CORRESPONDENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 31, 9 August 1851, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.

SiR,-^-It must be fresh in your memory that the " model Governor," Sir 'George Grey, no very long time ago, recommended to the Home Government the moderate sum of ten thousand pounds as a Civil List. Ten thousand pounds would l>e a nice little sum to open a field for patronage to His Excellency in the Canterbury district, if the settlers could find no better use tor it—supposing they had it. In looking over the advertisement for holding public meetings, I observe that it is stated* "that His Excellency Sir George Grey has no objection to forming- this district into a separate province, provided the settlers desire it.'" Perhaps His lixeellency would have expressed his real meaning better, had he observed " that he had no objection to send a few needy drones to spend the revenue derived from the Canterbury settlers. If you look over the correspondence on this subject, you will find a hint, not to be misunderstood, that the Governor-in-Chief looks upon the forming Canterbury into a separate I rovince as the opening of a new field for his patronage. There is, no doubt, many a suppliant nominee or needy relative that would like a snuoberth to bask in • but the Canterbury settierl must have no more cats than can catch mice, lne Canterbury settlement can do very well without a Lieutenant-Governor at a thousand

a-year, or an auditor-general, or any of that class who puff their Havannahs and sip their wine while others are performing their duty. All the official " corps" here must do real public duty for the public money, or they won't get it; that is, if the people in this settlement bestir themselves and look after their own interest— the public interest. Undoubtedly information has reached His Excellency that a pretty round sum has accumulated in the treasury chest; therefore we may shortly expect a visit from him, or a mandate with the Government brig, to take the money away, as considerable cash is required to erect a sea wall at Wellington, not forgetting that a little money might be useful towards repairing the thing called a sea-wall at Lyttelton. Now, Mr. Editor, the question is,—Who shall spend the money ? It may be called forming a Province, but the real question is, who shall spend the money ? Are the people, from whom the money is derived, to have the disposal of it, or is it to be swept into the usual channel, and swallowed in the whirlpool that has hitherto engulphed the revenue in New Zealand? And this surely will be the case if the people do not arouse themselves to a sense of duty on this important subject, a subject that equally affects all classes of the community. Let them rally to the point,—concentrate their energies into one common focus, —set an example in Colonial Government, —and show to the world that the Canterbury settlers are worthy of being called a free and enlightened people. Yours, &c. P. Lyttelton, Aug. 4, 1851.