To the Members of the Wairarapa Small Farm Association.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1396, 13 January 1860, Page 3

To the Members of the Wairarapa Small Farm Association.

Wellington, January 10. 1860,

Gentlemen, — I now redeem the promise I made to you at two public meetings, held in July 1858*, at Greytown and Masterton, respectively, by publishing a statement of the past and present state of-^affairs pf the. Small Farm Association, as far as I am enabled so to do, from the Record Small Farm Map, which I happen to have in my possession, from public papers now at the Land Office, aud private memoranda, made at times when I was acting as Secretary at meetings of the Association. In older that I may at this time, place before you a clear and snccint statement of the whole affair, I must, at the risk of being considered prolix, repeat here what I stated to you publicly, at the meetings referred to above. Mr. William Allen was appointed chairman, at the first public meeting convened at the " Crown and Anchor " for the purpose of forming a Small Farm Association, a Committee was also appointed to forward the objects of the Association ; this Committee composed paitly of. persons resident in town, and partly of settlers living in the country, though at first numerous, from various unavoidable causes, was latterly reduced to four members, namely, Messrs. Allen, Carter, Jackson, aud Renal!. The former gentleman, Mr. Allen, act* ing as Chairman and Treasurer to the Association ; about this/ time' Mr. J. Masters, a pro* minent member of -the Committee retired from its active management, on account of his going to reside at Masterton.

la 1857, the' year fixed by the Provincial Government for the termination of the period of three years, allotted for carrying out the objects of the Association, the Committee, Messrs Allen, Jackson, Carter, and Reuall, passed a resolution, dated July 21, 1857, returning to the Government the control, which the Committee had up to that time exercised over the Small Farm Lands ; at the same time this was passed and forwarded to the Superintendent, and of the same date, another resolution was also passed and sent to the Land Office, notifying to the Land Commissioner, the appointment of Mr. William Allen as trustee for signing all town acre conveyances on behalf of tlie Committee; ; I was at the same time appointed jointly with Mr. William Allen, to make out a true aud correct account of all monies received and disbursed by him for the Association, and to publish a " balance sheet" for the information of its members. At this silting of the Committee the sum of jfcU.Of ijt'as votett to Mr. William Allen's sou Frank, for his pak clerical services and his future aid in getting up the " balance sheet." From this date, July 21, 1857, for a period of about nine months, I was continually asking Mr. William Allen to meet me and bring oiu a, balance sheet; but hekept puttiogit off fio.n time to time, although I repeatedly pressed him, and offered to meet him at his own time & place or to do

anything to bring the business to its proper termination, hut all my efforts weie unavailing; and nothing was left to me, but to undeservedly incur the charge of neglecting to close the affairs of the Association, or to resign my appointment into the hands of the Committee ; which latter I accordingly. did, and was by them re-appoint-ed as sole trustee, and authorise'! by them to receive all papers and monies belonging to the Association from Mr. Allei, and to pub'ish a " balance sheet ;" Mr. A Hen's appointment was at the same lime revoked. My.appointmentwas dated June 11,1858, and is now deposited in the Lund Office, a copy of it I transmitted to Mr. Allen, who, when I applied to for the monies and papers I was duly authorized to receive made me an insulting verbal reply. Since then the two giants for the Masterton and Greyton town acres, have been issued to me as trustee, and the accompanying statement will show the progress made in giving the members of the Association valid titles to their town acres.

As regards money matters, detailed below, there can be no doubt of the amount paid and received for land, on behalf of the Association, by Mr. Allen. The .Land Office Books shew the one, and the Small Farm Selection Map the other.

The price of each town acre was, by the rules of the Association, fixed at £i, and by resolu lion of the Committee a funhei sum of ss. was charged to each subscriber purchasing a town acre. I myself received a considerable sum on account of the latter charge, which, with some other trifling amounts received by Mr. Masters, was handed to Mr. W. Allen ; but as I am aware that some of .the members wh') joined late, did not pay the extra 55., I have put down the sum of £25 as received from this soiree, namely on 100 town acres only, though 172 were actually sold. I believe the sum to be larger, but I prefer understating the amount to overstating it. The expenses of the Association are trifling, consisting of the sum for members of the Committee going to select sites of settlements in the Wairarapa, it being understood that the Committee were not to be paid for their other services, so tfiWt if this item is incorrect, it is in a very small mJgtee ; it may be a few shillings more or less ; mynreinjj deprived, by Mr. W. Allen, of the use ofu»u|e papers, which would in all probability make my statement perfect, leaves me no other alternative, in vindicating' myself from the charge of blame, than to make this public statement, and thus afford the members of the Small Farm Association all the information in my power. I myself directly or indirectly have ne^er received or expected <ne penny for my services ; in fact, from figures below, it will be seen the Association, wbic'li lias a good surplus fund, is indebted to me for cash paid out of my own pocket, and to the printers for advertisements.

Statement of the Financial Affairs of the IV airarapa Sin a. I. Farm Association.

Town Acres, How Disposed of— Groyfcown . Masterton. Town Acres sold ...... 89 Town Acres sold 83 " unsold ... .15 " unsold 19 " Raserves.nßt".'^ •' Reserves sold ':.."" 14 not sold 16 " Reserves sold 2 " Reserves sold 2 Total 120 Total 120 Reserves for Public Purposes. In Greytown... 48 acres In Masterton... 40 acres Lands Leased Greytown — -14 acre 3of ro~ Masterton— 3 reserve serve, 4 reserve town town acres, acres, 1 town acre-

Conveyances are now made out for 166 town acres, 70 of which have been taken up, leaving 96 now in the hands of Mr. Cheesman, which the owners thereof are respectfully requested to take up without further delay. On the 30th of June, 1853, I paid the sura of £4 to purchase 8 acres of land to complete the Greytown Reserve ; aud for three Crown Grauts for the two townships, and the reserve in Greytown, I disbursed £3, which, with the amount of £2 2s. 6il. paid by me for registering the Grants, May 2nd, 1859, makes the total £9 2s. 6J. which appears ia the Financial Statement as owing to me; I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, f ., C. R. Cabtem.

RECEIPTS. £ s. d. By Sale of 177 Town Acres 177 0 0 " 5 forfeited Town Acres ... 31 10 0 " 4 ltaserve Town Acres to It3ligio.ua bodies ' 20 0 Q By extra ss. subscriptions, say 25 0 6 Total Receipts £253 10 0 Disbursements...; 158 11 7 To be accounted for by Mr. Allen ... 94 18 6 DISBURSEMENTS. By purchase, March 29, 1856, of 240 acres for the 2 Townships 120 0 0 !• ' March "2/, 1856, of 40acrea for Groytqwn Reserve ... 20 0 0 By expenses of Committee in selecting . sites for Townships, say 4 10 0 By payment to Mr. Hughes, for Small Farm Map 5 6 0 By payment to proprietor of Spectator 816 7 £158 11 7 Unpaid Accounts. To Proprietors of " lndependent " ... 15 9 8 " " "Spectator" 0 10 6 To Frank Allen 10 0 0 " C. R. Carter ;... 9 2 6 " Claim by Mr. Masters 2 0 0 £37 2 8