PUBLIC MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 105, 8 January 1853, Page 10

PUBLIC MEETING.

A Public Meeting took place on Tuesday evening in the Schoolroom, in the Barracks, to take into consideration " the oppressive conduct of the Canterbury Association, and others, towards many of the poorer Immigrants who were induced to come to this Settlement under the representation of receiving free passages, and are now compelled to pay for themselves and families, or submit to the cruel alternative of incarceration in Gaol." The proceedings apparently created great interest, for the Meeting was more fully attended than any that have yet occurred in the Settlement, the Schoolroom being thronged, and the doorway blocked up. On the motion of Mr. Rowland Davis, seconded by Mr. Alport, Dr. Donald was called upon to preside, who, on taking the chair, briefly explained the objects of the Meeting, and expressed a hope that its proceedings would be carried on with decorum and propriety. He called upon Mr. Crawford to move the first resolution, who, after a modest regret that it had not fallen into abler hands, moved—"That the Canterbury Association, by their prospectusses and officers in England, having induced a considerable niimber of poor labourers and their families to immigrate to this settlement under the assurance of receiving free passages in some cases, and assisted passages in others ; that the system adopted towards immigrants in the manner and time of obtaining the marks and signatures to the promissory notes now produced against them, is to the shameful neglect of the Association in not properly and fully explaining the liabilities of the poor immigrants before they left their homes; that the legal proceedings instituted by the Association for the recovery of the said sums, in the weekly payments enforced on some parties, and the imprisonment of others, thereby leaving helpless families in a state of destitution—have created an alarm in the minds of the working population, inasmuch as they know not, under the present system, whose turn it may next be, to occupy a place in the Lyttelton Gaol; that at a time when the necessaries of life are enormously dear, and employment difficult to be obtained—such conduct has, in the opinion of this meeting, a tendency to drive the industrious settler out of the colony, and in every point of view, have the most injurious effect upon the prosperity of this settlement." Mr. Crawford read the 23rd clause of a prospectus issued by the Association which intimated that no repayment was required for passages out. He impressed upon the, meeting the impropriety of the time employed in some cases for obtaining the signatures. He mentioned the cases of the immigrants now confined in the gaol, and drew a picture of the helpless state in which their families are now left. The resolution was seconded by Mr. Fyfe. Mr. Jerningham Wakefield expressed his wr?h that before the resolution was put, the meeting should be possessed of some facts, as hitherto none had been advanced, and concluded by moving an amendment " That a committee be appointed to enquire into the charges conveyed in the resolution put to the meeting." Mr. Moorhonse seconded the amendment. Mr. Hart, in support of the amendment, said that in his opinion he did not consider the cases of Baker and Bennett (the men now in gaol), warranted the assertions contained in the Pia'-" card calling the meeting. He commiserated their situation, but did not think the meeting warranted in passing the Resolution without having before them more facts. Mr. Tootnath said that he was cognizant of the whole transaction in the cases of Baker and Bennett, and was of the opinion that the Association had not been guilty of the injustice imputed to them—and challenged the proposer of the resolution to substantiate the statements contained in the placard. Mr. Crawford accordingly rose, saying that he was as anxious as the former speaker for the eliciting of truth, and reiterated his former statements, without, however, giving any further information.

Mr. Leake stated that in answer to a question put by him to the Association's Agents iv London, he was informed that there would be no claims upon the Immigrants after their arrival here.

Mr. Fitzgerald said that having been an officer of the Association's, and having drawn up the rules from which Mr. Crawford quoted, he was prepared to justify them, and every transaction he had engaged in. He asserted that the extract from the Prospectus read by Mr. Crawford conveyed a false impression, taken without the context, and that it was entirely upon his suggestion that the Association took' Promissory Notes for passage money, payable in the Colony. He courted the fullest enquiry, and would, before a proper tribunal, justify every proceeding in which he had been engaged as Emigration Agent of the Association. He conjured the meeting not to pass the Resolution under their present excitement until in possession of more facts.

Mr. Davis read a letter from a Colonist to prove, in contradiction to a statement made by Mr. Fitzgerald, that Free Passages were granted. He asked whether it was wise, considering the high state of the Provision market, to enforce the payment of the demand of the Association, and thus drive men from the Colony. He contended that if the Canterbury Association were legally right, they were morally wrong. He asserted that a party had attended the meeting with the object of stifling the purposes for which it was convened.

Mr. Bayfield warmly contradicted the assertion that there was a wish to upset the meeting.

Considerable warmth of feeling was exhibited by the various speakers which the Chairman endeavoured to subdue. He mentioned the case of a labourer who signed a promissory note under the impression that it was an agreement to carry out the regulations of the ship. (Cheers, and loud cries of oh ! oh!)

Mr. Oldfield, a labourer, said it was his conviction that he would be free from all demands upon arrival here. His speech created considerable merriment from the earnest downright manner in which it was delivered, a strong provincialism adding pungency to his remarks. He said he was asked by Mr. Lake, (his employer in Kent) whether he should like to emigrate to New Zealand. He said he should. Have you the means of paying your passage? No. Then you can't go. Then I must stay where I am. (Laughter.) However it was arranged I should go and I was asked to sign a paper, which I could not do, and Mr. Lake signed my name for me, and charged me a shilling for so doing. (Shouts of laughter, during which Mr. Oldfield sustained a most stoical gravity which added to the merriment.) I wasn't sent up to London, because I suppose I wasn't handsome enough for the Association. (Great laughter was created by this naive assumption of indifferent looks.)

Mr. Reader implored the meeting to coolly investigate the subject now before them.

After a few observations from Mr. Fitzgerald and the Chairman, the amendment and resolution were put to the meeting. The first show of hands appearing to the chairman equal, a second was taken, and the resolution was declared to be carried, an announcement which was received with uproarious cheers.

The excitement having subsided, and many persons having left the room, Mr. Rowland Davis moved a second resolution (the particulars of which we have not), which, after a very stormy discussion in which Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Moorhouse, Mr. Birch, Mr. Smith, Mr.-Wright, and others participated, was ultimately withdrawn by the mover, (the Chairman, on second considerations, having intimated a doubt, after hearing the opinions of various speakers, as to whether it was not a libel,) who requested the meeting to accede to Mr.Wakefield's amendment which had been previously rejected. This was assented to ; and Mr. Willcox formally moved it, Mr. Wakefield seconding, with the suggestion that Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Davis should select an equal number to act with them. Accordingly Mr. Fitzgerald named Messrs. Birch and Willcox, and Mr. Davis, Messrs. Crawford and Allwright, with Dr. Donald as chairman. After a vote of thanks to the chairman, and a subscription amounting to nearly £o for the relief of the families of the incarcerated men, the meeting separated after four hours warm | discussion.