Original Correspondenc.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2050, 19 April 1864, Page 3

Original Correspondenc.

Ook columns being impartially open we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. No notice can be taken of anonymous communications Correspondents must therefore furnish their names and address, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantea of good faith. To the JEditor of the Wellington Independent.) Hauminga, East Coast, April 9, 1864. Sir,— Although I have no sympathy with habitual grumblers and grievance monger*, I still feel called upon, by a letter signed '' Jacob Mathews," in one of the late issues of the Advertiser, to afford some additional light on the administration of the waste lands in this Province, under what by an ingenious picture is called responsible government. Callous and rampant, as several of those wbo have delnded the electors to get themselves into office, have grown from long impunity, it becomes the duty of every one however limited his sphere of action, fearlessly to come forward and through the medium of au unshackled press assist in exposing public abuses. The tendency of all governments is to become careless and corrupt as the people become apethetie — and ours now grown dishonest and wary with age, is far from exempt from the common infirmity, A plain, a simple incontrovertable fact, such as stated by honest Jacob Mathews, has much more effect upon the public miud than the mo3t labored argument, and if a few of the many wbo have tamely submitted to similar injustice, could be induced to follow his example, certain high functionaries may yet be taught that a power exists and will most assuvedly be evoked, which will teach them that the men with small copital are valuable in the state, and no man will be tolerated who can treat them with such injustice. With as much brevity as I can command I will now state my Ciise, first pledging myself to its ! entire truth. During the present Land Com- [ missioners tour of inspection last year, toceriify as to land that would be sold at five shillings per acre in tlie district, he called at my location, with his staff, and after condeseeuditififly partaking of such humble hospitality as a beginner in so remote a spot could offer, asked me to point out some boundaries which lie wanted to find. In thus going over the ground I directed iiis attention to a plot ofland near my homestead, requesting Uim not to certify as to that, as I would take it at the price often shillings per acre. Ie answer to my request, he replied " that it would not pay to "survey two hundred (200) asres, vrould it Mr Stewart." Hearing shortly after that Mr Charles Brown hud applied for three thousand acres of five shillings land on Mr Luxford's run, I immediately communicated with Mr G. Allen, M.P.C., requesting him to purchase the two hundred acres before mentioned, for me at 10s per acre. The money wbs refused upon the plea that the Commissioner would not recognise the boundary giren as Luxford's, namely, a straight line running; from the junction of the Haumingi apd Tauru rivers to the Typos. Remonstrance or appeal against this arbitary ruling would be vain, and had it rested there I should not complain. But judpe of nay surprise, for in the last Gazette, Mr C. Brown had purchased five hundred acres in which the 200 applied for by me was included, my money having been returned. J attach no blame to Mr Brown, but Ido question the right of the Commissioner to seive him or any other peison at the public expense. Will it not pay to survey land forthe industrious settler, but rather to lump it off, recklessly at 5 shillings? Thousands of acres have been thus sold, and better land than the hard working man has to pay the Land jobber 20s per acre for. Sir, what have the Carterron men to pay for the east side of the road which to the shame of the Laud Office was till scrip by the Laud jobbers, and stands to this dny in its native wilderness, except where it has been felled by those neglected men, the industrious settlers. The shameless jobbers have, and will pocket hundreds, altho' they never fell a tree or have been seen upon it for years. The well digested Laud ltegulations ol March J853, me no protection agaiust a quibliog Commissioner. Is there a man in the Council or Assembly sufficiently honest, to stand forward and challenge these abuses, and if uot, to what a farce have our represeutfitiveinstitutions fallen— a stanclingjest to all comers. No 'wonder that our province is retrograding while others are advancing ; whilst the actual settler is discouraged and is fain to retire to better governed localities. Sir, all here are disgusted and anxiously looking forward to the. coming elections for a better state of things. Your obedient servant, William Edinborough Cha.mbebla.in . [Mr Chamberlain's letter was scut to this office on Friday afternoon, too late for insertion in Saturday's issue.— E. W. X.]