A LARGE CLAIM ON THE COLONY.

Bay of Plenty Times, Issue XX, 15 June 1892, Page 3

A LARGE CLAIM ON THE COLONY.

As is generally kMowi. cable mes sages for tbe Pkh *» • c atii i ansent from London i-, f |.e:et<>n form and are then amplified aid made intell'giUe at the Wellir gton office of tbe Association. It sometimes happens that the BKeteton message is misunderstood. The person despatching it, knowing all the facts himself, occasionally takes it for granted that the reciever at the antipodes is equally well informed. The result is that the receiver arrives at an erroneous conclusion and connects the message with something with wh'ch it has noth ag whatever to do. An amusing insiaiu-e occurred recently in the case of the following mesfca^e, which was j.uhTshed in the New Zealand papers muter ''ate London, May 27 : —

•'Tbe United States Government bkve agreed to bubmit to arbitration Witham ai.d Webster's claim for the alleged illegal seizu c of a British sealerin Bibring Strait.'-' The paine message was published in tbe Melbourne Age in the following shape :— "Tbe Government of the United States proposes to submit to arbitration an ancient claim made on behalf of two American subjects for compensation from Great Britain for tbe neizure of 500,000 acres of land in Hew Zealand, which they claimed to bave purchased from a Maori chief. *' The Wellington officer of the association evidently came to tbe conclusion that the portion of the message referring to arbitration was connected with the Behring Sea dispute, and that tbe portion referring to the half million acres purchased from a Maori chief referred to a previous telegram on the same day about the Salvation Army havit.g acquired half a million terra in this colony. Tbe Webster claim, to which the message evidently referred, is now ancient bißtory. 'It was fully investigated by Sir Robert Stout as Attorncy«general in tbe Stout-Vogel Government, and bis memo, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the matter stated that he was <l satisfied equally with Lord Carnarvon that Webster bad been treated with liberal justice, especially seeing that awards were made" in his favour, or in favour of his acknowledged assigns, of every single acre fabich the r ative owners omitted, whether cla ming as a British subject or as an American ci?i7en, " Webster's history is ibat when a young man be came to this colony with 600dol invested in goods to trade with tbe Maoris. He purchased from them the right to set up a trading station at Corpmandel, and was tie first white man to settle there. He learnt to speak the Maori lamguage, and largely increased his capital by trading in pork, timber, and other productions. He bought land at or near the present site of Auckland, and was the first white n?an to settle there. As be prospered he increased his land purchases; established a shipbuilding yard, and generally claims that he was the pioneer of civilisation in that section of the country. He sought to convey to the United States tbe Great Barrier Island, then largely resorted to as a whaling staiion. He claims that wl.cn Great Britain took posses sion his lands and other property were worth one m'llion sterling. The treaty deprived him of this property. His land included 850 acres at Coromundel Harbour, 2500 aens at its head known now as Tanpiri, and 1000 acres known as Waiau, 1500 acres on the Thames, 8000 aciei on the Piako river, 20.000 acres being the whole of Big Barrier Island, Areas in other districts and other inlands bring the total to about 500,000 acres. Webster, after losing his property, as he alleges, by the British Government assuming sovereignty over New Zealand, went to the States to assert his rights, and fell into poverty. In bis petition to the United States den ate he claimed an indemnity of 78,145d'jl for loss and damage up to January 1840, and 6,*73,000d0l ror loss and damage for land purchased from 1835 to 1840. The United States Senate, it in ay be stated, passed a resolution that the claim for indemnity was founded on justice, and deserved the cognisance and support of the GoTernment of the United States, and tbe President was requested to take such steps as he thought proper to secure William Webster a just settlement and fi r »al adjustment of bis claim against Great Britain.

A Marton resident named Croickshank has been fined £1 for travelling on the railway with the return half of a ticket o.iginally issued to his son. Both the Marton papers strongly condemn as utterly unreasonable the law which renders railway tickets non- transferable. A London correspondent writes: — "I notice th»t New Zealand mutton is still advancing iv favour in England. Besides the enormous number of families who always have in preference to the English growth, the Government have now taken it up. The latest revised rules regulating the dietaries of the prisons in England and Wales, and Issued by the Home Office, after allow ingthe prisoners bread and cocoa, 4c.» now allows for dinner 4oz of colonial mutton or beef to each person." Four hotel licences were refused by the Wanganui Licensing Committee last week, reducing toe number of hotels in Wauganui to eleven. Garlick and Cranwell have just issued the most complete Illustrated Furnishing Book Catalogue that has been published in the colony . It will prove especially convenient for country •ettters, storekeepers and others about to furnish. Illustrations are given of hall, drawing, dining and bedroom furniture. Young people •bout to marry will find it a great assistance io waking up their list and estimating cost of f urWahing. It also shows how a 3 roomed house «an be furnished fas* £17 10 0 ; four room 3 for £38 ; five rooms for £80 ; and six room for £lbO. Full particulars of bedding, iron bedheads and general furnishing goods. Ton will »ot do better than furnish from Garlics & Cbafvbll, Queen St, Auckland.