PUBLIC MEETING AT WELLINGTON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 185, 20 September 1845, Page 115

PUBLIC MEETING AT WELLINGTON.

[From the New Zealand Spectator, August 23.] A public meeting of the inhabitants of the settlement, which was most numerously and respectably attended, was held on Wednesday evening, August 20th, at the Saloon of the Aurora Tavern, to take into consideration the Draft of a Petition proposed to be sent to Parliament by the settlers of Cook's Straits. , On the motion of W. Fitzherbert, Esq., Charles Clifford, Esq., took the chair. The Chairman said the meeting bad been called for the purpose of taking into consideration the draft of a petition from the settlers in Cook's Straits to the Imperial Parliament, stating their grievances and praying for redress. He looked upon this meeting as the most important of the many important ones that have been held in this settlement. They have frequently had memorials, petitions, and addresses, from "Wellington, from Nelson, from Taranaki, and from Wanganui ; but this was the first time they had met for the purpose of considering a joint petition from the settlers of Cook's Straits ; and he hailed the circumstance as a harbinger of better times. Hitherto, to make use of an old fable, they bad been like the bundle of sticks > untied : each settlement had taken its own course ; and he feared in many instances petty jealousies had prevented union ; but they had learnt wisdom in the school of adversity ; they had now taken the advice of the old man to his sons, had bound themselves together; and their united representations going home to back the able report of the Committee of the House of Commons, would carry a weight with them that would defy the misrepresentations of their enemies [hear]. The Chairman regretted that the great length of the petition precluded his reading it to the meeting; but suggestions would be made, which, if agreed to, would ■ enable everyone to become acquainted with its merits. It had been most ably drawn up by a Nelson settler (Mr. Domett) ; and gave a history of the' misgovernment of the colony from ■ its com- < mencement, under Captain Hohson* to the present time. It embraces every topic on which. discussions have been raised; and in a most clear and lucid manner puts forward all their grievances, and shows that the settlers only wanted to have the report of the Committee of the House of Common*! carried out, instead of being set aside by the Colonial Office [heir]. The Chairman, in conclusion, begged that those who addressed the meeting would confine themselves as much as possible to the subject before ■ them. Dr. Feathbbston, in proposing the finjr resolution, said that he knew full well that fine years of constant, unceasing agitation — agitation which, apparently, had as yet produced no beneficial result — must have sickened, wearied, and disgusted not a few of those arottad luxe; anil ' when he remembered the number of petitadafr and memorial! they had sent, the atatementtiof

cgmoyancefr -they had again and again laid before <tto ilome and Local Governments, he could Jmdgine^hatflomfftff those, whose advice had •jetoer been for them to do nothing but to remain cent, would denounce it as foolish and imJprtid«htim him to urge them still to persist in 1 the agitation in which, they had been so lpng -engaged,- still to continue, the <jdntest' which for •flV* 'year's they hati maintained with the Government; but that he, kripifcing the energy and Tfefs^Verance they had exhibited during this try'ftjg'' period,' felt confident that the settlers in jpook'e Straits were never more unanimous in jj^he^ determination to use. every means in their jo,\^r to.overthrow that policy which had been jrttendeci with such fatal results, and to rid themselves of him who had made this colony a •tteneofii anarchy and bloodshed'; and that he was prepared to maintain that, however gloomy the views of some might be, however despondsag' they might all occasionally feel, yet that ■there raver was a period in their existence as a colony when' there , was a better prospect of 'tSucbtfss attending their efforts, or of a speedy termination to those evils from which they had soiong and grievously suffered. When they fetfltthe interest which was now taken in New 2TeSrod by the public at home; when they jfbqßd'ih'e whole press exerting its all-powerful influence in their.behalf,' venting its indignation at the- injustice .of which they had been the victims, advocating the • views they had so constantly maintained, condemning far more strongly than they had ever done the proceeding!* of 'the Local Government and of Captain . Fitzßey especially; when they found night after night the most talented and influential members in the House of Commons coming forward' unasked, unsolicited, as the warm and feealpud advocates of their interests, foreseeing aiid foretelling the inevitable results of the course pursued .by their infatuated Governor'; when they sajv such men as Mr. Buller and Lord Howick, of all men the most conversant with colonial affairs, accusing the Ministry of a gross DPftact of its duty in not having long ago sent Out i Cap tain F.itsßoy'« keeper and successor, denouncing in terms, of the bitterest indignation his unholy alliance with the murderers of their friends and relations ' [cheers] ; when they saw ] Lord J. Russell,- after describing the fertility and vast resources of these islands and their great value t<9 Great Britain, expressing his warm and heartfelt sympathy for the sufferings of the settlors, and then praying and beseeching the Ministry to. avert, by .wise and vigorous measures, fhy^dijßastepe impending over them ; when they founieyen the supporters of the ministry protesting against being supposed either to uphold Captain, Fitzßoy or, to justify his proceedings, $ir >R«.:Pe«l himself declaring his disapproval and->disallowance of the only measure of Captain Fitsßoy's .government with which he was of.ficially acquainted; when they considered all this, he (Dr. Featherston) would ask, whether they were not'tif6jFe"tli'ah ever bound to persevere'in the course they had hitherto pursued ; whether they were not more than ever called upon by every motive of -self-interest, of duty to theirfeHovr-colohists, and of gratitude to those By whom their cause had been so warmly espoused, to 'seize every opportunity to send to their friend* at home a full and explicit account of the acts of Captain Fitzßoy's government, andiof the painful manner in which their pre-dictions-were being fulfilled [hear] ; he would ask whether, after having obtained permission for a fair and impartial hearing of their case before the highest tribunal, it would not be an act ef the greatest folly and madness for them now to. refuse to avail themselves of such a privilege [•Cheerf} r But this was not the only inducement i±O! them to persevere, nor the only reason to 'anticipate that the struggle was drawing to aiatisfactory close ; Captain Fitzßoy had himself'materially assisted them ; for if it were true that by their petitions and memorials they had awakened' an interest in New Zealand affairs, greater than was 'ever yet attached to so infant a colony; it was > still more true that- that interest had' teen- kept up and increased by the mad pranks of Captain Fitzßoy ; and he (Dr. Featherston) 'did' not hesitate to avow his conviction that Captain Fitzßoy would in the end be found ta have advanced the interests of the colony beyond i their most sanguine expectations, though undoubtedly at. a sacrifice of life and property tot) jjainful to contemplate : for if Captain Fitz Boy had had a little more sense, a little less infatuation, or. even- if there had been a little more method in his madness, he- would, in all probafflitrvhstoeavoided the now certain interference of. Cat Home Government, and might have effected ibis grand- scheme of breaking up the settldMnts in Cook's Straits; if he had not been (tfrnnse the words> of >Mr. Buller) "most miscbibtouily and 'dangerously incompetent/ he (Day. Featbetston) feared that our complaints \*iul4have:been unheeded, and that the colony wotddihavwjdraggedon a miserable, lingering enfatencei nmtiL at last it sank from utter inanitioni>uß(lt Gaptsurv Fitzßoy had' done more than nißoeJy aMtaflt^aitention to >New Zealand; he hdd; placed thertinistry m this dilemma : if they appear* otfihiaacU on* month; they must disappmnrfa: of ithe measures adopted by him the next : lr^ftov kmtitsee, they approve of his 10e. proclariatin^iand(liDro*}S'tonley;had in some degree sladtiontd' it (though with a strong recommendation that the 10s.' fee be raised), how can tbey approve of his penny proclamation? If th*yj*pprov« of Ms increasing the Customs <nje dayv^aCtJTU they say to their total abolition the next, or their re-establishment a short time aJtnfardfe?: If ;. they believe his solemn assttfttnc* ttfhat Urn natives, entertain the most kindly and confident feelings towards her Majettjvlowardi the Local Government, and to* wank ,fche*ett]*n generally;" and if they attribate;Mtbo»e kindly fcdings.-" to Captain Fitz Bqftr^viie and judici&u* measures," as he hteaalMiM 4on#, how Trill thfjy like the proof*

of this affection on the part of the natives, as evinced in the burning and destruction of Kororarika, the defeat of her Majesty's forces, and their cannibal feasts ? In short, unless Sir R. Peel was prepared to follow Captain Fitzßoy in every somerset that he makes, "to turn about, wheel about, jump Jim Crow" as often as Cap" tain Fitzßoy himself, he must recal him. But he (Dr. Featherston) would remind them that it was not only Captain Pitzßoy's recal, but a complete change in the policy of the Government that was essential to the safety of the colony; and that they could only expect to effect such a change by taking every opportunity of showing the disastrous results of the system hitherto pursued ; and that they were more especially bound to send home full statements of the state to which Captain Fitzßoy had reduced the colony, inasmuch as Sir R. Peel and Captain Fitzßoy's friends and relatives had, in the j recent debates in the House of Commons, distinctly admitted that he was a most irregular correspondent; that in fact they had scarcely ever heard from him since his arrival here ; that they knew nothing whatever of his doings, at least officially; and had even expressed some anxiety as to what had become of him ; but he (Dr. Featherston) would afford them an opportunity of allaying the anxieties of Captain Fitzßoy'B friends, and of dispelling the ignorance of the ministry respecting his government, j by proposing that they should send home the document he held in his hand, in which a full and particular account was given of his Excellency's proceedings, from the day of his arrival up to the present time [cheers]. After expressing his regret that its length would forbid his reading the whole of the memorial so ably drawn up by Mr. Domett, Dr. Featherston proceeded to give a summary of its contents, and, after reading several extracts, concluded by moving —

"That this meeting cordially approves of the proposal now made, that the settlers in Cook's Straits should unite in sending a memorial to Parliament, showing the disastrous policy pursued by the Local Government, expressing their utter want of confidence in Captain Fitzßoy, and praying for the application of the remedies proposed by the Select Committee of the House of Commons."

Mr. Stokes, in seconding the resolution, said, that after the clear and able outline of the petition presented to the meeting by Dr. Featherston, it would be unnecessary for him to do more than add a few general observations connected with the subject. From its great length, ! time would not permit the petition to be read to them ; .but whoever should carefully peruse the document, could not fail to be convinced that the settlers in the Southern District had just and reasonable grounds of complaint, that they had suffered grevious wrongs from the Local Government, and that they were fully entitled to consideration and redress. The petition was a most able historical narrative of the miserable way in which this colony had been misgoverned; the statements were clear and 1 fully borne out by facts ; these facts were well arranged and most ably reasoned upon, and the conclusions from them were irresistible. The petition reflected the greatest credit on the unwearied patience, the research, the talents of its author. But, notwithstanding its great length, he must be permitted to say it was not long enough. The petition extended only to a certain point, but beyond this, facts were constantly occurring to strengthen the statements already made; like some deep tragedy, every scene added to the interest and increased the sufferings of the actors in it, until it reached its final catastrophe. The history of Captain Fitzßoy's misgovernmenl was a story without an end. Whereever they attempted to stop in recounting the mistakes, the perverseness, the infatuation, the imbecility, the injustice of their present ruler, some fresh example occurred out-Heroding all that had gone before.and giving additional weight to the reasonings and conclusions drawn from previous acts. In proof of this, he referred to the question of the debentures. In addition to the facts within their knowledge, it was distinctly stated in an Auckland paper — supposed at first to be established by Government influence, and to which Captain Fitzßoy was reported to have contributed his lucubrations — that the amount of debentures of various denominations issued was not less than £45,000, or three times the amount allowed by the ordinance. There seemed to be such a total absence of method and proper management in the way in which these debentures were manufactured, and in the manner in which they were issued, that mistakes of all kinds were made. Debentures had been issued, wanting in some instances the date, the number, or the signature of the Governor, the Colonial Secretary, or the Treasurer; and it was believed the Government had no correct means of ascertaining the amount of debentures now in circulation. He then cited the case of Mr. Stuart Freeman, as a proof of the careless way in which these things were managed, and as an example of the culpable lenity of Captain Fitzßoy towards the delinquencies of a Government official. A comparison had been instituted in the Auckland papers between an ordinary rogue and the Chief Clerk of the Colonial Secretary's office. Who Mr. T. O'Meara was, he (Mr. Stokes) would not stay to inquire ; it was enough to know he had been transported for ten years for forging a one-pound debenture ; and his sentence was considered just and proportioned to his offence. And yet to Mr. Freeman, who was accused of having availed himself of the opportunities of his situation — a situation of trust — to forge and put into circulation 250 debentures, Captain Fitzßoy was reported to have written a complimentary letter! [hear, hear]. In the history of the flag- staff, the petition stopped short at the destruction of Kororarika, and the loss of life and property consequent on that most unfortunate affair. But a fearful tale remained to be told, the details of which were, so horrible, that if they were not so

well authenticated, they would appear incredible. They threw a terrible light on the real character of the New Zealanders ; and proved that, however it may please the elect of Exeter Hall to boast of their intelligence and civilization,, when once their passions were thoroughly roused, and their appetites whetted for vengeance, there was no cruelty, no atrocity in which they would not indulge [bear]. Or if they took the most recent example — the Crown grants — the anxious expectation of six years. When these grants were issued, they had hoped, and not unreasonably, that all the disputes and uncertainties connected with these claims would have been set at rest for ever. But from the way in which the grants had been made out, they seemed to lay the foundation for endless litigation. Without referring to the question of purchasers claiming to have prior titles to the Company ; by excluding from the grants not only the land now used by aboriginal natives for vegetable productions, but all that has been used by them since the establishment of the colony, Captain Fitzßoy virtually abandoned all that the settlers had been contending for in the Hutt district, and Ranghiaiata would accept this concession as a fresh proof of the weakness and fear of the Government, as a consequence of Heki's successes. He did not offer these examples as any defect in the petition, but as illustrations of Captain Fitz Roy's imbecility and injustice. They served to show that wherever they may stop, some new freak, some fresh piece of insanity would occur to set calculation at defiance. How different had the settlers found Captain Fitzßoy from the beau ideal which the flattering representations of his friends or their own ardent aspirations had pictured previous to his arrival. Harassed by injustice, and hoping for relief from the numerous evils from which they were suffering, they had thought that any change must be for the better. But they had not fathomed the depths of official incompetency and imbecility ; in the lowest depth a deeper still had been presented to their astonished view. On his first landing, Captain Fitzßoy had deliberately insulted them : he had broken every promise he had ever made them, and had never lost an op. portunity of injuring them. His official career was drawing to a close : even now his successor may be on his way to relieve him ; and whenever this desirable event may occur, the colonists may exclaim, in the indignant language of the Poet— " Go ! 'tis in run to curse, 'Tia useless to upbraid thee; Hatr cannot make thee worse Than shame and guilt have made thee." [cheers]. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. Fitzherbert moved the second resolution by stating that he should scarcely have thought it necessary to offer any observations after the very able manner in which the meeting had been addressed, had there not been, he might perhaps be allowed to say, an omission made by the mover and seconder of the first resolution. It might perhaps be conceived, from the exclusive manner in which those gentlemen had dwelt upon the acts of Captain Fitzßoy, that the object of the petition presented to the meeting was confined to the removal of the present Governor. He, however, begged to assure the meeting that they would be very much mistaken if they supposed that the removal of Governor Fitzßoy was any other than a very minor consideration. The framer of that petition would not have wasted so much valuable time as was required to fill sixty pages of paper in proving what was quite self-evident both at home and in the colony, viz., the total unfitness of Captain Fitzßoy for the office which he at present held [hear]. No! Gentlemen, this long petition contains a history of our grievances from the first establishment of the colony to the present time; and its object is to obtain redress from the Imperial Parliament of the abuses connected with the system pursued in the government of this colony. It was the principle of roigovernment against which the settlers of Cook's Straits were now palled upon to petition. And he (Mr. Fitzherbert) strongly recommended the settlers never to leave off petitioning in the most persevering and importunate manner until they had obtained redress. This was the first instance of the settlers in Cook's Straits combining together to petition ; but he hoped that it would not be the last [cheers]. " That a committee be appointed for the purpose of going through the draft of the petition now laid before the meeting, and of making any alterations or suggestions they may deem expedient; and that such committee consist of — Hon. H. Petre, Mr. Clifford, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Chetham, Mr. Hickson, Mr. M'Donald, Mr. Stokes, Mr. Wade, Major Baker, Colonel Wakeneld, Dr. Featherston, Mr. Routs, Mr. R. Davis, Mr. Hort, Mr. Moore, Mr. Scott, Mr. Tame, and Mr. Lyon." Seconded by Captain Rhodes, and carried unanimously. Mr. Wade, in moving the third resolution, said that there could be but one feeling as to the debt of gratitude that the settlers in Cook's Straits were under to Mr. Domett, for the great labour he must have bestowed upon the memorial before them, and for the masterly manner in which he had executed his task. He (Mr. Wade) need only say that it fully justified the high reputation which Mr Domett enjoyed. " That the warmest thanks of the settlers in Wellington are due to Mr. Domett, for the very able and masterly manner in which he has drawn up the petition now laid before them." Seconded by Major Baker, and carried unanimously. It was then moved by Mr. HidK&ON, seconded by Mr. M'Donald, and unanimously carried — " That the cordial thanks of this meeting be given to the Chairman for bis impartial conduct in the chair ; after which the meeting broke up."

NELSON PRODUCE, »OR IMPORTATION. £ I. d. £ $, Ale— Per hhd 4 10 0 Per.doz 0 7 0 Flax— Per ton ... .12 15 o • 015 Furniture Wood .... 2 0 0 . 2 10 Spars— Per run. ft. assorted 0 10.02 Planks— Per 100 feet ..036.04 Wool— Choice flocks, per lb. 0 10.01 Good ordinary ..0011.01 In grease ....008.00 „ (Lambs') . 0 010 . 0 0 i. • 0 0 6 2 0 10 11 d. • 0 0 6 2 0 10 11 LATEST IMPORTED PRICM. Barley— Vex bushel ... 0 5 0 I Coffee— Per lb 0 0, 7 Flour— First quality, p* ton 17 10 0 Second, do. ... 0 0 0 i Hams— New Zealand, p'lb. 0 0 0 Leather— Kip (Col.), p' lb. 0 1 6 Sole .... 0 0 7 Maize — Fet bushel ... O 3 0 Oats — Per bushel ... 0 3 7 Oil — Black, per tun . . .18 0 0 Pigs — Carcase, per lb. . . 0 0 2 Rice — Good, per cwt. ..100 Common .... 0 0 0 Sheep— Each .... 1 0 0 Svgar — Mauritius, p' ton .28 0 0 Refined loaf . .56 0 0 Manilla . . .28 0 0 Tobacco — Negrohead, p' lb. 0 0 4.01; © WHOLESALE PRICES. Ale — In bottle, per doz. .090 Per hhd 4 10 0 Barley — Per bushel ...040.04 Beef— Salt, per barrel ..250 Brandy — Per gal. ...046.03 Bricks— Per 1000 . . .0 18 0 . 1 Q Candles — Mould .... 0 0 7 Dips .... 0 0 0 Cheese — Wiltshire ... 0 1 0 Dutch ....006 Colonial . . .0 010 Cigars — Havanna, per lb. . 0 8 0 Flour — First, per ton . .18 0 0 Gin — per gal 0 5 0 Hams — Yorkshire, per lb. . 0 0 0 Leather — Kip (Eng.), p' lb. 0 2 6 Sole, ditto ..012 Mustard— P'doz.lb. bots. . 1 2 0 6 0 0 6 0 0 Oats — Per bushel ... 0 3 7 i Paint — Black, per cwt. .1 5 0 . 1 10 i Pickles — P' doz. pint bots. . 0 10 0 Pitch— Per barrel ... 2 0 0 Plank — Nelson, per 100 ft. 0 5 0 Pork — Irish, per barrel .000 New Zealand . .2 10 0 Porter — Bottled, per doz. 0 9 0 Per hhd. ... 5 0 0 Potatoes— Per ton ... 2 10 0 . 3 0 0 t Rum — Per gallon. ...046.05 Salt— Per ton ... .10 0 0 Scantling— Per 100 feet .046 Shingles — New Zealand .050 Soap — Liverpool, per ton .30 0 0 , London ... .40 0 0 , Sydney ... .37 0 0 ! Stareh — Perlb 0 0 6 Tar— Stockholm . . . 1 10 0 Coal 18 0 Tea — Per chest .... 0 10 0 . 10 0 0 0 0 Wheat— Per bushel ...056.06 Whiskey— Per gal. ... 0 8 0 . 010 White Lead— Per cwt. . . 1 8 0 . 1 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 I i RETAIL PRICES. Beef— Fresh, per lb. ..006.00 Bread— Per 41b. loaf . . 0 0 10 Butter— Fresh .... 0 1 4 8 8 Cheese — Nelson .... 0 1 0 Eggs — Per dozen .... 0 0 d ] Iron— Perlb 0 0 2i j Lime — Per ton, delivered .200 i Milk— Per pint ....001.00 Mutton— Per lb 0 0 6.00 2 7 2 7 Oil — Linseed, per gallon .070.08 Pork — Fresh, per lb. . . 0 0 5 < Poultry— Yawls, per pair .026 Ducks ... 0 4 0 Geese .... 0 15 0 Turkeys ... 1 0 0 Pigeons, wild, per pair .... 0 0 8 Ducks, do. do. . 0 0 0 Turpentine — Per gallon .080 Wine — Sherry, per gal. .0 6 0 . 010 Ditto in bot. p' doz. 10 0.110 Port, per gal. . . 0 6 0 .\0 10 Ditto in bot. p' doz. 1 7 0 . 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cows — Milch, each . . .10 0 0 . 13 0 Mares — Each . . . .20 0 0 .30 0 0 Sheep— Wethers, each . . 0 17 0 . 1 0 Working Bullocks — Perpair2o 0 0 . 30 0 0 0 Wages — Mechanics, p' day 0 3 6 . p Labourers ... 0 1 6 02 0 0