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New Zealander, Volume 10, Issue 865, 29 July 1854, Page 2

We invite the attention of our readers to the following Petition, a copy of which has just come into our hands, and which is being prepared for presentation to both Houses of the Legislature, and to His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government. We need scarcely say that wc heartily concur in its main object of securing to the real working settlers of the colony not only the means of free and open competition in the purchase of laud, but also such facilities in acquiring it as will protect them against speculators and monopolists.and secure them a fair proportion of the Public Lands. This is substantially the very object for which we have been so long striving to the best of our ability by the advocacy of Land Associations and such other possible plans as came under our notice, and we sec no reason now to flag in our zeal for its support. We cannot doubt that the Petition will receive such an amount of signatures as will afford unequivocal evidence of the mind of the colonists of the Auckland district on this great peoples question. To the Honourable the Legislative Council and tie llonce of Representatives. The Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of Auckland and its Neighbourhood Respectfully sheweth — That your Petitioners are deeply impressed, by with the evila which have arisen from exposing the Waste Lands of the colony to speculation and monopoly, without any adequate provisions for securing a fair proportion of the lands of the colony for real Working Settlers desiring to occupy the laud themsc-Ives, and improve it by their own exertions. That your Petitioners are also most anxious that stringent provisions may be made by the General Assembly tor securing entire publicity in the proceedings of the Land Offices, without which we cannot hope for an impartial and efficient administration of any provisions intended to protect the true Working Settlor classes. Wherefore, your Petitioners ; espeef fully pray, that your Honourable House will be pleased, in any law that may be passed for the disposal of the Waste Lands, to take care that provision be made for setting apart, and protecting from speculative monopoly, a portion of such lands for tlxe class of the true Working Settlers; for assisting persons of that class to obtain Land on the easiest terms, —but also compelling them to improve the same by actual occupation for some years ; and also for establishing open Land Boards, in which all transactions relating to the disposal of waste land shall he carried on with the same publicity as attends proceedings in a Court of Justice.