MR. JAS. BUSBY AND THE ENGLISH COLONIAL SECRETARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1074, 24 April 1867, Page 5

MR. JAS. BUSBY AND THE ENGLISH COLONIAL SECRETARY.

\ esteeday a meeting of gentlemen who liad signed the petition of Mr. James Busby, Bay of Islands, and certain other settlers at Wangarei, was held yesterday, in the Chamber of Commerce, for tlio purpose of hearing Trhat steps had been taken in England for the purpose of bringing his and their case before parliament. I At the Treaty of Mr. Busby was seized of certain lands.'at TTaugarei and Ngaruru, which he had purchased from the natives, and the Colonial OlUcc declared the intention of the Crown to recognise titles to such purchases upon their being confirmed, aud tho issue of confirmation grants were ordered. Mr. Bushy proved that he had acquired the laud upon equitable conditions, but certain ordinances alleged to be illegal, were made by the local legislature, and tho pet itioner had been dispossessed of the greater portion of his land. It was to obtain redress of these grievances that Mr. Busby wcat to England, and the meeting of yesterday was called to cxpi'ess a public opinion that he had a right to the lands of which he had been possessed, and that he ought to obtain compensation. Several of the leading merchants, professional men, and inlluential residents were present. On the motion of Mr. "Wkbstkk Mr. James O'JNeill, M.G.A., was called to the chair. Ma*. Hushv said, that before proceeding with the business it was necessary to remove a misapprehension that might arise from a notice of the meeting which appeared in the Southern Cross, where the meeting was described as a meeting of the subscribers to Mr. Busby's petition. It was not Mr. Busby's petition, for it originated with certain settlers at Wangarei, who were desirous of being relieved from an exceedingly painful position, being possessed of land which- they knew perfectly well was not theirs, but was portion of that of which he had been dispossessed by the Colonial Government. He entrusted his memorial to the hands of Mr. Horsfall on tho 12th of June, after arriving in England, and also addressed a letter to Mr. Cardwell, from whom he received a very curt reply, enquiring what the petitioner required. He (Mr. Busby) replied, and slated that his primary object was to obtain a fair hearing, and compensation for the loss of his property, and other oppressions which lie had suffered from persons, members of the colonial legislature. The upshot of that correspondence was that the petitioner was informed that if he wrote any more letters of the same sort, that he (Mr. Busby) should not be snrprised if no further answer would be sent to him. Had received a letter from Sir Frederick Bogcrs, stating that Mr. Cardwell could see no ground for referring the claims of the petitioner to a select committee of the House of Commons. lie (Mr. Busby) had become acquainted with some thirty members of the House of Commons, but found it impossible to get any member to take up the question; but he (Mr. Busby) had been told that if he could get a committee upon the general question of JN T ew Zealand, it was cas} - to bring his petition within the general question. He' had, however, been ! told that even it he succeeded in obtaining a ! committee to a certainty the ministry would count the House out. lie therefore devoted himself to co-operating with the London committee. Had been called upon bv a distinguished naval oiiicer, who said that the Earl of Carnar- : yon would be happy to see liim. After several interviews with his Lordship he allowed the petitioner to use his name with Lords Donoughmore, Longford, and Lyvden. As for Mr. ' Cardwell he had shown a disposition to turn the whole affair over, and seemed bent on not listen- 1 ing to any grievances that a colonist from New Zealand might have. Mr. Busby read the petition as prepared by himselfalso, a very voluminous correspondence. He said that he was very anxious to lay the matter before tho meeting and leave it entirely in their hands. ; Captain Daldy said their duty was simple indeed, aud that it was to express an opinion ' that Mr. Busby was entitled to compensation— ' compensation was hardly the word, but rather the recognition of his right to his land. His frieud Mr. Busby—he was sure there was not a man in the province that would object to ac- ] knowledge Mr. Busby as a friend—had made a statement of what he liad done. He had done all in his power to obtain his rights from the Government. They now were desirous of expressing their opinion publicly on the matter. 1 There was the fact acknowledged by the Government that Mr. Busby had made tho purchases, ' aud that he paid the money, the fact of ! the purchase having been admitted. I will ' move a resolution that Mr. Busby has a claim against the province for this land. The province was named because the province had received the proceeds of the land. The word compensation had grown up into a very import- ; ant matter. It had come to mean a variety of things, but it was certain, from all that had oc- . curred, it was evident that the colonists had not received fair or liberal treatment from the Go- 1 vernment under which they lived. 1 A series of resolutions, reciting that Mr. Johnston, the Commissioner, had reported that 1 equitable purchase of the laud from the natives was a fact which could uot be got over, aud ' Captain Daldy formally moved that Mr. Busby ' had a claim for compensation against the province. Portion of the land at Ngururu was yet ] unsold. Mr. Busby expressed his acknowledgments j to the gentlemen who had attended the meeting. 'He wished to correct an error. It had been stated that the Government had expressed - their willingness to compensate him, but he had refused to come to reasonable terms. All that he 1 wanted was compensation equivalent to the ' capital, witli interest, which he had expended. The sum given to the natives alone was over £800. He (Mr. Busby) had resolved not to petition any more, and he had taken up the i matter as well on behalf of those who wore r now settled on the land whicli he had purchased, who felt themselves to be in a painful position, j _ Mr. J. S. Maci-aelane seconded the resolutions, which were adopted unanimously. i A vote of thanks was passed to the Chair- I man and the proceedings terminated. J