ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 64, 7 August 1852, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness. Mr. Editor, " 'Tis pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print A book's a book, altho' there's nothing int."

This would be an apt motto to place at the head of your original correspondence. It does not appear to me that in Dr. Richardson's letter in last week's paper any light is thrown on the subject of a grant of a site for an Episcopal Church in Dunedin ; nevertheless the letter is not without use, insomuch as it tends to draw public attention to the subject of the public reserves in the town of Dunedin. These are Government reserves in one sense of the word : that is, did a Corporation exist, these lands would be vested in that body ; but the present despotic absurdity which answers to the name of Government has neither part nor lot in the matter.

It is true that Sir George Grey stands at present as Trustee to the Otago settlers, but that does not empower him to abuse such trust, which would be done were he knowingly to do that which a Corporation, did it exist at present, would not do ; nor would it be bad faith in such a body, when created, to repudiate the acts of a hostile administrator, when it is manifest that all parties are well aware of the circumstances of the case. It is well known to every one in Otago, that both the Association and Lord Grey have refused a free site for an Episcopal Church on the grounds, lstly, That it is not the Church contemplated in the scheme ; and, 2ndiy, That it is open for any one, either Jew or Gentile, to purchase land for such a purpose, and that at a very small cost. It is equally notorious that Sir George Grey, in the face of such a refusal, is endeavouring to give a site on one of the reserves for such a purpose. It is for the parties acting on such permission to beware that their title is good. I notice that the fittings for the Episcopal Church are being stored in the Hospital : it is satisfactory to find that some use is found for that building at last. Had the Trustees of the Church of Otago asked permission to do the same, do you think His Highness the Mandarin would have granted it ? There is a degree of overbearing insolence in the whole affair that to me is particularly disgusting. But, Mr. Editor, can we expect otherwise from this specimen of the views expounded last year by the Attorney- General, viz., — " Was it not the duty of the central Government to send from the older settlements men of experience (save the mark !) to fill the situations in the juniors ?" — et twaddle sequitur. If we are to have representatives at Wellington, I trust they will use every effort to get these reserves vested in the right hands. When this is done, and the hostile officials find it their duty to respect the feelings and wishes of the community, whose bread they eat, the " Little Enemy" will disappear, and our Episcopalian brethren, being no longer fed on fiction, will descend from their stilts, and find that we are like Protestants unto themselves ; that both denominations should value themselves rather on their efficiency and standing here, than on any reflected honour from the respective bodies from which they emanate ; and, above all things, never to take advantage of each other in obtaining favour through foreign influences, •which would not be granted had we the management of our local affairs. Michael Fairplay.

To the Editor oftha Oiago "Witness.

Sir, — I am a quiet, peace-loving man, and seldom trouble my head with your local squabblings or party politics ; and although it is ray lot to associate a good deal with the few who cry down your paper, I am nevertheless a constant reader, and can by no means concur with them ; in fact, I may just frankly confess that, had it not been for the continual abuse of your paper by the parties in question, which led me

to enquire and think for myself, I should have remained neutral and indifferent as to all public affairs, and ignorant of the subjects on which I intend now to write.

Your last week's leader has set me a thinking, and the result is, that while I agree with you as to the great drawback and loss which is caiigejl to the settlement by the emigrant vessels coming here last, still I must decidedly demur to the assertion that this is the crying evil under which we are suffering.

For that matter I for one shall have no fear of the settlement, even were it never to see another emigrant ship, provided we had any thing in the shape of a Government, properly so called. No man in his senses can confound the system under which we are at present placed with what is understood as " Government." Bad, however, as this system is, it must be admitted that, with a proper man at the helm, the public interest, if not promoted, might at least be left to itself.

For my part, if asked to state who or what is most seriously injuring this settlement, I should say — Sir George Grey is the man ; he is the culprit who has paralysed the hopes, who is trying to crush and wear out the energies of the community. I can trace almost every desponding feature in the present circumstances of this settlement to the incapacity, the neglect, or the ill-will — or perhaps the three combined — of the Queen's representative. I would enJtreat every man to ponder and seriously to ask himself, What positive benefit has the Otago community derived from the government, or rather the despotism of Sir George Grey ? For the life of me I cannot discover one ; while, on the other hand, the positive and negative injuries which the settlement is suffering at his hands are legion, with an annual revenue of nearly £3000 screwed out of a population of 1700 souls, men. women, and children, the most peaceable and orderly in the British dominions (excepting a J.P. or two !) ; a revenue raised from the aforesaid men, women, and children without their consent, and disposed of solely by Sir George Grey ; not one farthing is devoted towards the public benefit, if we except about £1000 which is expended upon necessary public officials.

If we succeed in getting rid of the useless paraphernalia of a Supreme Court for the aforesaid population, after having paid for it at the rate of nearly £1200 per annum for two years without a single case being before it, we are immediately saddled with a Crown Commissioner, whose jurisdiction may be in the region of Timbuctoo in as far as we are concerned, there being already one Crown Commissioner for the Otago block, who is quite competent to manage all in the meantime at least.

We are also saddled with a Surveyor, with all the necessary expenses, for no earihly purpose as regards the Otago block, it having been already surveyed to depletion "at a cost of £1700£>

In the former appointment the sole object seems to have been to render the position of the previously appointed Commissioner a sinecure, for reasons which I need not surmise; and the sole effect seems to have been to bamboozle and disgust stockowners and applicants for runs by bandying them from one Commissioner to another, by assessing them under a variety of unintelligible and contradictory ordinances for the most exhorbitant charges, in the face of which many were compelled to withdraw their applications for runs; while, after all, it turns out that the new Commissioner had been on the wrong seent — that he had been operating within the jurisdiction of the old — and that the rates which he had levied must be refunded to those who had been duped into the payment of them.

In the latter appointment (Surveyor) the sole object seems to have been, to reward a man whose official incapacity has done more injury to the settlement than tongue can tell, the result of which will be the fruitful source of endless disputes and enormous expense and inconvenience in future years ; to reward and countenance a man who had been guilty of the most flagrant insubordination in the seizure of a valuable public property, to the serious loss and inconvenience of all who have had anything to do in choosing or transferring land : and the sole effect seems to be to perpetuate this loss and inconvenience to all who are in the same position. The individual in question, although paid out of our revenue, is chiefly occupied in surveys beyond the boundaries of our block, and in which we have not the slightest interest ; in the meantime the whole of the survey and regulations of land department, and instruments for which we have paid so dear, and the latter of which are the property of the settlers, are practically useless to all intents and purposes.

If we want roads instead of armed policemen, we are told that some half-dozen of noodles, who form " the great majority of the Otago Bench," think otherwise. If the enterprising

portion of the community wish to establish a Bank, and are ready to provide the requisite capital , they must be hung up by the incapacity, neglect, or hatred formerly alluded to of the Queen's representative.

It would fill your columns were I to enumerate all the negative injuries which from these causes we are suffering. To me it is manifest that, just in proportion to the sense of independence which we possess, and the manliness with which we act thereon as British freemen, together with the extent to which we exhibit such feelings, will be the measure to which we may expect to be cramped and borne down by the present despot in everything which can tend to promote the interest of the community. If we would propitiate the favour of Sir George Grey, we must thankfully submit to his authority, when and how he pleases, and display the utmost readiness to sacrifice our birthright at the altar of his personal vanity and overweening self-conceit.

Truly the Colonial Office has much to answer for in placing such a colony as New Zealand in the hands of a man like this. When we look at our own remote settlement even, — with its unbounded physical resources, — with a handful of people full of energy, and sturdy determination to turn those resources to account — looking for and desiring nothing from the Imperial Government but to be left to themselves — with a self-reliance, which, if unmolested, would speedily place them in the van of New Zealand colonization, — I say, sir, the very thought of being thwarted, over-ridden, and insulted by a man who has openly declared war to the knife against class-settlements, and who takes advantage of the position which he occupies to obstruct our progress, and to squander our revenue in feeding hungry sycophants, who will put their noses to the grindstone and carry out his policy ; I say, sir, the thought of all this is enough to make wise men mad.

I venture to say there is not a man in the settlement who is not suifering serious personal loss, which he would not suffer were he living under a paternal government anxious to foster instead of to frustrate our onward progress.

I am a land and stockowner, and the two greatest evils which operate against me are, the want of roads and the want of a Bank, and I attribute the want of both to the absence of the kindly government to which I allude.

I have no means of conveying my produce to the market; and although I am possessed of considerable stock, I am frequently compelled to pay wages in kind. It was only lately that, with all my stock, I could not raise £60 ready cash' — all for want of a circulating medium. I am, yours, &c, C. TV. B. To the Editor of the Otago "Witness. Sir, — It would appear from the correspondence which has been published in your two last numbers, that a site is wanted for an Episcopalian Church in Dunedin. It has struck me that the building which has been erected for an Hospital would make a very elegant Church ; and as it is not likely to be required for the purpose for which it was intended for many a long day, I would suggest that the adherents of the Episcopal Church should purchase the building at the cost price — £400, (the ground which is valuable being given gratuitously), and that the -money so obtained should be expended in making a good road from Dunedin to the Clutha. Such an arrangement, if it could be effected, would be beneficial to all. I am, Sir, yours, &c, Utilis.