CHRISTCHURCH COLONISTS' SOCIETY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 147, 29 October 1853, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH COLONISTS' SOCIETY.

The following Report was read at the .meeting of the Society on Monday evening last:—

" Your Committee, in accordance with the resolution passed by you on the 30th August last, beg to make the following Report of the proceedings of your Society from its foundation up to that date.

The Christchurch Colonists' Society was founded in June, 1852, in accordance with resolutions passed at a Public Meeting of the inhabitants of this town, " for the discussion of all matters of public interest." The following are the principal subjects which engaged the attention of that Society during its first year:—l, the desirability of the Provincial Councils' Ordinance proposed .-to he brought into force by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief in that year; 2, the Registration of claims to vote under its provisions ; 3, the means of collecting Statistics of the Settlement; 4, the means of obtaining an efficient postal communication between Lyttelton and Christchurch ; 5, the possibility of co-operating with ahody of gentlemen who contemplated the foundation of a Literary & Scientific Institution in this Town ; 6, the possibility of erecting a building and establishing a Library for the use of the Society ; 7, the proceedings of the Agent of the Canterbury Association in allowing materials for road-making to be excavated from the market-place at Christchurch ; 8, the road communication between Christchurch and Lyttelton ; and 9, —the measures to to be adopted for making a good use of the electoral privileges expected under the Constitution Act, the main provisions of which became known to the colonists in the latter part of the year 1852.

Two Lectures on the History of the colonization of North America were delivered to the Society by their Secretary, Mr. E.J. Wakefield. Several minor subjects, relating to the internal management of the Society itself, were also considered by it on many occasions. The second year of the Society commenced in June, 1853. During the three months of this year which elapsed, up to the period to which your Committee's Report extends, the following subjects have been considered by the Society : — 1, the desirability of importing labourers from China; 2, the'possibility of obtaining labourers from Australia; 3, the state of the roads in the Province ; 4, the state of the Postal communications between Christchurch and Lyttelton ; and 5, the best means of using the representative institutions granted to this colony by the Imperial Parliment.

After carefully considering the provisions of the Provincial Councils' Ordinance proposed by Sir George Grey in 1852, the Society came to the conclusion that it was totaly unsuited to the requirements of the colony : and they printed and circulated a Repoit on the subject detailing at some length their Reasons for that conclusion. In their.decision on this subject, they concurred in the opinions publicly expressed by the great majority of the colonists mall the settlements of Nf.w Zealand.

Tiie Society, however, exerted itself to effect the registration of claims to vote under the provisions of the proposed ordinance: and, notwithstanding the existence of great apathy on the subject, arising as well from a general dislike to the measures as from a general belief that it would never be brought into force, they succeeded to a great extent in that object.

The Society were unable to procure a return of the Statistics of the settlement in the complete way which they would have thought desirable : both because the collection of such Statistics would have required funds which were not at the disposal of the Society, and because it proved impossible to procure minute particulars,of information without any legal authority to demand it.

The early efforts of the Society to procure the establishment of an efficient postal communication between the port and the plains were productive of no practical result, chiefly in consequence of the distance at which the only controlling power over the Post Office department, the Governor-in-Chief, resided: and from the fact tjiat this settlement possessed no recognized means of representing their wishes to the only Government then existing. Your Committee, however, observe that the subject has not been lost sight of, and they trust that the exertions of the Society in this respect may

now lead to a more satisfactory result, since it may be confidently expected that both the Provincial Government, and the Representatives of the Province in the General Assembly, will not fail to exert themselves in favour of supplying so important a want, if it be duly brought to their notice by any considerable number of the colonists, who shall have inquired into the evil and considered the best means of remedying it. It must be matter of regret that this Society was unable to arrive at a satisfactory arrangement for co-operating with those inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood who desired to found a Literary and Scientific Institution ; because it appears evident that such a combination of larger means than either of the Societies alone possessed, might have afforded to both Societies the opportunity of enjoying those literary and scientific advantages which both Societies desired, but which neither has yet obtained.

The want of sufficient funds has hitherto prevented the Society from erecting a suitable building, or collecting a library : and the want of such a building has further prevented the Society from deriving as much benefit from lectures on various subjects, as it might otherwise hope to derive in a community containing so many well-informed and well-educated individuals, highly capable of communicating agreeable instruction to their fellow colonists. Your Committee trust, however, that the Society will duly appreciate the importance of possessing, or having the use of, some room suitable for the reception of literary and scientific apparatus, and for the delivery of lectures, and to which their female relations and children could accompany them on many occasions of interest to them, which might arise in the course of the Society's proceedings. Should an effort be made to effect this object, your Committee earnestly assure you that no exertions will be wanting on their part to provide attractive and rational recreation for the fair sex and for young people.

The subject of labour immigration from China has been, as yet, only superficially discussed. The free and full consideration of this very extensive and important subject was, unfortunately, interfered with to a serious degree by a prevalent disposition in the settlement, at the time when it was first mooted, to consider the opinions of those who spoke upon it as a claim to, or a disqualification for, the support of electors in the contested elections which were then in actual progress. Your Committee trust, however, that the discussion of a great subject of social and political economy, which is actually engaging the earnest and practical attention of many thriving and intelligent British communities, may yet be resumed by your Society at a time when freedom from political excitement will allow of its calm and unprejudiced consideration, of the collection of copious information relating to it, and of its discussion in a temperate and unbiassed spirit, with a view to the formation of such anopiniou with regard to it as may most surely tend to the general welfare of the settlement.

The Society considered the subject of labour immigration from Australia to be of sufficiently immediate importance, to justify them in efforts to excite a general interest in its investigation. It was in a great measure in consequence of those efforts that an influential- Public Meeting was held to consider the matter, and that a Committee appointed at that meeting is now busily engaged in devising measures to test the feasibility of supplying the existing demand for labour from the neighbouring Australian colonies.

On the subjects of the excavation in the market-place, and of public roads, the Society communicated with the authorities whom those matters immediately concerned, and rsceived courteous replies, which were satisfactory so far as removing impressions which might otherwise have existed, to the effect that those authorities were to blame for the grievances or wants complained of. Of all the subjects which have engaged the attention of the Society, that of the use to be made by electors of their privileges under the new Constitution of this country required and obtained its most serious and deliberate consideration. There could be no more convincing proof of the right judgment of* the Society in including political subjects among matters of public interest proper to be discussed by it, than the progress and result of its deliberations on the most important and practical political

subjects which have been brought before it. As soon as the provisions of the Constitution Act had become publicly known here, the Society carefully inquired into their force and bearing on each other ; and published an Address to the Electors of the Province, which was extensively circulated, containing information as to the details and probable working of the measure, and advice as to the use to be made of their expected privileges. The Society then proceeded to inquire into the qualifications of those colonists who were likely to become Candidates for any of the elected offices constituted by the Act. The Society courted the most open; and impartial discussion of this momentous question. That discussion resulted in a cordial invitation to Mr. Godley to become a Candidate for the Superintendency of this Province ; in requests to Messrs. Tancred, Fitz Gerald, Stoddart, Watts Russell, Wakefield, and Wortley, that they would become Candidates for seats in the General Assembly ; and to Messrs. Tancred, Packer, Samuel Bealey, Dobson, Rose, Phillips, and Bridge, that they would become Candidates for seats in the Provincial Council. Mr. Godley, on account of his approaching departure for' England, declined the invitation in which the members of this S piety had concurred with nearly all the inhabitants of the Settlement. The Society then requested Mr. Tancred to become a Candidate for the office of Superintendent. Notwithstanding the /unexpected lapse of time between these proceedings and the issue of writs for the elections by order of the Governor, the opinions, which the Society had formed as to which of their fellow-colonists were most fitted to represent them in the elective Legislatures, remained unaltered. The election of a Superintendent did not result in the choice of the candidate whom the Society had expressed its resolution to support; but this fact is hardly to be wondered at, when it is remembered that the resolutions of the Society were not supposed to pledge its members in their individual action: so that many members of the Society voted, not for Mr. Tancred, but for Mr. Fitz Gerald. It would be neither becoming in your Committee, nor in accordance with their wishes, to give expression to any regret at this result. But they trust that any disappointment which may be felt by those members of the Society who supported the unsuccessful.one of two good candidates, is alleviated, first, by the consideration that his successful competitor had deserved and obtained the best wishes of the Society for his success as a candidate for the General Assembly : and, secondly, by the universal feeling that His Honor the Superintendent has hitherto given universal satisfaction by the earnest, energetic, and judicious discharge of his difficult and responsible duties. As the elections drew near, only two of the candidates who had expressed their'willingness to avail themselves of the support of the Society to obtain seats in the House of Representatives remained in the field for the Christchurch districts, viz. Messrs. Wakefield & Wortley: and only four remained, under the same circumstances, in the field for the Provincial Council, namely, Messrs. Tancred, S. Bealey, Dobson, and Packer. The Society therefore decided on inviting such of the candidates as had come into the field since their former resolution, to attend meetings of the Society, and there to make a statement of their opinions, and be prepared to answer questions from electors thereupon. Believing that on such occasions the best possible results are likely to follow from the greatest amount of communication between candidates and electors, the Society decided on admitting the public to their meetings on this subject. The result of those meetings was, a determination to support the following candidates : —As members of the House of Representatives, for the town of Christchurch, Mr. Sewell ; for the country district, Messrs. Wakefield and Wortley ; as members of the Provincial Council; for the town, Messrs. S. Bealey, Dobson, and Packer; for the country district, Messrs. Tancred and Hall, and Cap, Simeon. Committees were formed, consisting of volunteers, to secure the election of the above-mentioned candidates. Your Committee sincerely congratulate the Society on being able to assert that, excepting in one instance, that of Mr. Dobson, the candidates of whom they had approved, were returned by very large majorities over the unsuccessful candidates. Moreover, His Honor the Superintendent, who had accepted whatever support, in his contest for the representation of Lyttelton in the General Assembly, the society might be able to aflord him 1

succeeded in that contest; supported,throughout his contest, by those members of the Society, whether voters of Lyttelton or not, who had appreciated His Honor's general concurrence with their political principles. It is not only on the successful result of the Society's deliberate exertions in matters purely political, that it has good reason for congratulating itself on its progress and condition. Your Committee are firmly convinced that other, scarcely less important consequences, have sprung from its proceedings. Its members have become acquainted with each other's abilities for public business. They have become accustomed for the most part, to take a temperate, useful, and orderly part in public discussions, whether within the Society or not. They have learned to respect and appreciate the motives of every individual who may give expression to his sentiments on public subjects, whether those sentiments may accord with their own or not. They have learned to avoid personal recrimination and obloquy between colonists of different opinions, and to cast aside jealousies and suspicions between different classes. They have established the practice of collecting reliable information on any subject publicly discussed, before deciding on its merits. They have succeeded in stimulating & strengthening that truly British feeling of conscientious self-respect which inculcates impartial respect and courteous attention to the conscientious convictions of our neighbours. They have thus aimed at, and earned, the real position, as well as the name, of a " Colonists' Society."

Your Committee have great pleasure in adverting to the fact that many of the most influential and intelligent among their fellowcolonists, apparently observant of these intentions and achievements of the Society, are from time to time joining its ranks : your Committee are convinced that, so long as the Society continues to discuss matters of public interest in the manner above described, it cannot fail to be an institution of great benefit to its members, and of considerable moral influence on the community at large: because its tendency will always be to remote prejudice and*estrangeinent between different individuals or classes, and to cement between the adventurous spirits who have assembled here from different parts of our native country, a bond of union which shall enable all and every one to give a stronger and better help towards the onward progress, and high character of our adopted land.

Cbristchnrch, 10th. Oct. 1853.