CANTERBURY. (From the Lyttelton Times, Nov. 1.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume VII, Issue 471, 2 January 1852, Page 4

CANTERBURY. (From the Lyttelton Times, Nov. 1.)

We really regret to have again to refer to Colonel Campbell, "but the " Notice" which appeared last week, cannot be passed over in silence. Surely there is no one who has been concerned in Col. Campbells appointment, who will not feel the blush rise to his cheek upon reading that pompous and puerile 'composition. What can we say, when we read, " off which there is good anchorage, except during south-easterly gales, when ships should stand out to sea until they subside." The meaning of "subside" as given in Johnson's Dictionary, is " to sink," so that the sentence reads, — " when sh|bs! should stand out to sea until they sink !'^=£. Is it too severe to call this stuff, puerile ? Again, good sized coasting vessels are quite safe in the small harbour of Kaikora." Now suppose there should be no harbour at Kaikora, would it not be most disgraceful for her Majesty's Commissioner to make such a public assertion ? And yet from all the enquiries we have made, we really believe there is no harbour whatsoever. There is a sort of hole in the rock, which one vessel might enter at a time ; and that not with safety. We have, therefore, a right in the name of the public, to ask upon what authority it is stated that <f good sized coasting vessels are quite safe in the small harbour of Kaikora ;" an assertion, which, if untrue, might, coming from such a quarter, occasion a loss of life and of property. Again read the following sentence, ' " before, however, be gives up bis attention to the duties which will thus, for a time, devolve upon him, be begs to assure all those who are desirous of obtaining sheep and cattle runs, even on the largest scale, and which the vast districts placed by the Governor-in-Chief, under his charge, will amply afford, that he fully intends to deal most liberally as to the extents of excellent pasturage, which he is empowered to assign to them. But what can be more liberal than that which the New Zealand Government announces in the established rules and regulations for the issue of pasture licenses for the occupation of the waste lands of the Crown, outside hundreds," &c, See. What is the impression upon perusal of such a sentence ? Is it not one of shame and sadness ? For the incapacity of those in high places is a reproach to any Government, and a disgrace to any pe»ple. We hope we shall not be called upon again to notice these silly publications. Col. Campbells appointment ought to be, and we earnestly hope, soon will be, cancelled. We have never been slow to admit the merits of those gentlemen whom his Excellency has sent to administer the various departments of the Government in this settlement. When, therefore, we object to an appointment, it will not be attributed to simple hostility to the Government. There never was a more unfortunate or more offensive appointment than that of Col. Campbell. This gentleman, we are informed, was one of the first of those who joined the Canterbury scheme ; but he did so in the hope of obtaining the appointment of Resident Magistrate in the settlement; he professed himself a warm advocate of the plan of the colony, and announced his intention of purchasing land largely ; he even took cabins in the " Sir George Seymour," which were retained for him for a considerable time ; he was in constant communication with the colonists for many w.eeks ; and he was not recommended to the appointment he wished to obtain, or to any other appointment^,because he was considered by all who came in contact with him to be wholly incompetent to discharge the duties of any responsible station. At the last moment he ceased te frequent the colonists' rooms in London, gave up his cabins, bought no land, and in a short time after the sailing of the first four ships, he left England, and was lost sight of until he turned up at Auckland. It may be said we have no business to complain of this appointment, because Col. Campbell has nothing to do with the Can terbury Blook at present. Yes, but we do .complain, upon these grounds, — that there could hardly have been found another man, whose presence in this settlement as an official, would have been so offensive to its inhabitants. That the man whom the colonists had tried and had discarded as inefficient, the man who had obtained admission into their councils under the pretence that he intended to purchase land, and to throw in his lot, with theirs, and when, the time came, bought no land, but deserted their -ranks ; that he should be selected and sent among them in the .enjoyment of Government patronage, seems a declaration on the part oF the Colonial , Government not to be, mistaken, that its favour is to be gained in the exact proportion in which the interests of the settlement are deserted; that whilst all the difficulties and struggles of a settler's life are to be combated and conquered at the self-founding and self-supporting settlements, all the encouragement is still to be found, and all the prizes obtained in the Government Garrison of Auckland. We will not take the line of argument — which is however, in every one's mouth here — " The more incompetent the.Commis-

sioner is, the better, the inextricaU^^^^J sion into which he will throw matteH^^H side the block will father advance thfo^l tard our own interest." We will ratheVfflHl the New Zealand community i^paeplqring the deep injury the colony will receive from the trusting of- vast powers and responsibilities to a miserably incompetent man j and the contempt which a Government incurs ;#hen it thus prostitutes its patronage. The country within the middle district, outside the Canterbury Block, includes a vast extent of land admirably adapted both for agriculture and for pasturage. We want to see it occupied and colonized as speedily as possible. We wisne'd to see it all included in the Canterbury block, because we thought that it,would be more rapidly colonized by the Association than by G-overn-ment.. But whether by the one or the other, we wish, to see the whole country peopled, cultivated, civilized. We wish to see roads formed, towns laid out, the best districts for agriculture judiciously selected, and carefully surveyed, and a moral and industrious population planted on the soil ;by a sound and a healthy immigration from the mother country. ,If Government will undertake the work, no feeling of petty jealousy will find a place in this settlement, or an advocate in our columns, because that work may be accomplished without accepting all the details of the scheme of the Canterbury Association; rather would we encourage a sentiment of generous rivalry and brotherhood in the common cause-7-the advancement of our new country. Therefore it is, we should hail with pleasure the appointment of a public officer capable of conducting so great a work, and therefore we deplore the advent of a gentleman who, whatever maybe his private character or merits, has contrived in a few days to make himself an object of public ridicule in a community, in which no man can be useful who is not respected.

I Notice is hereby given, that the Peninsula of Kai- : kora, with a small but not yet defined portion of land adjoining it in Half-moon Bay, will, ai «oon as ! possible (along with some of the lands- the boundaries of which, were given in the Notification of the 11th imtant), be surveyed and laid out in rural sections of 50 (or more) acres, and in town sites of half an acre each. Good-sized coasting vessels are quite safe in the small harbour of Ktikora, and off it, in Half-moon Bay, the anchorage is good, except in north-westerly gales. A block of excellent land extending to a distance of five miles inland, and the same distance to the North and South of two' yet - undefined points in Timaru Bay (situated between the southern boundary of the Canterbury block and the Waitangi river) will also be laid out in a similar manner ; the portion of land between the two above undefined points being that intended for town sites, and off which there is good anchorage, except during southeasterly gales, when ships should stand out to sea until they subside. The above rural laad sections and town sites will be disposed of under the usual regulations, and Government Scrip will be taken in payment for them : and 1 for the -convenience and* advantage of persons of moderate meant, purchasers of rural sections within these two blocks (which are not open for sheep or cattle runs) will have the power of availing themselves of the undisposed -of portions of them, as commonage, under the charge of Wardens, according to Government regulations. For the present the land around Motunau, to the South of Kaikora, to an as yet undefined but limited extent, is reserved. Lieutenant- Colonel Campbell intends to proceed in a few days to Akaroa, as commissioner for the adjustment of land-claims, &c. ; but any communications intended for him will be addressed, as usual, to his office at Christchurch. Before, however, he gives up his attention to the duties which will thus for a time^devolve upon him, he begs to assure all those who are desirous of obtaining sheep and cattle runs, even on the largest scale, and which the vast districts placed by the Governor -in > Chief under his charge will amply afford,' that he fully intends- to deal most liberally asto the extents of excellent pasturage which he is empowered to assign to them. But what can be more liberal than that which the. New Zealand Government announces in the established rules and regulations for the issue of pasture licenses for the occupation of- waste lands of the Crown, outside Hundreds— viz : " No. 6. In estimating the sufficiency of stock, for any run applied for, the Commissioner shall not allow for natural increase in any proportions, with respect to amounts of stock on the runs, greater thin those set forth in the following scale : " For any, number of sheep up to 500 inclu- ■. sheep sire, run to be granted- for any number V 5000 , not exceeding ••. .* • •* " For every additional hundred 1 500 and 1000 between .., .. .. ♦• /for soo additional "Ditto ditto 1000 and 3000 for 400 sheep. " Ditto ditto 3000 and 5000 for 200 do. "Ditto ditto 5000 and 10,000 for 100 do. "And in no case shall a run be granted capable of containing more than 25,000 sheep. In estimating runs for great cattle, one head of such cattle shall be rated as six sheep." Jamzs Campbell. October 22, 1851.

•Free Trade m Prussia. — The GovernI ment of Dantzic has brought an action against all the public functionaries who attended the free trade Congress. The Communal Council of Elbing has received a Government re script, stating that the nomination of deputies to the free trade Congress is illegal, inasmuch as the discussion, of the interests of free trade is not within the province of a communal council which is merely charged with civil matters. Any breach of this rescript will be followed by deprivation of office. The Minister ,for Inland Aflairs has imposed a pecuniary fine) on the Chief Burgomaster and two Senators, for having • attended the said council. — Evening Mail. A young t lady was told by a married one that she had better throw herself into the river than marry. 'So I would/ replied she 'if I thought I should find a husband at the bottom.'' 'Father,' said a roguish boy, 'I hope you won't buy any more gunpowder tea for mother.' * Why not?' * Because every time she drinks it, she blows us up.' •Go , to bed, sir, immediately.'