Correspondence.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVI, Issue 1250, 9 September 1859, Page 3

Correspondence.

**• Our correspondence columns being impartU ally open, we are not to be identified with any opinion expressed therein.

To the Editor of the Southern Grots. Sib, — It is datagerous for an unskilful controversialist to play with » two-edged argument. The '.New Zea-. lander,' in quoting Mr. Superintendent FitzGerald's correspondence with the General Gorernment on the land question,- has cut his own fingers to the bone. Poor innocent ! he fancied he was giving a death-blow to the advocates of "enfranchisement" — but he has laid bare his own cause with a frightful gash. The quotation I allude to is as f ollowi, and it if paraded by the ' New Zealander' as a warning to the advocate! of the so-called "direct purchase move." The italics in the quotation are not mine, but the < New Zealander's': — "A great evil that ha* resulted from entertaining applications like those above mentioned is, that persons have been encouraged in very many cases where they are applicants for Native Lands, to occupy them in defiance of the law, in hope of their being shortly after purchased by the Government, and by such occupation have made their acquisition far more difficult and expensive than if the Commissioner of Crown Lands had steadily refused to entertain applications, for licenses till the lands had become Crown Lands." Now.'Sir, although we unprotected spinsters are not generally -supposed to ha.ye much weight in politics, and are seldom permitted to make our remarks upon passing questions of public importance, yet, let me assure you, that we have our opinions — very strong ones, too — and at a late meeting we decided that our views should occasionally be mifide known. Our committee have not beeu inattentive to the controversy which has been raging between you and others on one side, and the ' New Zealander,' and others, on the other side, respecting the land question. And it is well known that spectators often understand the moves of the game better even than the players themselves, — so we, quietly purling and knitting, two together, while one of the company reads aloud articles from the ' Cross' and the ' New Zealander,' alternately, can form a very clear understanding of the merits of the question in dispute. , As I have already said, I think (and be it known that I write as the mouthpiece of our Committee), the ' New Zealander' has injured his own cavie by this quotation, One of the main arguments on your side of the question is based upon this maxim — " New 1 Zealand for the New Zealandeis." " What right have you," say your champions to the Government, "to maintain a mono* poly which' deprives, the Natives of one of the privileges of a British subjec^— the privilege of selling his property to the best Advantage ? You cannot, and you will not give anything like a market value for the land you buy, and yet, while-preventing the Natives from selling to us, who could a^d would gjve them the full market price, You profess to be guardians of native interests — both material and moral. ""''"* This is one of the arguments on your side, , arid we all think that it is a very good one. Now, how does the quotation affect it ? Why, it is what I call a capital match. Pardon this homely simile, as we are so accustomed to talk of matches and contrasts. .At all events, the sentiment contained in this quotation contrasts very remarkably with the piece of reasoning which the 'New Zealander' has pat on. He, poor man ! thinks it a becoming trimming' l - but it does not harmonize in the least. In fact, it would suit your garment to a T, because it betrays the latent evil ' which you and your friends condemn. If there is anything I do detest it is a grasping, selfish disposition, which would prevent others enjoying all the benefits of the positionin which Providence has placed them. I say again, Sir— and we' intend to invent some new pattern sleeve or collar indicative of an adherence to this maxim — "New Zealand for the New Zealanders." They are in reality the "Lord* of the Manor," and it is onlyjjeeause. they are less enlightened than ourselves ■ that they do J not derive all the advantages they might do from iheir position. The 'New Zealander,' and all who- like him or her (for the gender of your contemporary we observe is a. matter of dispute) approve of the doctrine in the quotation, do in reality say — Let this happy state of ignorance remain undisturbed ;we want their lands, and we want to get them at the least possible expense. Therefore be quiet you disagreeable advocates "01 enfranchisement and direct purchase, and leases ; for you only make- it more difficult for us to cheat these Lords of the Manor. I am atrid, Sir, if I pursue the thread of this argu. meni'any. iuSnk, -Ivshalliget.so: excitedi that, I shall hot b6 in a fit state to attend the meeting of tiii» Bene-

volent Committee this Afternoon, and therefore for the present I shall conclude, merely adding that you may possibly hear from me again. I remain, Sir, Your* very sincerely, Aont Mabt. i Ferndale, Sept. - P.S. Our Committee requested me to ask if the Secretary of State'i despatch, which the Governor so i kindly published, is considered, aa the 'New Zealander' implied, unanswerable,' because we are Hot at all agreed on this point. A majority think that they could answer it in an unanswerable manner. A. M. [We congratulate our fair correspondent on the clemency with which she expresses her views ; though we would rather be called upon to explain the most barborous Anglo-Norman law term that was ever coined, than unravel the mysteries of what she calls "purling and knitting two together." There appears to be some latent allusion which we are unable to comprehend. The Secretary of State's despatch will shortly be answered, and, we trust, to Aunt Mary's satisfaction, — Ed.]

To tht Editor of the Southern Ctott. Sir, — You will oblige me by inserting this, to contradict the atatement nude by the Editor of the 'NewZealander,' that Captain Gundy devised the means of collecting the heap of bonea now lying on the wharf waiting shipment. The collection was made by me, and- they will not go home by the '-Swordfish/' but by the "Isabella Hamilton." It was one of the "little tilings" that for some years past I have been biding my time to export. I remain, Sir, yours &c, Samdil CoiiUNS. Aucklamd, Sept. 7, l*ft.