To the Inhabitants in general of the Canterbury Province.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 10 September 1853, Page 4

To the Inhabitants in general of the Canterbury Province.

IN REFERENCE to my letter of the 13th inst., which I did myself the honor of addressing to you, (not the Canterbury settlement only,) and which was not too promptly given in the Lyttelton Times of the 27th, I beg again to observe that " the correspondence on the part of the late colonial minister stands out in bright relief amid all the trickery which he had to fence off. But after this, how is it possible for a new ministry to recklessly undo what has been so wisely done by its predecessor?" That, in this supposition, I have not erred, is fully shewn in the following letter from Downing Street, dated the 2nd of March, 1853 :— "Sib,—With reference to Sir John Paking--ton's despatch of the 15th oC December last, No. 86, I have now to transmit to you a copy of the instrument which was served on the Canterbury Association, dated the 27th of December last, whereby its power of disposal over the Lands of the Canterbury settlement, had terminated. "I wish to repeat'the instructions of my predecessor, leaving it to yourself to regulate the disposal of these lands, until the General Assembly shall pass any enactments affecting it, with the understanding that you will do so in such a manner as to approach as near as circumstances will admit, to a general conformity with the regulations in force in other portions of the colony; regard being had to the interest of those who have purchased, or taken licenses, under the Canterbury scheme. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) Newcastle. '^Governor, Sir George Grey, K.G.8." JThis letter is sufficiently explicit; but as to* the expressions of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle of " regard being had to the interest of those who have purchased or taken licenses under the Canterbury scheme,' in my first address to the electors of the Canterbury province, dated the 7th Feb., 1853, I distinctly remarked, "But notwithstanding what has been purposely said and, ' in some instances, wilfully, as well as ignorantly, written against me, I feel satisfied that Mr. Godlej', whom I had kept fully acquainted with what had taken place as connected with the Association's affairs after he left England,—did not for a moment doubt my sincerity, when, a few weeks a°-o, in presence of Lord Robert Cecil and others, I assured him that, in returning to England, | he would not leave behind him any one who I would more zealously exert himself to promote, to the utmost of his power, the interests and welfare of the Canterbury colonists, situated as they now are, than I would, if divesting their minds of groundless prejudices, they would have confidence in me " I now appeal to the clergy in 'general, and the Rev. B. W. Dudley in particular as to what I made known to them and did' on _ the part of Sir George Grey, on my arrival here in 1851 ; and the best proof of my sincerity, and now of the gratitude I feel for the truly friendly support I received from so many a t the last election of a Superintends* of the province is, that beinoactuated by the kindly feelings I expressecf 1 now acquaint you, that I have already recommended to Government that a m-eat reduction be made, within the Canterbury block, in the rent-charge upon licenses under the Canterbury Association's scheme ; and I have also recommended that, in the two other fine pastoral and also agricultural districts, north and south of it, a similar system of a low rent-charge be adopted in place of a most unsatisfactory and unproductive of revenue-charge upon the natural increase of sheep and cattle; and that a uniform system may prevail throughout the whole of the Canterbury province. A great impediment to our prosperity, and in the vyay of stocking runs, according to regulations, not only in the late Canterbury

block, but also to the southward of it, exists in the difficulty of getting stock across the Bakaia or Cholmondeley viver. I have, therefore, requested the permission of the Government to call at once for tenders to be sent in to me for establishing a sufficient ferry across that river, so that stock may at all times be forwarded to the runs now appropriated to stock-owners. Can there be a doubt, should my request be complied with, of the General Assembly approving of such a necessary charge as this being made against the General Land Fund, until that of the Canterbury province has something in; it ? I am now taking care that this shall not be long the case ; at least, it shall not be my fault if it remains any longer like the empty box on which a certain chancellor of the Exchequer sat fishing for a budget, as Mr. Fitzgerald, if he is to be your Superintendant, seems inclined to do, whilst amidst anticipated political discussions, he is gloriously acquiring at Auckland, or wherever the General Assembly may meet, such a knowledge of working our untried Constitution as will fit him to govern this great and important province. But, in the meantime, allow me, seriously, to ask you all, how are we ever to connect, without revenue, the harbour of Lyttelton with the plains ? I listened yesterday at the nominations at Christchurch to many curious speeches iDade by candidates for seats in your Provincial Council. But, judging from what I there heard, I fear, that if the electors in general do not take more interest in this matter, it it in vain I have cautioned them as to whom they return. The Candidates, in general, seemed to entertain some strong undefined notions as to what they are to do, if elected, without having the slightest idea, or perhaps knowledge, of what has been already so well done for them. Some few of them even only seemed to be the very obediont humble servants of Messrs. Fitzgerald and Sewell, and very well inclined to go the whole hog along with them, were it still possible, to saddle the debts and ruinous liabilities of the Canterbury Association upon you, whom I trust it will not be deemed presumptuous in me to consider my friends,— the inhabitants in general of the Canterbury province. Jas. Campbell. August 31,1853. The follojving is a copy of the instrument served on the Canterbury Association, referred to by the Duke of Newcastle in the letter quoted by Col. Campbell: Colonial office, 27th December, 1852. Whereas, by an act passed in the 13th and 14th years of her Majesty's reign, and intituled " An Act empowering the Canterbury Association to dispose of certain lands in |New Zealand," power was given to the said Association during the term of ten years," and such further term of years as one of her Majesty's principal secretaries of Stale might by writing under his hand declare, as thereinafter provided by iustvument under their common seal, to dispose of and convey all or any part of the lands described in the schedules to the said act in manner therein provided ; but subject to the following, amongst other conditions : That one-sixth part of the whole produce of such sales, and of the sums received for licenses for pavturage, be paid by the said association to her Majesty, her heirs and successors, such payments to be made at such times and to such persons as one of her Majesty's principal secretaries of State shall by writing under his hand determine (saving nevertheless all such rights as the New Zealand Company may possess, as hereinafter mentioned, under the said recited act of the tenth and eleventh years of her Majesty's reign, to any payments out of sales of demesne hind of the Crown in New Zealand) and the receipts of any one of her Majesty's principal secretaries of State shall be a complete discharge to the said association for the monies paid to him." And it is by the said Act of the 13th and 14th years of her Majesty's reign enacted that if the said association should at any time during the said term often years, or such extended term as aforesaid, omit or neglect to observe or perform any of the conditions aforesaid, one of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State may, if he shall think fit, by writing under his hand, deI clare that the power of disposition over the lands in the schedule to the said act thereby given to them, has determined :

And whereas, on the 30th day of October last, there was due and owing from the said Association a sum of 4215 Z. 3s. Oid. being bue^

sixth part of the whole produce of the sales by the said association of part of the lands described in the said schedule to the said Act, between the 6th day of October, 1851, and the Ist day of March, 1852:

And whereas, in pursuance of the said Act, I, (being one of her Majesty's principal secretaries of State) on the 30th October last, by writing under my hand, determined that the said association should amongst other things pay the said sum of 4215/. 3s. OJ^., so due and owing as aforesaid to William George Anderson, Esquire, Assistant Paymaster General, on the part of the Commissioners of her Majesty's treasury, at the office of her Majesty's paymaster genera], Whitehall, on the Ist day of December then next ensuing; of which determination due notice was given to the said association : . : . . And whereas, the said association did not on the said Ist day of December, or on any other day, make payment of the said sum in manner and form aforesaid or in any other manner whatsoever, but have neglected and still continue to neglect to make such payment : Now, therefore, I, being one of her Majesty's principal secretaries of State, under and by virtue of the powers given to me in this behalf by the said act of the 13th and 14th years of her Majesty's reign, do hereby declare that the power of disposition over the lands in the said schedule given to the said Canterbury Association by the said Act has determined.

(Signed) John S. Pakington.