AHURIRI. (From our own correspondent.) Napier, 9th Feb., 1857.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1020, 7 April 1857, Page 3

AHURIRI. (From our own correspondent.) Napier, 9th Feb., 1857.

On 2nd instant, the first meeting of the Committee of the Ahuriri Settlers' Association, that was organised at the great meeting on 30th December last, took place at Napier, and a printed account of which, I dare say, I shall be able to obtain for you before any opportunity offers for sending this communication. The settlers, however, appear determined to stand to their colours and not flinch from the position assumed by them at the meeting of the 31st Dec, as you will observe from the petition forwarded by them to the Provincial Council on 2nd inst, and if the prayer of that petition is not granted, they are, I believe, determined on making an appeal for protection to the General Government. As to submit quietly* to have the resources of this fine district expended in making roads and executing public works at Wellington, from which we shall not derive the slightest benefit, would be absurd in people supposed to have equal ciyil and political rights and to be governed by themselves. We hare been very much disgusted at a correspondence that has lately come to light, through the medium of a "Wellington Provincial Council paper, between the Superintendent, Dr. Featherston, and his Excellency's Government, relative to the purchase of the 40 mile bush. To us it appears clear that the whole of this is a mere pretext to get up a case against the General Government, by making •use of an unguarded verbal statement of Mr. McLean to Dr. Featherston, where he says, in his first letter, " I gather from Mr. McLean that the natives were willing to sell it (the forty mile bush) for £1500 ; ''and, by working this up well, to show some colour of reason for their trying to get hold of the money to be devoted out of the loan of £500,000 to the General Government to the extinguishment of native titles in this Province, and to have the management of the native land purchase department in their own hands. We sincerely hope the General Government will show some firmress in this matter, and on no account give way to them — for what security shall we have if they give up the control of this important department that the whole of the money set aside for this Province (£50,000, I believe) will not be spent in extinguishing the native title to lands at Wairarapa and Manawatu, or other places more immediately connected with Wellington than this is, instead of having a fair portion of it spent here, as no doubt would be done by the General Government. We have no faith in our present rulers at Wellington, who appear determined to entangle us so much in debt, if they ran, that we shall have no chance of getting free from them hereafter ; and as they know full well that we are not anxious to remain long connected with them, it is not likely that they willbe over desirou* of spending much money in extinguishing the Native title here, and adding more crown land to this part of the Province. That would be an additional reason for our requiring to manage our own affairs. It is by no means unlikely that the Settlers ' Committee will take up this matter, and support the General Government against the almst insolent demands of the Provincial authorities— for certainly if any thing can be termed insolent, the Superintendent's letter of 6th February must be so classed, and it appears to be yery bad taste for persons in authority to address each other after such a fashion, as others will not be slow to adopt the same course towards themselves, when opportunity offers ; which cannot but be productive of harm, by lowering the standard of manners and courtesy of intercourse between persons differing in political opinions, but clothed for the time being in authority, derived from the people. We aTe very glad to find that Mr. Rich, who came here in the Erin, has succeeded in purchasing two lots of wool, on account of Messrs. Bain, Grahame, & Co. He arrived here, however, too late in the season' to be able to secure any large quantity, but we hope it is the commencement of a connexion between Auckland and this place that there is a general wish on the part of the settlers throughout the district should be very much extended. There are many wishes also expressed ihnt some person from Auckland could be found enterprising enough to start a small newspaper here, to advocate the interests and wants of the settlement. We could certainly reckon on a hundred subscribers to begin with, •within the district, and perhaps 25 at Wellington. And ■were the merchants and people of Auckland inclined to favour such a scheme, by subscribing liberally to start it, there can be no doubt but that it could be accomplished, as, independent of ordinary subscriptions, there are some of the settlers here who would subscribe liberally for say 2 years, and make up perhaps £120 per annum between them; and that the people of Auckland .would be benefited by taking up such a project there can be no doubt either, for it certainly might be the means of establishing our relations with them on an extensive and very satisfactory footing. February 25. We have received the printed copies of the petition "referred to in the first part of this communication. _It was presented to the Oouncil on the 16th inst., being received by the members of the Government in a most ungracious manner, that will not tend to raise them much in our opinion. I enclose a copy of the petition, &c. The report of its presentation you will no doubt see in the Wellington papers. Mr. Commissioner Cooper has arrived and is busy trying to get the natives to agree about the sale of more land to the Government, for which money was brought down by Captain Ellis, of the St. Kilda. Great disappointment has been felt by the settlers at the continued non-appointment of a Resident Magistrate for this place by the Stafford Ministry. What their reasons are for such neglect, it is difficult to imagine, as we have now been practically without one since this time twelve months, when Mr. Domett went to attend the Assembly at Auckland, and this conduct on their part furnishes good ground for the Provincial Government, a 9 well as the settlers, to complain of them. The ?pt tiers here are at present well disposed towards the < General Government, and would gladly see it established on a strong and firm basis ; at the same time that they would wish to see the pretensions of the Wellington Government confined to their proper limits as a mere provincial or local body. But if they continue to act in thi* way, and allow themselves to be bullied by Mr. Yankee Fox and his party, it cannot be wondered at if they sink in the opinion of the public in general, as well as settlers here. 3rd March. At a meeting of the Committee of the Ahuiiri Settlers' Association, yesterday, it was retolved that a memorial be sent to the General Government, on the subject of .the non-appointment of a Resident Magistrate for this district, and pointing out the many evils resulting from such delay for so long a time. Mr. Cooper has not yet had any success in dealing with the Natives, who appear very much disposed to quarrel amongst each other, in the distribution of the money for former sales made by them. We are sorry to find that we are about to lose Mr. "William Seed, sub-Collector of Customs and Post Master at Port Napier. He is a gentleman of a type not often to be met with in public offices, and who has justly won the respect and esteem of settlers of all classes, by his kind and obliging manners, coupled with the strictest performance of all the duties oi his office. In general intelligence and capacity for public business, there are not many persons his superiors, and he is one -whom any Government may feel proud to have in its employ. I send you a copy of a letter addressed to him by sortie of the principal settlers, in anticipation of his leaving, and his reply I will also forward when it is ■received; I am suie your publishing them would be - felt as a favour by the residents here. March 21st, A long oromised visit by the Superintendent (Dr. Fe«"therston), Mr. Fox, and Mr. Fitzherbert, is at last about to be paid. This, it is supposed by many, is caused by the petition lately sent to the Council from the Settlers' Committee, in which it was plainly stated, without reserve, that

we only looked upon our present union with Wellington as temporary, Sic, &c. ; 3iid the three F— s being at la«t roused, are cming up to try and cajole the settlers into a belief that all they have done is only intended for their good. The inhabitants, however, appear to be on their guard, As you will no doubt think when you peruse the following address, that was agreed to at a public meeting held on the 19th inst., in anticipation of his Honoi's arrival on the 20th; which, however, has not yet taken place. "To his Honor, I. E. Featherstoh, Superintendent of the Province of Wcllinaton. " Sir, — " We, the inhabitants of Napier and its vicinity, beg to express our satisfaction at the visit which your Honor has again paid us, and to tender you our best wishes for your personal welfare. As your Honor's presence, with the import which it derives from the proximity of a fresh general election for the Superintendency and Provincial Council, offers a most favorable and fit occasion for representing the wants and wishes of the Ahuriri settlers, we have availed ourselves of the opportunity for the purpose of stating the most important of them, with the hope of obtaining from your Honor such a declaration on each as may inform us of the sentiments and intentions which you entertain on points of such vital consequence to the progress and piosperity of this district. "As we had not sufficient notice of the date of your present yisit to enable us to communicate with the more distant settlers, we will roafine our.. lyes to those matters which were discussed at the great public meeting on the 31st of December last, and approved of by the great majority of the settlers present, and the memorial of which was . transmitted to your Honor on the Ist January last: and when the character of that meeting is considered, the numerous attendance, the importance of the resolutions and the temperate deliberation with which they were discussed and passed, we cannot but say that no apology appears to us necessary to convey the expression of our regret that the Provincial Government should have allowed so long a time to elapse without even the courtesy of a reply ; especially as, in no respect, did the substance or tone of the resolutions warrant the least abatement of that full attention and consideration which is due from elected rulers to the properly expressed wishes and grievances of an important community. We wish, therefore, again to bring under your Honor's notice the resolutions passed at that moetin g, and especially the sth, 6th, 7th, Bth, 9th, 10th, and 11th resolutions, which we how beg permission to read for you." [Here follow resolutions.] And if his Honor's answers are unsatisfactory, or doubtful, the only alternative then left will be to appeal to the General Assembly for the erection of this place into a separate Province, and meantime to seek protection from his Excellency's Gavernment against the attempts made by our - Provincialists to saddle us with debts which will not be incurred for our benefit. 30th March. His Honor has not yet arrived — though Messrs. Fox and Fftzherbert have been here for several days ; the Superintendent is, however, expected in a day or two to meet them, though some think it only a case of ''bunkum," and that he does not not mean to come at all, —having sent the two lesser F — s to smooth over and soften things down with the settlers, without giving them an opportunity to demand from him, personally, a redress of grievance. The St. Kilda is to sail to-day with 31 bales of wool, bought by Mr. Rich on account of Bain, Grahame & Co., and 160 fat wethers for the Auckland market, which we trust they will reach safely, and that it will be the beginning of a profitable trade between the two places, of wool and wethers on the one side, and all kinds of merchandize, teas, sugars, &c, on the other. [The various enclosures referred to in the above will appear on other occasion.]