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

New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette, Volume I, Issue 27, 20 November 1841, Page 3

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

Sin,—Having, since you have taken the reins of the leading Journal in New Zealand, ever evinced a disposition to listen to the calls of the oppressed, ans to reform abuses, 1 feel less reluctant in obtruding myself upon your columns on the very important subject of the Town Survey. It is with feelings of extreme indignation that I state to you, scarcely any of the Allotments in Shortland Crescent are correctly staked out: some are larger than they should be, whilst others are too small, with reference to the plan produced at the Government Sale, by which document the public were of course to be guided in building on, or laying out their allotments. Among many other allotments similarly situated, upon which parties have built, I may mention that of Messrs. Williamson & Crummer. These gentlemen, at this moment, have a great number of men employed in the act of moving a house which they had already erected.—Through the negligence of the Town Survey Messrs. W. & C’s. allotment is made to be no less than ten feet out in Fortstreet. This error will cause the proprietors of this allotment to be at about Fifty Pounds expense in moving the building alone, and putting it to rights again, besides the loss of business whilst they are moving it—the loss sustained by the shaking the frame of the dwelling—and last, though not least, the entire disarrangement of their plan of building to advantage on their allotment, the ruinous consequences of which cannot be calculated. Trusting you will draw the attention of the Government to this circumstance, by which the Town may be re-staked out, in order to give confidence to the public in the Survey Department of the Town, in erecting bnildings in future, you will oblige your’s &c. A Subscriber and Constant Reader.

The Editor is sorry to acquaint the readers of this Paper that “the style and matter of the leading articles” which have lately appeared in its columns, have been the subject of repeated complaints to the Trustees; and that, in consequence, at the expiration of three months the Editorial department of the Paper will no longer be conducted by him. The people of Auckland are aware that this Journal is the property of a Company, and that the interests of the Shareholders are confided to five of their number who are named Trustees. According to the agreement between the Editor and the Trustees, that agreement may be determined, by either party (the Editor or the Trustees) giving the other three months’ notice. The Editor received, yesterday, a letter of which the following is a copy— Auckland Nov. 17, 1841. William Corbett, Esq., Sir, —It is with some little degree of regret that we beg to forward the following Minute of the Trustees of the Auckland Newspaper and General Printing Company, held this day, and have to request, therefore, that you will receive it as a notice accordingly—- ** Resolved, that as repeated complaints have been made to the Trustees regarding the style and matter of the leading articles of the Auckland Herald, it be deemed expedient to dispense with the services of Mr. Corbett at the expiration of three months from the present date, and that a notification of the decision of the Trustees be forwarded to that gentleman.*’ We are, Sir, Your most obt. servts., John Johnson. I W. Mason, Trustees. J. I. Montbfioue. 3 The two Trustees whose names are not to the letter are Captain Richmond and Captain Symonds—the former, at the present at the Bay of Islands, the latter absent at Manukau. It has been intimated to the Editor, that the Resolution of the Trustees has been the subject of some conversation, and that it has been said he would resign immediately. The Editor entertains, at present, no such intention ; and to make this known to any party interested, is his only motive for publishing the minute of the Trustees. The lettei seems the most matter-of-fact, the shortest, and, therefore, the best introduction to the subject; and makes also an authentic, original item of Domestic news, and at the present time —when so little emanates from the Government, and that so meagre, and as the town of Auckland has no communication by land with any other part of the Colony, and but little by sea, and we have, therefore, no recent intelligence from any of the other Settlements; and, also, so long a time has elapsed since the arrival of a ship bringing news—this article, though neither important nor interesting, may nevertheless be not unacceptable. The Editor makes no comment on the letter of the Trustees. Previously to entering upon the duties of Editor of this paper, he did not receive, or on any occasion since has he received from the Trustees any instructions whatsoever regarding the principles or politics of this paper, or as to the subject of any article which has appeared in its columns.