LAND SHARKS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2529, 8 June 1867, Page 1 (Supplement)

LAND SHARKS.

[Independent, May I.] ■\Viien- " Thomas C. Williams, a native of New Zealand," recently wrote seurrillous and insulting letters about Mr Walter fuller's family, he unhappily forgot the excellent adage " that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." this man Williams could not vent his spleen against Mr Biillor and his relatives without stating what was unfair, it is Only necessary to cite a fesv well established facts, to show what a strange taste for invention and misrepresentation runs in the Williams' blood, and how the doctrine that it was their duty to make unfounded charges against public officers, and to covet native lands, was sucked in with their earliest pap. The Venerable Archdeacon Henry Williams, the father of the notorious "Thomas," was some twenty years ago, and had been for a long period previously, a missionary in the Bay of Islands. Under a happy dispensation the Williams'a increased and multiplied exceedingly. The quiver of the Venerable Archdeacon became full of arrows. His children sprung up around him tall and comely like unto young baytrees, even to the number of eleven. The Archdeacon, though content to go about with scrip and staff, faring hardly and holding no possessions, was yet resolved to provide for this interesting progeny. So he straightway procured, even from the merchants'jand the traders in the towns, 301 blankets, 82 iron pots, 107 axes, 58 hoes, 200 pigs, 4 casks aud 3-iO lbs tobacco, 1250 pipes, 33 adzes, 35 plane irons, 25 scissors, 47 knives, 6 razors, 38 spades, 12 books, 0 gowns, 25 belts, 0 bags of shot, 5 shot belts, 28 shirts, 28 trousers, 2 looking-glasses, 4 hats, 1 pit saw, 2 planes, 1 saddle and bridle, 1 coat, and 1 piece red cloth—to which he added a little money, some £154 — and thus provided, lie went forth and purchased a large block of land, %vhich is supposed to have amounted to 30,720 acres. When Waka and the Governor went to the Keri Keri to look fora site for a town, they ascended a hill and gazed at the surrounding view. " Whose land is that ?" said the Governor, pointing in one direction. "It belongs to Williams." "And that?" " Williams." " And that again ?" " Still Williams."' " And this hill ?" " That also belongs to AVilHams." Of course, Archdeacon Williams denies that he purchased land in that particular locality, but as the reverend gentleman, in another place, also denies that he has, or ever had, any personal interest in any land in the colony, we are led to suppose that it was a kind of family transaction. Unhappily, Archdeacon Williams was not content to buy his land and keep quiet aboutit; he must needsbesides,becomethe champion of the missionaries and the assailant of Sir George Grey. In a letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, he accuses the Governor of having made all kinds of unfounded statements against the missionaries ; but curiously enough, he omits to mention the real foundation of Sir George Grey's complaint, which was the conduct of the writer, aud that of several other church missionaries, with reference to their large claims for land. In an able and exhaustive despatch, dated February 10th, 18-19, Sir George Grey lays the whole facts of the case before the Secretary of State for the Colonies. "The Archdeacon," says the Governor, "was in the habit of addressing letters to me, containing most serious accusations against myself and officers employed by the Government, and containing expressions which could not fail to excite the natives and fill them with distrust of the Government. These letters he published in a violent opposition newspaper, in some instances beforo I received them, and without publishing my replies. He also contrived to get published in the »ame newspaper, a private letter of mine to your lordship. * * * I thought, therefore, that I was quite justified in not noticing any further letters which he might address to me on the same subjects." One might almost think Governor Grey was describing the tactics of the son instead of the father. It is extraordinary how peculiar qualities run in families ! Thomas C. Williams, is worthy of hi» sire. Sir George Grey in the same despatch, throws Koine further light upon the land transactions of this family. It seems that the Archdeacon claimed nominally 11,000 acres of land, in lieu of the nrticles he had given, but as his claims were only bounded by spots bearing native names, and as no survey had been made of them, it is certain tho amount of land included was much greater. Two Commissioners appointed to examine similar claims, cut down those of Archdeacon Williams to a maximum grant of 2560 acres, hut in the following year ho had the question reopened and got ail award of 0000 acres. By and by, through some mysterious influence, he had granted to him all the land he originally claimed, and we find him about this period, modestly talking of getting 30,720 acres for his family. All this land was obtained from the natives for a merely nominal consideration, and while the Government at that time in making purchases of land from the natives, set apart extensive reserves ; yet in Archdeacon Henry Williams' grants, there was no provision of ths kind made at all. In alluding to another objectionable feature in those grants, Sir George Grey remarks: — " ,4gain, the Government acquire, in point of fact, no right of property whatever in the land which they purchase ; they simply acquire a right of disposing of the land in such a manner as may best promote the interests of both races. Havjing acquired this right they sell the lands openly for the public advantage, ;&nd it is at . this period of sbhe process

thnt the real payment is given to the native for his land ; for with the funds realised by the sale of it, they provide schools and hospitals for the natives ; they .introduce immigrants who purchase the produce of the natives, and by their presence give a value to the reserves which have been kept for them; they construct* roads and public works upon which the natives are employed, thereby receiving manifold advantages. Whilst, on the contrary, Archdeacon Henry Williams, in his grants, if they are legal, has acquired an absolute right of property over an undefined and unknown extent of land, from which all Europeans and the Government are excluded, until these questions are adjusted ; and the natives, cut off from civilisation, and seeing themselves deprived of the]advanteges enjoyed by natives in other parts of the islands, are left in a state of discontent and almost of barbarism. I can assure your Lordship, from personal observation, that the natives in that part of the island where these missionary land claims are situated, are more impoverished, discontented, and wretched than those in any other district I have visited. And this is the point where the greatest danger is for the future to be apprehended." We have gone into this matter for the purpose of showing that while Archdeacou Williams eagerly claimed enormous quantities of land for his own family, he cared little for the natives, and less for the colonists. He studied the aggrandisement of his family ; and his notorious son, while enjoying the benefit of this, is now doing what he can to prevent the Manawatu block being peopled by thriving and industrious settlers, who unhappily have not had the opportunities of the Williams family lo buy up many fertile acres, with a little shot, some hardware, and a few looking glasses. It is very amusing to read the letters of Thomas C. Williams against the Manawatu Purchase. He, whose family have acquired an immense tract of land for a mere song, is almost rabid with fury against Dr Featherston and Mr Buller because they have bought the Manawatu for £25,000, the largest price ever given for any block in New Zealand. Mr Williams, following family tradition, would like to buy the land himself, or,at least, to "spot" itschoicestparts, and thus prevent its complete and profitable settlement. Luckily, tho efforts of Mr Williams have been foiled, and now he snarls at Mr Buller's heels. It is not pleasant to notice now very furious lie is with disappointment, but it is consoling to reflect that as settlement progresses in the Colony, members of the Williams tribe will find it every day more difficult to exercise their land sharking propensities in a profitable manner.