OTAGO SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 79, 20 November 1852, Page 2

OTAGO SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

A Special General Meeting of l his Association, called by advertisement, was held in the SchoolHouse, Daxiedin. on the 16th November inst. ; between 70 and SO members were present. Mr, AY. H. Outtkn, on being called to the chair, explained the objects of the meeting, and , "lanced at the important events which had occurred since the last meeting, and especially called attention to the Act of Parliament granting a Constitution to New Zealand. lie I remarked on the necessity for the settlers bestirring themselves to obtain the grant .of a Charter of Incorpoiation to the Otago Associa- | tion, as being the only means of securing in 1 their own hands the management of the land funds derived from the sales of land in Otago. He then called upon the Secretary to read the minutes of former general meeting, and snbse- ; quent committee meetings, which were read l and confirmed. The Secretary then read a despatch from Mr. John M'Glashan bearing upon the subjects before the meeting, from which the following | are extracts :—: — i i '• You will observe by the 78th section of the Act j the administration of all the Crown lands in New I Zealand is given over to the Central Government, j which is authorised to fix the price or rent at which i they may be sold or let ; and that by the 64th clause, out of the general revenue arising from taxes and , from the disposal of the waste lands, the expenses of ' the General Government are to be defrayed over and. above the expenses attending the disposal of the lands, which by section G2 are to be paid out of the revenue derived from their disposal. The effect of j I these enactments will be, that the settlers in Otago i i will be deprived of all control over their land funds. { The Central Government will fix a price, and an officer appointed by the Governor will draw the revenue. There is no way of escaping from this arrangement except by the provisions of the 78th section (the Otago section) being carried into operation. By means of it the settlers in Otago, through their Provincial Council, may have the sole administration of their land fund, and have that fund for their own purposes, and exempt from the burden of any part of the expenses of the Central Government. They can obtain all this only through a Charter being granted to the Association, and thaAssofiation transferring its functions to the Provincial Council. " By their own Provincial Council obtaining the administration of the lands, it does not follow j^hat ihe scheme must remain unalterable, for provisions might be introduced into the Charter authorising any alteration which circumstances might renter advisable ; subject, of course, to the approval of tKeSecretary of State." | The following Petition, prepared by the Subi Committee, was then read by the Secretary : — To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled. The humble Petition of the Undersigned settlers in Otago, New Zealand, Sheweth,— l. That your Petitioners accept with gratitude the Act 15th and 16th Victoria, cap. 72, conferring a constitution on New Zealand. 2. That your Petitioners desire to express their especial satisfaction with the 78th Clause of said act, providing for the granting of a Charter of Ini corporation to the Otago Association.

3. That your petitioners ha\e the' most entire confidence in the Otago Association, to whose disinterested and honourable services in the selection of emigrants the Otago settlement is indebted for the high moral character of ,its inhabitants, to which must be attiibuted the steady progress and industiious character of the settlement. 4. That every absentee purchaser of land in Otago being of right a member of the Otago Association, and identified in principles and interests with the settlers, the Association is therefore the fitting medium of representing the settlement at home. Your petitioners therefore pray that your honourable House will be pleased to Petition Her Majesty to grant a Charter of Incorporation to the Otago Association. And your .petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever.pray. Mr. John Cakgiil remarked upon the oneness of purpose between the Otago Association and the Otago Settlers' Association. It was singular that the very steps suggested by Mr. M'Glashan to be taken by the Settlers'"Association* had already been taken by that body. He recommended the formation of a committee of the Settlers' Association to protect the interests of the settlers as voters j^'that |liad already been done. But this was not an isolated case: many valuable suggestions frorrijlhome had crossed on the passage by documents recording their proceedings exactly in accordance with those suggestions ; and it was exceedingly gratifying to find there was such an unanimity between the proceedings of the settlers and the Association at home, which added double force to their opinions ; and he urged the settlers to come forward and sign the petition. Mr. Macandrew remarked on the activity and energy which had characterised the whole efforts of the Asociation, and Mr. M'Glashan, the Secretary, to which were to be attributed many of the most valuable modifications which had been made in the original Bill, especially the 78th Clause, lie therefore proposed the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. J. Cargill, and carried unanimously. That the best thanks of the Otago Settlers' Association be conveyed to the Otago Association, Edinburgh, and especially to John M'Glashan, Esq., Secretary to the Committee, for the valuable and important sen ices which they have rendered to this settlement, and to New Zealand in genera], in reference to the constitution which has now become law. And that the special thanks of the Otago Settlers' Association be conieyed to Mr. M'Glashan for the able despatch to the Association which has been read to this meeting, and the valuable information and suggestions therein contained. The'Serretary then read the following despatch from Governor Grey to Earl Gre\ :—: — Go\ eminent House, Wellington, .November, 2'Jth, 18-31. My Xonn, — I have the honour to trunsinit a memorial v.hieh has been, addressed to your LoicKhip by a considerable number of most respectable settlers in the Otago District, pruning, for the reasons set forth in tlioir memoii.il, that your Loidship will not grant any Charter to the Otago Association ; and that, for the s-amo 'casons, jour Lordship will be pleased, without gi\iiig any iuither extension oi time to the Otago Association, to direct that the. Otago District should in the usual mannei be taken under the direction of the Government of this colony. I have at the same time the honour to transmit the copy of a memorial signed by 18ti of the settlers of Otago, including: num of its most respectable inhabitants, praying in like manner that no further extension of time for tln> put pose of oflernug laud rules may be giantert to the Otago Association ; and statin" that Class Settlements, such as have been established at Otago, are the cause of endless disputes between Christians of different denominations. I ha\e, &c , (Signed) G. Giiey. To the Eight Hon. Earl Grey. The Chairman directed the Secretary to read the memorial to Governor Grey first,' remarking the object for doing so, although it appeared in the Blue Book last, was because it was the first in point of date, it having been got up nearly a twelvemonth previous to that to Earl Grey. He further remarked, from the method of forwarding these documents home, and the order in which they were printed, gave them the appearance of having been signed about the same time, this was another of the Blue Book tricks which they had so often to complain of. The Petition as follows, with the names attached, was then read by the Secretary :—: — To His Excellency Sir George Grey, X.C.8., &c. &c. &c, the Petition of the Settlers of Otago. That at the present time the greater proportion of the inhabitants in the Otago Settlement do not belong to the Free Church of Scotland, the Petitioners 1 therefore humbly pray, that your Excellency will represent this matter to the Home Government, to prevent an extension of time for the effecting of Land Sales being granted to the Free Church Association. That the very name of Class Settlement engenders endless disputes between the different professing parties of Christian settlers, which your Petitioners cannot but regret. Therefore your Petitioners humbly pray that your Excellency will give us your assistance in any way your Excellency may think fit, for the puiposeof making this Settlement free to all denominations of Christians ; and that in future, Land Sales — the pi ovision set aside for religious purposes — shall be appropriated in the usual manner adopted in the other settlements. And your Petitioners, &c. Signatures. — William Poppelwell, Howard Lakeman, Archibald Lakeman, Samuel Wooley, senior, Charles Bentley, George Steel, Samuel Wooley, jun. J. H. Stirling, A. Mercer, J. Lemon, John Heweit, Thomas Taylor, Neil J. B. M'Grisjor, Benjamin Thome, George F. Stewart, David Carey, John Styles, David Miller, John W. Whittle, Alfred Fulton, David Taylor, F. V. Martin, Morgan Evans, Charles Smith, Henry Joseph, William Lowe, Peter Williams, W. H. Mansford, Lewis Lonelier, Charles Milne, Ociavius Harwood, Frederick H. Borton, Lewis Cameron, David Dunlop, John Sutton, John Sherry, JohnSidey, Andrew Thomson, John Dalton James Ste\euson, Thomas Howie, James Gibson, William Walsh, George Houghton, Charles Manuel, G. Falcott Johnstone, James Killin, James Anderson, John Nicholson, John Ferguson, Edward Hudson, James Boniface, Robt. Pearson, James Henry, Edmund Dunne, Robert Twelftree, William Archdeacon, John Roberts, William Johnston, James Wright, George Reynolds, Adam Rogers, junior, Charles Gibson, Peter Campbell, Charles Reid, William France, John Williams, James Kelly, Richard Hassett, James Shiell, George Ireland, Benjamin Bailey, Donald Manson, John Campbell^ Charles Crawford, John Carter, Eobert Shanks,

James Stewart Shanks, jun., John Clark, William Sheriff, George Sheriff, Thomas Sheriff, James Stewart Shanks, senior, George W. Smith, James Robertson, John ltae, \V. A. Mosley, John Borton, James Fulton, R. H. Jeffreys, William Fraser, David Laing, W. Melville Laing, F. G. Scott Laing, Donald Ferguson, William Duncan, A. Findlater, James Bain, Archibald Anderson, John Baines, James Burton, sen., Richard Sutcliffe, jun., James Burton, jun., Edward Hurry, Thomas Robertson, Geo. L. Fleury, John Hyde Harris, Samuel Gibbs, R. F. Waterloo, S. Moule, Richard Simpson, John Cawle, Lewis A. Berneys, John Dcwe, William G. Taylor, George Westland, Thomas Howorth, Chas. - M. Taylor, George Lloyd, J. M'Kain, J. C. Carnegie, Richard Sutcliffe, sen., William Elliot, William Willocks, John Bond, John Hartley, John Proudfoot, Angus Gunn, Alexander Rennie, John Hill, Thomas Glen, Adam Rogers, senior, Andrew Summers, William Weatherburn, Thos. Matthews, Joseph Beale, John Adams, James Jones, John M'Gibbon, Thomas Martin, James Ure, E. B. Atkinson, Plumpton Clemison, H. Bankey, Alexander Leith, Henry John Sutton, Samuel Shaw, John Barr, Peter Crew, John G. Logan, George Ross, James Cunningham, Thomas S. Archibald, James Wallace, John M'Lean, George Crawford, Peter Crawford, John B. Todd, James Davis, Samuel j Coates, Edwin Palmer, James Mayo, William Barry, j J. M. Topham, Archibald M'Donald, Robt. Fulton, Hugh Robison, Henry M'Hugh, Stephen Smith, James Brown, John Smith, Robert Cartridge, Hugh i Cameron, John Logan, William Palmer, William i Low, Edward Palmer, James M'Kenzie, William I Russell, Robert Margin, James Crane, Henry S. Ridley, James Christie, Lewis Edwards," James Wybrow, Thomas Hockins. . The reading of the names created much merriment, Sir George Grey haviiig represented , them as those of the "most respectable" por- j tion of the community, the members of the As- , sociation suggesting the particular call or posi- j tion of the various petitioners. Runaway j sailor was by far the most frequent designa- j tions. Several black men, Barbadians, and ! others (not New Zealanders), were recognised. One lad known as "Daft Charlie" was received with shouts of laughter. Mr. John Adams said his name appeared to | the petition, — at least he was thp only person of j that name in this part of New Zealand. If it j were meant for his name, he declared it to he a , forgery ; he had never signed'such a document; he had been requested to sign it, but declined. Mr. John Barr said the name of John Barr i had been read. It had been supposed that it was his signature : he positively denied having ] signed it. There was another John Barr in j the settlement who had authorised him to stale j that he had been a«ked by a Mr. Llo)d to sign ' a petition to obtain an Episcopal Minister; he did not sign his own name, but had allowed | Mr. Lloyd to put il down. The petition which , had been road by the Sccretaiy had never been shewn or read to him. ; Mr. John Mollisox stated that he had been { repeatedly pressed to sign the petition, which ' he had declined to do. He had, however, an j opportunity of seeing the document : it 'had j not original signatures attached, but was all in one hand wiiting. He had asked to see the • original Mgnatures and had been shown a j number of dirty sheets of paper, and was told ] they had been copied because they were too i dirty to be sent to the Governor. He did not think the headings of all of them were alike ; ! he observed more paragraphs in one than the ' other. Mr. A. Rennie said there was no forgery in ! his case ; he had signed the petition ; he had ; i'elt doubts as to the first statement in the peti- ' tion that the Free Church was a minority, and J had made particular enquiry of the person requesting him to sign, and he was assured that the statistics which were shown him, and which made the Free Church a minority 8 were pre- j pared by the Government. , On being /ailed upon to name the person, Mr. Rennie said it was Mr. Carnegie. The Chairman stated it was quite true that the statistics in question had been made up by j Mr. Strode, the Resident Magistrate, and it was one of the charges which at an early date ' had been brought against that gentleman and remained unanswered, that he had made up these false statistics with a political object. Mr. Rennie was desirous of avoiding another error, and wished to know what evidence they had of the Free Church being a majority. The Chairman stated that he was Immigra- , tion Agent to the New Zealand Company in I 1850 ; he had lists of every person landed, and ; it was a part of his duty to make up statistics ; | in doing so he had been to every house in the settlement and asked the occupier his religion ; he therefore knew to a certainty that the Free Church had a large majority. Mi\ Reynolds produced the statistics collected by the Rev. Mr. Burns on his last annual visitation. Mr. Rennie expressed himself satisfied ; he had signed the petition, and he had done so on principle ; he disapproved of all. State Churches. He thought it was a low; idea of Mr. M'Glashan that those who had accepted free passages from the Froe Church Association should pay hack their passage money if they disagreed with the scheme ; he thoi'ght they had an equal right to express their opinion with others ; he would have. liberty of conscience for all. The Chairman protested against drawing a comparison between the Church of Otago and State Churches. Did they not elect their own office-bearers ? The Trustees of the Church were members of its own body, and doubtless when they were sufficiently advanced they would appoint their own minister. What connection had the Church with the State? The statement that the name of Class Settlement engendered endless disputes was utterly without foundation ; the disputes had been entirely confined to persons not of the Free Church, and were not of a religious but of a political nature. As to liberty of conscience, every man was entitled to that ; but he regretted that any person's conscience was of that elastic nature to allow of his making such statements as those put forward in the petition.

Mr. A. GuNN admitted signing the petition 1 , and declared his objection to the principle of Class Settlements. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. J. H. Harris, regretting his being unable to attend the meeting, and called upon the Secretary to read a letter which Mr. Karris had enclosed j explanatory of the circumstances under which i he signed the petition :—: — Sir, — Having been given to understand that a copy of a petition, dated 24th August 1851, having for its object the total annihilation of the Class character of the Settlement of Otago lias been recently received here ; and seeing that amongst other signatures thereto my name appears, I think it due not only to myself, but also to the people of Otago, that I should publicly enter into some explanation of the circumstances under which I was led to sign the document referred to, and to shew that, whatever view may have been taken of my conduct, I have not, as may be supposed by those with whom I am not intimately acquainted, been sailing under false colours. Upon my arrival at Otago in the month of September 1850, I was in ignorance of the distinctive formation and character of the colony, my knowledge on the subject being confined to the fact of its being a " Scotch Settlement." This want of knowledge is attributable to the adventitioxis circumstances which induced me to leave England and settle in this place. Having premised so much, I assume that no preconceived opinions or information could have biased me either in favour or against the Otago Scheme of Colonization. Some few weeks after my arrival the petition in question was presented to me for signature by one of the few persons in the place with whom I was at that time acquainted. I read it accordingly, and at once expressed my disinclination to attach my name, stating, as my reasons for objecting, that having i been so short a time in the place, 1 was unable to [ form any adequate opinion of the correctness of the statements contained, or the principles involved, in it. I was then told that I might rely upon their J correctness, as aKo upon the fact that it was the general wish of the people that the Otago Settlement system should be abolished, it having proved a failure. I appealed to another gentleman, who was present, who confirmed the statements referred to, and said that he should sisjn it himself, and that he believed almost every one else would do the same. He stated, moreover, that the great proportion of the land purchasers were Englishmen, and that they, with the great propoition of the people generally, were in favour of an open Settlement. I then said, I will sign the petition upon these conditions, iiz., — that if jon find, upon further investiga- j tion, that any of its statements are incorrect, or that a great majority of the people objoct to sign it, I that jou will erase my name, as I should be unwilling to attach my name to anything th.it is contrary to thoir wishes. A promise was gi\cn me to that i effect, and I attached my name in compliance with thoie terms, and on no other. Some six months after that time, not having hc.ud anything further, of the fate of the petition, I onqunel of ono of the ! peisons who was in^tuunent-il to my signing it, i what hid become of it? lie stated th.it it had n-it been sent, and he belie\od it would not be. I said that I was glad, liming found th.it it was not a | truthful representation ot" facts. I may here state that I so implicitly relied upon the promise mid"" to me at thr time of signing the petition, that I did not take the precaution to see in}' name erased, whic-h events have proved was necessary. I ha\e no intention here of impugning the mothes of any one, as it is possible that the petition might have passed into the hands of persons who were . ignorant of the terms upon which I signed it, and | that e\en the terms themselves might have been I forgotten by the person who ngrced to them. But ' it does appear to me somewhat strange that this petition should have been held back undated until the 24th August 1851, a period of nearly ten months subsequent "to the date of my signature, and then bent to the Governor in connexion with another ' petition having the same or a very similar object in ' view, but which I refused to sign. 1 feel that I and ! several others ha\e a just ground of complaint, that our names which were given to the first petition under false impressions, should ha\ebcen kept upon j it for nine or ten months, and then sent to the Go- | vernment as expressive of the Aiews we then enter- j tamed; when it must have been known to those i persons by whom the petition was forwarded, that I and some others, whose names appeared upon it, | had not only been led to a knowledge of the mis- j statements it contained, but were at that time using j means to counteract the effects which might be pro- ! duced by any similar attempts at deception. i In concluding these remarks, I wish it to be distinctly understood, not only that I repudiate the petition referred to, with every statement made or < principle involved in it; but" that fiom the time ! when I was first able to form a correct view of the circumstances of the colony, I ha\e not only favoured, but used my best exertions to forward the views j of the majority of the people. And further, that I \ have no intention of deviating from the course I have hitherto taken. — I am, &c. John Hyde Harms. The following resolution of the Sub-Com-mittee was then put from the Chair and carried j unanimously: — | Resolved — That the statements put forward in the petition now read, purporting to be facts, are utterly without foundation. That so far from the adherents of the Church of Otago being a minority; they are a majority of five to one. That the statement that the " name of Class Settlement engenders endless disputes" is equally untrue. That the differences which, have unhappily afflicted Otago have been confined to a few Episcopalians, and chiefly among the Bench of Magistrates. That such differences have not been of a sectarian character, but have been entirely of a political and personal nature, the disturbers of harmony having been almost invariably either the holders of Government appointments or the applicants for sinecure offices. That the settlement is free, entirely free and open to all denominations of Christians, no instance of the rejection by the Association of any applicant for land being on record, or could take place consistently ■nith its principles. That the signatures appended to the petition were obtained in secret, and in many cases under false pretences, and in some instances names lune been put down without the consent or knowledge of the indi\ iduals whose they purport to be. That so far from the bulk of the petitioners being the most respectable class of the community, and a majority of landholders, as represented by His Excellency Sir G. Grey, they' consist, with a few exceptions, of runaway seamen, policemen, old whalers, squatters among the natives, casual visitors, and persons settled on the coast, having no connection with or stake in the settlement of Otago ; many of the names cannot even be traced as having been known in Otago, and fifty are known to have left the settlement for some time. The second petition was then read by the Secretary : — To the Right Honourable E.vrl Grey, Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonial Depart-

nient, the humble Petition of the Undersigned Magistrates and Landowners of the District of Otago, New Zealand ; Sheweth, — That this Settlement was originally selected by certain individuals of the Free Church of Scotland under an arrangement made with the New Zealand Company, by which the former were ! to dispose of 2400 properties, or 144,000 acres ; That of this quantity the New Zealand Company were to purchase 200 properties, or 12,0-50 acres', being about one-twelfth part of the whole, and that that Company was to be liable to the same charges for Religious, Educational, Emigration, and Civil Uses as other purchasers, to the extent of the Land so purchased by them, a part of the arrangement which has failed by the resignation of that Company ; That although this Association was formed so long as the year 1845, and was making active preparations for the formation of the Settlement in 1847 ; and although the first Settlers arrived here in the John Wickhffe in March 18i8, yet it seems, that including all the Land sold up to the latest advices from Great Britain, the properties sold have been only 291, 203 of which were sold to individuals, uz. :— ln 1847, 72 properties were sold; 1848, 71 properties were sold ; 1849, 44 properties were sold; 1850, 12 properties were sold; lHol. 4 properties I were sold — making altogether only 203 properties, or 12,2302 acres ; * That in the year 1850 there were only 6 purchasers arrived within the settlement; and in this year, to this date (Ist August) there has not been more than I 2 purchasers arrived ; That there has been a decrease rather than an increase in the amount of Labourers in the Settlement for the last year and a half ; That it is obvious to your Petitioners that the Settlement cannot succeed under its present manage- ' ment in adding to its amount of either wealth or labour ; That it is a delusion to consider it in any manner .. I a Free Church Settlement, for the highly respectable j j gentlemen whose names appear as those forming the Association are none of them purchasers of land ' within the Settlement ; and howler they may have j | imagined that they were promoting the' objects of j the Free Church, it is obvious that this Settlement does not possess the confidence of the Free Church generally, for in a speech delivered before the Scotch ! Congregation on the Bth May last by Mr. James j Macandrew (one of the two leaders of the Assoei- j ation here) and acquiesced in by others of the Asso- \ ciation, that gentleman alluded to the injurious reports which parties, met with at all the other Settle- i inents respecting Otago, "misrepresentations and i mi&statements," particularly to those of the Fiee I Church minister at Nelson, who, he had been griev- ' ed to understand, made it a general rule to dissuade ' ! parties bound for Otago from coming forward. (Ex- I I tracted from the " Otago Witness" of May 17, 1851, ' the organ of the Free Church.) That this delusion, whilst it does not really bene- I fit the Free Church or the Association, retard:, the ! | piospeiity of the Settlement ; That although this Settlement has now been so long established, and although a Free Church mini- i , bter was brought out by the first party at a stipend ' ! of £200 per annum (w ho oHiciatcs only at Duneiiin), i no additional minister lias been appointed, notwithstanding this Settlement has spread to .ai i-vteut of j above 80 miles ; j That of the £.300 per annum -to be paid to the minister out of the proceeds of the Land S.ile-s, there has not been one-half of that sum paid to him for the last year and a half, so that instead of increasing the number of ministers as the Settlement becomes more extended, they are not able now at the end of four years 1o p.ty for one ; That your Petitioners might advert to the unpleasant feeling cieated by the continual nuiiation of . the question of Free Church principles, ■which are obtruded on all occasions by those w ho are considered the heads of that Church, and which thej make the ground of peipctual contention, as one cauj-e of the ill success of this colon} ; That the number of properties held by resident i members of the Fieo Church are greatly li^s than , those held by other denominations, and that the Settlement must have been reduced to beggary long ' before this but for the wealth of tho^e who do not belong to the Free Church ; the numbers aie as | follows :—53: — 53 Free Church proprietors holding 50 properties ; 51 proprietors, non-members of the Free i Church, holding 85 properties ; o7 absentees hold- ; I ing G4 properties ; j That your Petitioners cannot but regret to see so i fine a district, possessing such advantages in soil j and climate, becoming e\ery day more inipo\ dished I instead of being so flourishing as it woxild be if it were like all the other Settlements (with the excep- i tion now of only one) in the hands of Her Majesty's Government. Your Petitioners therefore pray your Lordship not to grant any Charter to the Lay Association of i the Free Church, nor to ghe any fuiihei extension of time to them under the expectation ! that there will be any increase of Land purchasers in the District, a hope too often held out by the Association to be now worthy of any dependence, but to take the District under the direction of the general Go\einment. Arid your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will cvei pray, He. j Signatures. — David Garriek, J.P. ; ltobert Wil- ' Hams, J.P. ; Charles H. Kettle, J.P. ; A. Chetham j Strode, F. S. Pillans, William Ferguson, William i Buswell, Thomas lledpath, Hugh Itobison, Alex- j ander Stewart, Charles Milne, lienvy Charles Ilert- i slett, Charles Smith, George Lloyd, It, Fulton, ! W. G. Filleul, F. E. French, Julius S. Jeffreys, I James Fulton, Henry S. Ridley, J. C, Carnegie, Neil J. B. M'Grigor, John Carter, J. H. Stilling, John Dewe, Thomas Trumble, W. A. Mosley, | [ Charles Suisted, E. B. Atkinson, J. Lemon, Edwin > Palmer, Archibald Anderson, Frank Chrystal, Peter Williams, W. 11. Mansford, John Shepherd, Henry Monson, William Barry, John E. Smith, John G. Logan. The following resolutions, prepared hy the Sub-Committee, were then put from the Chair and carried unanimously :—: — Resolved — That the petition now read is a tissue of untruths and misrepresentations. That its untruthfulness is manifested by the fact of the signatures being only 39 in number, several being those of Government officials, whose known and avowed hostility to the principles of the settlement since its commencement has placed them in a state of -inta- • gonism to the body of the settlers, and whose per- ! sonal and pecuniary interests can be preserved only by the destruction of the scheme of the settlement, j and its falling into the hands of the Government, ! 1 That the 39 individuals in question only possess j ] about 1200 acres of land out of about 19,000 acres | altogether sold ; and that, at the time the petition! i was signed, there was not more than 40 acres out of ; the 1200 referred to under cultivation. That many 1 of the petitioners were mere boys holding properties t in their fathers' names, and that only three are « members or adherents of the Church of Otago. That i the petition was got up after the visit of Sir Geo:ge t Grey to the settlement by Government officers in t his especial confidence, and founded upon false sta- i tistics made up by the Resident Magistrate. That the whole affair was attempted to be kept secret i from the <body of the settlers. That the registration ] of land department was seized hy an individual hos- <

tile to the scheme of tlie settlenierit, who has .since' been rewarded with the office of Government Surveyor, and that the statistics of the number of land" holders and of properties sold were made up in tilt* Survey Office, and are utterly untrue, as must be! manifest to every man who has been 1 on the spot and has seen the number of arrivals both in 18o(j and 18.51. That this nleeting desires to call the attention of" the Otago Association to the methods in which signatures to the aforesaid petitions were obtained— namely, by falsehood and misrepresentation 1 . Th.it it is believed that original signatures were not attached to the memorial to Sir George' Grey, but that the promoters of that memorial wrote down the names of persons whom they supposed favourable td its prayer. That many of the persons whose names are attached to it reside at distances which render enquiry of them impossible ; but iii several instances settlers residing in the town, whose name* appear U) it, positively deny haviiig ever signed such a docu ment. That it was in course of signature in November 1850. That at that time there existed no means of advocating the cause of the Church of Otago, the only journal then published being hostile td the poouli.ir scheme nf the Otago settlement. That thr petition iva<; sni'iggWl out of th.» settlement without the knowledge of the parties signing it.- That no opportunity was afforded to the public to verify such signatures ; in this respect presenting a strong contrast to the petition siafiied by 310 settlers forwarded to the Association, which was exposed for a week in a public store in Bunedin. and inspection invited by advertisement in the local newspaper.- That the petition to Earl Grey, which it was endeavoured tv keep a profound secret from the groat bwly of the settlers, and has but 89 signatures attached, lnay be* considered to represent the party hostile to the scheme of the settlement, this petition having I:eeii got up 12 months subsequent to the date of the more numerously signed memorial to Sir G. Grey; and although strenuous efforts were made to obtain the signature- of the persons who had signed the petition to Sir George Grey to the memorial to Earl Grey, tho^e effoits, except in a few instances, pro\ed unavailing, fiom the public ha\ing heen made more; conversant with the true state of affairs by the publication of the "Otago Witness." That the attention of the Association be especially directed to the tiick of forwarding both documents at the same time, and in one enclosure, for the evident purpose of giving them the appearance of having been signnl conjointly; when, in fact, the one more numerously signed was in course of signature twehe mouths pie\ious to the other. The following resolution, which the SubCommittee had neglected to prepare, was then proposed by Mr. Jiejnolds and seconded by Mr. Laii»l;inds : — In the opinion of this Association it will bo desirable that the same individual-; should nol be niembeis of* the House of Representatives at AVellington and of the Provincial Council; and the Association would recommend this opinion to the attention of the constituency. A discussion ensued, bt't it bring late, tlir previous question was moved, seconded, anil carried, the subject being of too much importance to be discussed so late in the evening. Thanks were voted to the Chair, tiikl the meeting separated.