THE ELECTORAL ROLL

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 189, 19 August 1854, Page 5

THE ELECTORAL ROLL

At present in force for the District of Akaroa, under the Imperial Act to grant a Bepresentative Constitution to New Zealand." 15 and 16 Victoria, cap. 72.

JOHN WATSON, Resident Magistrate. Akaroa, July 14, 1854.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.

Sir, —Asa member formerly of the Committee on Church matters, and now of the Church Property Trust, and as one of those who signed one of the notices convening the last Special Meeting of the Trustees, I feel called upon to make some reply to the letter in your last publication, signed " A Pilgrim of the Plains."

The main charge which your correspondent prefers against the Trustees is that they have not laid fairly before the public their charges against Mr. Sewell, together with any counter-statements they had to make to his letter to Lord Lyttelton, and to that addressed to myself. I hope, Sir, that the public will give the Trustees some credit for forbearance in this matter, for a desire to avoid fruitless controversy, and to come to some practical accommodation, and for a disinclination to say anything, when they felt that no good could be said. Even now, when it seems necessary to speak out, the task is a most unpleasant and invidious one. although it is but fair to remember that, if I am about to impugn the conduct of one gentleman, it is in order to defend that of some twenty others, whose intentions have been misconstrued, and their efficiency called in question.

In the first place, why, your correspondent asks, did not the Church Trustees publicly answer Mr. Sewell's letter to Lord Lyttelton, and that to myself, if there were anything to gainsay in them ? I answer, simply because it was no business of theirs to waste their time in fruitless discussions on the state and prospects of the Ecclesiastical Fund, but simply to obtain the transfer of tbe property to themselves and their successors, with as little delay as possible, in order to clear up as speedily as might be the doubt and uncertainty which hangs over all the Ecclesiastical prospects of the settlement. What had they to do with elaborate calculations and arrangements extending over'2l years to come, which it seemed to them equally beside the purpose for Mr. Sewell to make as for them to entertain, seeing that such arrangements are evidently liable to be disturbed and altered over and over aggin in that space of time by the varying body to whose hands the property is to be transferred?

To pass on to another point, your correspondent is altogether in error when he says that " the head and front of Mr. Sewell's offending is in not transferring to the Trustees that portion of the property of the Association which he is said to hold in trust for Ecclesiastical and Educational purposes." It was no such thing, lam sure that, on reflection, he will not suppose that the Trustees were so childishly ignorant as to expect that Mr. Sewell would or could effect the actual transfer of the property, before the Ordinance enabling such transfer had been allowed, or the time for its disallowance had expired. But they did expect, and had a right-to expect, after so many and long delays, that matters would be put in train, and everything placed in readiness for the actual transfer to be effected at the earliest possible moment. They accordingly asked for information, first as to particulars of the property itself, and secondly as to the conditions on which Mr. Sewell would be ready to transfer it. They received for answer, in the first instance, a letter which gave no information whatever, but in which it was hinted that they were in a very disagreeable hurry, and in which they were broadly told that they were not the fit persons to receive the transfer, but that their business was to make arrangements for bringing into action the elective and permanent body of Trustees. Whatever might be thought by others of this view of their duties, it did not come with a good grace from Mr. Sewell, who drew the Ordinance himself, who deliberately preferred, when it

was proposed by his Honor the Superintendent to bring the elective body into action at once, to appoint a nominated body in the first instance, who himself nominated the present Trustees, alleging as his reason that they had the confidence of the public, having been elected as the Committee on Church matters, by two public meetings with the interval of a year between them— who lastly never hinted, either by the terms of the Ordinance itself, or while the Bill was passing through the House, that he looked upon the functions of the nominated body as constituent only. To a body not unreasonably irritated by so much previous delay and procrastination, this reply certainly appeared most evasive and unsatisfactory. It is true that information was afterwards supplied, in the letter addressed to myself, and in a more business-like shape, in a Kent-801l of the property drawn up by Mr. Cridland, but the conditions on which Mr. Sewell was prepared to transfer it, in spite of further and pressing request, we were altogether unable to obtain in any definite and tangible form. We desired specifically to have laid before us a Draft of the Deed of Transfer, but in vain. And here I must express my regret and surprise that Mr. Sewell having commenced the publication of the correspondence between himself and the Trustees, without having asked their consent, should have stopped short in the middle, and omitted to publish the whole of it.

And now one word respecting the delay and procrastination of which we complain. Mr. Sewell arrived in this settlement from England more than a year and a half ago, having come out for the express purpose of winding up the affairs of the Association, and transferring its functions and property, and what has he accomplished ? To confine myself to Ecclesiastical affairs, why was not the Church Property Trust Ordinance passed in the first Session of the Provincial Council ? Had it been so, it might have been brought into full operation months ago, and one^Clergyman, if not two, would not probably have left the settlement. Again, in the course of a very few days from this date, the time during which the Ordinance can be disallowed, will have expired; the next Mail from Auckland will make it a matter of certainty whether it is to be disallowed or not; but will Mr. Sewell be back by that time ? Is he absent in prosecution of the business for which he came out from England, and for which he is receiving a salary, and which has been, and will be delayed by his absence ?

I must claim your indulgence, Sir, and that of your readers for yet a short space, while I endeavour to reply to that portion of your correspondent's letter which refers to the alienation of certain church lands to members of the Lyttelton Church Building Committee. It is singular that, though the fact of this alienation is now placed beyond the shadow of a doubt, no notice of it should occur, either in the Rent Roll, under the head of lands sold, or in Mr. Sewell's letter to myself, in which he enters into such particular enumeration of lands sold, or under contract for sale. But your correspondent refers to Mr. Sewell's previously expressed opinion on this point, contained in his letter to Lord Lyttelton, and blames the trustees for their presumed ignorance of his views on the subject. They were not ignorant of them, and Mr- Sewell was perfectly aware that they entirely disagreed with him on the justice of this claim. Individual members of the Committee on Church matters, being e.lso members of the Lyttelton Church Building Committee, had most strongly protested against receiving any compensation, and none more strongly than His Honor the Superintendent. The Trustees could not certainly believe at first the report of this alienation, after what had

passed between Mr. Sewell and themselves and especially after so many fruitless endeavours bad been made to obtain from hini the sum of £100, which he had engaged to supply mouths before from the sale of church lands towards the erection of a church at Riccarton, and also a sum of money for the erection of the so much required Parsonage at Papanui. They did not believe that such necessary and lonerpromised works would [he postponed for a so-called compensation, claimed by none and repudiated by the majority.

Your correspondent strangely assumes that this was a just debt from the Association to the members of the Committee. I am utterly at a loss to imagine how such an idea can have arisen. £500 was given by Mr. Godley from the, Ecclesiastical Fund towards a church at Lyttelton on the understanding that an equivalent sum should be raised by subscription. Will any one maintain, considering the amount of land sold, and considering especially that the greatest number and the wealthiest of the inhabitants of the Port Town had not contributed towards the Ecclesiastical Fund by the purchase of land from the Association, that this was not a fair sum to be given towards a church at Lyttelton ? Or did any one ever expect or wish to be deprived altogether of the privilege of contributing according to his means towards the erection of churches, and other good works of a similar kind ? But, however this may be, the Lyttelton Church Building Committee entered into certain liabilities with their eyes open, with no promise of more than £500 from the Ecclesiastical Fund, and under the clear understanding that an equivalent sum was to be raised, if possible, by public subscription. When they got into difficulties, the obligation to relieve them res'.cd, if anywhere, on the inhabitants of Lyttelton. At any rate, that the Association owed them any just debt is utterly unsustainable.

But even if it had been a just debt, it looks very like mismanagement to have discharged it by wholesale gifts of land, especially if it be true that one of the members of the Committee who has accepted the compensation, has sold his acres for just double the amount of the liability he had incurred.

It was this matter, Sir, taken together with the concealment of Mr. Gell's letter, and the concealment of the disclaimers appended to the Mortgage Deed—matters which are already fully before the public— which has so shaken the confidence of some of those members of the Church Trust, who strove most earnestly to co-operate cordially with Mr. Sewell, as to bring them, sorely against their will, to doubt whether it was expedient to negotiate further with him, and to consider, if not, what steps were to be taken in consequence.

Sincerely apologizing for having trespassed upon your patience and your valuable space to such a length,

I am, Sir, you obedient servant, Hekey Jacobs

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.^ Sir, —As your correspondent, Mr. "Alpha" says, "silence gives consent," and rather than his "twaddle" shall remain unnoticed, I beg to make a few remarks upon his letter, inserted in last week's paper. His observations respecting the safety of anchorage off the town of Lyttelton, I think rather overdrawn. It is true that within the last year or two, no large vessels have met with any accident, although smaller craft have been continually driven ashore, and in manyinstances totally wrecked. His remark: respecting English and Australian vessels visiting this port is very untrue, and he must have been a recent arrival to have made such an observation. He does not

recollect the " Torrington," and " Charlotte Jane," becoming total- wrecks ; the " Pauline," " Perseverance," and " Salopian," almost so, besides other smaller vessels from the neighbouring settlements having met with some accident more or less. The " Hashemy " is the only vessel your correspondent seems aware of having met with any casualty, and that off Gollan's Bay. He says the vessel got off after remaining some hours without sustaining any , considerable damage. Captain Ross would be glad to know from Mr. " Alpha" what damage his ship sustained, as he, Captain Ross, is not aware of any ; for the fact is, the " Hashemy " was lying so close in to discharge her stock, that when the gale sprung up having no room to pay out cable—she consequently dragged from having so little chain out. I beg to call Mr. " Alpha's " attention to the number of vessels that have discharged large quantities of stock in a few hours. This is in consequence of the great depth of water enabling a vessel to lie close in and pass a warp ashore. Can vessels do that off Lyttelton ? If Mr. " Alpha" pays a visit to Gollan's Bay, he will find, if he can trust to his own eyes, it is not open to the heads,and there has been no swell known in a North-Kaster, nor likely to be, until Mr. "Alpha's" visit to the Bay. I am, Sir, Your's truly, Gamma.

Christian and SurnamesTof Claimants. Place of abode. Calling, or Business. The Ground on which claim is made. Freehold Estate. Householder per annum. : Adams, Thomas Armstrong, George Aylmer, William Aylmer, Justin John Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa storekeeper master mariner clergyman gentleman house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa £5 0 50 50 £5 Benard, Pierre Benard, Dace Benoit, Pierre Boleyn, George Blackbee, Charles Bruce, James Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Little Akaloa Akaroa Akaroa farmer farmer farmer house and land, Akaroa land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa land, Little Akaloa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa 50 50 50 50 brickmaker hotel-keeper 5 50 Cuff, John German Bay gentleman house and land, Pigeon Bay 50 Davis, Roland Dicken, Joseph D'Oyley, Robert Duncan, Thomas S. Dale, Luke Richmond Dulac, Joseph Lyttelton French Farm Akaroa Decanter Bay Little Akaloa Akaroa settler gentleman gentleman gentleman boatman farmer leasehold estate, Pigeon Bay house and land, French firm house and land, Akaroa house and land, Decanter Bay house and land, Little Akaloa house and land, Akaroa 50 50 50 50 50 5 Eteveneaux, John Pierre Akaroa farmer house and land, Akaroa 50 Fleming, Michael le Farr, Samuel Charles Flutie, John Christchurch Akaroa Okain's Bay gentleman builder land, Robinson's Bay house and land, Akaroa land, Okain's Bay 50 50 50 sawyer Gay, Tbonrns Gendrot, Pierre Gendrot, Hyppolite Gouland, Henry Godfrey Haylock, Charles Lagden' Haylock, Charles Henderson, William Hempleman, George Hay, Ebenezer Hay, John H urley, Timothy Pigeon Bay Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Long Bay Akaroa Pigeon Bay Pigeon Bay Okain's Bay gentleman farmer farmer sub-collector of H.M. [Customs miller and farmer miller farmer master whaler land-holder hotel-keeper land, Pigeon Bay house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa mill and land, Akaroa house and land, Long Bay house and land, Akaroa house and land, Pigeon Bay house and land, Pigeon Bay land in Okain's Bay 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 5 sawyer | Knowles, Francis Pigeon Bayteacher I house and land, Pigeon Bay 5 Kubler, John Frederick German Bay cooper house and land, German Bay o Lucas, William Land's End, Akaroa farmer house and land, Land's End 50 Malmanche, Francois Malmanche, Emery de Morgan, Moore McHutchinson, John Mason, George Mcintosh, Alexander Muter, Dunbar Douglass Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Pigeon Bay Okain's Bay Mcintosh Bay Akaroa farmer ! farmer labourer farmer house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house, Craxg-forth, Pigeon Bay land, Okain's Bay house and land, Mcintosh Bay land, German Bay 50 50 5 5 sawyer farmer officer of the British Canny 50 50 50 Perceval, Augustus George Perceval, Spencer Pavitt, John Parker, John Akaroa Akaroa German Bay Akaroa gentleman > gentleman j farmer i storekeeper house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, German Bay house and land, Akaroa 5 5 50 50 Rhodes, Israel Robinson, Charles Barrington Flea Bay akaroa farmer j esquire i house and land, Flea Bay house and lands, Akaroa 50 50 Shepherd, Thomas Sinclair, James Little Akaloa Pigeon Bay boatman land-holder house and land, Little Akaloa house and land, Craigforth 50 5 Veion, Jules Akaroa hotel-keeper house aud land, Akaroa 50 Waghorn, Arthur Wackerle, Jacob Watkins, Daniel Watson, John Webb, William Wright, James Little Akaloa Akaroa Akaroa Akaroa Okain's Bay Islaud Bay boatman miller surgeon, &c. j resident-magistrate | house and land, Little Akaloa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa house and land, Akaroa land in Okain's Bay house and land, Island Bay 50 50 50 50 50 50 sawyer i farmer I I Zillwood, Joseph lAkaroa chief-constable i (house and land, Akaroa 5