NEW PLYMOUTH; NOVEMBER 2, 1853.

Taranaki Herald, Volume II, Issue 66, 2 November 1853, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH; NOVEMBER 2, 1853.

Two meraoiialß, having relation to the Land Question, nre now in course of signature in New Plymouth, copies of which will be found in another 'column.' Oneoftthese documents is addressed to the Governdr-in chief, praying him to delegate to the/Superintendent the authority to purchase land fiom the Natives,- contemplated by ' (he Constitutional Act; and also that his Excellency will asaeni to nny measure which may be passed by the Gen ral Assembly giving to the Superintendent and Provincial Council the management of the wnstHandi of the Crown appertaining to the Province 'The other is in duplicate to. the Legisiatiy* vCouncilpand the House of Representatives ■praying the passing of some measure ti effect the latter object. In accordance with the sentiments of ; large portion of the people of the province .a resolution to forward memorials on tlv latter subject to his Excellency and th -two Legislative Assemblies wan agreed ti at a"recent meeting of the Council; 1 am we ( commend the documents now put for •ward to, the serious consideration of all, a calculated— if numerously signed—mate

rially to assist the object proposed by thnt resolution, , Tr^maehinery here for the purchase of land from the Natives has proved altogether defective. ■ Whether it's insufficiency arises from want of means, want of authority in the officer employed, or wane of the need- , fill time Tieing bestowed on the duty by i reason of its being joined to other emp oyments, is not known ; but whether arising from one or a combination of the«e causes is immaterial, the consequences have been the same to the settlement, and ate essen" tially ruinous. It may be that there are difficulties in the way of the acquirement of land which cannot be overcome, and the lirst point to be determined is whither ot not it be possible; and that the a'tempt may have every chance of success it is requisite that some more efficient means than has yet been tried should be adopted. \Ve have alre.idy obseived on a paragraph in the Repoit of the Committee ■'of the C< uncil on the Estimates, which has some relation to th" subject under consideration. It will be recollected that the committee suggested the abo'ition of the office of Inspector of Police, and that the suggestion was adopted by a vote ol the Council ; and also that the gentleman who held th.it office held likewise the ' appointment of Land Purchaser, and that to the duties of the last o/lice no emolument was attached, although doubtless the salary paid must he considered as having relation to the performance of both. The ifFect of that 'vole* therefore, has Leen vitlually to leave the settlement without an officer for the latter duly, since io suppose the gratuitous performance of an office so important would be preposterous. The appoin'mnit Io this office is in his Fxcc'ili'ticy, ami wp may expect to have it provided for immediately ; . but it is not the filling up of this appointment that is a'one necesSaiy. It cannot but be well known to many Ah.it there art individuals whose service* rhight be usefully taken advantage of in negociations for the purchase of land, in which ever direction we look in this settlement, and whose power to facilitate or retard these operations is uudeniab'e. We do not assert that those parties are opposed to the further acquirement of lnnd by the settlement . thcy'iuay be merely indifferent, and think, as in tiulh the fact is, that they have no business to meddle in the mutter. It is very desirable thnt there should be an authority at hand in the Province to vancl ion the officer appointed in the employment of such means, and possessing also the power of guaranteeing, by a rcfuence to the Provincial Council, the necessary additional disbursements. The charges which such aid might'oeca,sion would, it may bo s.ifely calculated^ more than reimbursed by advantages secured in ,tli,efj purchase;. But, should this not be the case, the acceleration of a purchase Jin the pi CiSfrtt position of the Settlement, by even a few months, would more Ihan computable for the additional outlay expended in s'", 0 ! 1 transactions. It may be urned that the tntrorluctien of a B\stuin of giving premiums is unwholesome. The position in which the province' stands in i elation to land admits not of temporising, it is to late, and we, may not he , fastidious ,as to means applieil to remedy our difficulties. Tho propriety of the, request made in the first of theie memorials, for a deligation ol authority to deal witli the natives for lnnd, to the Superintendent, fisststed by. the land officer. 1 of the Pnivmcj, m.iy be amply prbvfd from the history of pnst yei«rs, s i During the last 4 years no land_ has . I bought, nnd it' is a f*cb eqnally undeniable

that during the whole of that time the pro. jjrqss of the settlement has been retarded by reason of the want/of land. Whethe r the error be in the system, or in the mnir* -igement, or both is immaterial, one thing is certain, that in some sh.ipt* or other ! it requires amendment; and as it affects the interests, so it should be the business of every individual in the Settlement to bring about a change in the system. Experiment is better, than utter stagnation. Numerous memorials on the subject hnvt" during the last two years been forwarded tv the Governor ; these have produced, it answered at all, meiely a formal acknowledgment of thi'ir receip', aud now and then n «' We unilerstnnil " in one of our contemporaries ; thnt the Governor or Mr. M'Lcan is about to pay New Plvmontlt a visit, the <>l>ject lii-in^ to co'icludf some ingorituions (or purcliiisiiig fresh blocks of land ; that a la rue number of natives, on such a co:)greK<Ui d at the Government HoU'te, and it witsAinderst'od that the meeting had relution to tltc [)Uicbn < -c of laud <tt Tnrattaki. No O'ie giving ,in honest opinion on hi si- 8' mi»offici,il drmonstiations cm deny t'liat thi-* most vital iirei.sitpf tbo Settle" nie.it hns been jiopardised by the indifference .md neglect of the Government, and il immediate sti'ps be not tiken to remedy thetvil, fmewelltothe ptosperityof New P I \ mouth. , It is difficult ffom -present appe trances io prognosliiMte when ibe General Assembly will be called together, nor is it necpseary to the matter under discussion, the sole power in relntion to arrangements <m this point lyinjf in the Crown, or the Go* ' vernoi. And it is si far fortunate, since in the absence of an inutu'iliute and sntisfacioi v answer from his Excellency, n direct npplicn:ion irniy be made to tier Majesty, laying befoie the Home Government the difficulties 'nnder which iljp Settlement has l.iboured during p-ist yenrs, the treatment it hns received, iindlhe peiil of a persistanec iti i he p osi'iit con,, st. Tin' Li gM.ituVe h^s provided a remedy, and if the Ri'presentu'iive of thp Crown in the Colony (icdinis to apply it, .there is but tilt* other course left, namely, applying Io the fountain h<-ad for ih<; nt-eessai;y powerl

To His E.tckllkNcy Sia George Guby ' GovuiiNon of New Zkamnd. \.y<-. Thr Memorial of tho undctsignr-il inhabitants cf the province of New Plymouth, Sheweth :— ' Tlint— tlio Act. IS &IG Viet., cap 72 conferring rep esenlntiVf jimilution> on tint Colony it-co^nises tliv pu'nciplc of locnl iniiniiguni'nl for lucnl affairs. 1 Tlmi thr, land within n pro"iuce is eminently and estmtiiilly v matter of local Cnncornment. •'Th >t. — pure lines of land from the native inhabitants can most easily be made by nenons roiidun in the neighbourhood of Midi land bcciufc— l, such pcr-ions can hi I *,! rominund locnl influence mid inform i lion— 2, tho iiHtive Inhiibitnntt are changeful in character and require to ba c'ojed with wiiliom di'lny at the favourab.c moment. , , Iha^-Mhrhnrmony between tho rocfß in thU provincs tins never been disturbed ; thnt tfirir cotn« mcroiivl dealings grow diily, thtt hoi ti racei nre advancing in wealth, ond appreciate the importancs, not of peace merely, but of absolute Iranrjniliiy. That it i« obviously impracticable to occupy lands without assent of the nulWe claimant, thereto' , . „ ■ That in nil regulation 1 ; uffcetins; the f mbdiil«ion, naif, Iming, or otherwise dmling with the lands of the Crown, Ihe nccemary informati'in in , eniier to be obtained and ihe needful expedition more ' easily used, by a local than by a central legisla* ' ture. , Th»t— The restrictions irnpnjed by the act above quoted, and tho general -powers lyini? is'your Exe'eN lency and in the Houses of General' Assembly pro* ' vide Fccurity for lnral and other vested interests, f Y,.ur roeinonglitts' thereforo pray Your Excel- , Icncy, to delegate to tho Superintendent of thi« Pro- ) vince the authority necetsarr for concluding par- , chases with tho native urc. iTo place the control of the lam) office with ample ' power* in the hands of the (aid Superintendent. 1 To introduce further and to assent to mea« : Cures' in the' Homes of General Auemhly foi

p Jsclog the Crown Ltndi in tliii province node r the authority of the Provincial Council thereof. And your memorialist! will ever pray. To the Honorable, tiie House o» RItPRESENrXTIVCS, i The Memorial of tho undersigned luh&bitinti of Jho Province of New Plymouth, " Sbeweth, Thai the lnnd niihin a province is essentially •lid eminently n matte- nl lucnl concernment. Tina in all ie>;ulMjoni affecting the Sals, Lettine, Dupnsturing or olhcrvvur drilling wi'.h tho L'lnils of the Crown, r minute local knowledgemmiM be highly odv«ntaaou« nn<l better obnia^d hy » Local Legislature than by a central body '1 hat'lnr r.ati^liraj \impo»"d liy tho act juit quo" tcil and ihegtyifttyJinlMri'y lying in your hoitornb,e Ho«he cnijj.^a^BJjiStf! I"1 ''"' Legttln'urc Council npc) the G )»einor JnvSS^F^raply provide for the mrurity ol loci I ot ottjSnj'ii'ti'd intTolr: Your mpmoiialints tl^f}lrrtf,|irny your Honorable Home to laUu inio yo'ilr^jUiVJl^ilt conMdmtlnn racanuirn for conferring &n'gM£-^ft>vincinl Council of New I'lyinouth the poorer i>f . Odnini; w i : h ilia LiiiJi of the Crown* in' tlw SiHgStovincc.

We arc enabled this week' to give (from the Guzdte) ihe Repoit of the Committee o'i th- Estimates, referred to in our latt ivsue. New Plymouth, October 29, 1853By Order of the Provincial Council thr following Report and Estimates are published for general information. C. W. Richmond, Acting Clerk of Council.

The Committee, in presf nting to Council a report of the remit of its inquiries, has to call iitteniiou to s-ome alterations which it has been deemed advisable to propose, and which will be founJ in the amended Usti mates annexed. Tin se suggestions, are now submitted for the consideration of Couuci ; but having on certain points no data to seive as a guide in estimating probable expendituie, the committee bus in these cases either taken the sum named by his Honor, or put down such an amount us was cousideied likely to be sufficient to cover the outlay necessary for the-e purposes. In the alterations mr.de in the amended Estimates now presented to your notice, the opinion of the committ'C isnot.niveii without considerable diffidehce, aiising not from any unwillingness to express the conviction an ived at as ihe result of the eviduncf* which has been obtained, but because the difficulty of forming a correct judgment on the wispst course to be pursued on many point? is such, that the committee, is not disposed to urge upon the Council to adopt its views in every case. In the 'superintendent's Department it is propo-ed to allow £250 as the »alary of his Honor; because the committee, considers the amount placed on the Estimates insufficient to admit of his maintaining the position in a manner cieditaj>le to ihe Province. It has also been thought advisable that a house j.hotild be retained by Council as Superintendent's refideucej since, whatever chang'S may take place, it must always be dcsitable that the Superintendent for tyie time being should reside in the town. " The sum of £40 is therefore proposed to be allowed for rent. . In the Department of the Provincial Council, the salary for the Prorincial AttoVney haa been included in one sum wilh that o( Cierk to Council, because no objection js seen to the union of the two offices in one individual, whiltt an cv dent advantage would thus be deiived from the council obtaining the services, of a more. efficient clerk than a due regard to economy, in expenditure would piqbahly admit of were a different course adopted. With regard to »he Provincial Treasurer,, there W not sufficient evidence before the committee to admit of a decisive, opinion being arrived at, -whether it is expedient

t"v; i'"r»i — "■■^.i.", — ■ — ttvf^- -.—.t-fi'Vu ..a.: that a separate officer should exist, or whe- . thcr the duties might not be discharged without the expense of an additional officer. An amount has been placed on the Estimates providing for the payment of certain ' sums ti> the Speaker and Members of Council. On this subject the commitiee declin s to express an opinion, but had deem.d it advisable, considering the ex-, p^nses which must be immediately incurred, nnd ■•ome of which, though necessary now, will not recur for a con3idcniblo tirtic, lo recommend nothing under that head in the present year. • In the Resident Magistrate's Department there appears nn reason for making any alteration in the salary of the Cierk to the Bench, or in that of the Gaoler; although in ihelniter case it in ihe opinion of 'he committee that, whatever duties may f.ill upon tU/ Inspector of wf ights and measures and the Inspector ofslanghtei houses, can' be petformed by the Gaoler without addi- ) tional pay. The sum allowed for contingenci s in thii »nd other departments ii estimated from the expen'ei of previous j years, allowance being made for any exlr.i outlay which may have appeared necessary. The Hai hour Department i? one of the moit important matters to which your committee has bad to diree.t its att* nlion The necessity for placing it on a better fooling appeals so strong, that the committee has felt justified in recommend ng some considerab'e alterations (based upon the evidence obtained), with tlie view of increasing the efficiency of a deptfitmcnt, the importance of which lo the prosperity of the Province can scatcely be over-rated. Tlif sum allowed for occasional boatmen lias been estimated fiom tlie charges on that account for the^ast six months; but this is liable lo considerable fliictu- lions. With a view to s cine a sufficiency of men at all times, and un lr:r all circumstances to man the pilot boat, and to serve as a nucleus for the caigo boats vhen required, tlie committee iccotnmend engaging a permanent crew at the waves named. As these men would not be entirely occupied with the boats their services would lie generally available on public works within such" distances from the flag-staff as would 'not prevent them from being at hand wln'/i'' ! .r^q'iiired by the Harbour Master. Whi'e, therefore, .£390 for thi3 crew appears under the head of harbour expenses, a portion of it is in reality changeable elsewhere ; but as tlie committee is unable to estimate the amount which should be deducted, the whole is left as a harbour charge. The sum allowed for boat-shed, ropes, paint, repairs, &c, is considered insufficient, and is ihenfore proposed to be increased to £200. Of this, about one-half is a charge on the years's revenue, which would nut be repeated for some time : the remainder would b<- an annual expense. The amount placed by his Honor under the head of Arr.ied Police Force, has given your committee much difficulty. A sum of £200, will horse allowance, is i roposed for an Inspector of Police; but it appears from the best informiition obtainable, that but a small proportion of the duties performed by the gentleman holding this appointment belong to the Police Department. \fr ithoul, therefore, questioning the neceseity of his services as nrgociator with the Natives for the purchase of land, the commitlie cannot admit the justice of charging the Province with his sajary as Inspector of Police, when his. service*, aa it'appears, are not required in that depiirtment ; and the committee considers that it should be, like the salary of tlie Commissioner of Crown Lauds, a first charge upon the Land Fund. It is therefore proposed that in lieu of

an Inspector the present Sergeant Major should be made Sub-Inspector, and have the addition to his salary named in the amended Estimates annexed. Having carefully inquired into the efficiency of the poliie foice as at present existing, the committee cannot recommend, a li'ss number than six privates to be continued; and has allowed in tho amount ■ proposed for contingencies for the issue of extra clothing to the men for night duty, in addition to the charges as calculated from the outlay of last year. With regard to the Inspector of sheep, no opinion can be formed until the bill proposed to be lntrndiidd to you shall have regulated the dnti.s of that officer; the salary is, therefore, left on ihe Ksli mates without alteration. The allowance for rent of council ( hnmber, furniture, punting, stationery, &c. Sicis what is supposed hkely to be required ; lliat for furniture, however, will u\ t, like the rest,' be an annual charge. The committee h;is no evid nee enabling it to form an opinion on the bes mariner of expending that portion of the Land Fund which will be uvniUble for the dispos.il of Council ; but coiiMderin;; it is mo->t consistent with true economy to engage the services of some competent person to give general supeiiiiti-ndence to the ro'ids ntid to the expenditure of money in improvi g them, have proposed to place upon the Ksdmates a sum for the Road Surveyor which it is considered will secure the services of a scientific person for that duty.

Income The committee are of opinion that it will not be prudet t to anticipate a grt'nter amount of available Customs Revenue than £2260 for the ensuing 12 months, but estimates that there will be in addition about £ ( >0 from Licences, and a further sura of £400 ai receipts from the boating establishment. The probable receipt:) from the (-and Fund, cannot yet be calculated with any degree of certainty, but that portion likely to be payable to the Province may be put down at about £735. (Signed) G. R. Burton, Chairman. G. Cutfilld. 1. Nlwton Watt. The following also nppenrcd in the Gmate pnbli-hed on siiturd.iy l*sl : New Plymouth, October 29th, 1853. THi.fullo.Miig Cucuiai De-patch is published lor general information. Charles Brown, iSupe.uueudent (Circular) Civil Secretary's Office, Wellington, I2tl) August 1353. No. 1047. £■> 1R, — It has appeared to Governor !?ir G. kJ Grey that it may often be for the interest of 11 particular Province, with a view to encourage tne occupation uf the. Land, to uudettake surveys upon a larger scale than the receipts of the Laud Fund would at the- time justify the General Government in undertaking. In such cases the Provincial Council might feel dispo>ed to make advance;, from the share of the General Revenue which they are empoweted to administer, tor the purpose of increasing the survey staff and expediting the surveys, 'relying upon the probable increase of the Laud Fund from such a measure, for the reimbursement of the expenses incurred in carrying uut this plan. The Commissioner of Crown Lnnds has accordingly recdved instructions that, if the Provincial Government should at any lime undertake to pay th' 1 additional expense of tho Survey listablishment, if increased beyond the limits which His Excellency has

r -.i-K'Nv'. 1 <■ 7;..u.;..i..v.j.Jh'^.,,u,f,m,vi(m > ?^sSgsar~ authorised, the Establishment i»rto be immediately augment' (l to such an 'extent as your Honor may guarantee the expense of All the costs of the, augmentation to the fixed l£stabllshinenti must be paid directly by the Provincial (Government, an 1 not by v the Commissioner. Ev.-n if the Land Fund ifii , should increase lp f such an extent as to enable the;ex'ra< «xpcnse to be defrayed t. om it, that officer is not to appropriate it to such a purpose' until His Excellences authority has be,en received, but must dis burse the Fund in the proportions dirrcled by the general instructions un the subject. 1 1 have, &.c 1 (Signed) Au'reo D iMf.it, I Civil Stcietary. j tlis Honor the Superintendent J of the Province of New Plymouth. 1 . -, • 1

ii. m. n. in. "bin <sny 10 0 Sunday 12 41 "n-morrow .. .. 10 41 Monday 124 'tUUj 1126 Tuesday 2 14 imurdHy , 12 I