PUBLIC MEETING AT LYTTELTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 154, 17 December 1853, Page 8

PUBLIC MEETING AT LYTTELTON.

We were only enabled last week to furnish a very brief report of the ".public meeting held to consider the injurious statements respecting this settlement, published by certain absentee land-proprietors. We now give a report of the speeches delivered. Mr. Spowers, on taking the chair, said: — If there be one thing more noticeable perhaps than another in the history of this Settlement, it is, the persevering attempts to depreciate it that haye been made in England and some of the colonies, and its stea. dily growing prosperity in spite of, or concurrently with, these attempts, and many adverse circumstances. We are now called on to examine statements no less injurious that they have been aimed at the Canterbury Association, and not at the settlement. For in endeavouring to damage the one, they have done as much mischief to the other; the authors of this forgetting that the failure of an Association does not necessarily imply the ruin of the people who came out under its auspices (hear). And it may well rouse our indignation to see how careless men are of the influence of their words on the interests of thousands, if they can but indulge a prejudice, or (as is too often the case) gratify their revenge for disappointed craft. For illustration of this, we have only to read a passage in the introduction to the pamphlet we have under our consideration, and also a paragraph (though we have not this production properly* before us) in a letter written in Melbourne by Mr. Swainson, the naturalist, or, if he believed his statement, he might more properly perhaps he called a natural (laughter), descriptive of New Zealand. Mr. Swainson has strong opinions on the subject of the ' Wakefield sufficient price system," and he takes it for granted that we are all ruined, because *our land has not been sold for ss. or 10s. an acre (laughter). I will read what he says, and then return to the pamphlet. He writes, "Otago and Canterbury must not be considered otherwise than miserable monuments of the "improved" Wakefield (system. The last, especially, seems to have been the greatest bubble blown from the " sufficient price pipe of its author. I have seen many who have left those wretched settlements (laughter), who all concur in one opinion, viz., the disappointment and ruin they have brought upon those who have purchased Waste lands of the " Company" at £3 per acre." The passage in the pamphlet before us is this :— "Four thousand helpless Christian people, on an uncultivated waste, surrounded on all sides by impassable rock and bar; no church, no bishop, no ecclesiastical or educational establishment of the meanest kind (laughter); no preparation beyond a barrack for the labouring classes, and a wharf subject to dues (laughter) ; no roads, no nothing: but the hard earth and shapeless rock as it was in the earliest ages: (great laughter); such and such only was the disastrous issue of the greatest religious delusion that could disgrace the intelligent sanctity of modern days." I will add that it was long currently reported that the settlement was almost abandoned for the "diggings," though at no time did the numbers who left it equal the nnmbers who arrived. Now we ought, I think, to give an emphatic denial to the statements 1 have read you, whatever our opinions may be of the 'Association, or of the "sufficient price system." We are not the ruined people they make out, nor is this in our opinion a wretched settlement (hear), I will not detain you long, but leave it to others to go more minutely into the matter, but I cannot sit down without adding a few remarks to those I have already made. And first, let me as a good citizen of Lyttelton, say a few words for her, and let me, in this place, state that many of the remarks in the pamphlet that are made to apply both to Lyttelton and Christchurch as now located, are applicable only to localities in which they were originally contemplated to have been built (hear, hear). We, however, are reported to be squeezed into a space about as large as Soho square (laughter). Now many of us know Soho square well enough, and I believe it to be about the size of the barrack yard, in which we hold our meeting (hear). I see room in the town for ten thousand people, and your streets would not be worse, or even as bad as those of Bath and many other towns in England and on the Continent; and if we have our roads made round the bays, and to Sumner, I do not know what population we could not have -, and Christ-

church even might become a suburb of Lyttelton (hear, and laughter). But we perhaps may. find a clue to the dissatisfaction with the;.locality of the towns. We are told that the -immigrants should have been landed at Gollan's bay,.and pushed over the bill to Sumner (laughter); and pushed they must have been, for no useable road could have been made from the water's edge to the summit of the hill; but, "as nothing is impossible,'' this Wakefield gradient would have brought the settlers over to,section No- 2, Sumner" (ioud laughter). Hinc illce lachrymce ! But to come to more serious matter. The settlers are said to be ruined. Are 100,000 sheep, and 6 or 7,000 head of cattle, ruin ? Does the export of 1,000 bales of wool, in the third year of our existence, betoken ruin (hear) ? Does the fame of our Port Cooper cheese, not to mention other dairy produce, bespeak helplessness and ruin ? Does our revenue, already greater than that of Nelson, betoken ruin ? And does this, to me, significant fact, that there is now to the credit of depositors in the Bank an amount exactly double to what I found on my arrival here two years ago (cheers), does this betoken ruin ? And remember that the progress made, has been in very adverse circumstances. I need only mention the fact that the Gold discoveries in Australia, beneficial to us as they will undoubtedly some day be, have hitherto materially retarded our progress, as we have bad to pay enormously increased : prices for all stock imported (hear), as well as for all we consume, and we have not been in a position, like the other settlements in New Zealand, to take advantage of the great demand for all agricultural produce arising from these discoveries, for we have had but little to spare. In other words we have had to buy in. a dear market, and have not been able to sell in a dear one to repay ourselves. If such has been our progress in unfavourable, what will it he in favourable circumstances ? Every year will largely increase our exports, and I see no reason to alter the opinion I formed after I had been here a few months, viz., that this settlement will be the most prosperous in New Zealand (cheers). I believe that opinion to be an unbiassed one, for I arrived here with no strong prejudices in favour of the Canterbury Association, or Canterbury, and I now come forward neither to justify the Association, nor to defend the - sufficient price' system of Mr. E. G. Wakefield, but 'simply to state facts which can neither be sneered down, nor lied down, both of which, I think, have been too long attempted (loud cheers). I will call upon Mr. Thomson to propose the first resolution. Mr. Thomson said that he had unexpectedly been called upon to move a resolution in the absence, through business, of Mr. Dampier, who was expected that evening. He was, therefore, not prepared to say much, but he fully concurred in the tenor of the resolution, and the objects of the; meeting (hear.) In cursorily glancing through the pamphlet under discussion, he was particularly struck with one passage, which he would read: " Excepting some operations of minor importance on the Plains, all the available funds, amounting to 30,000/., had been expended at the Port (laughter), an ungainly, unprofitable plot of ill-chosen ground (laughter), about the size of Soho Square (loud laughter), which required that enormous sum to render it habitable (much laughter). Implements of husbandry, agricultural and domestic materials of all kinds, rotting in all directions (roars of laughter) the property of colonists unable to afford the expense of getting them to the other side of the great mountain barrier, were lying in the port." Not having been one of the earlier colonists, he was not prepared to say whether this statement was true, but during the time he had been in the colony he had witnessed nothiii"- of the kind (hear). Nor did he deem it credible that so large a sum as 30,000?. had been expended at the port (hear). He would read the resolution which was placed in his hands, and move its adoption : " Resolved, that in the opinion of this meeting, many of the statements contained in a pamphlet recently published in England, entitled ' The Mutual Relations between the Canterbury Association and the Purchasers of Land in the Canterbury Settlement, briefly considered,' are calculated to convey a very false impression of this Settlement." " Mr. Bayfield seconded the resolution. He considered the pamphlet to be a tissue of falsehoods. It was scarcely possible to open a single page without lighting upon some statement which almost petrified him. He was one of

the earliest colonists, and-was'therefore in a position to form an opinion of, the^Settlement its capabilities, and its progress, and be unhesitatingly asserted that from the very first it had advanced with rapid strides (hear, hear, hear). It was no use mincing the matter ; this pamphlet was the production of a gentleman but too well known here ; who for reasons he could not fathom, was now decrying a place he at one time expressed himself charmed with. They would remember a letter which appeared in print from Mr. Felix Wakefield written from Sumner to a friend in Yorkshire (hear). In that letter would be found expressions most favourable to the Settlement, in which he talked of gardens, and vineyards; of making it the home of himself and family; and of laying his bones at Sumner .(great laughter). Well, instead of laying his bones there (laughter) he was in England, libelling the Settlement (Jiear). In tins very town which was described as beino- no j ai ._ ger than Soho Square, and being built on an extinct volcano, there had recently been 5 acres of land actually ploughed up, and many more were capable of being so (hear hear). Ao-ain it had been inserted that Christchurch was laid out as a town, in order to be near Papanui wood, the property of Mr. Brittan ; so that Dunsinane had. gone to Bimam wood (laughter). Mr. Boys. Christchurch was laid out lon«----------before Mr. Brittan was a land purchaser (hear). The pamphlet is a tissue cf falsehoods from beginning to end (hear, hear). Mr. Bayfield, in continuation suid, he should not detain them any longer, but would most cordially second the resolution. Mr. A. E. White begged to ask the Chairman whether the object of this meeting was not to consider the statements put forth by certain absentee land purchasers (hear). He asked that question, as it seemed to him that those who had addressed the meeting had confined their remarks to abusing Mr. Felix Wakefield, and he thought it extremely unfair to attack an absent individual. Mr. Birch remarked that had Mr. White read the pamphlet, he would see that the extracts read to the meeting were those to which Wakefield's name was attached, and therefore that gentleman was responsible for them (hear.) Mr. Alport begged to remind Mr. White that the pamphlet had been published 16,000 miles off, and that those who had sent it forth to the world had not considered it necessary to consult those who Avere attacked, and who could have disproved nine-tenths of the statements made (hear, hear.) The Chairman trusted that the objects of the meeting would be kept in view. It was extremely difficult to disconnect Mr. Wakefield's name from the pamphlet, but he hoped that it would be alluded to as little as possible. The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously. Mr. Hart, in moving the next resolution, said that he wished it had fallen into abler hands. He thought that Mr. Wakefield was the sole author of the pamphlet, for what he did not write himself was at any rate published from statements furnished by him. The very first -page proved this ; for it" was there stated that Mr. Wakefield attended a meeting called "to request the late land agent to explain his pnrticipation in, or otherwise account for, the disastrous condition of their friends, and the state of the colony." At this meeting Mr. Wakefield " entered fully into all the circumstances of his connection with the Association, and having clearly shown, to the satisfaction of all present, that there was an absence of all culpability on his part (great laughter), &c, &c.,his Report of the capabilities and actual state ot the site selected for the Settlement was read. This Report drawn up by him on the spot with extreme attention to every accuracy of detail (great laughter), besides being fully attested at the time by Sir George Grey, has since been corroborated by recent advices from the colony. Now, no other person but Mr. Wakefield is ever alluded to as furnishing any evidence, and i was upon his Report, and his alone, that certain resolutions were adopted, some of which, ne would read. He thought therefore that no other conclusion could be arrived at but tn« Mr. Wakefield alone was responsible lor tin. gross mis-statements put forth (hear,-,.';' Mr. Habt then proceeded in a very enecti^ manner to criticise the statements contained n the pamphlet; creating much laughter bj u>o originality and pungency of his remarks. P_ adduced numerous cases to disprove the xmseiy

stated' tdexist.ih'the'settlement,.and mentioned many individuals of. tSi'e labouring classes who had landed in-trie colony with but a few shillings ih their, pdcikets, who were now thriving and prosperous 'land-owners, possessing property to the value of £300, and upwards. He thought the storekeepers had -is little reason to complain (The chairman, " I shall he very happy to discount their bills"), (hear, hear). The land-pur-chasers, too, had little reason to find fault, as he believed they were perfectly satisfied with their position and prospects. Many had erred in the first instance, by fencing their sections to a large extent, thereby crippling their powers to cultivate their lands. Mr. Hart instanced one gentleman who had a mile of ditch and bank, which it was his particular delight to inspect dsily, to admire the nicety of its'straight--ness (laughter), and who had suffered temporarily for thus exhausting his means. But these eccentricities were now exploded, and be believed the land-purchasers were at present in] as flourishing a condition as the rest of the community (hear, hear). Such then was the position " of 3,500 discontented people in the Canterbury block, practically as rude and unfashioiied as in the first days of its creation (laughter). in a district 16,000 miles from home, where they are daily realising the negative qualities of an uncultivated waste, occasionally threatened with starvation (laughter) by reason of a dangerous bar, and an impassable mountain barrier, by which they are cut off almost entirely from extraneous sources of support (renewed laughter.") He did not know what people expected when they emigrated; but to judge from this pamphlet, it was supposed when they landed at Lyttelton they would find homes prepared for them, with gas-lights, foot-pave-ments, and all the luxuries of civilised life (laughter). He must say that those who came by the " Cressy" expected nothing of the kind; they did not grumble but buckled-to at once, and were now, in consequence, in prosperous circumstances. The doctor spent his first night ashore in an empty cask on the jetty, and informed him (Mr. Hart) that he never slept better in his life (much laughter): He thought he had said enough to prove the absurdities and fallacies of the pamphlet, and would therefore move:— "Resolved, that notwithstanding the land purchasers may have reason to condemn many of the acts of the Canterbury Association, still this does not justify a body of absentee land purchasers (necessarily ignorant of the actual condition of the Settlement) in publishing statements calculated seriously to deter intending emigrants from selecting Canterbury as their future home." Mr. Alport, in seconding the resolution, said I rise with much pleasure tosecond theresolution now before you, and see how utterly useless it is in attending a meeting of this kind to come prepared with any set speech, as the ground is snre to be cut from under you by some preceding speaker, handling the very arguments you were prepared to use. Such is the difficulty in which I fiud myself ?placed by the very able speech made by Mr. Hart, who has touched upon most of the subjects bearing upon this question with such clearness and point, as scarcely to leave any thing to be said further. There are, however, two or three matters which have escaped his attention, which I will now briefly lay before you. In the first place, let me remark that this pamphlet professing to be put forth as an accurate state of our position as a settlement, emanates from a body of absentee land-purcha-sers, 16,000 miles away from the spot they are professing to describe, Absentee land-purcha-sers, indeed ! why they are the greatest curse that can be inflicted upon a country like this, where the land cries aloud for cultivation ; and where plenty of han4e are ready to till what is thus partially locked up by absenteeism (hear.) fo exemplify this point more fully, I would just remark that, with exceedingly restricted powers, I have deemed it necessary to let to the yery party whose statement you have been read- , lng, a 50-acre section belonging to an absentee . Proprietor ; and upon such advantageous terms 'as I am sure will prove highly satisfactory to hun on his arrival out here. I "would notice in "^ next place, the way in which the statements contained in this pamphlet have been treated, not only by the London press, but also by the Press in the neighbouring settlements. After a Very lengthy article on the different subjects contained in the pamphlet, one article finishes )' a strong injunction to all intending emigrants, on no account to make Canterbury their future

home, but rather to avoid it as a'pest, something too horrible to be contemplated. In England, and within our reach, we have the means of refuting these falsehoods, but how can we estimate the prejudicial influence they may have over those intending to join us from India and elsewhere ? (hear.) Indeed, we frequently hear from those visiting us from India, (and we have at this moment amongst us some gentlemen from that part of the globe), that many are looking forward to making New Zealand their future resting-place; and though this would apply generally to these islands, Canterbury has been most distinctly alluded to, as the place where they could not only recruit their health, but confer upon their children the {blessings of a good sound education. But let me ask those around how many have thus joined us, and, to what cause are we to attribute their non-arrival ? Who can tell how far such contradictory statements may have influenced them in misjudging our settlement ? With respect to the allusions to the immorality arising from the number of public-houses in Lyttelton, I would observe that one of Mr. Felix Wakefield's town-sections is occupied by a tavern, and that gentleman derives an income of £80 per annum from the same (hear); no slight indication of the value of property in this ill-chosen and desolate spot. In conclusion, I would call upon those around me unanimously to make a stand against these false statements, and to call upon these absentee proprietors to procure more truthful information of the state of the colony, before they venture to put forth assertions so utterly devoid of truth (hear, hear.) The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. Davis, in rising to move the third resolution, "that the progress hitherto made by this Settlement, and its future prospects, are highly satisfactory ;" said it afforded him great pleasure to do so. As an old colonist, and one well acquainted with other Settlements, he could bear his testimony to the rapid progress hitherto made (hear, hear.) He might here remark that he could contradict the statements in the pamphlet that Christchurch was laid out in order to be near Mr. Brittan's wood. He was employed with the Surveyors in laying out the town, long prior to Mr. Brittan's becoming a land purchaser. He would read a few statistics to prove in the words of the resolution he had submitted, that the colony was in a highly satisfactory state, and that the anticipations for the future were equally so. The revenue for the year ending 30th June was £5,250; the custom's revenue for this year, if it proceeded at the rate of the last three months, would be no less than £8,000 (cheers.) We had imported for the year ending 30th June, to the value of £54,700, and our exports had, during the same period, reached £13,000 ; and this when the colony was only two and a halfyears old. We last year exported 570 bales of wool, which would this year exceed 1,000 (hear.) The tonnage entered inwards for the year was 11,864. The stock in the Province was estimated in July last at 100,000 sheep, 5,000 cattle, and 500 horses, and since then there had been extensive importations and a large natural increase. The pasturage rental within the block was estimated at £2,400, and would in four years be £7,000 (cheers.) There were no less than 7,500 acres of land fenced in, of which 3,400 were under cultivation (cheers); and the value of the property in the Settlement was estimated by His Honor the Superintendent at half a million sterling. He thought these statements amply corroborated the resolution now before them (hear, hear.) He should not detain them longer, but would submit the resolution to the meeting. Mr. Birch seconded the resolution, and remarked that the subject had been so completely exhausted by preceding speakers, as to leave him little to say. The attendance that evening, and the unanimity displayed in adopting the resolutions, shewed the interest the public took in the question, and their desire to mark their sense of the falsehoods in the pamphlet. Mr. Alport said, —Before putting this resolution to the meeting, I would remark, in reference to the progress of the settlement, that Dr. Savage, who has taken such an active part in publishing this pamphlet, is the fortunate possessor of four quarter-acre sections at Christchurch, upon which a considerable outlay has been incurred in the shape of buildings, fencings, and other improvements : that the present rental of this property is £23 per annum, which in two years will be increased to £30, and be it remembered that these town

sections are compensation land as an original purchaser, and have hot cost the proprietor a farthing ; and further that 50 acres of this gentleman's rural land, are most eligibly let on lease. This, I think, affords a very conclusive argument in favor of the assertion that the progress of the settlement has been eminently satisfactory, and that its future prospects' are highly encouraging. The resolution was then carried unanimously. Mr. Waitt (of Wellington) said he could not allow the meeting to separate, without bear-*----------ing his testimony to the satisfactory condition of the Province. He was delighted with what he had seen on the Plains ; so many cheerful homesteads, and fields in luxuriant cultivation in every direction. He was satisfied that Canterbury would be one of the first, if not the very first, settlements in the Southern seas (cheers). He might mention that on his return to Wellington some months ago, Sir George Grey asked him what the people in Canterbury thought of cheap land: he replied that he did not know, but he was certain of one thing, that they were well satisfied with their position, and he told His Excellency he considered land round Christchurch cheap at s£lo an acre, in comparison with that at the Hutt, taken at a gift (hear). The Governor said he thought so too (cheers). He, Mr. Waitt, was well satisfied with what he had done here (hear, hear, and laughter, in allusion to his extensive auction sale that day), and he wished them every prosperity (cheers). Captain Ches-sey observed, that as a stranger he should have felt some diffidence in coming forward, but trusted that the reference which had been made by a previous speaker to the strangers from India, would justify his offering a few remarks (hear). Almost the first thing which most prominently struck his observation in this colony, was the cheerful well-to-do appearance of all classes. He came among them quite unbiassed, and entirely ignorant of the question thisevening to be mooted among them. His testimony would therefore, he hoped, receive due weight. He had travelled over the greater part of the Victoria colony, and a good deal also in New South Wales, and could assure them that he had no where else seen such comfort, or such decided appearance of internal prosperity. It was true they had not the wealth of Australia, but they had a more English climate, a more healthy appearance, a more orderly population, aud many other comforts, that gold could never buy (hear, hear). To one coming from New South Wales, in many parts of which cattle were dying in great numbers from drought, and want of pasture, the appearance of this colony, the abundance of good water and rich pasture, and the consequently excellent condition of its flocks and herds, quite unequalled by any he had seen, (cheers,) presented the most marked contrast (cheers), and he could only say, that if any of the Absentee proprietors would let him take their land off their hands at cost price, he should be only too glad to cast his lot among them (loud cheers). He begged in conclusion to address a few words to such of the working classes as were present. His experience taught him that a little was better here, than a much larger amount at a place where comfort could not be bought at any price. He had resided some time at the Gold Fields, and seen much disappointment and misery occasioned by privation and sickness. Indeed, he could, in many instances, point out a digger at first sight by his squalid appearance. Here, with health, they had every certainty of independence, and he would strongly recom^ mend them to know when they were well off, and not go to the diggings. Dr, Johnston, upon being called upon, addressed the meeting in a few words. He quite agreed with the remarks of the preceding speaker. He liked the colony and its inhabitants. and the Scotch appearance of the bills near the town brought back home to his feelings at once. He offered the colony every good wish, and both be and his friend would give _it the highest character, on their return to India. The Chairman said he had received a letter from two agricultural labourers, who had raised themselves "by their industry and perseverance, to the position of small farmers. It was an unmistakeable testimony in favour ot^ the Settlement and its capabilities. He would read the letter :— ... "Your having called upon us, inviting us to attend the Lvttelton Colonists' Society^ meeting, on the subject of the Pamphlet written by lome of the absentee land purchaser*, we wish to give our evidence in coutradic-

tion of the statements put forth in the pamphlet, and not being able to attend to attest our signatures to the following facts:—lst, that having been accustomed to farming and going over all sorts of land for 30 years iv England, and having been 40 miles up these Plains, we can say that we never saw a finer or larger tract of country for fanning purposes than this. The land we are now cultivating averages, with proper ploughings, &c, 40 bushels of wheat an acre, which, at 12s. a bushel, leaves us £24 per acre, while rent, fencing, ploughing, &c, cost no more than £10 an acre, leaving us £14 an acre clear profit; while labourers are earning their Bs. a day, and a plough team £l. There are two drawbacks to this Settlement—one is the want of a good road to the Port, the other is the scarcity of timber—though this is far better than having our laud heavily timbered, and being obliged to clear roads through bushes, and to clear the timber off for cultivation, as they are obliged to do in most other settlements in New Zealand : and moreover there is plenty oC coal not very far up, which only requires a road to be enabled to get it down here. The former drawback is common to all New Zealand roads, for all the roads are made over hills and gullies and other natural obstructions. We can only say in conclusion that having come to this Settlement we are abundantly well satisfied, and no man who has been here inclined to work steadily, has left our neighbourhood dissatisfied with the place or his own prospects. ,(_■ „ , v /William Parish, (Signed) | Geo . S . Bartbum." After reading this letter, which was received with extreme marks of satisfaction, the Chairman announced that the purpose for which the meeting was convened was now over. He congratulated them upon the manner in which it had been conducted, and the absence of all allusion to the affairs or proceedings of the Association. That was a question which must stand on its own merits, and would be discussed in due season and at the proper time (hear, hear.) Mr. Cookson proposed, and Mr. Read seconded, a vote of thanks to the worthy Chairman for the able manner in which he had presided, which being cordially responded to, the meeting dispersed.