To the Editor of the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette.

New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette, Volume I, Issue 25, 13 November 1841, Page 2

To the Editor of the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette.

Sir, —Tn yovr paper of the 30th ult., you have inserted a long letter, signed “ Video,” the pretended object of which is, to afford parties at a distance an explanation of the causes o‘ the high prices which tie Town Allotments brought at the Government Sale, in which the Government are accused of koving caused those high prices. Such a statement, aesides its injurious tendency, is er-roneous,-and it is therefore proper that it should at once be contradicted* The Allotments certainly brought very high prices, much more so than than any one could possibly have anticipated, but this arose from no fault a a the part of Government. These prices were occasw >ei j partly by a sudden influx of people shortly before the sale, in addition to those who had arrived at various times during the three months which the allotments had been advertised. At the time the particular numoer of allotments was fixed upon, that number seemed amply sufficient for the legitimate wants of all those who were here. The principal reason for limiting the sale to that number was, to prevent mere landjobbers and speculators from getting the allotments into their hands—a class of people but too num rous now about the various Colonies, and against whose designs the Government cannot oppose too many obstacles. It must be quite obvious, and the writer of the letter alluded to, ought to have known the fact, that the number of people who had congregated at the day of sale, was greatly beyond the number here when the limited number of allotments was fixed upon for sale ; and as those alone had been advertised, no more could have been put up for sale, without their first appearing in the Gazette. Moreover, if the people chose to give exorbitant PRICES FOR THE ALLOTMENTS, IT WAS THEIR OWN FOOLISHNESS, AND THEY HAVE NO RIGHT NOAV TO COMPLAIN, OR CHARGE THIS TO the policy of Government. The number of allotments sold was 116, instead of 113, as stated; besides 12 more that were selected by officers of Government, and 15 reserved tor other purposes. One decided advantage gained by the plan pursued, is thr. canaotitration of thf» population vyithin a limited space, by which means, we lave already an excellent street, completely filed up from the one end to the other*; ind had a larger number of allotments been sold the houses would have been scattered over a large surface, as I believe, happened in Adelaide, where they were actually miles apart. The Town extending over more than 1,000 acres all which were sold at one time. The writer alluded to indulges in some lugubrious forebodings as to the fate of this Settlement, but the general estimation in which it is held will te best proved by the very fact upon which “ Video ’’ founds his prophetic warnings, viz, these very high jrices themselves —than which nothing can more clearly shew the high estimation in which the settlement is held. If we have not had as yet arrivals of Emigrants it is because there has not been time to communicate with the Mother country and till the sale in question, there was moreover no funds to bring out Emigrants. By giving this a place in your Paper,, you will oblige "lours, &c., “ VERITAS. ”