THE GLADSTONE TOWNSHIP.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 87, 4 September 1852, Page 9

THE GLADSTONE TOWNSHIP.

London, April 24, 1852. Deab Loud Ly.ttei,ton.—ln sending you the enclosed paper, which sets forth in detail a plan for the formation of a new township in the Canterbury Settlement, lam desirous of mentioning the principal considerations which have induced me to engage in the proposed measure as an intending colonist. The same motives have weighed with others who are inclined to unite in the enterprise. It has occurred to me that by stating them in a letter we shall enable your managing committee, in the completest and most easy way, to answer inquiries on the subject, and so to promote the success of our special undertaking, which in a great measure depends upon the number of persons who shall engage in it. Let me premise, however, that whether or not this particular scheme shall be carried into effect on the large scale which we consider desirable, it is my intention to proceed with my family to the Canterbury settlement, if possible before the close of the present year; and this is also the purpose of other gentlemen who contemplate settling in the proposed new township, if it should be formed according to our wishes. Yon are aware of my early interest in the work of your Association, and that it is some time since I began to think of taking part in it as a colonist. Until quite lately, however, that purpose was not definitely formed ; its realization depended in my own mind on certain conditions, the fulfilment of which has been delayed till the present time. The first of those conditions was, that success should attend the proceedings of the colonists of the first year's emigration. The reports which I have continually received from my brother, one of the earliest settlers, have at length satisfied me on this point; and morebecause they are confirmed by the results of a careful examination of the general evidence which has reached this country in the form of private letters, and of viva voce statements by eye witnesses. I have endeavoured to form a judgment on evidence wholly independent of the Association, such as my brother's letters and those of gentlemen in other colonies (some of them having apparently no sympathies with the peculiarity of the Canterbury scheme) and also from the number of advertisements which have appeared in the Ly'ttelton Times, &c. I no longer find reason to hesitate from any doubt about the soil, or climate or other natural capabilities of the country, and I am persuaded that the history of new colonies, emanating from England, affords no example of a more satisfactory progress than that of the Canterbury Settlement hitherto, whether as regards the character of the emigration or the success of the emigrants. This remarkable success attending the adventure of so large a body of people satisfies another condition of my own emigration—viz., that " the first of the roughing," as it is called, should be over before my wife and our children were landed in the colony. Nor does the success to which I have alluded, -however satisfactory, appear to me a just criterion of what may be now expected., under the extraordinary circumstances which have lately arisen in the Australian colonies. For it seems to havebeen providentially ordered, that the foundation of a new settlement should be coincident with that vast development of commercial intercourse throughout the Pacific which is sure to result from the discoveries of unbounded natural wealth in California and Australia, and from the opening of trade with China, Borneo, Japan, &c. All this would seem calculated to insure to Canterbury advantages not hitherto possessed by the Australian colonies—viz., a ready market for every kind of agricultural produce, and the speedy establishment of direct steam communication with England by way of Panama. Thirdly, inasmuch as I was originally and chiefly attracted to the Canterbury scheme by its novel provisions for religion and education, I could not think of leaving England till there was a fair prospect of seeing the promises of the Association in that respect entirely realised. I must confess that on this important subject I have been disappointed, like many more who indulged a hope that by this time our church would be fully organized in the colony, and that the first settlers would be able to obtain for their sons the same kind of education as is supplied by our public schools and universities at home.

Knowing the difficulties and mishaps with which the Association has had to contend, in the endeavour to work out this part of their charter,! can trace them all to one cause—the want of an individual mind, specially qualified, specially authorized, and responsibly charged to undertake the business of organizing the church and the college. Without a bishop presiding on the spot, no satisfactory effort could be given to the religious and educational provisions ot the Canterbury charter. The admirable prelate, of whose diocese Canterbury still forms a part, having expressed his wish to have that settlement erected into a separate diocese, is of course exempt from all blame on this head. The certainty, however, of the immediate consecration, as Bishop of Cnristchurch, of a gentleman of such high character, and of such known ability and energy as Mr. Gell, puts an end to my doubts and fears on this head. The same fact makes the same impression on others who have long thought of emigrating to Canterbury, but who will never make that colony their permanent home, unless it shall afford them the means of giving their sons the education of English gentlemen. Lastly, I have all along felt that the state of the colony as respects government was most unsatisfactory. Material prosperity, improvement of fortune, the pleasant occupation of constructing a home, and founding a family, with the important addition of appliances for the intellectual' and moral culture of one's children—all these things are attractive in themselves, but they would not be satisfying if they were unaccompanied by the enjoyment of political privileges which are the birthright of Englishmen at home. Besides, a principal charm of colonising in person, must be to help in moulding the character of the new country by contributing to form and administer its political institutions. One hears from everybody conversant with the subject, that a passionate love of the adopted country soon takes possession of new colonists, because they make the country by their emigration and their labours; but this natural attachment must be a source of bitter feelings when construction by colonists is limited to their private enterprises, when they are forbidden to engage in public matters which deeply concern their welfare, and when theyfare stripped of the dignity of freedom. Then the perpetual war that is waged between the arbitrary governor and the subjects must be very disagreeable, whilst the material advancement of the colony must be grievously impeded by the badness and inadequacy of government. And by all accounts this picture is strictly true. I, for one, therefore, should not think of settling in New Zealand without being assured that I am not placing myself beyond the pale of constitutional government on the English modeL I entirely concur, moreover, with those who see that the physical nature -of New Zealand has 11 led to its colonisation in settlements as entirely' distinct from each other as those of ancient Italy or Greece, and who believe that each of the colonies ought to have a separate legislature and executive of its own, though the several colonies would be beneficially united by the tie of a general government for some few common and imperial purposes. Canterbury in particular, from the peculiar character of its emigration and its peculiar religious provisions, seems to call for a distinct local government. I understand that these objects have been earnestly pursued by the Association, and that they are now in a fair way of being accomplished. Early in the next year, at all events, New Zealand obtains by existing law a representative' constitution, with power of subdivision into distinct provincial governments. As the time is so near when the colonists will at least possess the means of improving their system of government according to their own wants and wishes, I am content to proceed ou these expectations; but I have thought it due to the Association, as well as to myself and to those with whom I am acting, to state plainly our views on the subject of government. Turning now to the plan of the proposed new township, I would refer to the accompanying paper for its details, confining myself here to its principles and objects. These appear to fall under the two heads (1) of the social, and (2) of the pecuniary advantages proposed to be secured to those who shall joivi in it. 1. Although colonists of the capitalist class, who shall emigrate this year, will have an advantage over their predecessors, in finding the wilderness already converted by those pioneers

of civilisation into a suitable abode for families unwilling to incur either the positive inconveniences or the risks and uncertainties of landing1 on a desert shore, yet, on the other hand, they can have no share in the beneficial investment of property which the first colonists have made by acquiring land in and near the capital town of a prosperous settlement.

The same fact of the pre-occupation of the land for a distance of some miles around the existing towns would also expose those now purchasing, and wishing to reside on their properties, to the inconvenience of finding themselves at a distance from a church, a medical man, markets, shops, and other advantages of a town. These social disadvantages are so plain, that I need not enlarge upon them, and will therefore proceed to explain the pecuniary advantages likely to result to those who unite in purchasing their land within the proposed new township. 2. The waste land which individual purchasers may now select as near to the capital town as previous appropriations allow, will indeed grow in value with but little effort on their part, through the mere influence of the increase of population; but such augmentation of the value of their new property must be slow when compared with that of the site of a chief town and the immediate neighbournood; and its ultimate maximum can never reach the high point resulting from competition for situations, such as town sites and accommodation land, the extent of which is just as limited in new colonies as in old countries. It is this inevitable limit in quantity in proportion to the equally inevitable demand which causes land in Melbourne and Adelaide, for example, to fetch as cigh a price as in towns which have existed for henturies. The principle of the limitation of quantity as producing competition, applies equally to land in the immediate neighbourhood of colonial towns, though of course the competition being less in degree, the market value is less than in the case of town sites. I beg your pardon for theorising in this way, when addressing one so well acquainted as yourself with the science of the subject; but it seems necessary for the information of others, that I should state fully the chief considerations which have led us to wish for a township of our own. The area of the Canterbury settlement being nearly two-thirds that of Yorkshire will, in due time, contain numerous towns. The number and the size of these will, of course, depend on the population and wealth of the colony. It follows, that if we can add to its capital and numbers, directing our contribution of both to a particular spot where natural circumstances invite settlement and where the wants of a settled district will call for a town, our own emigration and settlement will give to the land acquired by us the kiud of competition value •which has been already bestowed on the land of the first purchasers from the Association by means of their emigration and settlement. We shall form a secondary town, dividing its site among ourselves; and taking our country land in the most eligible situations near to that town, we shall hope to form a considerable township, the whole of which will, in various degrees, possess those advantages of position, such as proximity to a market, which are no sooner conferred upon waste land than it acquires a value dependent on competition. We are conscious that, in order to carry out fully the idea of establishing a secondary town, it is necessary that the spot selected for the purpose should be at a considerable distance trom the chief town of the settlement. Otherwise the proximity of one established market and centre of business would frustrate the attempt to establish another. It would therefore, be our view to choose 3, site for the new town so far distant from the metropolitan town as to insure that the inhabitants of the new township, and of the surrounding pastoral district, will find it to their interest to use the new town as their market. This brings me to the subject of scale and numbers. As in colonial investment, the largest gains are soonest made, when the minimum price is paid for waste land which nature has marked out for future competition, we may expect to see individual colonists direct their whole attention to the selection of spots likely to become the sites of towns. In such the purchaser must rely on the general advance of colonisation as the means of bestowing on his property a high competition value. But if a sufficient numtiei of capitalists engage together in this kind of

investment, and settle at a place happily selected with regard to capabilities and independence as a centre of business, the effect of competition value is immediate, and occurs irrespectively of the general advance of colonisation. The scale of our plan has been determined with this view. As our party is not yet sufficiently numerous, we invite others to join us ; but this invitation is not general and unqualified. We conceive that our scheme holds out an important advantage to which I have not yet alluded—that of social intimacy amongst the new body of intending colonists before their departure from England, so that they may meet in their new abode not as strangers to each other, but as intimate acquaintances and even friends, made so by co-operation before emigrating in the business of preparing for their departure. This great advantage was enjoyed by the first and second expeditions of colonists who have settled at and near Lyttelton and Chvistchurch. In seeking to obtain it for ourselves and all who may join us, we shall of course, be desirous of being joined only by persons who shall sympathise in our views, who shall wish to be on friendly terms with us, and with whom we shall be disposed to cultivate a social intimacy. Such experimental intercourse will be easily managed among gentlemen, without offence being given to any, and with obvious benefit to those who shall ultimately become associates in an enterprise probably involving their association for life as founders and inhabitants of the new settlement. Having thus described—l am afraid at too great length—the general features of our scheme, I have to add, the expression of our wish that the projected township should be called Gladstone, as a mark of our esteem for the personal character and colonial statesmanship of your eminent relative, in the hope that, with God's blessing, it will prove not unworthy of his name as an additional outpost of our church in what was but lately a heathen land ; and as affording to multitudes of fellowcountrymen and fellow-churchmen the means of fulfilling the divine command, "to replenish the earth and subdue it." I will conclude by stating, that from the time of the anticipated of this letter, some of our body will attend daily at these rooms for the purpose of answering viv& voee, or by letter, any inquiries which may be addressed to us. I remain, dear Lord Lyttelton, Very faithfully yours, Thomas Tancred. 1. A Society to he formed of land purchasers in the Canterbury Settlement for the purpose of founding a new township to be called Gladstone. 2. Such Society to consist of persons purchasing or applying for land previous to January Ist, 1853, who shall in writing declare their wish to join the same upon the terms herein mentioned. 3. A committee to be formed for completing all necessary arrangements. Their acts to be binding on the rest of the Society. The following to be the basis of an arrangement between such Society and the Canterbury Association. 4. The Canterbury Association forthwith to instruct their chief agent in the colony to set apart sufficient land as the site of the proposed township ; such site to be selected by such persons, and in such way as the committee may direct. Any persons, in the colony to have the option of joining in the undertaking, on signing a declaration agreeably to Article 2, and on payment to the chief agent in the colony pf the amount of contribution according to article 8. s 5. The land to be selected in blocks pf such size, shape, &c, consistently with the terms of purchase, as the committee may require. 6. The Canterbury Association to undertake to expend not exceeding one-half of the money contributed by such purchasers for ecclesiastioal and educational purposes, upon objects of that nature within the township, according to the direction of the committee ; but subject to the sanction and control of the bishop. 7. The Canterbury Association to expend also not exceeding one-half of the money available for general purposes, from contributions of such purchasers upon objects of the latter kind within the township, such as surveys, maps, roads, &c. N.B. The proportion of contributions for general purposes, which will be applicable to the last-men-tioned objects, is one-fourth of the amount of such contributions. 8. Every land purchaser to contribute rateably, after the rate of £,'6 15s. for every fifty acres of

land purchased by him towards the purchase of block of rural land, to be set apart as the site of * town under the following arrangements. The sam to be repaid if the township be not founded. 9. An allotment of rural land, not less in extent than fifty acres, to be purchased with the usual privileges, according to the last article, for the'site of such town, by and in the names of the com mittee. 10. The Canterbury Association to payout of the funds applicable under Articles 6 and 7, the cost of laying out, surveying and mapping the town and of making necessary roads, and of other public objects for the special service of the townships • but not to be obliged to expend therein more than the fund available under Articles 6 and 7. 11. The Canterbury Association not to be bound to incur any outlay under Articles 6, 7, or 10, until such number of acres of land as may be agreed on shall have been actually purchased. 12. Every land purchaser to be entitled to a land order, according to the existing terms of purchase for the land purchased by him, available in any part of the Canterbury Settlement, but to select his land according to the present conditions, if within the proposed township. 13. As between the Canterbury Association and the purchasers, the block of land purchased for the site of the town to be considered as a block of rural land, and the committee to be considered as purchasers, and the Canterbury Association not to be bound to see to the completion of any of the terms of arrangement, except as far as herein is expressly provided. 14. As between the several land purchasers under the proposed scheme, the site to be set apart for a town to be divided, after appropriating sufficient space for roads, streets, &c, (according to a plan to be approved of by the committee), into allotments of a quarter of an acre each. 15. Two ballots to take place in the colony, on a day to be fixed on by the committee, and the choice of allotments, both town and rural, within the township to be made by the purchasers in the order of numbers drawn respectively upon each of such ballots; one of such ballots being drawn for order of choice in the town sections, the other in the rural ones. The selection not to be made till after one month nor later than two months after the result of the ballot shall be made known by public advertisement in the colony. 16. Every purchaser of a rural section of fifty acres to be entitled to one-quarter acre section in the town. Every purchaser of one-hundred acres to be entitled to two-quarter acre town sections, and so oh in proportion ; but no purchaser of rural land to be entitled to town land, in respect of any fractional part of a rural section. 17. As soon as the selection of allotments shall have taken place, the committee to resign, and a freshone to be chosen by the body of land-purcha-sers in the new township, voting according to the number ot sections owned by them, the -members of the late committee being re-eligible. 18. All the land in the town not appropriated to land purchasers, in connection with their rural sections, to be held by the committee as trustees for disposal and to be disposed of by them, by auction or otherwise, at such time and from time to time, and generally in any such manner as such committee shall think fit, with absolute power of conveyance and indemnity to purchasers. 19. The proceeds of such disposal (after payment of expenses,) to belong rateably to the purchasers, according to the extent of their several purchasers. 20. Any person desirous of purchasing and se-* lecting land immediately, but seeking to avail himself of the benefit of the proposed scheme to be at liberty to do so on declaring in writing such his desire, at the time of his application for purchase subject to the following conditions, and every such person to be considered as a purchaser under the present scheme, and to ballot as such personally or by his agent, and to be entitled to select his allotment or allotments of rural and town land within the township, in the order of choice, paying for the same in the colony at any time before the ballot. 21. Every such person to pay at the time of his application for purchase the proportionate contribution towards the purchase of the town site, agreeably to article 8. Such contributions to be repaid in case the new township is not founded.

April 30th, 1852. Dear Sir Thomas Tancred, —The Committee of Management having given full consideration to your plan for forming a new township in the Canterbury Settlement, to be called the Gladstone Township, I am desired to express generally their agreement in the views contained in your letter, and their readiness to forward your object by all means in their power. The terms of arrangement proposed, have been adopted; and the Committee will proceed to give them immediate effect, for which purpose special forms of application will be issued. The rooms of the Association will be open for your use; and it will give the Committee and myself sincere pleasure to co-operate hear;

tily in promoting the success of a scheme so likely to be beneficial to the colony, and attended with special advantage to those who may engage in it. I remain, dear Sir Thomas Tancred, Very faithfully yours, Lyttelton.