The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 80, 17 July 1852, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

July 17/1852. The Magistrates of Canterbury have taken a' s very important and very commendable step. They have passed a resolution, which our readers will, find elsewhere—to the effect that it is not desirable that the Resident Magistrate shall be the Chairman of the Bench: and they have followed up thi3 opinion by electing Mr. Godley. The importance of this step consists in the assertion by the Bench of its complete independence of the Government; for there is always a tendency, originating in the central and despotic form of the Government in a Colony, to throw all work and all responsibility upon the Government, and upon its paid Officers; and any step which seems to restore the self-relying and independent character of the English Magistracy, is of extreme importance. Communications and representations made by the Bench of Magistrates to the Government, cannot but be of more weight, when coming through an independant channel, than when conveyed through the Resident Magistrate ; because the latter being a paid servant of the Government, might be regarded as simply expressing his own opinion, backed for the appearance of strength by that of the Bench.

And practically, we believe that this has been too much the case in the dealings between the Benches of Magistrates and the Government in this Colony. Governments are not always inclined to attach much importance to the opinions of their Servants, when adverse to their policy; and the representations of the Bench are liable to be weakened by being merged in those of the local Organ of Government. We have laid some stress upon this, because we believe it is the first occasion in this Colony upon which the Magistrates have determined to elect a Chairman independent- of the Government, and because this resolution was adopted at a meeting at which all the Magistrates, except two, were present. It is also extremely fortunate that this decision should have been- adopted at a time when the utmost harmony exists between the Resident Magistrate and the rest of the Bench ; and Avhen, if it were not for the principles involved, his brother Magistrates would probably have been very glad that Capt. Simeon should occupy the position which has hitherto been accorded without question, to the Resident Magistrate.

The " Wellington Spectator" has been publishing some curious and instructive articles of late, about the Canterbury Association and Mr. Godley. A few extracts will amuse our readers.

" The main feature of the Association's scheme was the religious feature, but on a former occasion we shewed in plain terms that there.were neither Schools nor Churches in theCanterburySettlement; that the promised stipends were not paid to the Clergymen; that several of the Clergy have either left the Settlement, or are compelled to draw an existence from the soil, and are thereby prevented from giving that earnest, undivided attention to the ' cure of souls' which they most sincerely desire to give." This is a sad state of things ! And all under the pretence of religion too ! " Mr. Godley endeavours to withdraw the attention of the Canterbury land-purchasers from their own grievances against the Association, by attempting in his own unscrupulous way to shew that [the Local Government] presses hardly on the Settlers." il In carrying on

a factious opposition against the Government, he hopes * * that his misdeeds will be overlooked by the land-purchasers while at the same time he may possibly ingratiate himself with the people." "The Canterbury press is completely under Mr. Godley's control." " Nothing can be more unfair, more ungenerous, more dishonest than his entire public conduct." The Association's " confidence in him as a practical man of business and ability was altogether destroyed." " Within a very short period" he will have to resign his functions as Agent; a retrospective glance at his Colonial career will be to him a cheerless one • ambitious hopes blighted; around him men defrauded .of that which they ha^e paidfor* •—men seduced from England by promises never intended to be fulfilled—promises made under colour and cloak of religion;-* " Mr. Godley has likewise been acting a double part" in matters of self-Governrheht. " Mr. Godley's idea of self-Government is that the legislative power should be confined to a select few, who are to hold in subjection, and domineer over the men of no note or standing." "We trust, however, the Settlers will shew that they are not the dullards Mr. Godley tales them to be, and that they are both able and willing to judge for themselves without attending to the selfish bombast of a political adventurer who has no real stake or interest in the country." . . A great rasdal this Mr. Godley must be!

But what of the wretched sufferers—the Settlers, the Colonists ? Of course their rage is loud spoken—their complaints savage—No ? "It is incomprehensible to us how the Canterbury Settlers can so quietly submit to the gross undeniable fraud inflicted on them by the working members of the Association." " What Circean charm we would ask can Mr. Godley have thrown around the Canterbury land-purchasers to keep them spell-bound— silent— -in subjection, whilst suffering under such grievous injuries ?"

Nobody reads the "Wellington Spectator" here; so our readers must take our honest word for it, that the above passages are really extracted from its columns. That is the sort of writing with which the Government party amuse their adherents. The " Wellington Independent" has published an able and complete answer, to all this nonsense. If the poor foolish man who wrote it would only pay a visit to our Settlement, and find out what is really going on here, he would be hospitably received, and would go home perhaps a wiser and a sadder man.

Some gentlemen at Christehurch are still resolved to get up an institution for themselves. They call it an Athenaeum, and profess that it is to be exclusively literary and scientific: that is, it eschews politics. With some one or two of its promoters, this profession is genuine; not with all. Some would seem to have an exclusively political object, that of starting a sort of opposition to the Colonists' Society. With these it. is an anti-peoples-politics movement, and nothing else—an attempt to breath life into a very few, very dry bones of the very old Toryism of England, which must have been imported by stealth into the Settlement. A third class of its suppoters are some comfortless souls who long for the luxury of a club, and pine amidst the draughts of a weather-boarded hut for the enjoyments of the palaces of Pall Mall. An amiable longing in which may their souls be satisfied ! Into the arms of this motley crew with motley motives has the patronage of the arts and sciences fallen at Christchurch—men who love learning for its respectability, suggestive of wealth with its concomitants, leisure and repose, —who would righteously refrain from politics and

coarse minded, dirty handed political agitation.

A strange scene was that Friday Night's meeting in .the grammar school at Christehurch, in which to inaugurate science and literature. An opening address from the Chair, every sentence breathing political strife—a speech from the first mover saying, oh fie ! and oh shame! upon those who would meet in a public house; innocently forgetful that the poor townsfolk' must take their choice between the public accommodation of an Inn, and the fern tops "Sub Jove frigidd" —the sudden apparition of a most respectable little gentleman starting up. in the midst of the meeting, palsied, with rage at an imaginary opposi-tion—-an advertisement in very sorry Enghsh,in, which, the words " submmitted to the.meeting," are used in the sense " adopted, by the Meeting "—finally, a strange terror, really a most mysterious alarm, at the expression of any remotely hostile opinion to themselves. These are the events in the midst of which, or by means of which, the votaries of Pallas Athene commence to celebrate her worship. Truly Mr. Godley well said we should not quarrel most warmly about a political question. We have quarrelled it seems about —what? Whether a society comprising the mass of the people is respectable enough for some few exclusives ? Whether the people who are going to' wield political power should do so *ignorantly or intelligently ? Whether.the science of politics shall be kicked out of doors by its brother and sister sciences"? Whether the study of the social questions around him incapacitates a man from literary pursuits?

But a truce to this joking. The Athenaeum in its present form does not deserve, and will riot probably obtain the support sufficient for its maintenance. May it rest with its fathers in the tomb where, what Carlyle calls," Flunkeyism." has been long since buried!