30

Per ship Minerva.

Blackwall Yard, London,
30th September, 1852.

Sir,—We have the honor of addressing
Your Excellency, as the head of the Govern-
ment of New Zealand, for the purpose of
submitting to you a matter in which we are
personally interested, but which appears to us
of greater importance to the Colony. It may
be convenient if we begin by stating the
nature of our personal interest in the subject.

Circumstances have induced us to resolve,
after due consideration, to enter fully and sys-
tematically into the business of the Passenger
Trade to New Zealand. These are—

1st. the surrender by the New Zealand Com-
pany to the Crown, of the Charter under
which they were the Instrument for the greater
part of the Emigration from the Mother
Country to that Colony.

2nd. The more recent transfer of the func-
tions and powers of the Canterbury Asso-
ciation, whereby the proceedings of that body,
as an important and highly valuable Instru-
ment of Emigration, are brought to an end;—
and

3rd. The Parliamentary legislation of last
Session, with bestowing very large powers
of local self Government upon the Colony of
New Zealand in general, and upon the six
Provinces into which it is divided by the new
Constitution, holds out a prospect, that the
attractiveness of New Zealand to Emigrants
of all classes, and more especially of the
higher classes will be much increased, and the
demand for Passenger Ships be proportionately
augmented. It thus appeared that the Ship-
ping arrangements which heretofore facilitated
New Zealand Emigration, and made it so res-
pectable, were coming to an end at the
moment when the Colony had acquired an in-
creased interest in them, and their continuance
and extension had become of greater im-
portance to the Colony. It seemed that the
supply was likely to cease at the very time
when the demand promised to be greater than
ever.

Prompted by these considerations we have
determined to take up and carry on the Ship-
ping operations for Emigration to New Zea-
land. Arrangements have consequently been
made, by which Mr. Aylmer, (who succeeded
Mr. Bowler as Superintendent of Emigration
and Shipping to the Canterbury Association)
will establish at the late office of that body a
general Emigration Office for New Zealand,
in exclusive connection with our firm as Ship
Owners. At this office, and precisely as here-
tofore, intending Colonists of all classes will be
able to obtain information, advice, and assis-
tance; and in due proportion to the demand
for passage, first class Ships will be despatched
by us with the same strict regard to the safety
and comfort of Passengers during the voyage,
and punctuality to the time fixed for sailing,
as bestowed by the Canterbury Shipping ar-
rangements.

Your Excellency will understand that we
can have no object in ministering to the Emi-
gration wants of any one of the New Zealand
Settlements in particular. Differing in this
respect from the Canterbury Association, we
shall direct our attention to all the six Provin-
ces which the new Constitutional Act calls into
existence. It will be Mr. Aylmer's and our
endeavour and wish that each Province shall
share equally with all the rest in the benefits
which these arrangements may afford. Just
at present, probably, it may not be in our
power to send ships to a single port only, so
as to secure for each Province the advantage of
direct communication from England, but as
soon as ever the demand for passage to each
port shall justify that course, we shall not fail
to pursue it. In the meantime, and so long
only as the demand for shipping shall be
insufficient to justify our sending them to a
single port, but sufficient to require a ship for
two or more, we shall send ships to more than
one port, taking care that such Province
shall in its turn, as far as possible, be made the
first place of destination.

We assume that the Government of each
Province and the General Legislature, including
your Excellency, will perceive that it is in their
own power by raising funds for the promotion
of Emigration from the Mother Country, to
make it the interest of British ship owners to
send their vessels always to a single port, and
therefore, to each, direct from England.
Either each Province, if all the six should
obtain the management of their own waste
land, or the General Legislature on behalf of
each Province, if the law should remain as it
is, might provide funds for direct Emigration
to the six ports. On this point we
are induced to add, that if the authorities of
New Zealand, whether in General or Pro-
vincial Governments, should be disposed to
raise funds in this country for the purpose of
Emigration, we should be glad, and hereby beg
to offer to your Excellency our services to
afford any assistance in our power towards the
introduction of New Zealand Government
securities into the British money market, or
other means by which we could be useful in
promoting the interest of the Colony.

The foregoing statement of our intentions
and views with regard to New Zealand Emi-
gration will sufficiently introduce a suggestion
which we venture to make through your Ex-
cellency to the Legislature of the Colony. In
carrying on the passenger trade to the Austra-
lian Colonies, and in some measure also to
New Zealand, we have found that the
damage and loss of life, and the cost,
and all of which are ultimately added to
the cost of passage, are caused by the pay-
ment to Emigrants of money, or by allowing
the commander of the ship to have dealings
with seamen. The law of the United Kingdom
of British shipping requires that masters of
their passenger ships shall land them at the
port in India, or the Colony, to which they are
partially or wholly bound, and that they shall
have entered into a bond to do so. It is not
the whole voyage, but the arrival which we
present afford to suggest a simple and easy
or remedy such as the Governor of New
be presumptuous in us to suggest to your
form positively that this is a subject which
remedy; but we are aware that the Governor of
Durham was Governor of New Zealand, and the
Legislative Council or the Assembly, or such of
his Government as may be in power for a
short time the means of adopting a more
method of dealing with the whole of this
grievance at Queensland, or any other matters
which apply to the Colony, and which we hope
the legislature of New Zealand will find it
equally successful. We have only further to
assure your Excellency that it is our earnest
intention of endeavouring to act most systemati-
cally in the New Zealand trade, and that the
subject is of that importance which entitles
one to which we have ventured to call your Ex-
lency's early attention. We shall be happy
from us, your Excellency, or from any who are
necessarily and officially or otherwise
interested in the welfare of the Colony.

We have the honor to be, Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient servants,

(Signed) [Name omitted in original]

We beg you to believe, Sir, that it is not
that we shall be happy to receive any
wish to carry out this plan, or any other
arrangement you may think it desirable, or
may think it desirable to suggest for the
benefit of the Colony.

(Signed) [Name omitted in original]

To His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief of
Governor-in-Chief of New Zealand.

WELLINGTON:—Printed by R. Stokes, at the
HIS EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-IN-CHIEF
has been pleased to appoint
CHARLES CLIFFORD, Esq.,
to be Commissioner of Crown Lands for the
and Christchurch districts.