mechanic were found occupying neat and wholesome cottages. On every side was increased health, and improved morality; and thus, whatever m:ght be the avowed objects of those societies, it was found that the principles upon which they were founded being good, and the means taken to work out those principles being likewise good, the end had not failed to be good. Now if thia was true, the Nelson Working Man s Land Association ought to prosper. It ought to prosper, because its avowed object was good, and because the means taken to carry out that object were also good. Many persons had been disposed to cavil at the Association, saying that it was impossible to carry out the object in view, because too low a price had been fixed upon for the land. But assuming, for the sake of argument, that the object in view should not be specifically attained, would any evil result from the experiment ? Would any one lose by it ? Decidedly not. The shareholders would receive back in one sum the whole amount of their subscriptions ; not only undiminished, but absolutely increased by the addition of a rateable proportion of the interest which was daily accruing from the sums lent out. And would not this in itself be a great benefit to them ? Would any one of those who had joined the Association have otherwise thought for one moment of putting by the shilling per week which they now subscribe towards it? Was it not more than likely that many of those shillings would have been spent in beer, or otherwise wasted ? If therefore the Association should fail in carrying out the actual object in view, it clearly deserved favour and support on thete grounds : — It deserved that favour and support because it had encouraged the principle, and established the practice of economy. And this brought him to the subject upon which he wished more immediately to address them. Many persons, with the view of benefiting the working classes, hadj desired the establishment of a Savings' Bankjin Nelson but he (Mr. Travers) confessed that he could not see the wisdom of the wish. He could not see the great advantage to be derived from such a scheme. Savings' Banks were well adapted to the mother country, because there the labourer had no opportunity of applying small sums to any better purpose. Here it was otherwise. The smallest sum could be invested to great advantage. If it were not sufficient to buy a cow, it might buy a calf; and if not sufficient to buy a calf, it might buy a sheep, or a goat, each of which would, by its increase and otherwise, yield a much greater profit than the highest interest which could be obtained from a Savings' Bank. Now, assuming that the wish to save already existed amongst the working classes of Nelson (ar»d this had been fairly proved), a mode of investing the savings to the best advantage must be found, and this has led him to consider whether something which would supersede a Savings' Bank could not be established — something, too, which, by holding 'out strong inducements, would foster and confirm the desire to save. After much deliberation, he thought of a " Working Man's Sheep Association ;" but before pointing out what he conceived to be the advantages of 6uch an Association, he would give them some idea of the manner in which it should be formed. He would propose that the capital be £780, divided into 150 shares, of £5 4s. each; that no person should be allowed to take more than five shares ; that the amount of the shares should be payable by instalments of Is. per week; that at the end of every six months, the paid-up capital should be invested in the purchase of sheep ; that when the whole amount of capital had been thus laid out, the flock should be allowed to increase, and the proceeds from the sale of wool and otherwise, to accumulate for five years longer, and that then the whole should be divided amongst the shareholders; that the management of the Association should, subject to the control of the shareholders, be confided to twelve directors, a treasurer, and secretary, to be elected in the usual manner. This was a brief outlive of the plan, and he would now endeavour to point out, as well as his limited acquaintance with sheep-farming would permit, the advantages which the shareholders might hope to derive. He would assume that by the time that the whole amount of paid-up capital had been invested, the flock would consist of 1,200 ewes. By calculating on an average annual increase of 40 per cent, of ewea r the Association would, at the end of the five years, be possessed of a flock of nearly 12.C 00 sheep. In many of the flocks in the Wairau, the increase had been much greater. In some instances it has realized 120, and 130 per cent. He did not think that he was exaggerating in calculating upon an increase of 80 per cent., giving 40 per cent, of ewes. But besides the flock of sheep, the Association would also, during the five years, realize from the sale of wool, &c, after paying all expenses of management, and suffering the balance to accumulate at compound interest, upwards of £4,500 in money. Now this would give to each share 80 head of sheep and £30 in money. • A friend near him said, " This is too good to be true." It might be that he (Mr. Travers) had calculated the average increase too high, but if only half of it be true — if, instead of calculating on an increase of 80 per cent,, we only calculate on 40 (that is, 40 per cent, of ewes and wethers together), we should not make a bad investment. Many present, from practical acquaintance with sheep and sheep-farming, would be able to give a much better opinion on the whole matter than he could offer, but he was convinced that the principle of the scheme was good. Much will of course depend upon the management, which however he had no doubt would bo carefully considered and properly attended

to. He had now given a brief outline of the plan, and its probable results. In the former, it resembled the Land Association ; and if the latter Bbould not be so brilliant as he had led them to believe, it cannot be otherwise than good. The scheme afforded an additioual, and, he was disposed to think, a highly advantageous opportunity of investing small sums. He would therefore leave it for the consideration of the meeting, and he need not add, that if it should meet with approval and support, he should be happy to give every assistance in his power in carrying it out. -^W---*

Mr. C. Elliott said, that in hazarding a doubt of the correctness of Mr. Travers's calculations of the profits to be derived from sheepfarming, he did not in the least intend to question the policy of the working classes investing their savings in that description of stock, or that a society, such as was intended to be formed, was not the best mode of enabling them do so. On the contrary, be warmly espoused the present object, and bad no doubt of its most complete success. Still he thought it desirable to excite no unreasonable expectations of profits, nor did he think that any one was warranted in calculating the yearly increase of sheep at the high returns obtained by one or two fortunate individuals for a couple of years, while nearly all the remaining flocks in the settlement had afforded very different results. But after making every deduction for losses, and being but very moderate in expectations of gain, it was undeniable that the returns from wellmanaged flocks were very great, and would afford to those who invested their money in cheep very ample returns. There were indirect benefits also to be acquired from becoming members of these Associations, as well as direct ones. They taught men habits of frugality, promoted self-respect, and were calculated in every way to make them better citizens and wiser men. - After some observations from Mr. Outridoe, Mr. Ross, and others, applications were made for about eighty shares by persons present, and after a preliminary meeting of the intending members of the Sheep Association had been arranged, a vote of thanks was given to the Chairman, and the meeting broke up.