NEW PLYMOUTH.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, 21 June 1845, Page 62

NEW PLYMOUTH.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of New ] Plymouth, held at the Devon Hotel on the sth of May, the following resolutions were uninimously adopted. F. U. Gledhill, Esq., in the chair. Proposed by J. Flight Esq., J.P., seconded by J. G. Cooke, Esq., J.P., " That the declaration of his Excellency the Governor to the Legislative Council of New Zealand on the 25th March last, that 'Taranaki is inaccessible by land as well as by sea, and a settlement where troops cannot be kept/ is calculated to inflict serious injury on this settlement, and is contrary to the following notorious and incontrovertible facts : — { " 1. That several years before the colonising operations of the New Zealand Company were commenced, vessels of large tonnage from Sydney [frequently visited Taranaki, and remained in 'the roadstead for a considerable time, discharging merchandise and receiving cargoes of native flax ; and that this trade was interrupted, not by the perils or inconveniences of the roadstead, but by the destruction or removal of the inhabitants in consequence of war with the Waikato tribes. I " 2. That since the arrival of the Brougham With surveyors of the New Zealand Company in the beginning of 1841, more than 200 vessels of various sizes, from small schooners to large ships, have safely landed their cargoes and more thin a thousand immigrants at New Plymouth. "3. That the • Remarks on the Roadstead of New Plymouth' and the sailing instructions, published with his Excellency's sanction in the Govt mment Gazette, being the result of his Excellen :y's personal experience during his two visits to Ti nrnnaki, record the facts — that the north-west wh ids, to which only the roadstead is open, are unkn< wn during the summer months ; that they do not b low home at any season of the year ; that the Govt rnment pilot can board vessels, on the average, five days out of every seven ; that safe anchorage x lay be obtained within easy distance of the shore ; imd that Government boats are ready for the use of the settlers, at moderate charges. " 4. That the Customs have been re-establisl led — a useless expense at Taranaki, if that settlement is inaccessible by sea. " 5. That the communication with Auckland imd Wellington by land is constant, regular, and s; ife, so much so, that the mail is transmitted overli aid by way of New Plymouth. " 6. That the charge of maintaining troops in New Plymouth would be at least as low as in imy other part of the colony, as it is proved by a c< imparison of the cost of the chief necessaries with the expense of procuring the same in Auckland, P ort Nicholson, or Nelson." Proposed by J. T. Wicksteed, Esq., J. P., seconded by W. Halse, Esq., J. P., " That the statement of his Excellency in Council is also at variance with the follow; ng declarations made by him to the inhabitant! of Taranaki, during his last visit to New Flymouth :—: — " 1. His Excellency declared, at a meeting of some of the principal settlers convened at his Exi ttllency's desire, on the morning of his departure from New Plymouth — that for the purposes of landing cargoes, and the facilities of ingress Imd egress, the roadstead of New Plymouth was ] referable to the harbours of Wellington or Nelsoii. " 2. His Excellency publicly stated to the inhabitants of Taranaki his readiness to send vesi ids to New Plymouth for the removal of all the settlers with their property, and has since actually employed the Government brig in taking fifty-sei 'en persons from New Plymouth to Auckland; !he risk and difficulty of such an operation in a ro id. stead being notoriously greater than the land ing of soldiers. • "3. His Excellency also declared his deter nination to send troops to New Plymouth on receiving his first reinforcement, even although t i»t reinforcement should not exceed "half a «mpany," and that he pointed out a part of the to wn most suitable for the erection of barracks. " 4. His Excellency gave a distinct pledge to the settlers induced to exchange their farms at the Mongauraki for land nearer the town, that in the event of their removal they should receive t bat military protection which he could not afford to them at the Mongauraki. " 5. That the natives have taken possesaiot of land within the block included in the last purchi «c. in the possession of which his Excellency dccl* «d that the Europeans should not be molested; i ad that the Police Magistrate, in the absence oi '- • military force, has no means of removing th !te natives, who are encouraged by his inability to enforce the law to persist in the violation of U «ir engagements."